popwreckoning

Pardon the pun.

I couldn’t resist.

But seriously though, as the kick-off to this year’s Musicfest Northwest (or MFNW for future reference), The Kills at the Crystal Ballroom were awesome. I caught maybe five minutes of their set at Bumbershoot, but this venue was so much better for them, with the smoke machine and creepy paintings of cherubs on the walls. The only downside was the fact that it may have gotten to be over 100 degrees in there at some point.

For some ungodly reason Portland was in the low 90s all weekend, and you know what that means for music venues – they’re even hotter. But surprisingly, I didn’t see anyone pass out the whole time I was there.

But back to the music, shall we? Eleanor Friedberger, of the Fiery Furnaces, opened for the Kills, with an understated, but stellar performance. It was virtually just herself up on the stage, and she was very well-received by the possibly-dehydrated crowd, and it made for a lovely opening set.

I’m just amazing that she survived that stage wearing all that denim. It was refreshing to see her without her brother Matthew, though her style stayed true to the sound we all know from her – gritty garage blues, but solo Eleanor had a bit more sassy pop to her. I liked it.

After the temperature of the room went up like… at least ten degrees, more smoke machines were turned on and even more people crowded in. Thank god for the free water station at the back of the room.

I will start off by saying – Alison Mosshart is one of the best front…women? I’ve ever seen. No, one of the best frontpeople – because she can stand next to Anthony Kiedis any day. I’m serious. This chick can rock her ass off – and it doesn’t hurt that her hair on this particular occasion was flaming red.

She’s crazy. Crazy awesome that is. She and guitarist Jamie Hince have all the chemistry two people need on stage, but it was so unspoken and understated that you almost forgot that there were two separate people on stage.

The Kills’ live performance was much bluesier than one would expect from the bands’ earlier albums. I guess Mosshart’s time with the Dead Weather rubbed off a bit, because the new songs were much heavier than previous albums, but just as good and just as sexy. And the opening number with “No Wow” was definitely not ‘no wow.’

Oh come on, I couldn’t not do it.

By the end of the evening, I was thoroughly satisfied with the Kills’ live show, even if I was a bit sweaty. Alison Mosshart might be my new favourite person to photograph. The girl does not stop moving!

As part of the Grand Opening for McMenamin’s new Crystal Hotel in downtown Portland, M. Ward played a three-day series of shows at the Crystal Ballroom, each day with different openers. The Corin Tucker band opened on Tuesday, David Bazan opened on Wednesday, and on Thursday, the day I attended, Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch took the opening slot.

On the clear night, people slowly crowded into the upstairs ballroom with its bouncy floors and cherub designs that lined the walls. The crowd for Doug Martsch’s set was surprisingly small, but his acoustic songs of an often-melancholy and sometimes-morbid were quite enjoyable. “5 on 3,” a song about a five-year-old on three hits of acid was one that stuck out as particularly “wtf,” as it was upbeat in melody – a song that you wanted to dance to.

After Martsch’s set, M. Ward took the stage with his band, and the room filled up quite a bit more.

Ward’s sultry swagger translated tremendously on stage – he’s low-key but also full of attitude. That plus his retro blues rock feel made for a wondering Thursday night in downtown Portland.

He started out with “Poison Cup,” “4 Hours,” and “Poor Boy,” and then my favorite – his cover of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” I almost like it more than the original version. Nothing against David Bowie, but Ward’s version is so much sexier.

For the next hour and a half, Ward played through twenty more songs from his repertoire, including one that someone requested that wasn’t originally on his set list.

My favorite part of the evening came during the latter half of the set. Ward’s guitar went out completely in the middle of a song, and as he and his roadies began to try and get the plugs working again, Ward just went over to the piano and played his guitar solo on the piano. It was a perfectly improvisational and sincere moment, which made the crowd go wild.

One thing’s for sure, because Ward doesn’t tour much outside of She & Him, and he rarely gives interviews, it was nice to see him in his element surrounded by hometown love.

