The MusicfestNW Diaries, 2012

The sights, sounds and tweets of Portland’s biggest music festival.

Music Stories We came. We saw. We went wild under the stars in Pioneer Courthouse Square, were nearly driven to tears inside the Old Church, got baptized in beer...   More

 

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 WW MUSIC STAFF

Still Breaking Out

The Hives have more energy than everyone else in the world. Combined.

Music Stories There’s a track entitled “I Want More” midway through Lex Hives, the fifth LP from Swedish rock quintet the Hives, on which vocalist/hyper-kinetic human explosion Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist la   More

 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 SHANE DANAHER

Old Boys’ Club

Shiny new Portland makes Menomena and the Helio Sequence feel very old.

Music Stories The Helio Sequence and Menomena have a lot in common. Both are made up of Portland-area natives (Beaverton, specifically). Both are signed to...   More

 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

Everything In Its Right Place

Why? keeps its music nice and tidy while laughing in the face of death.

Music Stories The emotional high point of Why?’s latest EP, Sod in the Seed, comes near the close of the third song, “The Plan.” After a line...   More

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

Amon Tobin: Sunday, Sept. 2

An electronic-music pioneer thinks outside the box...by putting himself in a big box.

Music Stories [SOUND AND VISION] If you ever want to hear the sound of grown men and women reduced to the giggly wonder of 10-year-olds, cue up some YouTube videos of Amon Tobin’s current live show. The 40-   More

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 ROBERT HAM

Greylag: Wednesday, Aug. 29

A late-night jam in Louisville begets a great band in Portland. Who’da thunk?

Music Stories [INDIE FOLK] In 2007, Daniel Dixon left his home in California to chase a girl in Louisville. Instead, his stay in Kentucky yielded a fateful encounter with Andrew Stonestreet. The first night the   More

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 EMILEE BOOHER

Primer: Refused

Music Stories Formed: In 1991 in Umeå, Sweden.  Sounds like: Oceanic riffage thrown in a blender with free jazz and lots of bad Marxist poetry.  For fans of: Born Against, the Make-Up, the Blood Brothe   More

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

Q&A: Cool Nutz

The mayor of Portland rap on the n-word, Macklemore and giving back.

Music Stories Among other nicknames, Cool Nutz has sometimes been referred to as “the mayor.” He remains, after 20 years of making music in Portland, the most visible face of this city’s hip-hop scene.    More

 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

Primer: Desaparecidos

Music Stories Formed: In Omaha, Neb., in 2001.  Sounds like: Adbusters, as set to music by Deer Tick.  For fans of: Bright Eyes (duh), Against Me!, the Thermals, Deer Tick.  Latest release: For a    More

 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 SHANE DANAHER

Raymond Byron & The White Freighter: Friday, Aug. 24

On finding a home, getting live and jumping in the river.

Music Stories [RIVER ROCK] Ray Raposa looks relaxed. Sitting on the back patio at Vendetta on North Williams Avenue, he has the appropriately glazed sheen of someone who spent the day soaking in the sun and f   More

 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 ROBERT HAM