Who ever said that Summer gets all the music festivals? January, despite its cold winds (or slightly cooler breezes if you're one of BBQ's So Cal followers), can warm you up the right way! The Portland just doesn't quit.

January 15-17 at The Parlour in Southeast Portlandtown comes Music to Folk! to Fest. A three day extravaganza of singer-songwriters, newcomers to the Pacific Northwest and indie icons alike! Twenty dollars for three days and almost twenty bands! If you're in the area next weekend, this is the place to be. You can also buy tickets at the door, but for so many bands, why not get the package deal?

Just a few things to look forward to:

For fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, amongst many, many other bands, comes Ross Beach (one of NMH's original members!) with his latest band, Ross & The Hellpets. Perfect indie pop that carries all the greatest elements of past decades without all the bad parts.


If Annie Clark had a kid sister from the Midwest, you'd have A. King. Guitar playing, violin charming, songstress fresh from a cross country trip from the East coast and fresh to Portland, Ashley King can sing and lays it down with some serious tunes. Accompanying her this time around are the Beirutesque musings of the Bootz Orchestra.


Sam Cooper (the banjo plucking behind Horse Feathers) joins the weekend on Sunday for a short & sweet set of acoustic goodness.

The lowdown:

Music to Folk to! Fest
January 15-17
$20, ALL AGES!
at The Parlour
2628 SE Powell Blvd
Portland, OR 97202


ross and the hellpets - its over
Ashley King - Never Going To Stop

Labels: festivals, Folk, portland

We all know a few of the bigger fests (Bonnaroo, Coachella, blah blah blah), and despite the mass grass field genocide we all partake in via attendance/dancing/running/stomping on the fairgrounds, we love them. But how about the small festivals of music around the states?

One festival lodged in the Pacific Northwest in Anacortes, Washington, hidden away from the spotlight, even though it's been called "The Greatest Music Festival of All Time, Ever," is What the Heck Fest. What exactly is What the Heck Fest? A ton of good music from Washington (and a handful of friends from elsewhere) going down over a couple days in summer. Simple. But they put it bit better:

"What the heck fest is how we care; an unconventional gathering in warm traditions of food and music. New and old friends who give as much attention as they get, while keeping plenty in reserve until this marathon of song.

Production values increase as the artist’s respect for the audience’s imagination decreases…and in direct proportion to the replacement of Idealism with titillation."

If you're up in this area on July 17, 18, and 19, within a few hour drive at least, then go. It's only $35! Washington just makes good music. A little forest, a little city, a "little" rain, good people - what else could you expect?Oh, and the line up? So good! Just a few on the list:

D+

Karl Blau

Kimya Dawson

Mirah

LAKE

Labels: anacortes, festivals, Shows