Last week was a real Portland doozy, so much so I had to split to Central Washington to chill out for a minute.
The tough decision to post up at a generator show in lieu of catching Midwest emo daddies American Football was made, and happily. Two of Portland’s tuffest punk outfits, Carny Cumm and Obedient, sonically mooned the cops that pulled up and started filming the scene, with new-punks-on-the-block Jesus Egg and Truck guiding the sun to its final resting place for the day. DIY is alive and well in Portland, and getting more and more creative despite the best efforts of entities including PPB, the OLCC, local governments, zoning bureaus, etc.
Speaking of lame ass government entities, what was Mayor Keith Wilson doing glad-handing a couple elder rockers on the Bar Bar patio last Thursday? Was he there to enjoy Marisa Anderson’s album release show? Or maybe he’s a big fan of openers Descending Pharaohs. Whatever he was doing down here in the gutter, he was giving narc in his suit-no jacket look even before he pulled two phones out of his tailored slacks. Defund the police, bud. Stop the sweeps, my guy. Don’t sell Forest Park to PGE or anyone, dawg.
Marisa Anderson’s set astounded as she took us around the world, interpreting traditional music from places the US has been in conflict with since 1970, the framework of her new album, The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music. And if the gorgeous plucking of even newer, non-album ditty “Sweet Home Oregon” is to be believed, Anderson’s next album might just be a folky, country-western stunner.
On Friday at Revolution Hall, Melody’s Echo Chamber gaslit me into believing it was late-summer 2012 and that we should be shotgunning warm Olys, playing kubb in Alberta Park. Saturday galloped in with the second Friends in Low Places party at Showdown Saloon, and though EverOut staffer Bri Brey did a fabulous job shouting Friends in Low Places in last week’s Mercury Music Picks, I was shook when the first act came out as the Judds—the country musicians’ country musicians—opening the whole hoedown with “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days),” and if the Neon Prairie Dogs don’t incorporate their cover of Faith Hill’s “This Kiss” into their regular sets, the world will be a much worse place.
All this to say, Portland’s various music scenes continue to pop the fuck off. There’s so much on every single night in this town, both local and touring. Get out there to shows, don’t ask your friends for list, buy records and merch, and dance!
Wednesday, May 27
Carte Blanche: Michelle Zauner
For fans of best sellers, local heroes, sobbing at Lao Vieng
Fans of writer/musician Michelle Zauner and her musical project, Japanese Breakfast, should jump on this chance to see Zauner read her work live, reflect on her career, and participate in an audience Q&A. She’s fresh off the release of her 2025 album For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) and is currently working on her second book. If you’ve ever listened to her music or read her memoir, Crying in H Mart, you know how devastating yet beautifully poignant her prose and lyrics can be. (Tomorrow Theater, 7 pm, more info here, all ages) KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON
Friday, May 29
Pale Violet / Unseen Object
For fans of Ô Paon, Friends Friends, Myriads
It’s not every day, or even every decade a songwriter as deeply in touch with their emotions as Pale Violet’s Mahalia Lind-Diamond comes along and is able to share the deepest parts of their psyche as Lind-Diamond is able. Is it because she’s a licensed therapist or is it because she was raised on a steady diet of Grouper and Tiger Trap? Probably both and thank god. Teaming up with fellow Portland softies Unseen Object, the two bands are releasing a gorgeous four-song split, the tracks meandering through time and space and the emotions of existing in the 21st century with big hearts and old souls. (Music Millenium, 6 pm, FREE, more info here, all ages)
Saturday, May 30
Orquestra Pacífico Tropical / Josefina del Norte / Lucha Luna
For fans of Aurita / Reyna Tropical / Terror/Cactus
Helmed by Portland’s two busiest musicians, Papi Fimbres and Shana Lindbeck, Orquestra Pacífico Tropical have rightly named their forthcoming album El Poder. Translating to The Power in English, OPT is a gigantic cumbia collective, often featuring 10+ members on stage, grabbing you by the hips, inciting a dance-fueled revolution deep inside all those who listen. Between the three El Poder singles already released—“Entre La Montaña,” “Fantasma,” and the album’s title track—that should be enough to get you through to the album drop, but if not, come shake ya tailfeather at the Off Beat with the rest of Portland’s cumbia obsessed. (The Off Beat, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)
Quasi and Soft Rumble livescore A Page of Madness
For fans of Lori Goldston, Grouper, Lori Anderson
Once considered lost for 45 years, Kurutta Ichipēji, or A Page of Madness, directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, is a 1926 Japanese silent horror film looking mad creepy with lots of masks and insane asylum reality breaks. Though there won’t be traditional benshi narration at the screening, Portland indie legends Quasi will be on hand to livescore the film. If Quasi reaches back to the more beautifully out-there moments of their catalog as inspiration for the score, the audience is in for a treat. Joining Quasi to assist in scoring A Page of Madness is the Portland supergroup duo Soft Rumble. Consisting of kool things Kathy Foster and Rachel Blumberg, this might go down in the annals as Portland’s Livescore of the Year 2026. (Dekum Street Theater, 7 pm, more info here, all ages)