SET LIST
1. Poison Cup
2. 4 Hours
3. Poor Boy
4. Let’s Dance
5. Never had nobody
6. To save me
7. Rave on
8. Howlin’
9. Post-war
10. Roller coaster
11. Paul’s song
12. Chinese translation
13. Requiem
14. Sad Sad
15. Right in the head
16. Whole lotta losing
17. Helicopter
18. Big boat
Encore no. 1
1. Fahey
2. Walking the floor over you
3. To go home
Encore No. 2
1. Beethoven

As part of the Grand Opening of McMenamin’s newest hotel, the downtown Portland Crystal Hotel, Portland native M. Ward is playing three consecutive nights at the Crystal Ballroom, Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5.

Wednesday’s festivities will also include local favorite David Bazan, Scott McCaughey, Charlie Gabriel & The Mel Brown Trio, Carl Smith and the Natural Gas Company, “Meet the Makers” brewery tasting, The Lord’s Own Choir, and an afterparty w/DJ Sam Huff.

Thursday’s show will feature Doug Martsch, Scott McCaughey, Charlie Gabriel & The Mel Brown Trio, Carl Smith and the Natural Gas Company, Tequila Tasting – Featuring Sauza and Tres Generaciones, “Meet the Makers” winery tasting, The Lord’s Own Choir, and a DJ’d Afterparty with Doug Martsch.

Events begin at 4 p.m., and entry is free, except for M. Ward at 8 p.m., which is $25 in advance, and $25 the day of the show.

After this show, M. Ward will be heading out on a solo European tour until the end of May, and a U.S. and Canadian tour in June and July.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to McMenamins.com.

05.03.2011 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05.04.2011 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05.05.2011 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
05.09.2011 Stockholm, Sweden @ Royal Theatre
05.10.2011 Oslo, Norway @  Parkteatret
05.13.2011 Paris, France @ La Gaite Lyrique
05.15.2011 London, England @ Union Chapel
05.17.2011 Lisbon, Portugal @ Aula Magna
05.18.2011 Porto, Portugal @ Teatro Sa da Bandeira
05.19.2011 Vigo, Spain @ Audiorio de Vigo
05.22.2011 Granada, Spain @ Isodro Marquez Theatre
05.23.2011 Madrid, Spain @ Teatro Lara
05.24.2011 Bilboa, Spain @ Teatro BBK
05.27.2011 Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Festival
06.10.2011 Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center for Performing Arts
06.11.2011 Vienna, VA @ Filene Center @ Wolftrap
06.25.2011 Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
06.26.2011 Davis, CA @ Mondavi Center
07.07.2011 Winnipeg, MB Canada @ Winnipeg Folk
07.09.2011 Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Blues
07.11.2011 Quebec City, QC @ Quebec City Summer Festival
07.31.2011 Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival

For more information visit http://www.mwardmusic.com/

As the weekend was nearing its close, I started the penultimate day of Musicfest Northwest – Saturday at Pioneer Courthouse Square with Laura Veirs and the Decemberists. Pioneer Courthouse Square was the only outdoor venue at all of the festival, right in the heart of Portland surrounded by high rise buildings. Even though I parked a good 5 blocks away, the music rang down the streets as I made my way to Pioneer.

People had already filled the midtown square as Laura Veirs took the stage with her low-key alt country folk tunes. Playing songs mostly off her new album July Flame, which went back to her folk roots after the less-than-overwhelming Saltbreakers, the soft harmonies were perfect for the sunny late afternoon we were having.

For the last song, Veirs called out “some friends” to come sing with her during “July Flame.” Those friends included several other Portland musicians, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists being one of them. As the song grew, the stage full of musicians sang out “can I call you mine, can I call you mine?” It was such a lovely display of local musician love, that it made me want to move to Portland right then and there.

But that evening wasn’t even close to over.

After a short break, The Decemberists stepped out as the sun was started to set on Portland. I must tell you that Colin Meloy is one of those characters that you feel so close with after seeing play live. No matter how large the audience, he brings everyone in this big musical lovefest. At one point he mentioned, “This is an attractive city. We’ve been to a lot of cities, and I must say that Portland is looking pretty good…relatively.”

But it got better.

