This week is big time for the homosexuals… and it’s not even June!
If you a gay and like dancing, Cobrah, Only Fire, and Six Sex are your best bets. If you gay but a more alternative gay, Darkswoon’s album release and FKA twigs will scratch all your itches. If you gay but really not gay, you actually a radical queer faerie, HIRS Collective is for you. Queer supremacy now!
And what the actual hell? There are 29 shows of note this week, 31 if you count Quasi’s two-day, three-show Turn! Turn! Turn! residency as separate gigs. Every single concert below is worth your time, energy, and especially your money.
Hope to see you out there, hunny bunnies!
Wednesday, April 1
Cobrah / DJ Latex
For fans of Only Fire, Reysha Rami, DJ Fuckoff
There’s a lot of high-femme club music coming out right now made by and for dykes, and no one’s doing it better, harder, or hotter than Cobrah. The Swedish producer—and former elementary school teacher—builds ketamine-fueled dreamscapes that, when played in the Berghain darkroom, end in an unreasonable number queer pregnancies. But maybe this is the gay agenda in 2026. Maybe we need to start populating the planet with gay babies conceived to the tune of “Good Puss” and “Feminine Energy.” The bisexual dynasty grows every time Cobrah takes the stage. (Wonder Ballroom, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)
Friday, April 3
Big Bite / Public Universal Friend / Nightmare Humano
For fans of The Vines, TV Star, Underpass
After releasing their first new music in six years last year, Seattle’s (and Portland’s) Big Bite continue to remain active touring, playing a handful of shows up and down the I-5 corridor. That 2025 music? Just a set of singles, featuring four uncompromisingly tough post-punk tracks soaked in the blood of 1,000 acid hits, they’re a trip. Portland’s Nightmare Humano—not Nightmare Humungo, as previously reported by the Mercury—offers up sonic delights hard to pigeonhole into one, or even a few genres. Maybe something like midwest post-grunge fuzz-pop is applicable. (Musicians Union Local 99, 7 pm, more info here, all ages)
Only Fire / DJ Wifi / Cece On Venus / Digitalis / Mo Bumps
For fans of Cobrah, LSDXOXO, Coucou Chloe
“Don’t you ever get bored when you’re deep in my vagina? / Going down the path long as the Great Wall of China / You want something tight that fits right onto your dick / You want something that doesn’t bleed every fourth week / Let’s do anal sex / So my pussy can rest / Let’s do anal sex / So that you can tell your ex / I’ll lick my shit off your dick if you show me respect / I’ll lick my shit off your dick if you write me a check.” -Only Fire (The Realm, 10 pm, more info here, 21+)
Saturday, April 4
Darkswoon / Altar Girl / Nyx Division
For fans of Light Asylum, Föllakzoid, Hole
There’s not much on the planet more powerful than a trio of queers at the peak of their powers. Portland’s Darkswoon stand before us with the offering of their new album Antivenom. The album’s first two tracks, “Antivenom” and “Thread” push rarified darkwave atmospheric rivers of sound through any speakers able to handle the gorgeous din. This is a band impossible to wade through; you must plunge in. If you’ve yet to pray at their altar, get on your knees for Altar Girl immediately—the local post-punks won’t wait around for you to comprehend their divinity too much longer before they blow up. The Nyx Division goth rockers do their thing in this opening slot. What “their thing” is, you’ll have to come to find out… (Mississippi Studios, 9 pm, more info here, 21+)
FKA twigs / Brutalismus 3000
For fans of Arca, Shygirl, Eartheater
Lady in the streets, freak in the beats chameleonic artist FKA twigs bares it all with every release, her late-2025 album Eusexua being no exception. Though I’m partial to her more experimental early work, twigs’ output the last few years has largely been remix-ready festival anthems, the deeper cuts of which fit nicely on any mixtape you’re pulling together for a crush. The only time I’ve seen twigs live was at Seattle’s Moore Theatre on her Magdalene tour, back in her swordplay poledancing days—one of the best live shows I’ve ever witnessed. Let’s see what she’s got in store for us this time. (Theater of the Clouds, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)
