If you haven’t heard yet, the lineup for Portland’s Musicfest NW was just released and the lineup this year is nothing short of stellar. The festival is set all over the city, a bit like SXSW, in a wide range of venues, from tiny bars to the famous Crystal Ballroom. This year, the indoor festival is expanding to include two headliner shows that will be held outside in Portland’s Pioneer Square. Festival-goers get a wristband and take over the city’s music venues for five evenings (September 8-12) of shows and new band discoveries! This festival is, after all, where I stumbled upon the fabulous Local Natives last year, so my expectations are high.
The lineup this year is a perfect combination of indie heavyweights, local favorites, and up-and-coming newbies. Over five evenings, shows usually run about 8 pm to midnight, the schedule is generally spread out enough to get a good taste of newer bands without missing any big names.
General admission wristbands are $65 (for all other shows and either The National or The Decemberists in Pioneer Square) or $90 for all shows, including both headliners.
Here’s a list of who to check out if you can make it to the festivities in September. An asterisk means you’d better not miss that show! Click here for more details.
Big Names
The Decemberists
The National*
Panda Bear*
Okkervil River
Middleweights
Ra Ra Riot*
The Walkmen
The Tallest Man on Earth*
David Bazan
Major Lazer
Y La Bamba
Rocky Votolato
Japandroids
Local Favorites
The Thermals
Menomena
The Helio Sequence*
Laura Veirs
The Builders & The Butchers*
Weinland
Portland Cello Project
Typhoon
Deelay Ceelay
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside*
Dirty Mittens
Newbies
Phantogram*
Past Lives
Wampire
People Eating People
Suckers