Cass McCombs Enchants Portland, OR with Expansive Indie Rock Sounds at the Aladdin Theater (SHOW REVIEW)

Cass McCombs has long been something of a shapeshifter. Over more than two decades, he has continued to evolve his sound while always occupying a niche in the indie rock scene. Case in point is Interior Live Oak (REVIEW), which was surely one of the better albums of 2025 and finds McCombs moving toward a mellow dream-pop sound. Now, the ever-versatile singer-songwriter is on tour once again promoting the release, and on Sunday, April 5th, he brought his talented band to Portland, Oregon for a show at the Aladdin Theater. 

While McCombs and his band had somewhat of a low-key, understated presence onstage at the Aladdin, their music was anything but. For much of the ninety-minute set, they would stick to the songs off Interior Live Oak to zero objection from an audience who was clearly eager to see the material performed live. This started with the dreamy, groove-laden opener “Priestess” and continued with the melodic garage rocker “Miss Mabee” that marked the first of several songs to feature Mike Bones’ vibrant guitar soloing. Bones was especially strong throughout the evening, injecting songs with bursts of guitar-driven energy that allowed them to soar. Seeing songs like the galloping, euphoric “Asphodel” performed live was a reminder of the power of McCombs’ new tunes. Even songs like the sparse and haunting psych of “A GIrl Named Doggie,” the mellow, breezy folk-rock of “Home At Last,” and the delicate acoustic-laden “Missionary Bell” with its gorgeous melodies carried a spellbinding effect. By the time the band shifted into the catchy anthem “Peace” – a standout on the album and one of the finest moments of the performance – they had the audience fully transfixed. 

Throughout the set, McCombs chose to let the music speak for itself and uttered little more than a ‘thanks’ between songs, like the power pop “Juvenile” that saw him adding bouncing keys to complement the clever lyricism. The beauty of it all was watching the band contrast quieter moments, like the sweeping piano ballad “Meet Me Here at Dawn” with harder rocking fare like the Neil Young-style “Big Wheel” that chugged along with heavy guitar potency. Even the charming dream pop tune “I’m Not Ashamed” fit right into the mix, and by the time they reached the finale with the triumphant “Sleeping Volcanoes,” which stood out for some of the finest guitar interplay and jamming of the night, they had covered just about every angle.    

Across his sprawling setlist, McCombs and his band reminded the audience of why the old saying ‘never miss a Sunday show’ is true. The newer material found the band slipping into more expansive territory and continuing to evolve their sound, while older tunes felt right at home. McCombs has definitely grown his following with Interior Live Oak, though it could be argued that he has long been a supremely underrated artist. Nonetheless, the performance in Portland captured his always beautiful and timelessly versatile mix of indie rock, folk, and intellectually savvy songwriting. 

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