PDX Pop Now! is the culmination of the best aspects of Portland’s music scene. For the past ten years this free, three day festival has sought out our city’s most promising local acts and put them in front of an enthusiastic and diverse crowd of all ages. There isn’t a stage in town that can bring as much attention to a local band. You’ll have to wait until July 19th to enjoy this year’s festival, but you can get a taste of what’s to come on Friday, June 14th at Backspace to celebrate the release of the 2013 PDX Pop Now! compilation album. This forty-three track, two disc release might be the best representation of the Portland music scene, featuring the sounds of Sama Dams, The Woolen Men, NTNT and many more. The release party will include performances by Sapient, Summer Cannibals, Sean Flinn and the Royal We, and Wishyunu. Be there to be the first to get your hands on the compilation and find out who’s going to be playing the festival this year. I’ll see you there. -Benjamin Toledo

Bike Thief has quickly made an impact on the Portland scene. In just over six short months they’ve shared the stage with many of this city’s premium bands, and more importantly Bike Thief has accomplished all this with an original and vibrant sound marked by timeless songwriting. Transcended by their modern folk heroes, they learned to play folk songs and make them rock. There are beautiful vocal harmonies with up to four singers that weave into heavy choruses brought together by the sweetness of a viola player. With the success of their debut EP, Ghost of Providence, they are slated to headline the Doug Fir this Wednesday with support from Rare Monk and De La Warr. This is a band that has come a long way and will reach amazing heights, come to the Doug Fir to see a greatness in the making. – Colin Hudson

Alameda, the Portland-based five piece band with sophisticated instrumentation and smooth harmonious vocals has found a sound that is settled and sure. The tracks on Procession, the album released in 2012, contain a range of emotions and stories that grab you instantly. “Swollen Light,” the guitar driven heartbreaker, swells to a head and shows you exactly why this band is doing so well. Strings and clarinet keep things classy without getting bogged down in traditional frameworks. Their experimentation has payed off. This summer the band will be touring and surely met with open arms by current and new fans alike. Kicking off a summer of touring can’t start at a better place than Holocene, and this Sunday they will do just that with the amazingly talented Mice Parade. Mice Parade has proven versatility and a relentless energy that takes advantage of an amazing percussion section and pop laced melodies with ease and lightheartedness. The combination of these bands is going to make for one heck of a night this Sunday, June 2nd.  Doors open at 7 and tickets are $10 online or at the door. – Joy Pearson

Tonight the historic Hollywood Theater will present Remember Where You Are, a film documenting a 12,00 mile, 50 show living room tour taken by local musicians Catherine Feeny and Sebastian Rogers. The film depicts the need for music and expression on a personal level as the two journey across the country playing for complete strangers in their homes. This engaging and emotional documentary is not to be missed. It starts at 7:30 pm and you can find tickets here. Stick around for a Q and A with director, Wayne Watson Jr., after the show. – Benjamin Toledo

Solo piano compositions have become a lost art over the years. Thankfully in Portland, many great things never go completely away. Asher Fulero is ready to release his second full-length solo piano album at the Doug Fir. The new album, Liminal Rites is thirteen songs deep of classically trained and emotionally connected songs. They are baroque with a little jazz and move from note to note with technique and improvisation to explore the way we transition and what he refers to as "liminal space". Following Asher will be Melting Pot Soundsystem until the event is headlined by Asher Fulero’s other project, Halo Refuser. This is a trancey down tempo with lots of drums and a little dabbling with dubstep; quite a leap from Asher’s day job as a pianist but nonetheless a dance party that should be attended no matter what. – Colin Hudson

What would the end of the world sound like? I can’t really say for sure, but I imagine it would be something along the lines of Crag Dweller. Loud, scary, and totally badass. Musically, Crag Dweller draws on a tried and true formula of loud heavy guitar, racing bass, thundering drums, and great riff work. The vocals tie perfectly with the music, combining elements of heavy metal with jagged punk edge. I recently had the chance to sit down and listen to their album, Magic Dust and I was more than pleasantly surprised with what I heard. All seven tracks on the album draw on the finer points of various metal, from classic heavy-grinding power chords and riffs of the early 70’s, to the galloping fast paced rhythms of the 80’s.A standout track from Magic Dust is "Motel Burnout." The opening riffs set the stage for a heavy metal journey through Hades that could make Dante blush. Crag Dweller will be unleashing the sonic hounds of hell this month, May 31st at Kellys Olympian. – Cory Huennekens

Colin sat down with The Quick and Easy Boys before their CD release show to discuss the new album, touring and the art of the blowjob… Read the full interview here.

