“The musical lineup has gotten better and more impressive each year!”— Bart Blasengame, owner, The Fixin-To.
“Portland has plenty of spring festivals, but few are as cheap (free!) and jam-packed with talent as the St. Johns Bizarre.” — Portland Mercury.
“You hear a lot about the faux weirdness of Alberta’s Last Thursday — but it pales in comparison to the real deal, the annual St. Johns Bizarre, in the heart of the realest neighborhood in Portland. Tons of vendors, kid crafts and activities, a beer garden, and insanely good music from actually awesome local bands. It does not get any realer.” — True Parent.
A Beat Happening presents Omie (performing between bands) – 2:45 – 7 p.m.
greaterkind – 2 p.m.
DJ Ayatollah – 12 p.m.
Megalith showcase:
Muted Theory – 11 a.m.
Xylyn Hathaway – 10 a.m.
ALAN SPARHAWK SOLO BAND
Alan Sparhawk has long been a prolific and versatile musician, a restless spirit constantly driven to explore new sonic and emotional landscapes. While he’s best known for his three-decade tenure as the frontman of the legendary band Low, his many side projects over the years reveal a musician unafraid to experiment with genres ranging from punk and funk to production and improvisation. Even within Low, Sparhawk never adhered to a singular sound or formula. The band was a dynamic collaboration — part dialogue, part romance — between Sparhawk and his wife, Mimi Parker, the group’s co-founder, drummer, co-vocalist, and its radiant, irreplaceable heart. Now, as a solo artist, he’s delving deeper into experimental and intimate sonic spaces, combining haunting melodies with introspective lyricism that explores themes of love, loss, and resilience. Sparhawk’s recent solo work finds him experimenting with minimalism and ambient textures and at the same time marrying trap beats and production with vocoder-heavy vocal stylings. His live shows as a solo performer are known for their emotional intensity and intimate atmosphere, offering audiences a closer connection to his music. Outside of his solo efforts, Sparhawk continues to collaborate with a wide range of artists across genres, always pushing the boundaries of his sound. His willingness to embrace both the delicate and the dissonant in his music keeps him a dynamic and evolving figure in the indie music world.
RUMINANTS
Ruminants is a trio featuring some of our favorite musical minds from Portland and the Pacific Northwest: Marisa Anderson on guitar (Thrill Jockey recording artist, frequent collaborator with Jim White, Tara Jane, O’Neil, William Tyler), Sam Coomes on keys (Quasi, Elliott Smith, Jon Spencer, Jandek, Built To Spill & etc. etc.), and Sara Lund on drums (Unwound, Hungry Ghost, Secret Drum Band, Thollem).
Initially brought together in October 2017 to perform at Portland’s first official Dead Moon night, the three wondered what would happen if they tried improvising together. A practice tape was made and then shelved for the next seven years. In the fall of 2025, they decided to revisit the project and were delighted to discover they’d made some interesting noise together. Experimenting loosely with composition, structure and improvisation, each player and their distinct styles can be heard interplaying with a diverse range of themes.
WANT TO HEAR A SNEAK PREVIEW? SORRY! YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR RUMINANTS TO TAKE THEIR SPOT ON OUR PLAZA STAGE!
FORTY FEET TALL
Forty Feet Tall has cemented their place in the scene as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most exciting acts.
With a brand new album, Clean the Cage, produced by Cameron Spies (Spoon Benders, Blackwater Holylight, The Shivas), they showcase a wide range of post-punk sounds that are both volatile and intimate. But the biggest buzz around the band is their live shows. Whether they’re opening for Shame, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Wine Lips, or headlining their first EU/UK tour, the members leave every single thing out on stage with gigs routinely ending in incendiary showstoppers that find the lead singer tangled up in mic cords or diving into the crowd.
THE BARBARAS
The Barbaras is a collaboration between sisters Weezy and Sallie Ford, covering much musical ground: surf, country, doo-wop, western swing, and rock n roll.
Call it what you want but call it the Barbaras. It’s American music after all, in the best sense of the word.
The Ford sisters offer contemporary insights on age old subjects with humor, honesty and a little bit of heartache. They recorded their latest album “Rollercoasters” to tape.
They released their first full length record “Oh my God Barbara” in 2022 with contributions from James Greenan (Cedar Shakes), Jeff Munger (The Sound Outside, Floating Easements), Mark Robertson (Harlowe), and Buddy Weeks (Jenny Don’t and the Spurs).
DRECKIG
Growing up in México and Germany, Papi Fimbres and Shana Lindbeck found their fate when destiny led them to meet in Portland Wanting to honor their heritages in a new and collaborative way, they set out to form DRECKIG, which means dirty in German.
