Mercury Music Picks

Well, has it finally happened? Are we in the season where concerts and events are slowing down, allowing us to chill and take some time to ourselves? Yes and no! There is still so much happening around town right now that tough decisions still need to be made between one show and another, and between […]

So who was at Turnstile, Amyl & The Sniffers, and Speed last Wednesday? Half the Mercury staff was there… it’s the kind of show that makes you never want to miss another show ever again. The lead dude in Sydney, Australia’s Speed was fucking strapped, looking like a kangaroo about to beat you down in […]

Whose idea was it to book Autechre, Nourished By Time, Lucinda Williams, and Fleshwater all on the same night? And then, the very next night, Turnstile, Amyl & The Sniffers, Speed, and Jane Remover?? At least those last four are on the same bill…. Having a friend visiting you from a city you used to […]

Many life-giving shows have transpired since the last Mercury Music Picks two weeks ago: NxWorries at Crystal, Cosmic Tones Research Trio album release at Hollywood, The Barbaras album release at Showdown, my DJ set at Dream House (plug), Grandaddy at Rev. Hall, Sun Blood Stories at Bunk Bar, 45th Parallel Universe performing Philip Glass’ Quartets. […]

Four things to keep in mind as we move through the week: FREE PALESTINE, ARM TRANS WOMEN, LANDBACK, FUCK ICE. Tuesday, September 16 The Cosmic Tones Research Trio For fans of Sun Ra, Don Cherry, Dorothy Ashby  Cosmic Tones Research Trio—alto sax/composer Roman Norfleet, multi-instrumentalist Harlan Silverman, and pianist Kennedy Verrett—conjure astral jazz and healing […]

Writing about topics outside of music, and music-adjacent happenin’s isn’t really in my wheelhouse, but good god damn was Drama Tops’ show Dads one of the most beautifully unhinged things I’ve ever seen! Their Time Based Arts festival appearances are now in the past, but if you EVER have the chance to see them here or […]

Visiting cities that don’t have as robust music scenes is so helpful in appreciating what we’ve got going on in Portland right now. I had a family wedding in San Diego over Labor Day weekend and the only things that sounded interesting were a DJ set by someone I can’t even remember, and a rooftop […]

For some, Labor Day Weekend is a signifier of the end of summer. And it is for those heading back to school as students, teachers, and school administrative staff (big shouts to the lunch ladies and janitors of the world). But y’all know this is the PNW (in the year of our Climate Collapsing Lord, […]

We in the thick of it now, y’all! Project Pabst and Pickathon are right around the corner, the summer concerts are heating up at the Square and Edgefield, and being in and around water is top priority.  Like many in Portland, I love cruising around the PNW in summer visiting friends and family, losing myself […]