Welp, the team at True West have done it again, folks! Yesterday they dropped the full line-up of PDX Live shows they’ll be hosting at the the Square, AKA Pioneer Courthouse Square, in August, and it’s a real doozy, per usual. Find the line-up and ticket links below. If you’re even thinking about checking out one of the shows, jump on tickets fast as they never last too long. 

Public on-sale begins this Friday, February 14, at 10 am–Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all 🫀

Royal Otis

For Fans Of Bleachers, Father John Misty, Mt. Joy

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Royal Otis have made deep waves for only having been a band since 2019. Their brand of jangly indie-pop is infectious to no end and will truly soar over the bricks and buildings of Pioneer Square. Especially charming is their cover of the Cranberries “Linger.” (Wed Aug 6, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)

Dinosaur Jr. / Snail Mail / Easy Action

FFO Pavement, Alvvays, Built To Spill

If someone made one of those pie chart memes where cool indie rocker dads overlap with their cool indie rocker kids, that overlap would be this concert. Dinosaur Jr. have been around for decades and have influenced most of your favorite bands. Snail Mail, on the other hand, is a newer kid on the block, delivering catchy indie with real heart that’ll bring a tear to the eye of the most stoic ’90s music heads who think guitar music died when Sonic Youth broke up. The line-up is opened by Easy Action. (Thurs Aug 7, 6 pm, tickets here, all ages)

Jamie xx

FFO Four Tet, the Blessed Madonna, Bicep

In Waves, Jamie xx’s excellent album from last year, was a 45-minute homage to his roots in the rave and dance scenes of late ’90s / Y2K-era London. It’s peppered with huge features including Honey Dijon, Robyn, Panda Bear, and his band, the xx, is perfect for walking around your favorite Portland neighbourhoods. You know what? I bet it’ll be the perfect soundtrack to dancing with a group of friends at this downtown rave-up! (Fri Aug 8, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)

Waxahatchee / Foxwarren

FFO boygenius, Gillian Welch, Whitney 

One of the biggest indie-folk outfits on the scene right now is Katie Crutchfield, AKA Waxahatchee. Breezy, feel good stories abound in Crutchfield’s songwriting, but don’t be fooled, there’s a heap of heartbreak in there too. Both can be heard / deeply felt on her album from last year, Tigers Blood. Foxwarren, which draws members from across the prairies of Canada, open the show with their lackadaisical take on a modern indie sound. The group includes songster Andy Shauf, but you should not shout “Halloween Store!” at the stage. (Sat Aug 9, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)

STRFKR / Phantogram 

FFO the Strokes, the Knife, Beach House

Heroes of the late-’00s Portland indie scene, and one of our biggest to blow up, STRFKR really know how to lay on that indie sleaze nice and thick. It’s flirty in a wink-wink nod-nod way and incredibly danceable. Speaking of dancy neo electroclash, don’t even get me started on NYC’s Phantogram. Cropping up around the same time as STRFKR, this is a match made in nostalgic indie heaven. (Mon Aug 11, 6 pm, tickets here, all ages)

Men I Trust

FFO Tops (and bottoms), Tennis, Pure Bathing Culture

Who subtly blends dream pop, bedroom pop, and… surf? Why, Men I Trust, of course. Making waves since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2014, the East Coast Canadians have been consistently putting out slow burn tracks filled with smooth groves and catchy lyrics that will stay with you for days. It’s as if you’ve heard these songs all your life even though they’ve just been released. (Fri Aug 15, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)

Shakey Graves / Trampled By Turtles

FFO Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, Deer Tick

Radio-ready folksy sing-a-longs are at the forefront of the Shakey Graves catalog, sure to tickle and delight those in the audience. Even if you don’t know the lyrics, their song structures are easy enough to lock into, so you’ll be able to energetically match the happenings. On the slightly more traditional side, Trampled By Turtles follow the patterns of folk instrumentation of yore. Banjos, strings, you get the picture. (Sat Aug 16, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals

FFO Lenny Kravitz, Dave Matthews, G. Love & Special Sauce

Known for his placeable voice, simple acoustic guitar melodies, and the copping of many different genres, Ben Harper has been at it for a long time. Initially coming up in the mid-’90s, Harper has gone through many iterations of what’s possible when you know how to write what’s popular at the moment. His long-time band, the Innocent Criminals join him to rock it into the wee hours of the late summer evening. (Wed Aug 20, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)

The Roots

FFO A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Digable Planets

Wrapping up the PDX Live series are the NYC by way of Philly hip-hop crew, the Roots. As the house band for Jimmy Fallon, we’re lucky they’re able to get away to give us a taste of some real-deal OG hip-hop that stretches back to the mid-’90s. Fronted by ?uestlove and Black Thought, the Roots are truly music industry royalty, and known to really put on a show. This is the last time you’ll be able to groove with a massive crowd of like-minded music lovers in the Square until 2026… better make the most of it. (Thurs Aug 21, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages)