Festivals get a bad wrap these days, at least amongst those of us who are sick of being herded into giant fields to be prayed upon by greedy corporate marketers while surrounded by drunk frat bros and shitty laptop toting “DJs”. With all of the garbage out there, it can be easy to forget that there are still plenty of festivals that are actually focused on presenting quality, well-chosen lineups in an environment that is friendly, relaxed, and spacious. One of those festivals is Pickathon, which takes place August 5-7 on Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley (yes, that’s a real place) just outside Portland, Oregon.
With a capacity of less than 5,000 and no corporate sponsors, the festival is a shining example of a music festival that actually cares about the people attending. It features craft beer and food at reasonable prices and has long preached a sustainable model by using renewable energy, offering recycling and compost, and eliminating plastic and single use utensils, among other things. But at the center of every Pickathon is a thoughtfully curated lineup that often runs the gamut from indie rock, to Americana and country, to psych rock and even heavier stuff. In other words, there is something for everyone, and 2016 is no exception.
To shine a light on this year’s Pickathon lineup, I have picked out 8 acts that are well worth getting excited for. I chose not to focus on the obvious big names – we’re all excited for Jeff Tweedy and Yo La Tengo – instead picking out acts that may be known in some circles but not all. Some of these you will recognize and some you may not, but I can promise that every single one of them will leave you impressed. it should be noted that pretty much every act on the lineup plays two sets, meaning you don’t have to worry about overlap.
Wolf Parade
Dan Boeckner is back! And this time it’s with the recently reunited band that put the indie rock savior on the map in the first place. LCD Soundsystem has gotten a whole lot of hype for reuniting this year, but perhaps we should be paying more attention to Canadian post-punk stalwarts Wolf Parade. The group has always shown a unique ability to present sharp, danceable rock and roll. There music is moody, fast-moving, and infectious, which makes it perfect for the late night dance parties that will inevitably go down when they take the stage on Friday AND Saturday night! Essential Listening: Apologies to the Queen Mary
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Cass McCombs
Cass McCombs is part of a new generation of songwriters that are seemingly bringing back the music of older generations. His songwriting is thoughtful – at times challenging in its direness – and his music feels textured and orchestrated in a way that brings to mind 70’s power pop and warm psychedelia. McCombs’ two sets at Pickathon come a mere few weeks before he makes his ANTI Records debut with the release of his new album Mangy Love (August 26), and you can count on him giving us a nice dose of new tunes. Essential Listening: A Folk Set Apart
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The Deslondes
New Orleans band The Deslondes bring us back to simpler times, you know, the days when country artists traveled in big beat up cars on dusty roads across the South, living gig to gig. Their sound may be best classified as country, but that feels like too broad a generalization. As this band has grown over the last few years they have progressed from something more ragged and rambling to a refined honky tonk hybrid, and they are most fun in the live setting where they come across as a loose band of Southern gentlemen. Essential Listening: The Deslondes
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Promised Land Sound
On their 2012 debut Stoned Eagle and 2013 self-titled follow-up, this gang of Nashville youngsters embraced what Gram Parsons once referred to as Cosmic American Music. Despite their young age, the members of Promised Land Sound seemed to posses a natural talent for applying a laid back stoner aesthetic to country rock, a feat that may seem easy enough but has produced tons of cliché joke bands. Their latest effort For Use And Delight takes the country rock sound in an impressive new direction as the band drifts towards indie rock and a catchier pop sound. That authentic 70’s feel is still there, but these guys are not afraid to try out new things, and the result is beautiful. Essential Listening: Promised Land Sound
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Margo Price
Country music has a new queen and her name is Margo Price. After trucking along for years in small clubs, Price caught the attention of none other than Jack White, who was so impressed that he released her album Midwest Farmer’s Daughter via his own Third Man Records this year. Reviewing the album, Glide’s own Maeri Ferguson wrote, “Price has the classic country gal sound of the greats that came before her (Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette come to mind), and she embraces the spirit of true country music without ever becoming a caricature.” Eventually, she concluded that “It’s refreshing to hear some legitimate country music that’s exciting and not watered down for the masses.” (https://glidemag.wpengine.com/158702/margo-price-channels-honky-tonk-glory-midwest-farmers-daughter-album-review/) All of this is spot on, and I can add in that I had the change to see Margo Price perform at the Green River Festival a few weeks ago, and she brought the same kind of outlaw country energy that has made people go crazy for the likes of Sturgill Simpson. Plus, she may have one of the best touring bands around. Essential Listening: Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
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Futurebirds
You know those bands that are just consistently awesome? Hailing from the revered music town of Athens, GA (R.E.M., of Montreal, Vic Chestnutt), Futurebirds are that band. Over the course of seven studio releases, this band has consistently delivered infectious harmonies that rock comfortably against a backdrop of twangy guitars and mellow grooves. Their live shows also matches the awesomeness of their albums, so Futurebirds are not to be missed. Essential Listening: Hotel Parties
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My Bubba
Don’t be confused; My Bubba have nothing to do with Larry the Cable guy or any other silly redneck slang. The Scandinavian duo of My Larsdotter and Bubba Tomasdottir make soft, peaceful folk that favors instrumental minimalism to show off their vocal dynamic. With these two, everything is about the singing and finding the magic that can come from two angelic voices dancing with one another. Do not expect either of My Bubba’s sets to be rowdy or loud in any way, but do expect to be enchanted by this talented duo. Essential Listening: Big Bad Good
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The James Hunter Six
These days you could throw a rock and hit a watered down “soul band” – don’t get me started on the myriad of Lake Street Dives and Nathaniel Rateliffs out there. Luckily for us, the James Hunter Six is anything but watered down. Hunter has spent three decades perfecting his own brand of blue-eyed soul, and given the popularity of those other bands I previously mentioned, he seems well suited to catch the ears of younger listeners. It helps that his latest release, Hold On!, is on Daptone Records, the preeminent purveyors of modern soul music. Hold On! Finds Hunter and his band sounding fresher than ever with vocals that bring to mind an English Otis Redding, and you can bet they will bring the party to Pickathon. Essential Listening: Hold On!
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Pickathon takes place August 5 – 7 on Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, OR. For lineup, schedule, tickets and more info visit pickathon.com.
