Bird Show of North America

Artist Information

Biography

Bird Show of North America began as a duo in 2002 when CJ Miller and Ian Peters decided to start an instrumental band with a theme. We chose birds as their theme in large part because of CJ's vast knowledge of birds. He is a bird geek. He can identify nearly all of the birds in North America....seriously.
Our musical influences range from instrumental post-rock bands such as Tortoise to more pop rock bands such as Guided by Voices to avant-rock artist, Deerhoof.

We soon added artist Curtis Poortinga to the lineup.
Curtis liked the idea of performing on stage. It was a challenge to create a painting in as little as 4 minutes but he has become extremely adept at it.
Inspired by Japanese line drawing he has been able to capture a bird's movement and grace with remarkable ease. After our shows we usually sell out of our paintings.

We've been featured in Audubon Magazine, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Portland Mercury, and the Stranger (Seattle).

***BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR MYSPACE PAGE. WE HAVE 3 LIVE VIDEOS NOT AVAILABLE IN THIS PRESSKIT...www.myspace.com/birdshow********

Instrumentation

Ian Peters- guitars
CJ Miller- drums
Curtis Poortinga- paint

Discography

2007- Murder over Moscow debut CD
2007- Hoot! EP

3 different tracks from Murder over Moscow have been played on Seattle's KEXP 90.3 by 3 different DJs

Links

• Our myspace page

Audio

• Canadian Geese Migration
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• Phainopepla and Pyrrhuloxia
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• Brown Pelican
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• Ivory billed Woodpecker
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• Peregrine Falcon
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• Tundra Swan
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• Wandering Albatross
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• Greater Roadrunner vs. Scorpion
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• Goshawk
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• Homing Pigeon over Argonne, 1918
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Video

Bird Show of North America short doc

Photo Gallery

Press

• Front page of the Arts section! [+ Show ]
  

  In pop music these days, Bird is the word. For one, you have Andrew Bird, the eccentric singer-gu...In pop music these days, Bird is the word.
  
  For one, you have Andrew Bird, the eccentric singer-guitarist-fiddler-glockenspielist who held a Bumbershoot crowd under his spell early this month.
  
  And then there's Bird and the Bee, the Los Angeles band fronted by Inara George, daughter of the late, great musician Lowell (Little Feat) George. (Bird and the Bee, which turned in a charming Showbox set in March when they opened for Lily Allen, headlines Nov. 5 at the Crocodile Cafe.)
  
  Seattle's contribution to this flock is Bird Show of North America, a guitar-drums-paintbrush trio. Yes, that's right: a guitarist, a drummer and a painter.
  
  Guitarist Ian Peters and drummer (and bird nerd) CJ Miller first thought of having artist friend Curtis Poortinga paint images of birds to use as backdrops for the duo's avian-themed instrumentals. Perhaps wary of turning into the Audubon Family Players, they hit on a more novel idea.
  
  
  
  Curtis Poortinga paints a bird while guitarist Ian Peters strums and CJ Miller drums.
  "On stage, we'll tell a little story about each bird, or a description, before the song starts," Peters said, "so the audience can get an image in their head of what this bird is about. Then we play the song, the painter does his thing."
  
  The paintings created during each song became a hit, and they sell at the end of a Bird Show set for $20-$40 (the longest Bird Show song runs about 10 minutes). Friday night at the Blarney Stone pub downtown, the band also will be hawking its first full-length CD, "Murder Over Moscow."
  
  The album features a cover painting by Poortinga -- of a "murder" of crows over Moscow, Idaho -- and several of Bird Show's live favorites, Peters said.

• Prime Time Nine [+ Show ]
  

  Bird Show of North America has been named one of the 'Prime Time Nine', 9 bands we consider to be t...Bird Show of North America has been named one of the 'Prime Time Nine', 9 bands we consider to be the future of Northwest music.

• Nice feature in Audubon Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Rockin’ Robin, Tweet When the instrumental rock trio Bird Show of North America (yes, that is the b...Rockin’ Robin, Tweet
  When the instrumental rock trio Bird Show of North America (yes, that is the band’s actual name) plays in Seattle bars, it’s only fitting that its song list includes “Great Horned Owl” and “Wandering Albatross.” One member of the band is an artist who paints the song’s namesakes during performances. Bird Show of North America is comprised of guitarist Ian Peters, drummer CJ Miller, and painter Curtis Poortinga. The band formed when Peters and Miller, who have been playing together since 1997, decided they needed a theme; the bird idea came from Miller, who, like his mother, is an avid birdwatcher. Peters and Miller often write a song first, then sit down with a field guide to figure out which bird’s traits offer the best fit. “I think after you’ve assigned that bird and listened to it enough times, the song really is that bird,” Peters says. Poortinga’s paintings add a compelling visual element, and the band sells them for $20 to $40 after shows. Last October, Bird Show of North America released its first full-length album, Murder Over Moscow. The album cover, which was painted by Poortinga, pictures a flock of crows flying over a map of Moscow, Idaho. The album is available on iTunes and at cdbaby.com.—Shawn Query

• Show preview [+ Show ]
  

  In other unique concept band news, ornithologists should check out the Bird Show of North America, a...In other unique concept band news, ornithologists should check out the Bird Show of North America, a local band playing a show at the Crocodile on Saturday (9:30 p.m.; $6).
  
  The band's winding instrumentals are all named after birds, and an artist -- who is officially part of the band -- paints during the performance and sells these interpretations to the audience at the end of the show. All of this might come off as very high-minded and artsy with a capital A if the music wasn't such unpretentious indie rock. (Think Tristeza and you're in the right general direction.)

• Show Preview [+ Show ]
  

  TWEET TWEET! How many times have you wanted to listen to music... and watch people painting picture...TWEET TWEET!
  How many times have you wanted to listen to music... and watch people painting pictures of birds? Enter Bird Show of North America, a laidback three-piece instrumental rock band comprised of two musicians who play songs named after birds... and one guy who paints pictures of birds. Plus, you can buy the pictures after the show! EH

• Seattle's instrumental bands [+ Show ]
  

  http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=546238&ms Bird Show of North America Personnel:...http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=546238&ms
  
  Bird Show of North America
  
  Personnel: Ian Peters (guitar), CJ Miller (drums), Curtis Poortinga (painting).
  
  Bird Show of North America paint pretty, gentle landscapes with only guitars and drums. All their songs are named after birds: "Peregrine Falcon," "Greater Roadrunner," "Great Horned Owl." Their best songs flow casually along and then burst into sunny, fast-paced, organic jams that feel more improvised than rehearsed. When they play live, one member of the band, Curtis Poortinga, stands to the side of the stage and paints pictures of birds, which can be bought following the show.
  

Setlist

We usually play a 45 minute set but we have played festivals and private parties where we have played for as long as 2 hours.

Here is a typical set list:
Great Horned Owl
Chihuahuan Raven
American Kestrel
Homing Pigeon Over Argonne, 1918
Killdeer
Greater Roadrunner vs. Scorpion
Brown Pelican

Basic Requirements

Calendar