Story and Photos by Catie Keck
For many an up-and-coming musician, Portland is Oregon’s premier hub. New band’s efforts are met with open arms by an array of events supported by the city’s community. Of these, PDX Pop Now! Festival stands out as one of the most established outlets for Portland’s finest. This annual three-day festival focuses solely on bringing Portland’s local musicians to the forefront.
PDX Pop Now! differs from other Portland music festivals in that it is free, all ages, and supported exclusively by volunteers, sponsors, and fundraising. This year PDX Pop hosted fundraising events featuring performances by Colin Meloy of The Decemberists and Britt Daniel of Spoon – both of whom are currently stationed in Portland. In addition, a two-disc compilation mix is available for sale online, featuring tracks by artists from this year’s lineup as well as unreleased tracks by Blitzen Trapper, Menomena, and Y La Bamba.
“PDX Pop is a place that all of the musicians in town kind of come back to every year,” says Benna Gottfried, the event’s Communications Coordinator. “We do a lot of outreach specifically to get different genres represented to make sure the whole spectrum of music being made in Portland is being displayed at the festival.”
Each year volunteers spend months reviewing submissions and watching performances by bands all over Portland, hunting for potential candidates for upcoming festivals. In contrast with other summer concerts, PDX Pop is less concerned with cohesion than representing Portland’s most talented musicians, Gottfried says. This year the festival featured over 45 artists, ranging in genre from classical and jazz to rock and hip-hop. Of these, And And And, a relatively new addition to Portland’s music scene, delivered a phenomenal, high-energy performance that had both fans and first-time listeners dancing and clapping along melodically. A lo-fi indie rock band of six that shares a likeness to Pavement, And And And is gaining increasing recognition as one of Portland’s most promising talents.
With most of the band originally from Eugene, And And And credits their success in Portland to an increase in outlets like PDX Pop. One of the band’s multi-instrumental members, Berg Radin, says of the event: “It’s decided on by fans. You can’t have your booking agent contact them to get you the show, it’s all based on people requesting that you play it. That’s why I like it the most. It means more to me.” Eugene didn’t have enough venues suited to local musicians, Berg says, and it wasn’t until playing in Portland that And And And‘s fan base increased substantially.
The band reluctantly admits they normally show up to events too early, which makes them nervous, resulting in alcohol-related pre-show escapades. Apparently, it works. Friday night And And And came on stage with unparalleled energy and performed an entire set with unwavering, hell-raising force. They ended with a bang, quite literally, when vocalist Nathan Baumgartner dove into the crowd to be quickly joined by Berg Radin, dragging a tom down with them.
From their apparent nonchalance to their reckless inhibition on stage, And And And is a band of lovable eccentricities. Their newly released sophomore album, A Fresh Summer With And And And, captures both the anticipation and vulnerability of starting something brand new. Upbeat tempos and bittersweet lyrics leave listeners yearning for the promise of a carefree summer.

Read another of Catie’s music reviews.

Gallery • 4 Photos

‘And And And’ Meets PDX Pop Now! Festival