After playing through some old favorites like “16 Military Wives” and “The Infanta,” we got the breezy “Summersong” as Meloy said we’re just coming out of the summer, so it made sense.

“So, after a song about summer, let’s talk about infanticide!” Meloy said.  Only at a Decemberists concert would you hear people cheering about killing infants. After the positively morbid “Rake’s Song,” the band started the riffs for “O Valencia” off The Crane Wife, and the entire crowd lit up in excitement and sang out along with the chorus a resonant “O Valencia!” However, right in the middle of the song, Meloy changed keys for just a minute and softly let out with a giggle, “Dracula’s daughter, Dracula’s daughter, Dracula’s daughter got it bad.” For people who got the reference, it was what Meloy referred to as “the worst song [he] ever wrote” on a live solo album he released several years ago. It got some laughs, but for those of us who did get the reference, it was almost like an inside joke that made us look crazy to the people who didn’t get the jokes.

Not only did the Decemberists play the songs we all know and love in their 90-minute set, but they did play a few new ones as well. That means a new album coming up, so that definitely made me excited.

As the sun was set, and the lovely glow of the Nordstrom’s sign shone upon us all, the Decemberists began their final song – “Sons & Daughters.”

“I know you all know what day it is, and I don’t need to hammer that home any more, but since you’re all here and we can do this, I want everyone to sing this. But not only sing it, but to walk away with it ringing in your head.” And on that evening of the 9^th anniversary of 9/11, Meloy instructed the audience to sing together in resounding unison “here all the bombs fade away.” That song – and their set – ended in such a moving way that I teared up a little bit, and I’m not ashamed to admit that.

Aww, I love The Decemberists.

At that point I’d contemplated trying to get to the Wonder Ballroom to see the Smashing Pumpkins, but thankfully a friend of mine had already tried and she let me know before I left that it was way too crowded for anyone to get in with even half an hour to spare until the show started at 10:15. So I took short break at Powell’s Books since it didn’t close until 11 p.m. before walking – literally right down the street from my car – to the Crystal Ballroom for Akron/Family and Menomena. How I managed to park closer to the Crystal than Pioneer Courthouse Square is beyond me, but it certainly made getting around for the rest of the night incredibly convenient.

I arrived to the Crystal mid-set for Akron/Family, and they were completely not what I expected. I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest, but they were so intense and energetic that I didn’t even need to know any of the songs to rock out and dance. With Afron/Family’s crazy mix of electronica and folk music, they really know how to get a room moving. The songs were long and epic and wildly mesmerizing. I regret not getting there earlier to see the whole set, because the 15 minutes I did see were really awesome. So you should see them if you get the chance to.

But I must say with how many fantastic performances I’d seen over the last four days, the greatest one was to come that evening, with Menomena. Up until then I hadn’t been right up against the stage at the Crystal Ballroom at all. That thing vibrates. Every time a heavy bassline kicked in, the water bottle below Brent Knopf’s keyboard visibly shook.

Having just released their third LP back in July, Mines, Menomena started off their mindblowing – and I’m not being facetious – show with “Tithe,” a thrilling track off the new album. I don’t know what planet the guys of Menomena are from, but they are definitely all on the same otherworldly brain wave, because the music and energy these guys put out is amazing. You have the stark and angry “The Pelican” and the soft and eerie “Evil Bee” off of Friend and Foe, and the heartbreaking “INTIL,” which features mostly Knopf on keyboard and crooning “I never thought I’d lie…sometimes I say too much” over and over again.

Not only are the songs so deeply impactful live, but the musicianship with Menomena is so random that you almost wonder how they came together in the first place. Justin Harris plays bass and baritone sax. In no other band will you get to hear baritone saxophone. And I thought when I heard Friend and Foe for the first time that they used a drum machine. Nope, Danny Seim is just that good.  One thing that I did notice about the new songs was the heavier hand that the guitar took. Menomena even brought in a new member as a lead guitarist to give Mines a rounder sound. And even though the sound has advanced, the band has kept the essence of Menomena, songs that sound completely cohesive and also unique to each member of the band – Knopf’s gentle voice, Harris’ powerful voice, and Seim’s deep and musky voice.