Bevelers write the kind of quiet, soulful music that can draw even the most jaded listener into a peaceful daydream. Their minimal instrumentation, enchanting harmonies and endearing demeanor can silence any room and display a mature understanding of the nuances of acoustic music. This quality, in combination with the strength of their live performance has brought them recognition from Portland’s music community and lead them to the release of Be Your Own Creature, their full length debut. They’ll be celebrating the release this Saturday night at The Blue Monk alongside the indie-folk jams of Future Historians and Mike Coykendall’s prolific and original voice. Be there for what’s sure to be a stunning performance. -Benjamin Toledo  

Crossing mediums, genres and historical mythology, The Sea and The Mother is an incarnation of her Dao Strom’s perpetual creative impulse. In her latest EP, We Were Meant to Be a Gentle People, emotive vocal melodies and ambient frequencies are balanced with a folk sensibility that carries a melancholic undertone in it’s subtleties. Accompanied by a compilation of poetry, artwork and writings on Vietnam, the release flows evenly through six songs that feel dynamic, meditative and honest in their presentation. Listening to the EP is a unique experience and, above all, is representative of an artistic drive that defies traditional categorization. Join The Sea and The Mother this Friday night at the Waypost to celebrate the release of We Were Meant to Be a Gentle People and pick up a copy for yourself. – Benjamin Toledo

Portland Playhouse is perhaps one of this fair cities more charming venues. Seating only 150 people, this church turned playhouse is intimate and striking and on May 19th Alela Diane, Vikesh Kapoor, and Barna Howard will be pouring out their own unique and heartfelt stories through song in a way that will also fall into the intimate and striking category. Alela Diane will surely stun that evening, with that haunting voice that sings to loss and regret eloquently and honestly. Kapoor and Barna share Dianes gift with lyrics, each one unique, each one sure to please the lucky 150 patrons of the Playhouse. The three powerful artists filling this once-sacred space with music on May 19th at 7:00pm. Tickets are $14/$16 at the door. – Joy Pearson

Every once in a while a band comes along and carries so much positive energy that you don’t know whether to smile, dance or yell out their signature catch phrase, “Yeah Bud!”. The Quick & Easy Boys are one of Portland’s funkiest and fun rock band and they will be hosting a CD release party for their third album, Make it Easy, at the Wonder Ballroom on May 17th. The album features their signature psychedelic, bluesy guitar riffs that the familiar fans want to hear. The solid, surfy grooves on the bass and thundering drum beats are just as prevalent and will rock the stage on Friday. In the sea of indie-rock known as Portland, the Quick & Easy Boys have managed to stay away and stand in front with their classic rock influences that they have made available to the modern music world. There’s nothing but raw talent and incredible rockitude that fits any type of fixin you decide to partake in. – Colin Hudson

The smooth sounds of Morning Ritual are the latest efforts from Portland composer and songwriter Ben Darwish. The second album of this project, titled The Clear Blue Pearl, takes things through a slow jazzy turn that is accompanied by eloquently folk vocals. The album is a collaboration with local bluegrass sister super duo, Shook Twins, and the vocal harmonies ring out in each track. Most of the songs are based around the piano grooves by Darwish and back-boned by walking stand up bass lines to compel the jazz elements within their tone. This album stretches across many platforms and genres and really brings something new to the Portland scene. Undertones of R&B and indie rock are prevalent throughout. Fortunately you have the opportunity to hear these elements as The Clear Blue Pearl is being celebrated with an album release party this Thursday at Doug Fir. – Colin Hudson