This past weekend, Mississippi Studios was home to the third annual Stumpfest, the northwest’s best new showcasing of all things metal music. The Deli Portland got photo coverage of Friday and Saturday night’s shows, including sets from Portland’s own Red Fang, Lord Dying, Black Pussy, as well as Eugene Doom Metal YOB, and many more! Photos by Jeff Colia and Jeremiah Brunnhoelzl. 

Friday 4.25: Stumpfest Night 2 

Saturday 4.26: Stumpfest Night 3

– Travis Leipzig

Tonight, Bunk Bar plays host to local music podcasterz Party Boyz one year anniversary and inaugural zine and compilation release party. Helping the Boyz celebrate these great milestones, in an all-time powerhouse bill, are Genders, And And And, and Sama Dams. The Party Boyz’ brand-spanking-new zine, features art and contributions from various local musicians and tastemakers including Hustle & Drone, Radiation City, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, and Banana Stand Media. Additionally, Party Boyz have put together compilation CDs featuring tracks, including some previously unreleased material, from bands who have appeared on the first season of the podcast. The first 50 people in the door tonight get a free copy of the compilation, as well as first stab at the best seats in the house for an amazing night of music. The show begins at 9pm, and the cover is $7.

 – Travis Leipzig

The night kicked off with a bang, as Bubble Cats put on a shred-fest of guitars and cool melodies. Next, Tender Age charmed the audience with their serene dream-pop, preparing the solid Wednesday night crowd at Mississippi Studios for their headliners.

Souvenir Driver are ahead of the curve, making each live show a production. Probably the best-dressed band in Portland, the three-piece suit-clad dudes looked and sounded polished for the release of their sophomore album, Living Water. SD made every effort to set the mood, layering the soft, reverby vocals of Nate Wey and heavily effected instruments, along with a mesmerizing visual effect reel projected over the band. The use of visuals transports the audience into a totally different space, adding an undefined excitement to their ominous bliss-pop songs. My favorite song from their set was “I Touch You Honey” off Living Water, with a catchy surf pop guitar riff, upbeat drums, and atmospheric backing vocals.

Attention to detail sets Souvenir Driver apart from other bands, right down to the hand-made posters and limited-edition cassettes at the merch table.

– Chandler Strutz

Photos by Todd Walberg

Portland is thriving in its scene of all things psychedelic; which is part of the reason why guitarist Ripley Johnson (of Wooden Shjips) and Sanae Yamada call Portland their home. Their band, Moon Duo has made a giant splash in the psychedelic pool on a worldwide scale after releasing Circles towards the end of 2012. Sanae’s use of the electronic keyboards and drum machines adds elements to make their very own sound. At its base, it is dark, guitar driven rock and roll that is layered with the unique sounds you would hear in electronica and Ripley’s soft vocals. Each of these segments open up a lot of room for Johnson to slash through an amazing guitar solo. Moon Duo play Mississippi Studios this Monday with Eternal Tapestry and Tokyo based psych rippers Kikagaku Moyo; doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, $10 in advance and $12 day of. – Colin Hudson

Portland soul pop rockers Thanks just took off for a month long European tour, but they left us with this fun video for Hollow off their January release Blood Sounds. 

Thanks’ European tour dates:

29.04. CAFE HENRICI | ZÜRICH
30.04. GALAO | STUTTGART 
01.05. SAGE CLUB | BERLIN
03.05. BALLHAUS | KLAGENFURT 
07.05. CAFE SMARAGD | LINZ 
08.05. GRABENHALLE | ST.GALLEN
09.05. MUSIGBISTROT | BERN 
11.05. YARD CLUB | KÖLN 
13.05. GLOCKENBACHWERKSTATT | MÜNCHEN
14.05. CAFE VIDEO | GENT
15.05. PRINZENBAR | HAMBURG 
16.05. CARINI SAAL | LUSTENAU
17.05. CLUB GLAM | FELDBACH 
19.05. ROXY | PRAG
22.05. ROTER GUGL | HARTBERG
23.05. HAUS DER MUSIK | WIEN 
24.05. SPINNEREI | TRAUN 
26.05. WEEKENDER | INNSBRUCK

– Travis Leipzig

This weekend, Portland’s loudest and least hipster overrun music festival, Stumpfest, which is returning for it’s third year in a row, will be taking over Mississippi Studios. 3-day passes to the metal festival are already sold out, but individual day passes are still a-plenty ($15 in advance, $17 at the door), if you just want to catch one night of music, or don’t mind paying for multiple day-passes to catch the whole event.

Featuring many-a-rad Portland based bands, this year’s top notch Stumpfest line up is as follows:

Thursday 4.24.14:

Trans Am – joined by: Federation X, Life Coach, Drab Majesty and Hot Victory.

Friday 4.25.14:

Red Fang – joined by: Lord Dying, Norska, Black Pussy, Ancient Warlocks, and Chron Goblin

Saturday 4.26.14:

YOB – joined by: Black Cobra, Diesto, Drunk Dad, and Honduran

– Travis Leipzig

It should not come as much surprise that momentous things are afoot for Portland’s The Woolen Men. 2013 saw the band put out 3 different releases and sign with Woodsist Records. By just March of 2014 The Woolen Men have already released a split 7" vinyl with Spookies, and a four track Quick Trips EP. 

