It’s nice out, Portland. That nuclear fusion baddie up above is shining a seasonal spotlight on our hemisphere. And in that spirit, we at the Mercury are focusing our view on projects worthy of your sprung-forward time—in our 2024 🌸Spring Arts Preview 🌼!
It may seem cutesy that we’re profiling Peachy Springs. But if you know about the sparkling, sassing Springs, you’re probably shouting, “It’s about time!” Her drag name may be on brand for our guide, but Springs’ penchant for insult crowd work has made her one of Portland’s premier drag performers. Andrew Jankowski’s profile opens with her cussing out a baby.
You may be familiar with the concept of a listening bar—there was plenty of noise about one opening in Seattle last fall—but did you know we have TWO such establishments in the Portland-area? Robert Ham compares the overall audiophile vibes.
But what’s opening this spring? Our EverOut calendar team profiled events that you should put in your calendar—or you can just use that function on our calendar where you ❤️ something you’re interested in, and we’ll email you when it’s time to go!
At the end of March, the Portland Art Museum will host a new, traveling exhibition called Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks. We’re the first city to get it after the Toronto debut. “This feels appropriate,” writes critic Corbin Smith,” since Portland—the birth home of Nike and the American home of Adidas—made the sneaker as we know it today.”
If you’ve kicked it with experimental music, you’ve likely heard of Laurie Anderson. And even if you haven’t, you’ve probably at least heard a snippet of the music pioneer’s most famous song, via the TikTok “well, you don’t know me / but I know you” trend. That’s Anderson’s “O, Superman.” Our music calendar editor Audrey Vann writes that “O, Superman” isn’t the greatest example of Anderson’s work, because much of her catalog is more “grounded, warm, and passionate.” She’s got five songs that are not “O, Superman,” which you should check out before Anderson plays Portland at the end of the month.
So what are you waiting for? Time to trade in those skinny jeans for skinny jorts, and start soaking up a springful of arts and culture!
