A beautifully potent message from Iceland’s biggest export, Björk, that Mercury Music Picks would like to echo and amplify:
Wednesday, April 15
Oklou / Vickie Cherie
For fans of QT, PC Music, Hannah Diamond
French vocalist, producer, and composer Marylou Mayniel, aka Oklou, burst onto the experimental pop scene in 2020 with her debut mixtape Galore. After five years of anticipation, she released her debut album, Choke Enough, to critical acclaim, with Pitchfork writing that “the French electronic pop darling presents a twilit fusion of Y2K worship, Baroque polyphony, and elegant, opaque ambiance.” It’s an album I’ve been turning to often lately—the mellow beats bubble under the surface of Oklou’s soothing vocals, providing a pocket of calmness I can retreat into when the world gets overstimulating. After recent collaborations with boundary breakers FKA twigs and PinkPantheress under her belt, I’m excited to see what she does next. (Crystal Ballroom, 8:30 pm, more info here, all ages) JANEY WONG
Thursday, April 16
The Pharcyde / Vursatyl / DJ Wicked
For fans of Deltron 3030, De La Soul, Digable Planets
Coming in hot with that LA hip-hop cool are South Central’s Pharcyde. Changing the face of early hip-hop when they dropped their 1992 debut Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, the underground classic became a blueprint for all hip-hop to follow. The chiller sampling prowess and production of J Dilla can be heard all over the Pharcyde’s 1995 sophomore effort Labcabincalifornia—a departure from the gangster rap that was dominating LA and New York at the time. 2025 saw the band come through with a collab EP with 1999 Write The Future—with a Danny Brown feature, the MCs are sounding like they’re in their 20s again. (Hawthorne Theatre, 8 pm, more info here, 21+)
Friday, April 17
AFI / Choir Boy
For fans of The Used, From First To Last, (early) Ministry
What can be said about AFI that hasn’t already been said? What about how AFI changed what punk can look like? No, that’s been said. Maybe that Davey Havok turned me gay? No no, that’s been screamed from the mountain tops. Oh I don’t know, how about AFI’s “The Boy Who Destroyed the World” is one of the best tracks on any Tony Hawk Pro Skater OST? What I do know is that the band’s full name is A Fire Inside and Mercury writer Jenna Fletcher and I ran for our lives from the Blood Brothers set to AFI’s at Bumbershoot 2006 and neither of us have been the same since. It’ll be fun seeing what AFI has been up to for the last 20 years. You think Davey will remember me? (Roseland Theater, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)
Portland Panorama Presents Karaoke From Hell
For fans of The Alibi, the Chopsticks dynasty, The Spare Room
If you’ve ever dreamed of doing karaoke on the stages of the Hollywood Theatre backed by a live band, this is your opportunity! In its second year, the Portland Panorama film festival has expanded its footprint in our movie-loving city to include events like hosting Karaoke From Hell. Usually found at Dante’s and the Spare Room, the Karaoke From Hell band is available to back you while you belt Sade’s “Smooth Operator,” Sheryl Crow’s “My Favorite Mistake,” and, if you’re really feeling it, John Cage’s 4’33”. It’s a late party so you can catch any number of Portland Panorama screenings before tearing your vocal cords out for an adoring audience. (Hollywood Theatre, 9:30 pm, more info here, all ages)
Friday, April 17 – Thursday April 23
CineMagic presents Needle Drop
For fans of Don’t Worry Darling, Fire Island, Moonlight
The art of cinematic music direction is exactly that, art. And just like fine art, there’s a lot of really shitty cinematic music direction out there. What a supremely excellent concept to build a mini film festival around! The CineMagic wizards are pulling together a week of films employing the power of music direction as a character in their films. Are you ready for Korn in Charlie’s Angels, Elliott Smith in The Royal Tennenbaums, and Dana Carvey dancing to Jimi Hendrix in Wayne’s World? These are truly strokes of musical genius—seeing them on the big screen, with sound designed to body an audience is the only way to fully experience these works. Other films screening at CineMagic’s Needle Drop include American Psycho and Reservoir Dogs. (CineMagic, various times, more info here, all ages)
Saturday, April 18
Extradition presents Music 1960
For fans of La Monte Young, Julius Eastman, John Cage, Glenn Branca
What a wild time the year 1960 must have been. World War II had been over for 15 years and an entire generation of humans were coming of age who were born during the greatest world crisis humanity had ever experienced until that point. Thirsty for anything but what their parents were offering, artists in all genres were working towards a space in which processing, both literal and metaphorical, could take place. The chunky undulating of Toshi Ichiyanagi’s piano, the anti-compositions of George Brecht, Terry Riley and his tape recorders, the ripping deconstructuralism of Benjamin Patterson, and the passion of Philip Corner will all be on display thanks to the Portland experimentalists Etradition. And, as an aside, this is an Arts for All event, so rock up with your SNAP card for $5 tickets. (Leaven Community, 7:30 pm, more info here, all ages)
Freeform Portland Open House
For fans of community radio, DIY energy, the FM dial
As a former Freeform DJ, I can confidently say the folks behind this community radio station are deeply passionate individuals working toward the goal of sharing exceptional music as accessibly as possible. Freeform’s SE Stark studios are fun, giving old Portland energy in a new way. Pull up to their rare open house in celebration of 10 years of Freeform to see how community radio can be done, chat with Freeform DJs, and connect with other Portland music people. HBD Freeform! (Freeform Portland, 12 pm, FREE, more info here, all ages)
Portland Panorama presents Paradise Records
For fans of Do The Right Thing, Our Vinyl Weights a Ton, Empire Records