I was so thoroughly impressed that I haven’t really stopped listening to Mines since the show. I was even thinking about skipping out early to see Japandroids at the Doug Fir Lounge that night as well, but after a few of Menomena’s songs I realized I would definitely be staying for the whole thing.

Thursday of Musicfest Northwest started at a different ballroom – the Wonder Ballroom. Thankfully it’s in a residential area of Portland, so pay parking lots be damned!

I had planned on just seeing Ra Ra Riot at the Wonder Ballroom, but I arrived early to catch a bit of Phantogram, with their formula of electronic drum machine beats and soft vocals. The duo of keyboardist Sarah Barthel and guitarist Josh Carter was quite good, playing through some darn catchy songs – including the sexy “When I’m Small” and infectious “Mouthful of Diamonds,” which was recently featured in a New York Lottery commercial (and I can’t help but think it’s been used somewhere else, because lord knows we don’t have commercials for the New York lotto over here).

Next up came Ra Ra Riot with their lovely upbeat baroque pop. I can’t say enough how much fun this band is – you have the guitar-driven hit “Ghost Under Rocks” off their first LP The Rhumb Line, all the way to the strings-heavy “Boy” off their new album The Orchard (both of which make you want to sing and dance adorably).

Seriously, everything about this band is adorable – and not in a bad way. Lead singer Wes Miles wispy pop vocals mixed with cello and violin, not to mention the overwhelming friendly synergy on stage. You can’t help but feel the love. A few select favorites from their set included “Too Dramatic” and “Foolish,” both of which Miles singing back and forth with cellist Alexandra Lawn, and “St Peter’s Day Festival.”

Their positive energy was surely contagious, as when they had finished their set, the crowd overwhelmingly started chanting for an encore. I can only guess what the people living in the neighborhood would have thought. After a couple of minutes, the troupe walked back out on stage, Miles now sporting a pair of glasses, and guitarist Milo Bonacci jumped right into the opening riff to “A Manner to Act” off their self-titled debut EP, a quick and almost punk track (except with the addition of strings, so you still know it’s obviously Ra Ra Riot).

I made my way out of the Wonder Ballroom, I went back to Burnside for day number two at the Crystal Ballroom for some punk rock – Ted Leo and The Pharmacists and The Thermals. After circling the block for a good ten minutes looking for parking, I eventually got to the Crystal, with the show already in progress. I wasn’t about to venture into the mosh pit right away, because a.) I needed to get some decent photos and b.) I’d be afraid my camera would get damaged while getting thrashed around by the excited fans.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists were a perfect way to get the energy up for the rest of the night. The band played all through their catalogue, from the last ten years, and it certainly made the crowd happy – which ranged from my age (21) to my parents’ age (50-ish). That’s when you know you’re in a cool city – when people can go to rock shows with their parents. One of the highlights was the almost folk-sounding “Sons of Cain” off their new LP The Brutalist Bricks.

If I thought people were excited for Ted Leo, then they went ape crazy for the Thermals. I mean, they’re local, so it makes sense.

Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster, and Westin Glass took the stage to a loving and enthusiastic crowd, coming off the release of their fifth LP, Personal Life, co-produced with Chris Walla.

“This is a bit of an album release party, so let’s get crazy!” Harris exclaimed.

And that’s exactly what we did. Kicking off the 20+ song set with “Here’s Your Future,” the band played through old favorites like “It’s Trivia” off More Parts Per Million and “Now We Can See” off their last album. Even though The Thermals obviously had some bigger hits with the locals, it was nice to see how receptive the crowd was with the new songs off Personal Life. It always bothers me when a band gets the cold shoulder if they play a bunch of new songs that people aren’t as familiar with, but I guess that’s just a sentiment to Portland’s overall unified nature.

Just after 11 p.m., the Thermals ended their main set with “A Pillar of Salt,” another high-octane song to get people ready for the positively glorious encore. A couple minutes past, and then one by one Foster, Glass and Harris took the stage once again, and started playing a familiar riff.

But it wasn’t familiar as a Thermals song.

