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Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Toro y Moi top a roster of more than 100 bands set to perform at Soundscape Northwest, a multivenue music festival and conference scheduled for late April through early May in Portland’s central east side.
Soundscape, the brain child of veteran event producer Scott Crane’s The Storied Arts, announced the festival’s lineup in a Wednesday morning press release. WW reported on initial event plans, which were announced in December.
Other acts on the roster for Soundscape, set to run from April 27 through May 2, include Alan Sparhawk, Baby Rose, Budos Band, Flock of Dimes, the Cosmic Tones Research Trio and Ya Tseen, according to the release.
The festival includes a Soundscape in Residence program to showcase international creatives across different disciplines. Novena Carmel, who hosts Morning Becomes Eclectic on the Santa Monica NPR affiliate KCRW, will serve as the festival’s host in residence alongside Gilles Peterson, a record producer and veteran BBC broadcaster and DJ known for launching Worldwide FM. Peterson and Carmel will be broadcasting live from the event. Y La Bamba, the longtime Portland band now based in Mexico City, will serve as the festival’s artist in residence. Filmmaker/photographer Driely S will serve as the event’s filmmaker/photographer in residence.
More residents will be added to the program in the coming months, according to Wednesday’s release, and more musical artists will be announced in February.
“This is far more than an industry event; it’s a blueprint for how music can drive economic recovery, urban renewal, and cultural innovation,” Crane said in the release. “Music is an engine for change. Portland is the ideal place to prove the model. We have so many unique venues, a legendary food and beverage scene, a gorgeous new international airport, and a lot of false narratives about our city that we’re proving wrong. It’s a perfect storm.”
Soundscape will also act as a fundraiser for public radio stations, donating 10% of its profits to public radio stations in the wake of federal funding cuts, and its programming will include Soundscape Village Radio, intended to showcase innovative college and public radio presenters.
Soundscape will also include a conference component, including workshops “exploring the intersection of music, media, technology and culture,” according to the release.
Tickets for the event are available on Soundscape’s website; they start at $250 for students and $350 for fans; the industry rate starts at $500. For more information, visit soundscapenorthwest.com.
