On July 20 and 21, 8 Track Relay combines music and running for a 24-hour race that should appeal greatly to Portland’s bumper sticker crew. Let’s put the running to the side for a moment, and check out the music: There will be 27 continuous hours of music (no sleeping, lazybones) and the bands they’ve booked are really good: Menomena, Blitzen Trapper, the Cave Singers, Nurses, TheeSatisfaction, Quasi, AgesandAges, the Builders and the Butchers, Talkdemonic, Federale, Lost Lander, Lovers, LAKE, Michael Hurley, Denver, Wild Ones, Lemolo, Morning Ritual, Hevetia, MC Sam Adams (wha?!?), DJ Beyonda, Magic Fades, and the Bubblin’ DJ crew.
Here’s the cool part: MercPerks is selling half-price passes for the music portion only—for those not participating in the race—so you can see all these bands for 20 measly bucks. (Ordinarily, festival-only passes are $40.) So hop over to MercPerks and score.
[Caveat: I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention that PDX Pop Now!, Portland’s terrific, all-ages, totally free music fest is happening the exact same weekend. That’s where I’ll be. Although I suppose I could check out PDX Pop Now! on Saturday until close, and then hop over to 8 Track Relay around 2 am to watch the bands playing 8 Track’s overnight slot, until PDX Pop Now! kicks off again around noon the next day. That is logistically possible, and probably insane, and I doubt I’ll actually do it. Check back tomorrow for the lineup for this year’s PDX Pop Now!]