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5 days ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR6/20/2025One of the more interesting phenomena in the cyclical nature of musical popularity is the way the internet allows bands that existed before their time to, one day, find their place in the sun. Behind every ‘90s/’00s band that broke up after flirting with irrelevance and obscurity is a tale as old as Pitchfork: over time, the band’s sound found itself en vogue, creating a demand that could only be satisfied by more.
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2 weeks ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
It’s entirely possible that the albatross of the 50 States Project will hang around Sufjan Stevens’ neck for the rest of his days. Even though he’s released more albums after 2005’s Illinois than he did before, even choosing not to mention it can feel like a challenge.
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2 weeks ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
The Salt Shed, Chicago, IL6/8/2025Emblazoned on the roof of the Morton Salt warehouse in West Town, the famed salt company’s century-old slogan remains: “When It Rains It Pours.” It’s painted atop one of the the city’s newest large-scale venues, the Salt Shed, a massive complex with both an indoor and outdoor stage, complete with bleachers, balconies and a variety of brick-and-mortar shops to check out in between sets (which, shockingly, includes a full-service cannabis dispensary).
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
Bedroom pop musicians use the freedom of technology to create the music of their dreams without needing to rely on unreliable “other musicians” or costly “professional studios.” Melina Duterte, better known as Jay Som wrote, record and produced her debut album, 2016’s Turn Into, in her own bedroom, by herself.
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
McMenamins Grand Lodge, Forest Grove, OR5/23/2025At a certain point, most every dormant or extinct band comes back, especially if all the members are in good health and not all that advanced in age. Few reunions involve the intense excitement surrounding the return of Rilo Kiley.
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
Polaris Hall, Portland, OR5/20/2025Why do people insist on using “sleepy” as a pejorative? From Stars of the Lid to Hiroshi Yoshimura, from Max Richter to Eluvium, some of the best music borders on sedative-like. Will it get your blood pumping? It sure won’t, but the sleepiest spaces can be incredibly healing.
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
It’s a truth widely acknowledged that music festivals usually suck. The lineup is a tease, full of acts you want to see, but know you’ll have to sacrifice other acts you want to see to make it happen. The people suck, the food is overpriced, the merch lines are terrible, and the trash is abhorrent.
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
Sometimes, the best shows take a little time to hit their stride. Do you know anyone who thinks the first season of Parks and Recreation is the superior one? Us neither. Bands are a little like that, too. It takes time to gel. Some bands even hit what people call the “sophomore slump,” possibly due to having had 18 years to write LP1 and only six months for LP2.
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
Revolution Hall, Portland, OR5/7/2025Now that the Jicks are on ice and Pavement’s second reunion jaunt has rolled to a close, what is there for the most beloved elder slacker-type in all indie rock to do? Why, start a supergroup of course. This begat The Hard Quartet, where Stephen Malkmus is joined by Chavez/Zwan shredder Matt Sweeney and Dirty Three drummer Jim White and his collaborator in The Double, Emmett Kelly. Not a bad combination, right?
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1 month ago | 
spectrumculture.com | Holly Hazelwood
Onstage at Revolution Hall, Deerhoof stood in a row on the most unadorned set you could imagine. It felt like something was missing. When you think of a band that has been making music together for 31 years, you imagine them with lavish stages or, at very least, really nice equipment. Not so for these San Franciscans: their amp stacks were meager and placed in odd spots, they traded instruments, and their most grand lighting choice involved bathing an encore in a dazzling rainbow of light.
