Mercury Music Picks is all-city, baby! There’re shows represented in this week’s MMP in all five quadrants. There’s not much better in this life than catching an early show, jumping on your bike to mash across town, and arriving just in time to catch another band you’ve been dying to see. We rag on our public transit, but when compared to cities of similar or even bigger size Tri-Met holds their own—use it! Pay bus drivers more! Pay musicians more! As I’m writing this on Monday afternoon, I’m riding a weekend high of seeing Help and Anthers at Shanghai Tunnel on Saturday and hiking Hamilton Mountain on Sunday. Get out there! There’s so much Portland has to offer…
Friday, May 2
Sully / Inversion Table / Alex Compton / Troubled Youth
For fans of Boot Boyz Biz, Lorenzo Morresi, Tim Reaper
Some of the most tuned in, turned on, and dropped out graphic design happening in Portland, over the last few years, is coming out of Mhud Studio. The pieces they’re putting out have a working class aesthetic and tend to focus on cult cinema and/or Portland’s underground rave and DIY music scenes. Being the heads they are, Mhud is pulling together a heater night at Old Town’s newest party spot Barn Radio. UK jungle producer Sully headlines—his powerful dance music is reminiscent of ’90s hardcore D&B, inflected with a singular psychedelic pulse made for all nighters. Brooklyn’s Inversion Table also pulls up with endorsements from Spoiler Room and the Lot Radio. Local floor-fillers Alex Compton and Troubled Youth set the pace for the evening. (Barn Radio, 215 SW 1st, Fri May 2, 10 pm, $25, tickets here, 21+)
Saturday, May 3
Larry Peace Love Yes / Cosmic Tones Research Trio
For fans of Michael Hurley, elijah jamal asani, Angel Bat Dawid
The energy of community building and deep care is ubiquitously woven into the music, art, and very existence of Portland’s Larry Peace Love Yes. A fixture in the outsider music, folk, and hippie scenes of the PNW, Larry Yes will be releasing a new album into the world titled Everyone On This Planet Is Family for which this is the release party. The album’s production carries a fuller sound than we’ve heard from the artist in recent years with strings, wind instruments, and percussion softly complimenting Yes’ vocal wanderings. Opening the party is Cosmic Tones Research Trio, the spiritual jazz outfit led by Roman Norfleet—a collaborator on Everyone On This Planet Is Family. (Leaven Community, 5431 NE 20th, Sat May 3, 7 pm, $10, tickets at the door, all ages)
Patrick McCully / Multiverse Ensemble
For fans of Colin Stetson, John Zorn, Kronos Quartet
The saxophone has one of the largest ranges of all the traditional western instruments, especially when considering the different types of saxophones. Patrick McCully—a Portland-based experimentalist, educator, and composer—takes his study of the saxophone to the instrument’s limits, exposing a musical constellation unbeknownst to most of us. A challenging listen for some, McCully employs breathing techniques allowing him to stretch the repetition of his hypnotic compositions to world-building lengths. The opening group, Multiverse Ensemble employs the traditional Japanese koto, violin, classical guitar, along with a range of percussion when building their songs and improvisations. (Megalith, 2730 NE MLK, Sat May 3, 7 pm, $12+, tickets at the door, all ages)
Deerhoof / The Ghost Ease / Kusikia
For fans of The Fiery Furnaces, Stereolab, Xiu Xiu
Formed in 1994, Deerhoof have been producing a noisy experimental pop all their own, and deeply influencing alternative music for decades. Their discography is massive with its most recent addition being released last week; Noble and Godlike in Ruin is still firmly rooted in the experimentalism of their earlier work with a depth of sonics and production that often comes with years of experience. Portland’s Ghost Ease join Deerhoof for the northwest stint of their tour—it’ll be a treat seeing the Ghost Ease as they don’t play out so often these days, and 2025 is the ten year anniversary of their debut album Raw. The slow burn emotional deluge of local band Kusikia animate the beginnings of this musically rangy night. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, Sat May 3, 8 pm, $22, tickets here, all ages)
Sunday, May 4
Michael Hurley Memorial
For fans of Michael Hurley, Bad Mr. Mike, Doc Snock