Currently on tour in promotion for their freshly released Quick Trips EP, Tuesday night The Woolen Men will play at Baby’s Allright as main support for Brooklyn based Woods, along with Weyes Blood and Cassie Ramone. Currated by Brooklyn Vegan, this show is a part of the Red Bull concert series, Sound Select Presents: New York. 

Only a week following the Sound Select show, The Woolen Men will be packing up and flying over the Atlantic for a 20 show, month long tour though Europe. Have fun and good luck boys, here’s wishing you well from back home in Portland. – Travis Leipzig

In the five months since his November release of Fall Denim, Ripley Snell has been busy working on collaborations and clothing lines, and is already putting out his sophomore album, Natural Flavors, which is a six-course menu of imaginative lyricism. He draws inspiration from be-bop, hiphop and R&B, funk, metaphysics, and his Portland surroundings.

The titles of each track on 6 Natural Flavors are named after the often unnatural and additive ingredients listed on the back of a Coca-Cola. Tied with Snell’s lyrical content, the album serves as a metaphor for the sugarcoating of political and socioeconomic problems which have grown over time into the everyday norm. The album is said to be inspired by and dedicated to the individuals that live on W. 3rd Ave in downtown Portland.

Speaking his mind and keeping it real, Ripley Snell is a storyteller giving insight on Portland nights, homelessness, and racism with candor. Jazz infused “Caramel Colors” speaks on “gentri-fried chicken" and feeling isolated from the Portland Spirit because of his style. “Phosphoric Acid” has whirling string loops, primal urges, and some hilarious personal hygiene disclosures. “Caffeine” begins with a sub octave vocal sample of the words “easy beats" then quickly gets to tackling the topics of STD’s and dying on the street. “High Fructose Corn Syrup” begins with some good advice:  “Let’s do things well… let’s do ‘em well,” then jumps into a flow of colorful metaphors about Monsanto’s lucid dreams and hanging out with fat polar bears on frozen lakes "drinking blue chip shares." While Snell is getting lyrically deep inside issues, Neill Von Tally’s beats throughout the album feature jazzy and playful instrumentation and vintage audio sampling including everything from the triangle bell to string trios and brassy melodies.

Ripley Snell will celebrate the release of Natural Flavors by performing the album in it’s entirety with a public all-ages show at the NW Portland art gallery and clothing store Upper Playground at 7pm sharp. There will be access to a free download of the album at Ripleysnell.com for a limited time when the album drops April 23rd. In the meantime, check out his album Fall Denim.

 – Brandy Crowe

A good way to get yourself back on salvation’s path the Monday after 4.20 (and Easter in case you forgot) is to visit one of Portland’s churches. And fortunately, you won’t feel out of place if you go to Church Bar‘s one-year anniversary party this Monday. Portland’s rock and roll supernovas known as the Lower 48 will be ringing in the celebration. This band has been evolving their sound for many years and has come to give themselves a defined sound consisting of vintage pop, folk, with a grunge overtone. Their vocal harmonies and exploding bass lines reel in the listener and then they hit you with a secret weapon as Nick (the drummer) overhauls the music with a trumpet. So, there’s one way to start your week on the right track. – Colin Hudson

The threat of Palabra never performing again was once alluded. Now, the jazzy latin prog trio consisting of Zach Evans, Johan Wagner and Papi Fimbres are performing at Habesha Lounge this Saturday night for the release of their second album Manos Luminosos y El Cubo Blanco which mysteriously means "luminous hands & the white cube." Palabra give off effortless vibes of an openness to whatever influences cross their path. With an emphasis on jazzy rhythm, synth and psychedelia, their experimental groovy jams are destined to cloud your mindspace. Sharing the stage with Palabra Saturday night are Elfin Elephant and the SuS Quartet.  

It’s time we set aside our previous notions that Mufassa is the King of the Jungle, or that unfortunate condition of the male genitalia that you’ve read about on Urban Dictionary (here).

Rather, Mufassa is one of Portland’s most promising new bands who play a powerful blend of soulful, bluesy garage rock, reminiscent to the genious of King Kahn. And, as voted by the people, Mufassa is The Deli Portland’s current Artist of the Month! The group is currently working on a new album, of which they gave listeners a taste last month with their single Johnny. The track is an epic dancy rocker, showcasing classic rock’n roll guitar riffage, and gentle soulful vocals like that of a higher pitch Elvis. Take a listen for yourself and keep an eye out for their next album. – Travis Leipzig 

If you can’t appreciate the aggression, emotion and straight up virtuosity that produces up some of the best black metal/doom/hardcore music, then I question your roots in rock ‘n roll and music in general. This Thursday afternoon shake off your hipster timidness, release the inner punk rocker you once were and show some gusto at the Megaton Haus show freaturing Batton Rouge doom band Thou, midwest grindcore Cloud Rat, Oakland’s Reivers and Portland’s very own Contempt. While you’re there, pick up Contempt’s January release Skinwalker on cassette. The show starts at 1pm at 10128 NE Pacific st. Portland. – Travis Leipzig