Portland hosted MusicfestNW (MFNW) last week. It was like a baby SXSW, with shows happening every night in various bars and clubs around town. A $150 all-shows wristband and a bike to get around and I was good to go.
Since I've only lived in Portland for 2 months now, it was a great opportunity to explore some different neighborhoods and music venues. The wristband made it so I wasn't tied down to one show in particular, so I got to hop around a bit if I wasn't into the opening band.
Oh, and in Portland, when you ride down Burnside to catch a nerdy electro rap band play at the log-cabin themed hipster bar The Doug Fir, you might pass an outdoor movie screening of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome along the way. Because Portland.
Bands that met or exceeded my high expectations:
Bands that I didn't know what to expect and were pretty good:
Meh:
Overall it was a good festival, the concerts kept on schedule with very few lines to stand it. It also made me excited to see more live music in Portland.
Looking forward to next year!
Since I've only lived in Portland for 2 months now, it was a great opportunity to explore some different neighborhoods and music venues. The wristband made it so I wasn't tied down to one show in particular, so I got to hop around a bit if I wasn't into the opening band.
Oh, and in Portland, when you ride down Burnside to catch a nerdy electro rap band play at the log-cabin themed hipster bar The Doug Fir, you might pass an outdoor movie screening of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome along the way. Because Portland.
Bands that met or exceeded my high expectations:
- Austra @ Star Theater - amazing. mesmerizing.
- Surfer Blood @ Star Theater - fucking killed it.
- Thao with the Get Down Stay Down @ Pioneer Square - adorable and sounded perfect.
- The Thermals @ Mississippi Studios - AHH SO FUN
- Neko Case @ Pioneer Square - love her so much. sounded so great and hilarious banter between songs too.
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| Animated gif photobooth thing at Mississippi Studios. I was trying to fix my hair at the last second |
Bands that I didn't know what to expect and were pretty good:
- Vice Device @ Star Theater - inner goth girl satiated
- On an On @ Roseland Theater - good stuff
- AgesandAges @ Star Theater ...I will get these last two confused and refer to them collectively as "somethingorothers"
Meh:
- Deerhunter @ Crystal Ballroom -- The band actually sounded great, but weird opener and hated the venue.
- Animal Collective @ Pioneer square -- Not sure how but they sounded terrible. I was so disappointed. Not really a fan of their latest album, so that and an echoey outdoor sound system didn't make for a good combination.
- The Head and The Heart @ Pioneer Square - Sounded ok, but couldn't get over the idea that they might actually be a Christian band. Just the thought of that made me not like them.
Overall it was a good festival, the concerts kept on schedule with very few lines to stand it. It also made me excited to see more live music in Portland.
Looking forward to next year!
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