Who’s ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland’s best concerts and events—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst… if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making […]
c3Category — Arts & Culture
Posted inMusic
Album Review: Slowing Down with elijah jamal asani
,,, as long as i long to memorise your sky ,,, explores both inner and celestial heavens.
To truly appreciate the art of elijah jamal asani, it helps to slow down and match his pace. The music released by the young ambient artist is patient, measured, and beautiful—like watching grainy super-8 footage of a flower opening to the sun, played back in slow motion. “wetradedmauveforthelasttimesomewherebeforeourtearscouldreachthemouth…,” a piece from his 2022 cassette memento{us}, […]
Posted inHear In Portland
Hear In Portland: Local Queens Esparanza Spalding and Karma Rivera Drop Emotional New Tunes
Read all about what’s on the music forecast in the latest HIP!
While our local music calendars continue to fill as May marches on, this week we’re praising Karma Rivera’s new single—especially the acoustic version—in addition to a visit from Coco Jones at the end of the month. Plus! June will see Esperanza Spalding lending her talents in closing out the programming of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s […]
Posted inMercury Music Picks
Mercury Music Picks: Uh Oh, Portland’s Alien Boy and Grails Host Album Release Parties the Same Night!
Plus the stacked lineup at St. Johns Bizzare and the nostalgia of the Jesus Lizard, Alison Moyet, and Slowdive
God damn, god damn, god damn—as Beyoncé would say—there’s a lotta stellar music being made in Portland right now! Longtime Rip City psych-outs, Grails drop their new album May 16 while up-and-coming pop-punkers Alien Boy drop their new one May 9. And while that’s all well and good, whose idea was it for them to […]
Posted inMusic
Album Review: Fading Responsibly With Alien Boy
Pushing through anxieties and fears on new album You Wanna Fade?
Sonia Weber tries to find the right words, coincidentally speaking for the masses on Alien Boy’s third album, You Wanna Fade? “I told you the other day / I don’t want things to change but I feel it deep down / That it’s, yeah, it’s all gonna rot / Away without a thought,” Weber intones […]
Posted inEverOut
The Top 28 Events in Portland This Week: May 5–11, 2025
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and More
We’ve whipped up a fresh batch of event picks for your perusal, with options from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: The Wild God Tour to the Oregon Humane Society’s Doggie Dash and from Viet Thanh Nguyen to Masha Gessen. For more suggestions, check out our May events guide. MONDAY CINCO DE MAYO Portland Cinco […]
Posted inMusic
Album Review: Times Infinity’s Boy on Horse Is Worth the Wait
The heater new LP delivers the sonic assults we’ve been missing
When Portland five-piece Times Infinity first began writing songs for what would become their fifth album, Boy on Horse, they were in the midst of their rollicking 2018 West Coast tour, at which time it looked as though the country might finally escape from underneath Donald Trump’s grubby thumb. By the time the band was […]
Posted inEverOut
The Best Things To Do in Portland This Month: May 2025
Outlaw Music Festival, Pink! Rosé Festival, and More
Along with May flowers, the new month brings a whole host of major local happenings like can’t-miss concerts, cultural celebrations, film festivals, and more. Below, we’re clueing you in to everything you need to know about during this homestretch of spring, from the Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, and More […]
Posted inEverOut
The Best Bang for Your Buck Events in Portland This Weekend: May 2–4, 2025
Portland Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, Crafty Wonderland, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $15
There are dozens of reasons to leave this house this weekend on the cheap, and we’re sharing them all below, from the Portland Cinco de Mayo Fiesta to City Cast Portland’s 503 Day Block Party and from the Crafty Wonderland Spring Art + Craft Market to A Celebration of the Life of Michael Hurley. For […]
Posted inEverOut
Ticket Alert: HAIM, Bryan Adams, and More Portland Events Going On Sale This Week
Plus, Above & Beyond and More Event Updates for May 1
Grab your credit card because another batch of event announcements is here. Pop rock sister trio HAIM is bringing new music from their upcoming fourth album on tour. Canadian hitmaker Bryan Adams will “roll with the punches” with special guests Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. Plus, electronic trio Above & Beyond will put Cascades Amphitheater […]
Posted inMusic
The Buzz with Melvins’ Frontman King Buzzo
New album Thunderball, grunge history, and what’s next.
When the Melvins roll into Portland’s Revolution Hall on June 3, they’ll bring with them two drummers, tourmates Napalm Death, and a slew of new songs to play from their recent album Thunderball. The release is the latest entry in the band’s incredibly expansive discography of 30+ albums, EPs, and live recordings—all chock-full of the […]
Posted inFree Tickets!
FREE TICKETS THURSDAY: Enter to Win Free Tix to See American Football, George Clanton, and the Rose Festival CityFair!
Who’s ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland’s best concerts and events—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst… if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a […]