He's here. He's queer. He's used to it.

MFNW: The Party Before the Storm

Musicfest Northwest proceeds Portland’s deep, lengthy hibernation. After a summer spent hopping from barbecues to music venues, Portlanders will soon skulk around neighborhood bars, waiting for the rain to let up before dashing home. The bands we fell for in the summer are settling into studios to record as we trade our vintage dresses for GOR-TEX.

So let’s party for the next five days in a schizophrenic scurry like our mental health depends on it!

The Portland bands that have my heart—gritty, droney rock bands borrowing heavily from Brit pop, shoegaze and psych rock—have migrated to the Mojave Desert for the third annual Clean Air Clear Stars Festival this weekend. Clean Air Clear Stars draws bands from as near as The Odditorium and as far as Melbourne, Australia.

For those who could not unearth zarapes from Value Village to compete with high desert fashion, I challenge you to climb out of your usual dives and basement pubs and look into the varied sounds streaming from Stumptown and the rest of the rainy region.

I could break down the MFNW lineup in several ways—unsung rockers such as The New York Rifles versus those fit for mass consumption, like The Long Winters; Guidance Counselor and their electro dance band ilk versus Sunny Day Real Estate and other brainy boys with guitars. Or I could just give you my itinerary.

Because tonight's lineup revolves around Portland Cello Project, a sparkling local experiment that has received more ink than the César Chávez street renaming, I'll hold off on my recommendations until tomorrow.

Until then, secure your MFNW wristband here and I'll see you at Mississippi Studios. And Doug Fir. And East End. And....