Mercury Music Picks

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 […]

The Mercury turns 25 this year and we’re throwing a big birthday bash at Polaris Hall on July 31! Pulling up to the function are Pure Bathing Culture, Nonbinary Girlfriend, and Karma Rivera, and you are invited! Sadly (but also happily), the show sold out in less than 48 hours and I didn’t even get […]

What does it feel like to hear new music by a cherished artist who has passed away? How do we hold memories of a childhood we barely remember? Who decides how individuals identify and what we call ourselves? Heavy questions on a sunny summer day in July that certainly aren’t answered in this week’s Mercury […]

What a ripper weekend! Homie Fest VI was everything it was supposed to be and so much more—the vibes were truly immaculate. Everyone who was there were homies somehow, and people who didn’t know each other were besties by the end of the second night. Music has such a powerful impact, able to form community […]

Has everyone dried out from the atmospheric-river-torrential-downpour over the weekend?? Phew, thank goodness! I was about to start building my ark there for a second…. This week is full to the brim with fabulous concerts, AND—most exciting—sees the release of the Mercury’s 2025 Queer Issue! The issue’s theme is “Be Gay, Do _____.” and is […]