Is This Real? A Wipers Tribute ft. Matt Cameron

Description

Thanks to a generous grant from 4Culture, a limited number of tickets for this show are only $10!

Featuring Matt Cameron (Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Pearl Jam) on guitar and vocals alongside Caspian Coberly, Will Andrews, and Shane Smith, Is This Real? delivers a high-energy celebration of the music of the Wipers, while also weaving in original material from Cameron. What began as a tribute to one of the Pacific Northwest’s most influential punk bands has evolved into a powerful live experience driven by raw energy, musicianship, and a deep love for the region’s musical legacy. 

Opening the night is Bexley, bringing their own dynamic blend of melody, atmosphere, and rock-driven songwriting to kick things off. 

A must-see evening of Pacific Northwest music!

The debut EP from Is This Real? is out now – featuring Matt Cameron on vocals and guitar – is out now on all streaming platforms.

Artist Bio:

Matt Cameron is inextricably tied to Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Pearl Jam, and thus, grunge rock history – but observers of his onstage attire have clocked his interest in another genre too. 70s and 80s punk might become the topic of conversation, should you find yourself hanging with the multifaceted drummer. 

Guitarist Caspian Coberly was right there in October 2022, after they took part in a tribute show for Alan White, the late drummer for Yes & John Lennon. Coberly, tasked with arranging an unfinished Alan White and Chris Squire collaboration with Jimmy Page, had written a drum part based upon the original and recorded a demo for Cameron. During the Paramount performance, the future collaborators clicked; Coberly on vocals and guitar, Cameron on drums. 

The two hung out after the concert and discussed Wipers and the work of Greg Sage. Wipers, established in Portland in 1977 and considered the first Pacific Northwest punk band, were no longer active by 1999. So Cameron & Coberly talked about starting a Wipers cover band that night. 

Coberly had just met drummer Will Andrews (Walking Papers, Ten Miles Wide, Night Palm) and told Cameron they should all jam together. With Andrews deftly holding down the set, Cameron was free to cut loose on guitar and lead vocals, hearkening back to his Wellwater Conspiracy days. 

Next to be recruited was Andrews’ Ten Miles Wide bandmate, bassist Shane Smith, completing what Coberly called “a perfect fit.” Honoring Wipers’ first record and lyrics, they dubbed the cover project “Is This Real?” 

The moniker became an apt description of the audience’s reaction at the inaugural Royal Room show in August 2023 – and increasingly so when Is This Real? popped up as a surprise Portland-only opener on Pearl Jam’s 2024 tour. Other Matt Cameron gems surface within their setlists, including original solo work quietly debuted in between the high-energy Wipers covers. 

The onstage synergy and exploratory dynamic of Is This Real? foreshadow more original material from this serendipitous lineup.