No, it was Weezer’s “My Name Is Jonas.” Needless to say, the guy standing next to me went absolutely nuts.

Being the completely crazy person that I am, I took the 150-mile drive to Portland two days after Bumbershoot ended for the tenth annual Musicfest Northwest. I still hadn’t caught up with the 10 or so hours of missed sleep and I was yet to lose some more. But hey, I’m young. I can still do that sort of thing.

Why did I decide to drive down on Wednesday? Panda Bear was playing at the Crystal Ballroom that night. That’s why.

It had been just over a year since I saw Animal Collective live for the first time, and I was in need of some of their genius. Apparently a lot of other people felt the exact same way, because that place with its bouncy walking-on-a-cloud floor filled up fast.

With the Crystal Ballroom already smelling of cannabis and man sweat, Noah Lennox, a.k.a. Panda Bear took the stage at just after 10 p.m. With nothing but a Fender Stratocaster, his big table of electronic gadgets, and a screen projecting trippy visuals throughout his set, Panda Bear was mesmerizing. I say mesmerizing because he’s not what you could call “entertaining” in the usual sense of the word. Hundreds of people swayed in unison to his heavy psychedelic beats, causing the floor to almost vibrate from the collective movement.

Panda Bear played several new songs off his upcoming album Tomboy, which currently doesn’t have an actual release date, but he says “near the end of 2010.” Well it’s nearing the end of 2010, and we still don’t know when we’ll get to hear the whole record. That fact also made this gig even sweeter, because we did get to hear these new rhythmic journeys into Lennox’s mind, as well as some of the sample-heavy (but absolutely fantastic) Person Pitch.

It’s daunting to think about a follow-up to such a great album as Person Pitch, but Lennox took Tomboy as a chance for a departure from the sampling, and to focus more on heavy rhythm and guitar. And in a live situation, that certainly makes for a more interesting show, as Lennox’s performance was more organic than if he has been strictly pressing buttons the whole time.

Plus, the use of more traditional instrumentation paired with the sometimes psychotically captivating song crafting of Animal Collective helped differentiate Lennox’s solo stuff from the band.

Panda Bear started off the show with “Drone,” a song that literally shook the crowd into attention, as if we weren’t attentive enough already. The loud and often startling back and forth tones paired with Panda Bear’s – for the lack of a better term – droning voice flooded the room with sound and vibration. In the Crystal Ballroom, you don’t just hear the music; you actually feel it. From there he transitioned right into “Tomboy,” the first single off the upcoming album, which was further enriched from the recorded version to include Lennox’s random shrieks of  Lennox also had a beautiful drawn-out version of “Daily Routine” that built so much anticipation that I could see the people around me mouthing the words to the song even before he sang them. “Slow Motion” was one of the stand out new tracks, with its addicting bass line, one that you’d almost hear in a modern hip-hop song.

After the just-under-an-hour set Panda Bear quietly exited the stage, almost as if he was completely unaware of the awesome show he’d just put on. And the throngs of people slowly filed out of the doorway and down the two flights of stairs outside. That was by far the only way to start off another 5 nights of great music all throughout Portland.

This was going to be a long weekend.

We all love a good Columbia River backdrop or acres and acres of open field at our music festivals, but what makes MusicFest Northwest different than most festivals is that it takes places within the city – at all the Portland venues you know and love. It’s not just a celebration of music but also a celebration of Portland in general.

In just under two weeks’ time, Portland’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning alt-weekly newspaper Willamette Week will be hosting its 10th annual MusicFest Northwest, which has grown to be the third-largest indoor music festival in the country.

At no other festival else can you park for free in suburbia, take a light rail downtown, then pick up an orange Tang doughnut (yes, I said Tang), and walk a block down at 1 a.m. to catch The Builders and the Butchers at Berbati’s Pan.

Voodoo Doughnuts and Berbati’s Pan are very conveniently placed literally 125 away from each other. Just a tip.

Because of this indoor, inner city set-up, you won’t have to empty your bank account for festival food, or use smelly port-a-potties. But I’d never expect anything different coming from Portland, with the casual, low-key vibe that I love about it so much.

