Tonight’s Concert Pick: Blitzen Trapper + Dawes at Theatre Of Living Arts

Blitzen Trapper could have easily fallen prey to the typical rags-to-riches, cool-to-crazy Cinderella story. Though eight years have passed since lead singer Eric Earley ate hotplates in his sleeping bag and recorded songs under the caved-in ceiling of an abandoned warehouse, the Portland-based sextet has continued to create music evocative of the humble struggles associated with American living, combining the grandeur of classic hard rock with the simplicity—and sincerity—of folk songs. Going from homelessness to being mentioned in the pages of major music magazines is a notorious trigger for many musicians’ meltdowns; Earley, however, managed to turn it into the group’s sixth and latest album, Destroyer of the Void. The album carries the maturity of a band that has not only inched its way up to popularity, but is coping with the derailed personal life that comes from such popularity. Even with Beatles-esque vocal harmonies and a rotating selection of Led Zeppelin covers showcased on tour, Blitzen Trapper is still normal in the most eclectic, strangest way possible. Blitzen Trapper performs with Dawes at 7:00 p.m. at the Theatre Of Living Arts; tickets to the all-ages show are $20. —Marielle Mondon