Both deeply influenced by cumbia’s melodious rhythms and German electronic compositions, they have created their own unique sound within that realm. Using all vintage drum machines and synthesizers, these elements are combined and envisioned in the studio, then brought to the stage in a mystical, dance club frenzy.
BLACK SHELTON AND THE AMERICAN DREAM
“Meet Black Shelton, an artist who defies traditional labels, yet exudes a timeless quality that can only be described as fierce, passionate, sincere, and dynamic.
“In his music, you will hear influences of soul, 60s psychedelia, 70s hard rock, and 80s synths and samples, yet Black Shelton is no retro throwback. He’s in a genre of his own. From lead guitar to bass and saxophone, his musical prowess is on constant display, but it’s the way he roars with that baritone voice that forces all crowds to pay attention.
“Anger, irony, and humor are key ingredients in the musical mix, enticing diverse crowds throughout the PNW to listen, relate, reflect and enjoy what a great artist can teach to those with the ears to listen.” — PDX Presents
AYATOLLAH
Tollah was born and raised in Queens, NYC. He has deejayed for three decades and is also a music producer for artists as Mos Def, Wu Tang Clan, Anthony Hamilton, Rakim and a multitude of others.
“Music is my passion, and I enjoy sharing that passion with people.”
CHIBIA
Singer/songwriter and violinist Chibia Ulinwa weaves introspective musings, inventive melodies, and lush productions to create a uniquely soulful sound and bring life to her carefully Crafted compositions.
Whether performing an intimate duo set or fronting her full band, Chibia captivates audiences with her genre-bending originals and reimagined covers. Her live sound features a complex combination of neo-soul and R&B, with elements of alternative rock, folk, jazz and funk. She has shared stages with Macy Gray, Lamont Landers, serpentwithfeet and many others.
ABRONIA
Some bands make it obvious from the first few notes — a single tone, a specific push on the tempo, the way the air moves around the instruments—and you know it’s them. Abronia is one of those bands.
From the first thud of their 32-inch bass drum to the coil of pedal steel winding through the haze, the sound of this Portland-based six-piece is unmistakable.
Over the past decade, Abronia has been refining their singular blend of widescreen psychedelia, desert noir, Eastern drone, avant-jazz, doom, post-punk, and acid-folk — channeling something that feels at once ritualistic and cinematic. With pedal steel, tenor sax, guitars, bass, commanding vocals, and that ever-present oversized drum (no drum set here), their lineup alone sets them apart. But it’s the way these elements cohere — graceful, unhinged, unorthodox — that makes their sound feel like its own weather system.
HIGH GLOW
Shining through a tidal wave of darkness and uncertainty, High Glow drifts between a euphoric daydream and an acid flashback. They’re known for their fuzzed-out guitar tones, driving rhythms, and thunderous beats layered beneath shimmering, bleached-out vocals.
Their signature style, affectionately dubbed “Sludge-Gaze,” evokes the early 90s while weaving in nostalgic threads of grunge, post-punk, sludge, and shoegaze. It’s grunge with a cherry on top.
High Glow’s lineup features Tyler Rachal (Risley, Hollow Giant) on lead vocals and guitar, Andrea Tragesser (Apathy’s Last Kiss, Trojan Hearse) on vocals and bass, Daniel Pouliot (Horse the Band, Ancestors) on guitar and vocals, and Zak Andree (Hollow Giant, Killer Canary) on drums. Together, the group has crafted a distinctive sound that blends genres seamlessly, pairing catchy melodies with raw, heartfelt emotion.
GREATERKIND
Three friends on a communal mission to spread love and inclusivity through the medium of music and agriculture formed greaterkind in Portland in 2018.
Channeling elements of jazz fusion and funk with undertones of R&B, gospel and hip hop, greaterkind sets out to do something that is new. A product of playing together in numerous live situations, greaterkind’s music is rooted in improvisation, which brings a different and special energy to each show. Space and creation are key to their process. The band includes Charlie Brown (keyboards), Cory Limuaco (drums), and Peter Knudsen (guitar/bass/vocals).
MUTED THEORY
Muted Theory is a Pacific Northwest-based musician. His sound blends ambient soundscapes with swung drum grooves and syncopated textures.
Taking inspiration from many different genres, Muted Theory blends experimental sounds into a unique composition.
XYLYN HATHAWAY
Xylyn Hathaway has become a conduit of vulgar-beauty-jazz music that sinks teeth into the space it fills.
They paint canvas into composition and wield an upright bass like bazookas, exploding hearts open peeled backwards into one bouquet of manic laughter from the pit of your chest.
MR. VALE’S MATH CLASS
You may or may not learn anything with Mr. Vale’s Math Class, but you’re guaranteed to have a good time. This six-piece funk band has horns that knock down the door and percussion-laden grooves that perfectly accompany any dance party. While you’re at it, come grab some pots and pans and join in.