Here’s what I’m planning on doing, but trust me – with the MAX light rail running at full capacity over the 5-day festival, you’ll have the opportunity to see so much more, whether it be a 21+ show, or an all-ages (AA) show.

Wednesday, September 8^th:

Act: Panda Bear
Time: 10 p.m.
Location: Comcast and opbmusic stage at the Crystal Ballroom

Ever since seeing Animal Collective play live over a year ago, I’ve been holding out for another chance to see any of the guys in a live capacity. To coincide with the release of his highly awaited album Tomboy, Noah “Panda Bear” Lennox will be gracing Portland with his mesmerizing presence on the first night of the festival at the Crystal Ballroom (which has floors with a bit of bounce in them). AA

Thursday, September 9^th:

Act: Ra Ra Riot
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Nike Sportswear Stage at the Wonder Ballroom

In the past, Ra Ra Riot has opened for such amazing acts as Editors, Art Brut, and Tokyo Police Club, but now as part of their headlining tour for their new album The Orchard, Ra Ra Riot will be taking the stage at the Wonder Ballroom. I’m intrigued to see their unique brand of baroque pop live. Plus if you have time afterward, circle the block to get some pizza at Sparky’s or if you feel more adventurous, Ethiopian at Queen of Sheba.  AA

Act: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Time: 9 p.m.
Location: Comcast and KNRK Stage at the Crystal Ballroom

For something with a bit more attitude, you can head back over to the bouncy floors of the Crystal Ballroom for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. You’re sure to have a good time with these old school punks, and you’ll still have enough energy to go for the rest of the night afterwards. Heck, walk a few blocks down Burnside and you can still browse around Powell’s Books until 11 p.m. AA

Act: The Thermals
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Location: Comcast and KNRK Stage at the Crystal Ballroom
Local darlings The Thermals will have literally released their fifth album two days before when it comes time for their show at the Crystal Ballroom. They’ve been working with Chris Walla again on Personal Life, so I’m anxious to hear what these pioneers of Portland rock of the ‘00s have put together with Mr. Walla. AA

Act: Major Lazer
Time: 11 p.m.
Location: The Roseland Theater

For the most part, I probably won’t be heading to the Roseland too much just because there are so many great bands playing everyone, and it’s already hard to choose. But I’m going to make it a priority to see Major Lazer’s reggae/hip-hop hybrid. You’ll be sure that you won’t see any other act like them at the festival, and as far as I know, there won’t be another chance to see them in the northwest for a while. AA

Act: Justin Townes Earles
Times: 11:55 p.m.
Location: Jack Daniels and opbmusic stage at Berbati’s Pan

Four blocks away, you’ll find yourself back at Berbati’s Pan (and maybe after another round of Voodoo Doughnuts) for the considerably less hyphy Justin Townes Earle. It’ll be the nice way to end the night after burning all your energy at the last show. Maybe you could get a drink and relax to Earle’s mandolin-laden country folk. Earle’s blend of deep-south vintage country is so far from today’s mainstream country that you almost expect someone to be playing a water jug and a washboard.  21+

Friday, September 10^th:

Act: Surfer Blood
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Nike Sportswear Stage at the Wonder Ballroom

As the start of a ridiculously full two-month tour, Surfer Blood will get to bring their beachy indie rock to the Wonder Ballroom. A friend of mine put their song “Swim” on a mix tape for me earlier this year, and ever since I saw Pitchfork give the song spot number 37 on the lost of the 100 Best Songs of 2009, I’ve been wanting to see them play live. Now you have that chance too.  AA

Act: Black Lips
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Nike Sportswear Stage at the Wonder Ballroom

When going through the list of bands playing at this year’s festival, I immediately put Black Lips on my “list to see,” because of their extensive history, guitarist Cole Alexander’s work with Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, as well as what I’ve heard of their chaotic stage antics (including nudity, fireworks, band members kissing, and vomiting). AA

Act: Sara Jackson-Holman
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Ash St. Saloon

