Let's just jump on this one: Mike McGonigal (Yeti Magazine) and Chantelle Hylton (Blackbird Presents) have announced they're curating what looks to be the greatest festival of all time. It's called Halleluwah and it goes down September 1-2 at Disjecta with Deerhoof, Michael Hurley, Tara Jane O'Neil, Trumans Water, Arrington de Dionyso, Nice Nice, Grails, White Rainbow, Acre, Vashti Bunyan, Dengue Fever, Sir Richard Bishop, Jackie-O Motherfucker, the Watery Graves, Valet, Plants, Alela Diane, Whip, Ghosting, Rob Walmart, Tunnels, Ilyas Ahmed, and so many more. Check out portlandmercury.com/blogtown for full festival details and more of this interview.

MERCURY: What's Halleluwah all about?

MIKE McGONIGAL: Halleluwah takes its name from the song by Can. Mostly, I think we just thought it sounded cool. I've put on some events in the past, and always wanted to do a full-blown festival more than anything.

CHANTELLE HYLTON: I approached Mike about doing a festival together because of his hugeness in supporting and creating what could be considered more "outsider" art, something that Portland has quietly and unflinchingly fueled and supported for decades. Portland's getting such huge international recognition these days for our creative output, and this festival celebrates a lot of the people who are at the forefront of a more pure and pre-commodified scene.

What can people expect from the fest?

McGONIGAL: There will always be more awesome stuff happening than can be taken in at once. Much of the music is within a certain loose framework, but all of these artists push boundaries. They'd all be doing this whether anyone gave a shit about "freak folk" (which is like so '04) or not. There's also really loud weird psych stuff, electronic music and dance music and music you have no idea what the fuck it is, really. Yeti celebrates a wide variety of artists, so in addition to music we'll have a full-blown art show, and booths with books and clothes and zines and records. 

HYLTON: All three floors of Disjecta will be packed full of art, music, film, created goods, people, ideas, good energy, and beautiful food made by some of Portland's most innovative chefs. It'll really be an incredible moment in Portland's artistic history, I think. Certainly a good reason to stay in town over Labor Day weekend.