The first Tuesday of each month has never been more exciting in Portland, thanks to Red Bull’s new concert series Sound Select Presents: Portland. Each month, the concerts are curated by different local music aficionados, and showcase one national headlining act and two local up and comers. Past headliners of the series include Maps and Atlases, Portugal. The Man and Helio Sequence. This month’s showcase at Mississippi Studios features New Orleans’ Big Freedia, the undisputed Queen of bounce, supported by Magic Mouth and Thanks.
Main support of the evening, Magic Mouth are a hard hitting four piece that plays soulful funk music in the most rock and roll way possible. With an enthusiastic front man whose vocal range is off the musical map, the group delivers a raw and simple but huge sound. Thanks offer a soulful take on psychedelic rock. The erie, reverb soaked guitar hooks and thundering drum and bass lines are beautifully rounded out by lead singer Jimi Hendrix’s piercing vocal ability. Her jazzy voice reminisces the English soul scene (Amy Winehouse, Wayne Allen, ect.) making Thanks a truly exciting live band.
All this local music greatness leads up to one of the best rap acts in the country. Big Freedia has starred on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and made herself famous this past summer by prompting a twerking feat that made the Guiness’ Book of World Records. Freedia’s unique musical styling ‘bounce,’ is like trap but more twerktastic and bouncy.
April 1, the show starts at 9pm and costs $3 if you RSVP here in advance, or $15 at the door. – Colin Hudson