Mixing classically-influenced piano, soft and longing strings, and winsome vocals, Portland native Sara Jackson-Holman falls into the ever-growing “melancholy piano songstress” genre, but her smoky voice and strange bent harmonies make her worth seeing. Within a couple blocks of the saloon you could also hit up Esan Thai or Kells Irish Pub for dinner if you like. 21+

Act: People Eating People
Time: 9 p.m.
Location: Mississippi Studios

After the disbanding of her band Mon Frere in 2007, Seattle native Nouela Johnston decided to record some of her own stuff under the moniker People Eating People. Her powerful piano pop will be perfect for one of my favorite venues ever – Mississippi Studios, which was built for musicians, by musicians. It’s located in a residential neighborhood and you can literally park in front of someone’s house. The floor is small, but the wraparound balcony provides just as good a view. 21+

Act: Morning Teleportation
Time: 10 p.m.
Location: Hawthorne Theater

I saw Morning Teleportation in June, and they had the most inexplicably enjoyable set that it’s impossible to explain. Psychedelic, rootsy jam-band, electro-indie rock is one way I could describe it. If you’re still confused, I recommend that you make time to go see them at the Hawthorne Theater. Lead vocalist Tiger uses a Talk Box. That’s worth it enough just to see that. AA

Act: Okkervil River
Time: 11 p.m.
Location: Comcast and KNRK Stage at the Crystal Ballroom

I’m not sure whether or not Roky Erickson will be gracing the stage with Okkervil River in this instance, since they just released True Love Cast Out All Evil with Erickson, but either way, the critically acclaimed Austin band is surely not one to miss. AA

Act: The Tallest Man On Earth
Time: 11:55 p.m.
Location: Toyota Antics and KEXP stage at the Doug Fir

Performing at the most comfortable venue I’ve ever been to, The Tallest Man On Earth will be bringing his bluesy brand of acoustic folk to the Doug Fir. When I first heard Kristian Matsson’s music, I didn’t realize that he was Swedish for awhile, until I eventually got how clever Matsson’s moniker is (people of Scandinavia are predominantly over 6 feet tall). 21+

Saturday, September 11^th:

Act: The Builders and the Butchers
Time: 1 a.m. (yes I just said 1 a.m.)
Location: Jack Daniels and opbmusic stage at Berbati’s Pan

Seeing the instruments that the Builders and the Butchers play, you wouldn’t expect to essentially rock out at one of their shows, but they defy all stereotypes and bring massive amounts of energy to their acoustic guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Seeing that the Builders and the Butchers are from Portland, I’m expecting this particular show to be crazy awesome. Having seen then 2 short months ago, I can back up that claim. 21+

Act: Laura Veirs
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Levi’s Pioneer Stage at Pioneer Courthouse Square

Laura Veirs will be the first of a few shows that you should absolutely check out on the main stage at Pioneer Courthouse Square. The neo-folk songstress returned to her roots with July Flame this year, her 6^th studio album, putting out hauntingly beautiful songs full of odd instrumentation and Veirs understated vocals. AA

Act: The Decemberists
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Levi’s Pioneer Stage at Pioneer Courthouse Square

I’ll just be sticking around at Pioneer Courthouse Square for The Decemberists after Laura Veirs, because it will surely be one of the best shows of the weekend. Even when they aren’t playing for hometown crowd, The Decemberists are awesome live, but in this instance I can only imagine. The last time I saw them, it was on the Hazards of Love tour, so this time we’ll get to hear songs from all throughout their catalogue. AA

Act: The Globes
Time: 9 p.m.
Location: Backspace

Playing at one of best coffee houses in Portland, Seattle’s own The Globes will be bringing their experimential ambient indie rock to the tiny venue. I saw them play a show in Seattle back in November with Telekinesis and The Lonely Forest, and with how much they downplay the energy, The Globes put on a great show. Think My Bloody Valentine with harder riffs and a rainy-day ready wall of sound. AA

Act: The Head and the Heart
Time: 9 p.m.
Location: Jack Daniels and opbmusic stage at Berbati’s Pan

