This will be the second summer in a row without MusicFestNW. Sasquatch is dead, replaced by an electro-bro rave that was then itself cancelled. And while Pickathon continues to be utterly idyllic festival experience, its lineup and ticket prices are increasingly geared toward NPR dads.
Amid that decline of Portland-area music festivals, PDX Pop Now increasingly feels like the one thing we can count on.
The free, all-ages and all-local festival just announced this year's lineup, and as usual, it's truly eclectic, with a weird mix of established scenesters and hidden gems playing everything from Spaghetti Western soundtrack music to glitch-pop and hip-hop-influenced jazz.
A handful of the artists in this year's lineup just placed in WW Best New Band poll, including ePP, Help and Plastic Cactus, while neo-soul duo Brown Calculus placed in last year's poll.
But there are also plenty of up-and-comers on the bill, including Cry Babe, who recently released a killer, Summer Cannibals-produced debut EP, and sharp-shooting rapper Raquel Divar.
PDX Pop will take place July 20 and 21 at Audiocinema. Check out the full lineup here.