Rhododendron / Sea Moss
For fans of Boredoms, Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth
I’m a sucker for a beautiful band name, so Portland’s post-everything rockers Rhododendron had my heart in their talons long before I heard “Like Spitting Out Copper” off their tense and heavy new album, Ascent Effort. Just don’t Google “Rhododendron Portland” and try to find them. You’ll be redirected to information on the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. Actually, I take that back—the garden rules. Go there with some headphones and zone in. Rhodo hits Aladdin with noisy duo Sea Moss to celebrate their album release. (Aladdin Theater, 8 pm, more info here, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Sierra Ferrell / The Brudi Brothers
For fans of The Barbaras, The Judds, Wednesday
Getting ready for day two of Redmond, Oregon’s FairWell Fest last year, I asked my host, Howl Goods head honch Alicia Renner, if she knew any artists playing the now-defunct country music festival. Her biggest shout for the day was Sierra Ferrell, an artist I had never heard of who is now, hands down, one of my favorites—country or otherwise. Ferrell’s lyrics and music are so infectious you might, as the music editor of a local paper, be shushed at your own desk for singing her songs. You might fall in love with her smile, her stage outfits, and the fact that she’s mad religious but loves the gays. Sierra, if you’re reading this, I’d love to take you to the dollar bill bar. (Edgefield, 6:30 pm, more info here, all ages)
Sunday, May 31
The Parson Red Heads / Vista House
For fans of Lee Hazelwood, Matt Dorrien, Songs: Ohia
Praise be, since their grand return to the public eye November last year, the Parson Red Heads have been back in a big way. Recent cover girls of the Mercury’s Music Issue, the Parson Red Heads have been writing and recording a new record, that, if released this year, will be their first in six. Alongside Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside and Fleet Foxes, the Red Heads were heavy-hitters in Portland’s indie-folk Americana scenes of the 2010s, scenes and bands that have been enjoying a much deserved injection of notoriety and renewed interest. Opening are the impeccably named Vista House, sounding like Jason Molina in the best way. This is a FREE show. In this economy? Yes please! (LaVerne’s, 7 pm, FREE, more info here, 21+)
Also very worth it…
Obedient / Club Deluxe / Of Wires at The Six – May 27, more info here
Boards of Canada Inferno listening party at Speck’s Records – May 28, more info here
Aggro / Well / FTC / Body Double / Rise Up / Jab / War Hero / Found Out at The Off Beat – May 29, more info here
Grolixes / Cherry Peels / Spiderling / Icecaps at Leaven Community – May 29, more info here
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum / Gumby’s Junk at Aladdin Theater – May 29, more info here
Cheer / Filling / Hound / Mealworm at Musicians Union Local 99 – May 30, more info here
Half Shadow / Floating Clouds at Sou’wester – May 30, more info here
Visible Cloaks Paradessence listening party at Mono Space – May 30, more info here
Left On Read / Murder Movies / IX of Swords / Priscilla / Spiderling at High Limit Room – May 31, more info here
New Music Portland:
Yesterday, just yesterday, Portland’s best buddies Buddy Wynkoop released an exceptional music video for their new track “Nouveau Riche.” Follow the mercurial post-punks across town, making stops at Quarter World, the south waterfront, Lloyd Center (get your Lloyd shoots in now!), and more.
Bay-by-way-of-Portland indie artist Get Lost Cassidy Frost’s new one, “Green Bottles,” is an infectious hit of sunshine, featuring Oakland rapper Cyberclops. IDK if when bottled, pure, radiant, life-giving sunshine looks green, but “Green Bottles” is about to be song #1 on everybody’s summer playlist.
Holland Andrews and Methods Body release the third single from their upcoming new album Remain. The single in question, “Open Water,” is an organic framework of how emerging technologies can be used without the planet’s destruction in tow. Instead, we hear Andrews’ voice soar and melt like they’ve been doing since their Like A Villain days. It’s deeply nourishing to hear new music from Andrews and Methods Body; what’s more, we’re about to have a whole new album from the team.
Portland Music News:
Discogs, the Portland-area based vinyl archive and marketplace, has a very cool series called “5 Records with Discogs,” in which musicians and music industry people of note share five records from their personal collections. In their latest, Discogs invites Spencer Doran of Visible Cloaks to share five records that were on heavy rotation during the creation of Visible Cloaks’ new record Paradessence. The selections are, of course, the best thing anyone has heard in a long time.
Interested in checking out Pickathon but don’t have the scratch for a ticket? Or want to get deeply involved with the festival BTS and shape the experience in 2026? Well, you’re in luck—work trade applications for Pick26 open tomorrow, May 28. Head to the application portal and we’ll see you at Pendarvis July 30 to August 2.