Bluesy folk with soft harmonies and bubbly beats permeate through Seattle’s own The Head and the Heart’s music, and it should be quite delightful to see them in Berbati’s Pan’s small room. Plus if you haven’t had dinner yet, you can get yourself some Greek cuisine while you’re there. 21+

Act: The Smashing Pumpkins
Time: 10:15 p.m.
Location: MusicFest Northwest and KUFO stage at The Wonder Ballroom

I honestly had no idea that the Smashing Pumpkins were playing until about five days ago, and I’m surprised that they’re playing The Wonder Ballroom, because it’s not that big. So if you want to get in at all, I suggest getting there relatively early, even if you have a wristband, because this will undoubtedly be one of the most attended shows of the festival. I can’t remember the last time they toured, so I’m pumped. AA

Act: Suckers
Time: 11 p.m.
Location: Jack Daniels and opbmusic stage at Berbati’s Pan

What’s funny is that right after playing up against each other at separate venues at MusicFest Northwest, Suckers will be going on a month-long national tour with Menomena. Employing Talking Heads-esque multi-layered vocals with the passion of former tourmates Local Natives, Suckers will definitely fill the small room with fervor. 21+

Act: Menomena
Time: 11 p.m.
Location: Comcast and KNRK Stage at the Crystal Ballroom

I have to be honest, I haven’t listened to Menomena’s new record yet, but Friend And Foe was one of my favorite records of 2007, and it’ll be interesting to see how the band’s eerie experimental indie rock will play out to their hometown crowd. Also, the band members always shuffle around who sings and who plays certain instruments, so that always makes for a more intriguing show. AA

Act: Champagne Champagne
Time: 11 p.m.
Location: Jimmy Mak’s

Seattle hip-hop favorites Champagne Champagne mixes traditional hip-hop with peppier electro-pop, and I love it. Again, I’ll reiterate my normal dislike for hip-hop, but when locals sing and rap about Molly Ringwald, I’m sold. But again, I’ll have a hard time deciding which show to hit up at 11 p.m. 21+

Act: The Dodos
Time: 11:55 p.m.
Location: Jack Daniels and opbmusic stage at Berbati’s Pan

Even though The Dodos are probably best known for having two of their songs in two separate television commercials, their albums are rich with offbeat instrumentation like toy piano and pulsating drums. And you can’t deny that if a band has their songs on television, the songs are undeniably catchy. 21+

Act: Japandroids
Time: 11:55 p.m.
Location: Toyota Antics and KEXP stage at the Doug Fir

Having two guys on stage, you wouldn’t expect them to create the sound that Japandroids manage, but the raw and fuzzy guitars will be a great way to end out the penultimate night of the festival. And while you’re there, definitely check out the restaurant upstairs. Also there’s free parking around the corner, so that’s another plus. 21+

Sunday, September 12^th:

Act: The Walkmen
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Levi’s Pioneer Stage at Pioneer Courthouse Square

It seems like it’s been way longer than 2 years since The Walkmen put out new music, but this performance will be two days before their new album Lisbon is released, so I’m happy. One of only a select few shows on the last day of the festival, The Walkmen’s drowsy surf rock should carry well through the outdoor amphitheater. AA

Act: The National
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Levi’s Pioneer Stage at Pioneer Courthouse Square

After having seen The National play at the Columbia River Gorge back in May, I was anxious to see them again. Although I think The National is one of those bands that you may or may not like live. Lead singer Matt Berninger has an oddly intense stage presence, but the energy might turn some people off. If you haven’t seen them play live though, I strongly recommend giving them a shot, because they sound fantastic live. AA

However long this preview is, it’s still just a taste of what’s coming to the tenth annual MusicFest Northwest. I mean, I’m going to try to see all these bands, but who knows how full the venues will get or how quick the public transportation will run that weekend? To see the full lineup or purchase tickets, go to http://www.musicfestnw.com. General admission wristbands are still available for purchase that will guarantee entry to all club shows and all shows at Pioneer Square (however you must choose to see either The Decemberists or The National with this ticket). All show wristbands are also still available, which guarantees you entry to all shows, no exceptions. If you don’t wish to purchase a wristband, you can buy tickets at the individual venues the night of the show.