Despite the arguably volatile conditions that have developed around the Portland music community as of late – hyper increased development in inner urban areas displacing low-income artist types and forcing venues to close; increased noise curfew enforcement; obtusely racist police interference with hip hop shows – there is still one beautiful, unalienable force that is overflowing throughout our tired and artistic collective: FRIENDSHIP.

PALS FEST 2014, taking place August 9th through 15th, is the perfect celebration of the friendship that ties together Portland’s musical community, and back for the festival's third year, the lineup couldn’t include any better best-bud-bands. This year, the celebration offers seven crazy nights of music, each at a different venue across town and curated by different local tastemakers, and all free or $5 entry. However, if you’re like most day-job slaving humanoids and don’t have the stamina to take in seven nights of live music in a row, here is our abridged list of shows you probably don’t want to miss:

Back for it's third year of madness, PALS FEST 2014 will take place August 9th through 17th. The festival serves up a week of debauchery, hosting shows every night of the week at different venues across town featuring the best of Portland music, then culminates in a weekend-long party at PALS Clubhouse featuring the same bands from the previous week but packed into an intimate cul-de-sac and backyard setting. 

Still interested? The lineup for PALS FEST 2014 will be announced TONIGHT at the Firkin Tavern! The announcement will be celebrated by live solo performances and a ridiculous drunken krautrock jam session by members of Sama Dams, Old Age, Noble Firs, The We Shared Milk and The Domestics. The announcement party will also serve as a fundraiser for the show to help pay for bands, permits, port-o-johns, etc. There will also be an auction with proceeds going to PALS FEST, with items including: a famed and signed photo of Talkative (shot by Todd Walberg), Banana Stand Media swag, Rigsketball swag, various local band merch, AND a free pizza! Party on dudes!

- Travis Leipzig

Everett, Washington has unveiled itself as a blossoming community for artists. This past weekend, the Everett Music Initiative hosted their first Fisherman's Village Music Festival. It took place within four venues in the downtown area. The lineup was not exclusively bands from the Pacific Northwest, though a significant amount of them were. I didn't require much convincing before I escaped my day job, kidnapped my soul sister and raced off into the woods. Click here to read the full review with photo coverage. 

- Colette Pomerleau

Everett, Washington has unveiled itself as a blossoming community for artists. This past weekend, the Everett Music Initiative hosted their first Fisherman's Village Music Festival. It took place within four venues in the downtown area. The lineup was not exclusively bands from the Pacific Northwest, though a significant amount of them were. I didn't require much convincing before I escaped my day job, kidnapped my soul sister and raced off into the woods.

Friday, we caught performances by The We Shared Milk, Animal Eyes, Tango Alpha Tango in the Cannery, which was transformed from a coffee shop into an event space. All Portland-based bands exuded more energy out into the crowd than what was being thrown back at them. The audience was mellow. Portland was not. Seattle-based Unnatural Helpers introduced us to our next environment-Kroakers. The neighborhood bar had scattered mancave-esque decor. People were generally friendly and intoxicated. The band promised more aggression and the following bands continued on the trend. Jeffertitti's Nile contributed a fascinating wardrobe and stage antics. Night Beats ended the night, climbing on amps and blasting eardrums away.

Saturday, BellaMaine found us after we had been on a shopping marathon through antique shops and strange estate sales. The married couple who front the indie-pop outfit effortlessly blended their vocals. The title track off of their latest EP, Anxious Mind made me step back for a moment to consider how wonderful this all was. The surprisingly sunny day continued with performances by the reckless Fauna Shade, the Young Evils, AAN and La Luz. I'll never forget dancing onstage with those surf babes.

Lester Bangs described Austin, Texas in a way that is perfect for Everett as well. “Laid-back and somewhat indulgent as it is, might be a terrible place for a New Yorker or anyone who wants to move and shake culture or corporations but it's an undeniably great place to start a band.” The town is small enough to make a name for yourself, but close enough to Seattle to perform for a larger audience. My experience wandering the town was mostly pleasant, though I haven't been used to mellow vibes for a while. Surrounding the festival, attendees had a ridiculous amount of second-hand shops, small dogs to pet and charming architecture to admire. It was easy to decipher who was in the town for music. Fortunately, I met a couple of locals who spoke about moving there specifically to play with other musicians and it made me feel hopeful. The Initiative's caught onto something. I was happy to experience this for the first time with everyone else.

Below, check out Deli Portland's full Photo coverage of Fisherman's Village Music Festival 2014 featuring Moondoggies, the Maldives, La Luz, Nurses, AAN, Young Evils, Fauna Shade, Wampire, Gardens & Villa, Rose Windows, Trails and Ways, Pure Bathing Culture, Night Beats, Jeffertitti's Nile, Unnatural Helpers, Animal Eyes and The We Shared Milk. Photos by Carey Silverstein and Colette Pomerleau.

- Colette Pomerleau

Portland's infamous New Moss Records are rolling out a new compilation cassette series titled "HITS." Featuring songs the label's favorite bands from Portland and beyond, the first installment of the series, "HITS Volume 1," features thirteen tracks including six unreleased tracks by Grandparents, Wimps, Old Light, Spookies, Summer Cannibals and Natural Blonde. Also featured on the compilation are tracks by Charts, The We Shared Milk, XDS, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, Still Caves, And And And, and Sad Horse. The cassettes are priced at $6, but only 300 copies will be made so don't be a slow-poke in picking one up. You can pre-order HITS Vol. 1 here, or, if you're the smart type you can go to one, two or all three of New Moss Records' masterfully curated compilation release parties this weekend to pick up a cassette in person. 

Release Parties:

Friday, May 9th at the Firkin Tavern (no cover): Summer Canniblas, Sad Horse, Charts

Saturday, May 10th at the Know ($5 cover): And And And, Old Light, XDS

Sunday, May 11th at Rontoms (no cover): Grandparents, Spookies

Official Todd Walberg photos from the release parties to come! 

- Travis Leipzig