culture

Adios Papi! Prolific Portland Musician Is Off To Germany

By John Sepulvado (OPB)
Portland, Oregon Aug. 15, 2015 7 a.m.
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Papi Fimbres, a key figure in Portland's music scene, is moving abroad for a year.

Papi Fimbres, a key figure in Portland's music scene, is moving abroad for a year.

Christina Belasco / OPB

In a few weeks, the drummer and percussionist for more than 20 Portland bands will be living in Leipzig, Germany. David "Papi" Fimbres of Mascaras, Sun Angle, Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, and other bands is moving to the Eastern German town with his wife, Shana Lindbeck.

"I got no beef with P-Town," Fimbres said. "My wife's German. I love her family, I love Germany … it's really cool. You can be partying in a building that was built in 1400. I love it."

Fimbres said the plan is to live in Germany for a year, and then come back to Portland.

"I gotta come back for my cats, my records, and my drums," Fimbres said. "We got no plans for kids yet. I think music is my baby."

Fimbres moved to Portland in 1999 from Los Angeles. He said he loves Portland because it's a place where people are encouraged to shape their passion.

"It's like a glorious melting pot of openness. It's a vortex. It's awesome. It's a great launchpad ... if you want to try anything new. And if you fail, just try something new."

Perhaps a new slogan for the city?

"Portland: Keep Portland Failed!," Fimbres said laughing. "I'm going to get a lot of hate for that."  

We asked Fimbres to come up with a list of five things people should know if they're thinking about moving to Portland:

1) Drivers are very slow.

"They don't use their blinkers," Fimbres said. "That's annoying."

2) Your neighbors are going to be musicians.

"Get used to it. Be cool with it. Although … (now that Fimbres is leaving and 23 bands are losing their drummer) P-town will have quieter neighborhoods. There's so many bands here! It's insane."

3) Mexican food is amazing in Portland.

"There's a lot of Latino communities here. And that's awesome. Gentrification is a whole 'nother thing, but there's still amazing Mexican food."

4) Despite the scorching summer, Portland is a cold, wet place.

"People don't realize that it's not supposed to be like this. I grew up in L.A., and this looks like L.A. The nasty haze, the orange tint in the sky from all the forest fires, which is a bummer."

5) Your basement is an excellent place to throw a show.  

"House shows are coming back man. The thing is, we get older, but the kids are getting younger, and there's an influx (of new musicians). But it's still a communal thing, like Pal's clubhouse. That house has been around forever, and its forever changing with people living there, but they still keep the same thing happening where there's a 24-hour stage with in their backyard and they always do shows."

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