Exercise your right to party this Freedom Day at a block-wide festival thrown outside Bunk Bar (SE Taylor and Water ave). Along with all the necessary 4th of July features, i.e. fireworks, beer, barbecuing, flag-waving, and general revelry, there will also be live music from Old Light, XDS, Bearcubbin’!, and Talkative. Yes, there will be services to excite all five senses this Stars and Stripes Day, and chillin out to Old Light’s dreamy psych pop may just inspire a sixth if you know what I mean. They’re headlining the show, and if you haven’t heard these guys yet, get with the program; it’s like having our very own Portland garage infused Wooden Shjips.
Starting off at 5pm sharp is Talkative, the first indie space punk band to be fully endorsed by Thomas Jefferson himself. Their quintessentially American unapologetic, devil-may-care style is the perfect preamble to a night of nationalistic pride. Up next, test your understanding of music theory with Bearcubbin’s jazzy, arcane, math rock. Then XDS starts the cerebral fireworks show with their kooky brand of world psych pop. With just enough of a hook to grasp onto, their music takes you on a journey through a vortex of texture, syncopation, and effects. Old Light will close out the block party with a punctuational cannon blast, before your inebreated meanderings take your night in a new direction (go to PALS Clubhouse immediately after for a killer secret house show!).
– Bryce Woodcock