There’s been a beautiful outpouring since Michael Hurley’s departure from this temporal plane—of friends, collaborators, and fans from across the globe sharing their experiences with the man and his music. On Sunday, a public memorial for Bad Mr. Mike, at Cherry Sprout Park, provides a chance to hold space for the folk troubadour and each other while celebrating Doc Snock’s life and music. Feel free to grab the mic and sing a song, tell a Michael Hurley story, or read a poem. Have a gander at our obit for the apple of Portland’s eye and see you there. (Cherry Sprout Park, 722 N Sumner, Sun May 4, 12-4 pm, FREE, all ages)
AKA Foodman / SH / Carly Barton
For fans of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Visible Cloaks, Cornelius
Pulling from all over music’s map, Yokohama’s AKA Foodman is an electronic producer celebrated in heady circles grooving on the popularization of Japanese music in the West. Bright, visceral, and deeply collagist—Foodman’s output exudes a sense of excitement and curiosity about the external world. Carly Barton, a Portland producer and DJ fast becoming a city favorite, opens the night along with SH, the experimental duo composed of Francisco Botello and Zackary Rowe. Now hosting their ninth event, this exceptional programming is brought to you by Moment, a team of angels facilitating some of the best shows in Portland over the last couple years. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, Sun May 4, 7 pm, $20, tickets here, 21+)
Mask / Khasm / Shellshock / Hesitant / Room13
For fans of World Peace, Clique, KOTM
Like I said in our Northwest Hardcore Fest write-up, places repressed by strict religious surveillance and oversight often have ripper alternative music and art scenes that aren’t afraid to square up with their oppressors. Salt Lake City’s Mask is an excellent example of hardcore not backing down from those who would see us fail. Their music is raw, scathing, and will have you slamming down the sidewalk ready for action. Sal Sagev’s Khasm delivers a low-end hardcore tailor-made for pickin’ up pennies. Striking fear in the hearts of normies are local punks Shellshock and Hesitant with Spokane’s Room13 on opening duty. (ask a punk, Sun May 4, 7 pm, $15, all ages)
Wednesday, May 7 / Saturday, May 10 / Sunday, May 11
Björk’s Cornucopia
For fans of Kate Bush, Arca, Cocteau Twins
Correct me if I’m wrong, but as far as I can tell Björk has never played Portland; her last appearance in the PNW being her day one headline set at Sasquatch! 2007. Though we may never be blessed by this actual goddess’ appearance in our city, her new concert documentary has three screenings at Cinema 21. The doc was filmed during Björk’s Cornucopia world tour when it stopped in Lisbon, Portugal in 2023. Featuring work spanning from her debut Debut to her most recent studio album Fossora, Cornucopia is giving mother. It’s giving us pause to remember why we all love her so much and how truly important she is—not only for the music industry but for the environment, for women’s rights, for human rights, to understand that aging is sacred. I was at Björk’s Sasquatch! appearance in 2007 and I know this screening won’t compare, but I’m thinking it’ll scratch this Icelandic-shaped itch I’ve had for the last 18 years. (Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, multiple dates, multiple times, $15, tickets here, all ages)
Also very worth it…
Machine Country / Bad Optics / Of Wires at High Water Mark - May 1, tickets here
Baby Grendel / Heaven Skate / Johnny Raincloud at Dante’s - May 1, tickets here
Two Shell at Barn Radio - May 1, tickets here
Scott Yoder / Sasha Bell / Wolly Mountain at Swan Dive - May 1, tickets at the door
Shore Pines / Franklin Goth / Vonnie Kyle at Swan Dive - May 2, tickets at the door
Trans Panic / Coy Pussy / Cicatrice / The Seditionists at Shanghai Tunnel - May 3, tickets at the door
Mt Fog / Tispur / Anna Sabatino at the Six - May 3, tickets here
The July Effect / Myst / As the Life Leaves Your Eyes / Eyesore / Words of Scáthach / Sacrament at ask a punk - May 3, tickets at the door
Ēriks Ešenvalds with Oregon Repertory Singers and Seattle Latvian Choir at First United Methodist Church - May 3 & 4, tickets here
Orquestra Pacífico Tropical / Caicedo at Alberta Abbey - May 5, tickets here
New Here / Myriads / Drook at Mississippi Studios - May 6, tickets here
Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Wonder Ballroom - May 6 & 7, SOLD OUT
Portland Music News:
The jewel of the Central Eastside, Holocene is celebrating its 22nd Anniversary this year! To mark its birth, the cherished venue will host two nights of (no surprise) heater shows. On June 4 they’ve got Byron Westbrook, Marcus Fischer, and Sunae Yamada taking the stage, with Soul Clap, Ben Tactic, and Phreaker Fighter pulling up on June 5. Peep Holocene’s website for more details.