Portland is deeply blessed to have such a high record store to human ratio, so it would come as no surprise to learn something like 90+ percent of music community people have had real plans to start a record store. If this is you, 1) Start a record store! and 2) you will love Portland Panorama’s screening of Paradise Records. The feel-good comedy—and official Tribeca selection—follows a struggling young record store owner as he tries to save his business while he’s searching for identity. Is his identity being a record store owner, being Black, or being hot and poor? All of the above! (Hollywood Theatre, 7:30 pm, more info here, all ages)
Saturday, April 18 – Sunday, April 19
In Mulieribus: Whispers of Desire
For fans of the feminine, poetry, flowing togas
The all-femme Portland vocal choir In Mulieribus produces some of the most breathtaking choral programming in the Pacific Northwest, their next performance Whispers of Desire is no exception. The women of IM will be performing songs inspired by Greek muse Sappho—a poet and queer ancestor who should be familiar to anyone who has heard the words lesbian or or sapphic. Though most of her works are lost, Sappho is taught and celebrated to this day. The performance includes works by Johannes Brahms, Undine Smith, Ildebrando Pizzetti, and Christos Hatzis, as well as the world premiere of The Sleep Wind by Portland composer Charles Rose. (The Old Madeleine Church, various times, more info here, all ages)
Sunday, April 19
Moment presents Regional Woodwind Conference
For fans of clarinets, oboes, bassoons
Moment’s musical curations skew inventive and contemporary, so it’s cool to see the group pay homage to the kind of event you would’ve seen advertised on a co-op’s cork board in the ’90s. This woodwind conference is inspired by the bygone regional noise conferences of the era. The rules are fairly simple, lending themselves to a bright, reedy range of sound and spirit: 15-minute blocks of music will be filled by 14 acts, including Visible Cloaks’ Ryan Carlile, Maxx Katz, Golden Retriever’s Jonathan Sielaff, and Cosmic Tones Research Trio’s Harlan Silverman. Woodwind instructors, sound bath healers, and a professional horticulturist will also take the stage, rounding out 3.5 hours of auditory massage. (Leaven Community Center, 4 pm, more info here, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Nonbinary Girlfriend / Pileup / Listless / Willow Knows My Name
For fans of PJ Harvey, Dustbunny, Cocteau Twins
What do you personally look for in a favorite band? Is it crushing sonics and incredible vocal control? What about medieval aesthetics? Does the band need to align with you politically? Will an intense live show speak to you? Does it matter to you if a band rides hard for their local DIY scenes? How about an incredible name? If any or all of these aspects of a band or artist play into them becoming a favorite, Nonbinary Girlfriend might be a top contender. NBGF released their IM NOT PRETTY album in February, and tonight’s show is a music video release party for the track by the same name. And don’t forget about the Pileup buds who are opening, who also released a bigtime album already this year. It’ll be an all ages party all timer. (The Off Beat, 7 pm, more info here, all ages)
Related: Read our album review for Nobinary Girlfriend’s IM NOT PRETTY before heading to the show.
Tuesday, April 21 – Wednesday, April 22
Wednesday / Gouge Away
For fans of Merce Lemon, Folk Bitch Trio, Cerce
As they were gearing up for the September 2025 release of their crushing album Bleed, Wednesday played a perfect, reenergizing set on the second day of Project Pabst (RIP), endearing themselves to Portland to the extent of landing two nights at Revolution Hall. Bleed has one feature, the mid-album alt-country dazer “Phish Pepsi” with Advance Base. AB may not strike a chord with everyone, but trust, it’s a big deal to some of us. Opening are half-Portland, half-Florida hardcore huns Gouge Away. The feigned innocence of GA’s new “Figurine” track and music video is something to behold; fingers and toes crossed they’ve got a new album in the works. (Revolution Hall, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)
Also very worth it…
Drain / No Pressure / Haywire / Secret World at Roseland Theater – April 15, more info here
Guitar / Chandler Trey Johnson / Lucky Star at Mississippi Studios – April 15, more info here
Bob Summer / Jeffrey Silverstein at Laurelthirst Pub – April 16, more info here
Carl Stone / Francisco Botello at Partly / Musique Plastique – April 16, more info here
FO/PO / Obedient / Horse Bag / Conspire at Turn! Turn! Turn! – April 16, more info here
Throwing Muses at Mississippi Studios – April 16, more info here
Tsunami Bomb / Nasalrod / Altar Girl at High Water Mark – April 16, more info here
Dreckig / Caicedo / Perimeters at The Off Beat – April 16, more info here
Carl Stone / Visible Cloaks DJ set at Lloyd Center Ice Rink (FREE) – April 17, more info here
Drugdealer / Longplayer at Polaris Hall – April 17, more info here
Jewelry Exchange / Conspire / Of Wires at The Six – April 17, more info here
Train Wreck ft. Barf Boyz / C Powers / Scotia at Process PDX – April 17, more info here
Esses / Guilty Strangers / Vueltas / Mourning Service at High Water Mark – April 18, more info here
Beautiful Freaks / Breakneck Flow / Gored / Saprotroph / All Quiet at High Limit Room – April 19, more info here
Die Spitz at Wonder Ballroom – April 21, more info here
New Music Portland:
Remember how I’ve been promising a New Music Portland breakout column the last few weeks? Yeah, I still haven’t done it. Stay tuned, IT’LL HAPPEN.
Portland Music News:
Community backlash against an AI in-store listening session at Music Millennium prompted the venerated store to cancel the event. GOOD JOB, PORTLAND. When you see the gassing up of any kind of “creative” AI use, fucking shut that shit all the way down. AI is not creative—it’s the theft of everything we hold dear. See something, say something.
