Last weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing Abel Selaocoe perform at the Oregon Symphony. Incredibly, it was my first time to ever set foot in the iconic Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Rocking stunning Italian Rococo Revival architecture (something that might mean something to you if you’re into old buildings?) I was pleased to see a crowd of all walks of life in attendance decked out in the lavish hall, from floor to mezzanine.
To anyone who, like me, always assumed these events to be economically unattainable: I’ve recently learned of the Arts for All program, which offers $5 tickets to those with SNAP food benefits. There’s also My Discovery Pass, which provides limited free tickets to various events if you’ve got a Multnomah County Library card. So, dig through those cards in your wallet, because you may just be eligible for some solid discounts on arts and culture events around the city, including places like the Portland Art Museum, the Portland Japanese Garden, and Lan Su Chinese Garden.
While I was watching Selaocoe’s captivating cello movement, I kept thinking about how important music is as a communal effort—not only to listen to music, but to experience it deeply in the presence of others. Surrounded by an orchestral sea, Selaocoe led with a fervent passion, at one point standing with the most illuminating smile as he encouraged the crowd to join as an impromptu choir.
In ways both heartening and heavy, this building reminds me of my family. My grandmother was an opera singer, and my mother (her daughter) a classically trained vocalist who sang Celtic choir while I was growing up. I played piano from a young age, but for the longest time, I was too scared to sing in front of others. My throat literally tightened out of nerves, and I couldn’t make a sound. That may come as a surprise to anyone who knows me now—I literally scream in people’s faces while on stage these days. But something about classical music, and the rigidity of music theory, felt inaccessible and deeply limiting to me. Honestly, I see now this is probably due to my particular brand of neurodivergence and the fact that I was a queer kid in an evangelical city, but you know, potatoes-potahtoes. The point is, watching Selaocoe transform this formal space into an invitation for collective crowd engagement made me grateful to be alive in this exact era of music, where experimentation and diversity is welcomed and multicultural/multi-genre work is advocated for on an increasingly grander scale.
As the orchestra moved on to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, I thought about Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring and how people nearly rioted at its 1913 premiere due to its jagged “avant-garde” nature. The way I see it, the ethos of punk is genre-defying. Real change happens as a collective—an orchestra, an audience, a movement. From a DIY house show to a lavish symphony hall, everyone deserves a chance to be part of music that moves them. Our society is already bound by so many social rules, with implied restrictions that keep us feeling like we don’t have a voice. While society languishes in individualism and isolation, I encourage you, dear Mercury reader, to break the rules. Let it out. Go dancing. Scream and thrash around a mosh pit. Just make sure to pick people up off the floor when they fall, lift each other up, and take care to listen to your own limitations.
So while I have you, here’s a week of Mercury Music Picks: from dream-pop to screamo, I want to encourage you to keep you moving, thinking, and feeling. Don’t forget, you’re not alone.
Friday, October 9
In Loving Memory, the Spirit of Versailles, Guilt, ¡Gonzales!
For fans of Saetia, Frail Body, Loma Prieta
I’ll admit that it actually took me a while to understand screamo, and now it’s at least half of what I listen to on a regular basis (if not more). If you’re anything like me, looking at the state of the world fills you with equal parts hope and rage, and I can assure you that screaming with no abandon alongside a raucous crowd is one of the most cathartic experiences in such a state. In Loving Memory comes from the heartland (or one of) of lo fi skramz: the Midwest. And much like the so-called emo revival, this band is flush with new sound after a two-decade hiatus. The Iowa-based In Loving Memory began in 1998, with a lengthy pause spanning 2001 to 2022. Now they’re back with a bit of the old, and a handful of new, gracing the stage of one of Portland’s iconic all-ages, alcohol-free spaces alongside the Spirit of Versailles (South Dakota), Guilt (Seattle) and Portland’s own ¡Gonzales!
(High Limit Room, 720 SE Hawthorne, 7 pm, $20 adv, $25 dos, more info, all ages)
Friday and Saturday, October 9-10
Boy Harsher
For fans of Lebanon Hanover, Sexual Purity, She Past Away
Apparently, the members of darkwave duo Boy Harsher haven’t shared a stage in Portland since 2022. By incredible luck, I was actually at that show, taking photos of Jae Matthews’ wistful vocal movements and Augustus Muller’s contemplative synth playing under the shine of a blue light at the Crystal Ballroom. So much has happened since then, and Boy Harsher is no exception; the two artists have de-coupled, inexplicably (and admirably) completing their fifth album Get Mean, which explores all the complexities and grief of a breakup. Gothy as ever, Boy Harsher still lives in the cracks and corners of rhythm, with hypnotic electronic beats that can move one to tears all while tearing up the dance floor. In an added bonus for fans (and a consolation for those who couldn’t snag tickets), Boy Harsher will also be hosting a meet and greet/signing at Music Millenium at 1:30 pm on October 10.
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 8 pm, SOLD OUT, more info, all ages)
Saturday, October 10
Love Spells
For fans of Mazzy Star, Blood Orange, Cocteau Twins
Love Spells makes the rules and say that Love Is The Law. Texas-born 21-year-old Sir Taegen Harris has already sold out Portland’s Polaris Hall, which ought to tell you something about how well-received his debut album, released this year on RCA, has been. Harris’ one-of-a-kind falsetto showcases a dreamy, romantic, and lush landscape inspired by the night he spent at the cherished Houston club, Numbers. There may not be tickets left for this one, but if you haven’t heard Love Spells’ cloud-defying sound yet, I suggest drawing a bath of Love Is The Law and soaking in the warm, dream-pop tones as a treat.
(Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 9 pm, SOLD OUT, more info, 21+)
19th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Concert with M. Ward, Steve Berlin, and Calobo
This year’s Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductees are the stuff of local legend. From alt indie icons Modest Mouse to heavy hitters Red Fang and Sweaty Nipples, Portland’s Aladdin Theater is set to host a wealth of talent alongside a live showcase by M. Ward, Steve Berlin, and Calobo (and all of the aforementioned artists are to be memorialized in the hall of fame). For the avid music buff, this event also features a live auction with guitars autographed by Death Cab for Cutie, the Psychedelic Furs, and Paul Revere, alongside other classic rock memorabilia. Auction benefits will go toward the Oregon Music Hall of Fame’s Music in the Schools program scholarship fund, providing youth across Oregon with more access to music education. At this 19th annual Hall of Fame ceremony, you can support the next generation of music makers (and see some legendary musicians while you’re at it.)
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 7 pm, $40.29 – $124.36, more info, all ages)
More this week:
Saturday, October 10
TROPITAAL! Desi Latine Soundclash with DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid
A wild night of hot club hits featuring everything from Panjabi rap to raggaeton and baile funk.
(Goodfoot, 2845 SE Stark, 9 pm-2 am, $13, more info, 21+)
Sunday, October 11
Militarie Gun, Softcult, Shady Nasty & Dazy
Fun, heavy, melodic post-hardcore alt-rock cute time mosh pit vibes.
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE Cesar E. Chavez, 8 pm, $29.39, more info, all ages)
Monday, October 12
Swapmeet
Bringing their fuzz twinkle-guitar tone talents to Portland by way of Australia, catch sounds from Swapmeet’s recently debuted album Mount Zero, out now on Winspear.
(Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 8 pm, $21.32, more info, 21+)