by Jenni Moore • Feb 7, 2020 at 5:55 pm
Soul’d Out Fest is ceasing operations after a decade.
Happy Friday, audiophiles! It is once again time for your weekly dive into locally minded music news. Press play!
With more and more music festivals dropping like flies in recent years and drastic changes to the ones that do still exist, I know I can’t be the only one who quietly observed the Soul’d Out camp losing steam in the last couple of years. So it was likely surprising to no one that the annual Soul’d Out Fest is ceasing operations after 10 years in the game, hosting artists like Prince, Erykah Badu, Solange, and Anderson .Paak. The silver lining: A recent press release announcing the festival’s kaput also says Soul’d Out “will continue to promote select shows in the region while also serving as a full service production company for hire.” Meanwhile, Soul’d Out co-founder Nicholas Salas-Harris has been hired as the Artistic Director for the PDX Jazz Festival. “I am very excited to continue the important work of diversifying the Portland music scene and am honored to be part of an incredible organization like PDX Jazz,” Salas-Harris says. Check out the full lineup for the 2020 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival here.
Oregon-raised pop-folk trio Joseph—comprising sisters Allison, Meegan, and Natalie Closner—recently released two new performance videos on Vevo for “NYE” and the “Shivers.” Both tracks are from their 2019 album Good Luck, Kid, released in September on ATO records. Both are gorgeous, worthwhile listens. Even when performing more melancholy tunes (“Shivers”), Joseph sings with tight harmonies and palpable joy.
Here’s a couple more exciting announcements of tours that’ll be coming through Portland in the next year: John Legend is coming to the Keller Auditorium Monday, September 14 on his “Bigger Love” tour, which includes stellar husband-and-wife duo War and Treaty as a very fitting opener. Tickets are on sale this Valentine’s Day. Legend has also said his new studio album will be dropping this year.
Along with her new bubblegum-pop single “Let’s Be Friends,” today it was announced that Carly Rae Jepsen will play the Roseland Theater on Thursday, April 16. The delightful Aqua- and Robyn-influenced single is Jepsen’s first release since dropping Dedicated, her synth- and dance-pop album from last year. Presale for her tour starts February 11.
ALSO: Soulful country singer/Justin Timberlake collaborator Chris Stapleton is coming to Sunlight Supply Amphitheater (in Ridgefield, WA) on his “All American Road Show” tour Friday, June 19. Get yo tickets now!
The Oregon Symphony announced its lineup for the 2020-21 season celebrating famed conductor Carlos Kalmar’s final year as music director. “It will be bittersweet to have this season as my last with the Oregon Symphony,” Kalmar says in a press release. “Over the 18 years I’ve been here, we performed moving, relevant, diverse music for everyone. We elevated conversations about important issues that impact our community. And we brought the community together through shared experiences. I know the Symphony will continue to do these things for years to come because the Symphony cares about this community and is part of its very fabric.” Season tickets for 2020-21 are available now.
And because I am a card-carrying Belieber, I’m required to inform you of this very touching and admirable music video for Justin Bieber’s “Intentions” featuring Quavo. It’ll make your heart happy, just watch it.
That’s all for now. Have a good weekend everybody!