The Math Class has been busy spreading its unique mix of math and funk across the Pacific Northwest, with recent performances at festivals like Juniper Jam, Shift, NW Folklife, and Goodtime Campout. They’ve also shared the stage with acts such as Jamie Cullum, Marchfourth, and High Step Society. While you might not leave with a deeper understanding of math, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.
KCPUPPETREE
Kelly Campbell (KCPuppetree) is a nationally recognized puppeteer and performer, known for presenting exemplary environmental education through the art of puppetry. Kelly has trained in theatre her entire life and has a deep love for art, the environment, and the magical world around us!
Since a young age, Kelly has had a passion for theatre and the puppet arts, and trained in puppetry with Lunatique Fantasique (San Francisco), Joy Puppet Theatre (Portland), and The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center (Waterford, CT).
As a company member of Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre for eight years, Kelly toured with several productions throughout the Pacific Northwest and taught week-long puppet-making residencies in Portland area schools. Harnessing her deep love of puppetry, Kelly has attended the Eugene O’Neill Puppetry Conference multiple times; performed at The Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta); led puppetry workshops at Atlanta’s DragonCon; regularly collaborates with puppeteer peers around the country; and is an active member of The Puppetry Guild of Portland and Puppeteers of America.
Since it’s creation in 2013, KCPuppetree has produced numerous successful puppet shows, and has toured throughout CA, OR, WA, MT, SD, ND, and MN. With environmental stewardship as a central focus of most productions, KCPuppetree contracted with the Portland Bureau to present Water Conservation puppet show assemblies to Portland Elementary students.
Kelly continues to offer weeklong puppet-making and performance residencies through Young Audiences and the Columbia Gorge Institute of Arts.
MO PHILLIPS
What is Mo-Fi? A TERRIBLY UNSOPHISTICATED WAY TO HAVE A GREAT TIME!
Mo Phillips is a teaching artist and fun-time maker in Portland. He writes and records songs, makes oddball videos, and produces choose-your-own-adventure musicals, all in Mo-Fi. Mo-Fi is a way of making art centered on joy and exploration, primarily of inexpensive apps that do silly stuff.
When not teaching song writing in schools or shredding ukulele for the people, Mo is a dad. That’s his favorite job; the rest is just gravy.
Entertainment
“The musical lineup has gotten better and more impressive each year!” — Bart Blasengame, owner, The Fixin-To.
“Portland has plenty of spring festivals, but few are as cheap (free!) and jam-packed with talent as the St. Johns Bizarre.” — Portland Mercury.
“You hear a lot about the faux weirdness of Alberta’s Last Thursday — but it pales in comparison to the real deal, the annual St. Johns Bizarre, in the heart of the realest neighborhood in Portland. Tons of vendors, kid crafts and activities, a beer garden, and insanely good music from actually awesome local bands. It does not get any realer.” — True Parent.
Check out our lineup for 2026!
Plaza Stage
(N. Philadelphia between Lombard and Ivanhoe)
John Street Stage
(N. John between Lombard and Kellogg)
ALAN SPARHAWK SOLO BAND
Alan Sparhawk has long been a prolific and versatile musician, a restless spirit constantly driven to explore new sonic and emotional landscapes. While he’s best known for his three-decade tenure as the frontman of the legendary band Low, his many side projects over the years reveal a musician unafraid to experiment with genres ranging from punk and funk to production and improvisation. Even within Low, Sparhawk never adhered to a singular sound or formula. The band was a dynamic collaboration — part dialogue, part romance — between Sparhawk and his wife, Mimi Parker, the group’s co-founder, drummer, co-vocalist, and its radiant, irreplaceable heart.
Now, as a solo artist, he’s delving deeper into experimental and intimate sonic spaces, combining haunting melodies with introspective lyricism that explores themes of love, loss, and resilience. Sparhawk’s recent solo work finds him experimenting with minimalism and ambient textures and at the same time marrying trap beats and production with vocoder-heavy vocal stylings. His live shows as a solo performer are known for their emotional intensity and intimate atmosphere, offering audiences a closer connection to his music.
Outside of his solo efforts, Sparhawk continues to collaborate with a wide range of artists across genres, always pushing the boundaries of his sound. His willingness to embrace both the delicate and the dissonant in his music keeps him a dynamic and evolving figure in the indie music world.
RUMINANTS
Ruminants is a trio featuring some of our favorite musical minds from Portland and the Pacific Northwest: Marisa Anderson on guitar (Thrill Jockey recording artist, frequent collaborator with Jim White, Tara Jane, O’Neil, William Tyler), Sam Coomes on keys (Quasi, Elliott Smith, Jon Spencer, Jandek, Built To Spill & etc. etc.), and Sara Lund on drums (Unwound, Hungry Ghost, Secret Drum Band, Thollem).
