Well folks, weâre officially in the middle of summer, AKA the busiest time of year for our live music calendars. In case you needed to know about yet another show going on that you canât make it to or afford, weâve got a couple of those, but also a couple of opportunities to enjoy some live music for free. Get into all of the things to Hear in Portland.Â
MUST SEE:Â
Upcoming local event(s) featuring local artist(s).
Night Heron, Blossom
We've been raving about Night Heron and Blossom independently for years, so it's great to get a show featuring both Portland-based soul-influenced artists. Night Heron is the neo-soul and synth-pop five piece that made the notable 2021 record Instructions for the Night, AKA 10 exceedingly groovy and sensual tracks that are suited best for evening drives and dimly lit housebound activities. The showâs gracious opener is none other than Blossom, AKA the singer-songwriter, art director, and vibe creator extraordinaire whose music releases we have also regularly championed over the years. We love Blossom for her reggae âBlack Magic Woman,â easy breezy summer anthem âSo Cool,â and ââ90s affected âLoves Coming.â Most recently we were impressed with Blossomâs new rock-influenced sound on âDevil In My Kitchen,â which appears on production duo Yellow Trash Canâs compilation album SOGGYâan album weâll need to get into at a later date, due to how dense and delightfully packed with local names it is. On âDevil in my Kitchenâ Blossom sings in bratty punk pop form over a guitar-driven production by YTC (Yellow Trash Can, which is Jason Navarrete and Jitta On The Track). Ever since seeing Blossom tease a performance video of the song on Instagram, weâve been obsessed, so hereâs hoping she performs the song during her set at the tropics-inspired bar inside Jupiter Next, Hey Love. (Hey Love, 920 E Burnside, Thurs July 18, 8 pm, FREE, 21+)
A Beat Happening
As usual, weâve got alllll the reasons to attend another installment of the producer- and beatmaker-focused series A Beat Happening. Most of them are related to the beautifully stacked lineup, but we're also curious to check on the showcase's newish location in LâAtelier Yaffe. Boogie down to a set from trusty DJ VNPRT, then get into some tunes by beatmakers like FFAMILY, multi-disciplinary composer-producer Jonny Cool (whoâs credited on Ella Maiâs certified gold record âDFMUâ), as well as rapper Julimar, DJ/artist/producer Simone the Waterbearer, producer/engineer/musician RIDL, and emcee Karma Rivera, who will rock a special guest set that we hope will include new single âBeen Awhile,â and dance-friendly tracks like âYou So Nasty.â (Thurs July 21, 4 pm, LâAtelier Yaffe, 111 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, all ages, FREE)Â
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Project Pabst
Remember back in 2016, when Project Pabst brought artists like Lizzo, Ice Cube, A$AP Ferg, Duran Duran, Tame Impala, Sheer Mag, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ween, and STRFKR to two-day festival on a modest swath of Waterfront Park? It was nice; you didnât have to walk that far in between stages, and there were boozy root beer floats. Yeah, those were good times. So we're amped that for the first time in seven years, Project Pabst returns to Tom McCall Waterfront Park with a fresh, high-profile lineup for us Portlanders. Much like 2016, STRFKR is on the bill! And like past years, so are a weird mishmash of major music artists like T-Pain, Billy Idol, Big Thief, Soccer Mommy, Denzel Curry, Shannon and the Clams, Miya Folick, Dehd, Jeff Rosenstock, Millitarie Gun. We wrote about it when the fest was announced, but seriously don't sleep. (Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Pkwy, July 27 & 28, $115-220, tickets here, 21+)
MUST LISTEN:Â
New release(s) from a Portland-relevant artist.Â
The Mandala Effect, Rasheed JamalÂ
Released on June 14, The Mandala Effect is rapper Rasheed Jamalâs first project in five years, since 2019âs Messiah Complex. Cut mostly throughout 2021, The Mandala Effect is a raw, abstract, jazz- and soul-influenced collection of music and grooves that creates a free-flowing listening experience of songs that feel both varied and cinematic in their arrangements. Jamal is accompanied by stalwart local musiciansâalmost every song is a collaboration with either, or both, acclaimed pianist-producer Charlie 3rown (AKA Charles Brown III) and Samuel Eisen-Meyer, who provides guitar work, keys, and additional vocals. Also joining the ensemble, you'll hear drummer Domo Branch and guitarist Peter Knudsen on the effervescent âWe Gonâ Live!â On âYesterdayâ Jamal can be heard singing tenderly and... first of all... who knew the rapper also had a velvety singing voice!? He explained that much of these moments were improvised: âAll of the songs on this project were made on the spot in the moment. Purely improvised. So were the videos. We basically freestyled this project, but made sure it got mixed." Jamal goes on to discuss various inspirations: Ideas for "Brimstone" came together in the midst of Oregon wildfires, when Falcon Studios in Northeast Portland was filled with smoke. There's plenty more commentary to peruse and make sure to also check out the accompanying video content.