Every summer one of the best festival lineups can be found on Pendarvis Farm minutes outside Portland, OR at the Pickathon Music Festival. The event has earned a reputation for thoughtful and eclectic curation presented in a gorgeous setting that includes creative stage displays, delicious local food and drinks, and a true dedication to sustainability. Pickathon is going down August 3-6, and if you’re lucky enough to score a ticket, make sure you do not miss out on these ten acts. It’s also worth noting that one thing that makes the festival so unique is how every band plays at least two sets, meaning you can pretty much catch every act if you really want to. Or, in the case of some of these acts, you should probably just catch them twice.
Few bands are able to tap into the fucked up polarization of America these days as the Drive-By Truckers. It’s fitting that they titled their last album American Band – the best of 2016 for this writer – as these southern rockers managed to sum up our sad state of affairs better than any other band. They also managed to make a political record that rocked as hard as anything they’ve done while still delivering important commentary. In the live setting, the Truckers are still devotees of the all powerful rock show, so getting two sets means two opportunities to get your face melted off.
It’s been a good while since the venerable Rhode Island rockers have released a new album – four to be exact – but lucky for us they are making up for lost time with not one but two full albums! Deer Tick Vol. 1 and Deer Tick Vol. 2 (Partisan Records), due out September 15th, were both recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN. One of the albums will showcase the band’s folkier quiet side while the other album cranks things up as the band embraces their rowdy garage rock roots. Both albums mark a welcome return for Deer Tick, and you can bet they will be treating us to plenty of songs off both albums during their two sets (one acoustic and one rocking) at Pickathon.
Since 2011 Courtney Marie Andrews has called the Pacific Northwest home, which definitely earns her status as a local favorite at Pickathon. With her gorgeous voice that often brings to mind Joni Mitchell with a twangy Laurel Canyon vibe, Andrews has emerged in recent years as one of the most promising young vocalists in the indie folk scene. She also just announced the reissue of her acclaimed 2011 album Honest Life, which captures not just her vocal prowess, but also her ability to write insightful and poignant lyrical narratives.
It’s been refreshing to see the music of Hiss Golden Messenger being embraced by larger audiences in recent years. Front man MC Taylor is an adopted child of the south, channeling its imagery and characters into songs that strike a literary nerve and pull you inside their world. Simply put, Hiss Golden Messenger make southern folk rock for the thinking man (or woman). Now MC Taylor has just announced the band’s new album Hallelujah Anyhow, which features a slew of talent such as Brad and Phil Cook (Megafaun), Tift Merritt and John Paul White among many others.
One thing that’s cool about Pickathon is the way they always manage to book a few worldly acts from way out of left field. With a lineup that is usually heavy on folk, Americana, and rock, its nice to mix things up with something totally different, and Huun Huur Tu is indeed totally different. The Tuvan acoustic quartet hail from the Altai Mountains in south central Siberia, an area that seems to get little cultural attention from westerners. This group’s distinctive overtone singing and unconventional instrumental approaches make their music unlike anything you’ve heard before, and their sets at Pickathon are sure to stimulate senses and blow minds.
Listen to “Hello Miss Lonesome”, the first song off the self-titled debut album from Marlon Williams, and you’ll quickly realize this guy is not messing around. The song is a fast Bonanza style cowboy romp, but what stands out is crooning of the young singer. Throughout the album it is Marlon Williams’ voice that takes center stage, which is airy and powerful in the vein of Chris Issac and Roy Orbison but a tad more rugged. On songs like “I’m Lost Without You”, he takes on the role of a cowboy lounge singer. His fresh-yet-retro sound is exactly what people are into these days and you’re definitely going to fall in love with what he’s dishing out.
Nashville’s Kelsey Waldon is part of a new wave of female country artists embracing the outlaw spirit. Alongside the likes of Margo Price, Kacey Musgraves, and Nikki Lane, Waldon makes music with plenty of twang and plenty of in-your-face power. On her latest album I’ve Got a Way she nails that rambling vibe with plenty of Don Rich-style guitar picking to supplement songs about doing whatever the hell you want.
He may be better known as the fiddler in the beloved Cajun group the Pine Leaf Boys, but recently Courtney Granger established himself as an heir to the sound of none other than George Jones. It might seem a bit odd for a a Cajun fiddler to dive deep into hard country, but Granger and the Possum both have roots in Louisiana so it actually makes sense. Last fall Granger released Beneath Still Waters, a collection of covers an originals that brings to mind the likes of Jones and Hank Williams while establishing Granger as a force to watch in the modern outlaw country movement.
Quite possibly the best damn band to emerge from Austin, Texas in recent years, Sweet Spirit have been on fire these days. Fronted by the wild force of nature that is Sabrina Ellis, the group creates their own raucous brand of pop-laden rock and roll that brings to mind groups like Electric Light Orchestra but with more of a punk spirit. Their recently released album St. Mojo was produced by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Deer Tick) and shows this band continuing to widen their sound into something perfect for huge festival stages.
With a last name like Artis, how could you not do something creative with yourself? The son of a painter and musician, Ron Artis II hails from Hawaii and has been playing music pretty much since he was born. Artis II plays fast and bluesy funk that immediately grabs you and either makes you want to dance your ass off or hang over every single note if it’s a slower number. He’s definitely an act to watch so it’s recommended you catch him now while he’s still on small stages.
Pickathon takes place August 3-6, 2017 in Happy Valley, OR. To see the full lineup, grab tickets and figure it all out visit pickathon.com.