Six Sex / Lapaushi / Patrona / Delune
For fans of MJ Nebreda, La Goony Chonga, Ms Nina
From the Americas to Europe and beyond, the Latin diaspora has always—ALWAYS—been a deep well overflowing with music to make a body feel. Portland’s Global Based crew continues its trend of sending attendees of its parties to the ER for throwing too much ass, bringing Argentinian rave bitch Six Sex to the stages of Holocene. Shame on me for not speaking Spanish, but the energy Six Sex brings to her releases, mixes, and live shows blisses harder than your favorite party favors. Imagine combining the two. Advance tickets for Six Sex are sold out, but don’t stress. There will be a handful at the door when Holocene opens at nine, so get there early. (Holocene, 9 pm, more info here, 21+)
Sunday, April 5
Dragging An Ox Through Water / Sad Horse / Arch Cape / Sig Henry
For fans of Half Shadow, Larry Peace-Love Yes, The Space Lady
It’s not every day we get a new record from Portland’s minimalist philosophic guitar noodler Dragging An Ox Through Water. No seriously, it was 12 years to the day between DAOTW’s Panic Sentry and his new Whole Earth Catalogued album. The new nine-song effort meanders through 21st Century understandings of human existence—questioning it all, taking note of the big and the small. It’s also been a minute since we’ve heard a peep from Sad Horse, we need more of their real rock & roll spirit, we’re still thirsty for their love. The haunting Rachel Blumberg—AKA Arch Cape—excavates sonic tombs of texture, while the inimitable (and extremely busy) Sig Henry opens the night with what can only be described as… (Turn Turn Turn, 8 pm, more info here, 21+)
HIRS Collective / Commitment / The Names of Our Friends / Carrion Spring
For fans of Limp Wrist, GLOSS, Fuck U Pay Us
It’s pretty cool that right on their tour announcement poster HIRS Collective and Commitment put “Fuck ICE // Free Palestine.” It’s nice to know where your favorite bands stand on issues of genocide and human disappearance. ANYWAYS, outspoken Philly poli-punks HIRS Collective are two extremely powerful faggots screaming into mics, playing irresponsibly loud music, and starting live songs with samples from the likes of Whitney Houston—fuck I love this band. Their 17 song, 31 minute album from 2023, We’re Still Here, features noise music titans Gouge Away, Justin Pearson, Soul Glo, Frank Iero, Melt-Banana, The Body, and many, many more. Fellow Philly phreaks Commitment do be releasing a grip of singles in 2026—new album, maybe? The Names of Our Friends and Carrion Spring are Portland post-hardcore screamo supreme, plus Carrion Spring is celebrating the release of their new EP. (Black Water, 7 pm, more info here, all ages)
Tuesday, April 7 – Wednesday, April 8
David Byrne
For fans of Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Brian Eno
Indicative of his entire 50+ year career, David Byrne isn’t afraid of asking the tough questions on his new album Who Is the Sky? More cohesive than his last album-turned-Broadway-musical American Utopia, WITS? continues Byrne’s toeing the lines of pure pop bliss, Studio 54 style, and the avant-garde of Max’s Kansas City. All the while, he’s still critiquing us, himself, and the powers that (shouldn’t) be—though in a brighter tone than we’ve heard from the broad-shouldered cutie in a minute. Is the hopeful cheer coming from his recent marriage or the ever-elusive contentment of elderdom? Hard to say, but it feels good regardless. (Keller Auditorium, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)
Also very worth it…
Tara Clerkin Trio / TXTED at Polaris Hall – April 1, more info here
Abyecta / Vueltas / Social Ills / La Isla Electronica at Black Water – April 3, more info here
