Here is the reason why the rest of the country is envious of
Portland: The PDX Pop Now! Festival (PPN!)—and the jealously is
understandable. When PPN! set up shop in 2004, it changed our city’s
musical landscape, and the city of Portland became known the world over
for being the adoptive home to numerous national bands (the Shins,
Modest Mouse), and the soil from which a seemingly endless crop of
upcoming acts (Blitzen Trapper, the Shaky Hands) emerge.
Nonprofit, volunteer run, and passionately concerned with the upkeep
of future generations, PPN! the machine runs with great ease, acting as
a patron saint of all things local music. In addition to the
ever-expanding festival, they also release a popular series of local
compilation CDs, which act as a perfect cheat sheet in case you fall
out of step with the constant goings-on of the local scene. PPN! also
works alongside our local government to hold free, all-ages (the two
constants of all their events) concerts on the front steps of city
hall. Plus, in the past few weeks they have even gone as far as to meet
with the dreaded Evil Empire known as the Oregon Liquor Control
Commission, to lobby for increased all-ages conscious music options at
local establishments.
Since the festival is loaded with nearly 50 bands, no two of which
sound alike, we gathered a small cross-section of performers and asked
them to speak about the importance of all-ages music and culture.
[Full disclosure: Cary Clarke, a member of PPN!, writes a weekly
music column for this paper.]
SANDPEOPLE
When it comes to local hiphop, few local acts can muster the draw of
Sandpeople. But if the venue is crowded, so is the stage, with
Sandpeople boasting 10 members, two of whom—Ethic and Goldini
Bagwell—shared their feelings regarding Portland’s all-ages
scene.
THE BEAUTY
No one is more qualified to speak about Portland’s all-ages scene
than Todd Fadel. For five years, Fadel carried the all-ages burden,
while he nearly single-handedly ran the Meow Meow showspace. While his
club-owner days are in the past, Fadel now spends his time onstage
crooning for glitch-pop band the Beauty.
PER SE
Anne Adams performs under the name Per Se, strumming delicate folk
songs that swell with affection and poise.
A onetime PPN! planning committee member (who also held the job
titled of “Décor Coordinator” for the festival in 2004), Anne is
a very intelligent commentator when it comes to the impact of all-ages
music.
MERCURY: As an artist, how important do you feel it
is to perform all-ages shows?
ANNE ADAMS: It depends what you want, and who you consider your
community to be. Some bands only want to play to people like
themselves. Often, that means over 21, urban, stylish people with
esoteric taste and rad record collections. You can find these people at
places like the Tube and Beulahland. You can recruit them to come see
your band on nights when their own band isn’t playing. And when neither
of you are playing, you can engage them in witty repartee, and possibly
date them. And that, kids, is how you make a “scene.”
But then you have to remember how you got into this scene. Years
ago, you were exposed—probably by accident, likely by an older
sibling or random radio—to indierock bands who were older and
cooler than you, and these bands blew your young mind. Just because
you’re all grownup now doesn’t mean you should forget that it was by
glimpsing into someone else’s “scene” that you originally became so
cool. The people who are now where you were then (namely, on the cusp
of epiphany) are kicking around the pizza parlors and surfing the
MySpace pages, looking for an all-ages show. They’re hungry for the
kind of enlightenment, emotion, and empowerment that’s found in high
doses in great indierock. Those bands that decide to nourish this need
will become tomorrow’s “influences.”
GOLDINI BAGWELL: Teens need to have a place to go and divert their
attention from the common teenage cold—drinking, smoking, sex,
and depression—they have the rest of their lives to go through
all that shit! I feel like live shows can be a real positive outlet. I
also think the younger crowd should be made aware that there is good
music coming out of Portland.
Do you feel that PDX Pop Now! can make a difference with future
generations of music fans?
ADAMS: Can. Has. Should and will do more. Believe it or not, there
are still a lot of people—even in the music scene—who’ve
never heard of PDX Pop Now! I think it will be great if Beaverteens can
swarm downtown and experience Portland indierock. And I want those of
us who are in bands to experience the privilege of playing to people
who are still capable of being impressed. I hate to sound like a
businessman, but it’s a “win-win.”
TODD FADEL: I like the free concert they [PPN!] did this year with
Parkrose Middle School. I really thought that was great. I feel like
any way they can be an advocate for the schools and for the artists is
a step in the right direction for them.
What was your first all-ages concert? Did it have an impact on
your musical upbringing?
FADEL: I went to my first show in Portland as a 19-year-old. I think
it’s incredibly important to be exposed to the richness of this
community. It really gives them a sense that they can contribute.
Immediately, when I went to the [long-defunct] X-Ray Café, it
was like—I can do this.
BAGWELL: My first all ages show at a venue was at La Luna back when
I was 14 or 15 years old. It had an impact on the relationships I have
in the Portland music scene today. I was able to mesh with the older
crowd as a young’un and build with the hiphop acts that were already
doing their thing. Having that guidance as an aspiring hiphop artist
was a big plus for me. And, It kept me out of trouble here and
there.
Friday, August 3
Inside
6:00-6:30: Typhoon
6:40-7:10: the High Violets
7:20-7:50: Hooliganship
Outside
8:05-8:35: Pocket Parade
8:45-9:15: the Beauty
9:25-9:55: Junkface
Inside
10:10-10:40: the Blow
10:50-11:20: Braille
11:30-Midnight: Hey Lover
12:10-12:40: MarchFourth Marching Band
Saturday, August 4
Outside
Noon-12:30: the Pink Snowflakes
12:40-1:10: Hurah Hurah
1:20-1:50: the Vonneguts
Inside
2:05-2:35: Dragging an Ox through Water
2:45-3:15: Corrina Repp and Tu Fawning
3:25-3:55: Gulls
Outside
4:10-4:40: AristeiA
4:50-5:20: the Soda Pop Kids
5:30-6:00: Point Juncture, WA
Inside
6:15-6:45: Per Se
6:55-7:25: Ethan Rose
7:35-8:05: Starfucker
Outside
8:20-8:50: the Maybe Happening
9:00-9:30: Swim Swam Swum
9:40-10:10: Hungry Mob
Inside
10:25-10:55: the Ocean Floor
11:05-11:35: Black Elk
11:45-12:15: Copy
12:25-12:55: the Snuggle Ups
Sunday, August 5
Outside
Noon-12:30: the Sort Ofs
12:40-1:10: Libretto
1:20-1:50: Here Comes a Big Black Cloud
Inside
2:05-2:35: Bright Red Paper
2:45-3:15: Kele Goodwin
3:20-3:55: Gejius
Outside
4:10-4:40: Ape Shape
4:50-5:20: Blue Skies for Black Hearts
5:30-6:00: System and Station
Inside
6:15-6:45: Blue Cranes
6:55-7:25: the Robot Ate Me
7:35-8:05: Laura Gibson
Outside
8:20-8:50: Nice Boys
9:00-9:30: Dat’r
9:40-10:10: the Shaky Hands
Inside
10:25-10:55: Evolutionary Jass Band
11:05-11:35: Yellow Swans
11:45-12:15: Sandpeople
12:25-12:55: Blitzen Trapper