SAVE THE DATE | Create your own MFNW schedule!
GET YOUR WRISTBAND | Tickets on sale now!
GET READY | 2010 lineup announced...
FULL METAL JACKET | Baroness MFNW showcase
INDEPENDENT WISDOM | Wiz Khalifa is back!
DADDY'S BOY | Justin Townes Earle to play MFNW
MAKING UP NEVER FELT SO GOOD | The Gories!
MFNW is entering its tenth year as Portland, Oregon's largest and most successful music festival. Willamette Week teams up with music professionals from the local, regional and national music scene to curate a multi-venue festival with bands from indie, hip hop and punk backgrounds.

July 30th, 2010

Everyone Knows Everyone

Last night was Willamette Week’s annual Best of Portland extravaganza at the Wonder Ballroom. It was here that I realized just how small Portland really is. Throughout the night I ran into many familiar faces and managed to connect the dots on several relationships I couldn’t put together before. This is one of my favorite aspects of Portland. You feel like you live in a big city, but there is still a small town feel that connects us all. One of the local bands playing MusicfestNW this year, The Helio Sequence, wrote a song that pretty much sums up my favorite characteristic of Portland. Check out their video for “Everyone Knows Everyone”. The Helio Sequence will be performing at the Levi’s Pioneer stage on Pioneer Courthouse Square Sunday, Sept. 12th, with The National, The Walkmen, and Talkdemonic.


July 29th, 2010

Who’s Playing? – Shonen Knife

Shonen Knife -

The Japanese trio Shonen Knife has made major fans out of alt-rock’s elite (Sonic Youth, Nirvana, and Redd Kross, among others) and built a solid, worldwide cult following with their Ramonesmeets the Beatles brand of sticky sweet punk-pop. Comprised of members Michie Nakatani (vocals, bass), Naoko Yamano (vocals, guitar), and Atsuko Yamano (drums), Shonen Knife originally formed during December of 1981 in their hometown of Osaka, Japan (all three members were working at the time as office clerks), before playing their first real show in March of the following year. Soon after, the group began issuing albums in their native land, including 1982’s cassette-only release Minna Tanoshiku (English translation: Everybody Happy?), 1983’s Burning Farm, 1984’s Yama No Attchan, and 1986’s Pretty Little Baka Guy (the latter of which was reissued with extra tracks four years later, under the title Pretty Little Baka Guy/Live in Japan). Although their records were only available in the U.S. via import, Shonen Knife struck a chord with the underground with a track of theirs appearing on the Sub Pop 100 compilation in 1986. Also, in 1989, a variety of alternative bands recorded renditions of their favorite Shonen Knife songs for the tribute album Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who Loves Them…Watch More


July 28th, 2010

Max’s five tracks of the week: Okkervil River, Ra Ra Riot, The Thermals, Male Bonding, and Panda Bear

Max for MusicfestNWThis is the second installment of my weekly video posting. Here are five bands that are essential to listen to before hitting the streets for MusicfestNW this September. Both Ra Ra Riot and The Thermals will be releasing new albums this fall and you can expect to hear brand new material. Super-producer Chris Walla (of Death Cab for Cutie) has worked on producing both of the forthcoming albums. Be excited people, be VERY excited.

1. Okkervil River- Lost Coastlines

2. Ra Ra Riot- Can You Tell?

Keep Watching


July 28th, 2010

Individual tickets for Sleep performing Holy Mountain are SOLD OUT!!!

Sleep for MusicfestNWIndividual tickets for the Sleep show on Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Roseland Theater are now SOLD OUT. The only way to see Sleep’s lone Pacific Northwest show is to buy an MFNW wristband. Don’t miss your chance to see this incredible rock band in a rare performance. Check out the full MusicfestNW schedule and lineup


July 27th, 2010

Bouncing around the festival

Big Freedia for MusicfestNWCheck out this great New York Times piece on Big Freedia and the bounce music scene in New Orleans. Not only will you be able to see Big Freedia open for Major Lazer Thursday, Sept. 9 at the Roseland, but she will also be headlining a show Saturday, Sept. 11 at Holocene. If you happened to be a part of the fun at Girl Talk last year you will want to be at BOTH of these shows come September.

New York Times article