Buckets / The Dumes / Nonbinary Girlfriend / Friends, Friends at Kenton Club – April 3, more info here
Halfbird / The Social Stomach / Fire & Flux at Wyrd Hut – April 3, more info here
Health / Carpenter Brut / Desire at Roseland Theatre – April 3, more info here
Pale Violet / The Doubt at Brickhouse (Vancouver) – April 3, more info here
Splinterhead / Gored / Ominyx / Log Lady / Titans of Industry at Mission Theater – April 3, more info here
Quasi / Ava Mendoza / Drew Grow at Turn Turn Turn – April 3 & 4, more info here
The Apollo Four / The Gents of Chaos / Thee Montgomery Wards at Alberta Street Pub – April 4, more info here
Dyke Nite at Nova PDX – April 4, more info here
Gag / No Shelter / Odd Man Out / War Hero at High Limit Room – April 4, more info here
Go Kurosawa / Barry Walker Unit at Polaris Hall – April 4, more info here
Nick Lowe / The Cactus Blossoms at Revolution Hall – April 4, more info here
Possibly Maybe: An Evening of Drag and Circus Arts Inspired by the Music of Björk at Echo Theater – April 4, more info here
Ulrika Spacek / Nick Normal at the Get Down – April 4, more info here
Within Caskets / Gaspack / Witness the End / Prager Youth / Theft A.D. at the Off Beat – April 4, more info here
Container / Trigger Object / Blæd / Spoiler Room at Wyrd Hut – April 5, more info here
Filth Is Eternal / Negative Blast / Suffer at High Water Mark – April 5, more info here
Spend the Night 11 Year Anniversary feat. Theo Parrish at Holocene – April 5, more info here
Pyrocene / Black Shelton / Trans Panic / House of Warmth at High Water Mark – April 6, more info here
New Music Portland:
On God, the first New Music Portland breakout feature is coming this week or next! In the meantime, check out Spin Cycle, our new album review column by longtime Mercury writer Ryan J. Prado.
Portland Music News:
Fred Nemo, dancer in the legendary Portland band Hazel and owner of Black Hat Books, passed away last week. Nemo has been an important part of many radical Portland movements since the ’70s. Listen to Hazel today and always and keep Nemo’s spirit close.
This month Freeform Portland celebrates 10 years of being on Portland’s radio waves. As a former Freeform DJ, I can attest to the extreme passion and drive the Freeform crew has for sharing and making music as accessible as possible. As part of their anniversary celebrations, Freeform is taking over Trouble Bar tonight (April 1), opening their Stark Street studios to the public for an open house April 18, and hosting a karaoke night at Swan Dive on April 23—among other celebrations over the course of the month. Check the Freeform website for more details and catch them at 90.3 and 98.3 on the FM dial.
Today marks one year since the death of outsider folk scalawag Michael Hurley. It’s with deep joy and gratitude that we are left with such a robust Hurley catalog. Listen to Bad Mr. Mike today and always and keep Hurley’s spirit close. Read the Mercury’s obituary for Michael Hurley and our review of Broken Homes and Gardens, Snock’s last album.
Not much by way of information can be found about the new deep SE venue The Quake. What we know: The address is 2901 SE Steele Street and The Quake’s first performance is April 12 at 2 pm, featuring Shaylee, Gvth Daddy, and Veradas. What we don’t know: Is the Quake in a church? More to come as details unfold.
Yeah, Record Store Day has been nothing but a cash grab for years now…
Turn! Turn! Turn! is alive! After months, years if we’re being honest with ourselves, of tumult and uncertainty, it was announced today via Instagram that new owners Joel Christerson and Annie Ostrowski have officially taken over the Portland institution at the corner of Killingsworth and North Williams. For years the venue has played host to some of the most rockin’ shows in Portland and is home to event series including Magic Luscious Spirit Sounds and Crush On Everyone. This is a huge bullet we’ve dodged, Portland. Let’s make it count!