Initially brought together in October 2017 to perform at Portland’s first official Dead Moon night, the three wondered what would happen if they tried improvising together. A practice tape was made and then shelved for the next seven years. In the fall of 2025, they decided to revisit the project and were delighted to discover they’d made some interesting noise together. Experimenting loosely with composition, structure and improvisation, each player and their distinct styles can be heard interplaying with a diverse range of themes.
WANT TO HEAR A SNEAK PREVIEW? SORRY! YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR RUMINANTS TO TAKE THEIR SPOT ON OUR PLAZA STAGE!
FORTY FEET TALL
Forty Feet Tall has cemented their place in the scene as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most exciting acts.
With a brand new album, Clean the Cage, produced by Cameron Spies (Spoon Benders, Blackwater Holylight, The Shivas), they showcase a wide range of post-punk sounds that are both volatile and intimate. But the biggest buzz around the band is their live shows. Whether they’re opening for Shame, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Wine Lips, or headlining their first EU/UK tour, the members leave every single thing out on stage with gigs routinely ending in incendiary showstoppers that find the lead singer tangled up in mic cords or diving into the crowd.
THE BARBARAS
The Barbaras is a collaboration between sisters Weezy and Sallie Ford, covering much musical ground: surf, country, doo-wop, western swing, and rock n roll.
Call it what you want but call it the Barbaras. It’s American music after all, in the best sense of the word.
The Ford sisters offer contemporary insights on age old subjects with humor, honesty and a little bit of heartache. They recorded their latest album “Rollercoasters” to tape.
They released their first full length record “Oh my God Barbara” in 2022 with contributions from James Greenan (Cedar Shakes), Jeff Munger (The Sound Outside, Floating Easements), Mark Robertson (Harlowe), and Buddy Weeks (Jenny Don’t and the Spurs).
DRECKIG
Growing up in México and Germany, Papi Fimbres and Shana Lindbeck found their fate when destiny led them to meet in Portland Wanting to honor their heritages in a new and collaborative way, they set out to form DRECKIG, which means dirty in German.
Both deeply influenced by cumbia’s melodious rhythms and German electronic compositions, they have created their own unique sound within that realm. Using all vintage drum machines and synthesizers, these elements are combined and envisioned in the studio, then brought to the stage in a mystical, dance club frenzy.
BLACK SHELTON AND THE AMERICAN DREAM
“Meet Black Shelton, an artist who defies traditional labels, yet exudes a timeless quality that can only be described as fierce, passionate, sincere, and dynamic.
“In his music, you will hear influences of soul, 60s psychedelia, 70s hard rock, and 80s synths and samples, yet Black Shelton is no retro throwback. He’s in a genre of his own. From lead guitar to bass and saxophone, his musical prowess is on constant display, but it’s the way he roars with that baritone voice that forces all crowds to pay attention.
“Anger, irony, and humor are key ingredients in the musical mix, enticing diverse crowds throughout the PNW to listen, relate, reflect and enjoy what a great artist can teach to those with the ears to listen.” — PDX Presents
AYATOLLAH
Tollah was born and raised in Queens, NYC. He has deejayed for three decades and is also a music producer for artists as Mos Def, Wu Tang Clan, Anthony Hamilton, Rakim and a multitude of others.
“Music is my passion, and I enjoy sharing that passion with people.”
CHIBIA
Singer/songwriter and violinist Chibia Ulinwa weaves introspective musings, inventive melodies, and lush productions to create a uniquely soulful sound and bring life to her carefully Crafted compositions.
Whether performing an intimate duo set or fronting her full band, Chibia captivates audiences with her genre-bending originals and reimagined covers. Her live sound features a complex combination of neo-soul and R&B, with elements of alternative rock, folk, jazz and funk. She has shared stages with Macy Gray, Lamont Landers, serpentwithfeet and many others.
ABRONIA
Some bands make it obvious from the first few notes — a single tone, a specific push on the tempo, the way the air moves around the instruments—and you know it’s them. Abronia is one of those bands.
From the first thud of their 32-inch bass drum to the coil of pedal steel winding through the haze, the sound of this Portland-based six-piece is unmistakable.
Over the past decade, Abronia has been refining their singular blend of widescreen psychedelia, desert noir, Eastern drone, avant-jazz, doom, post-punk, and acid-folk — channeling something that feels at once ritualistic and cinematic. With pedal steel, tenor sax, guitars, bass, commanding vocals, and that ever-present oversized drum (no drum set here), their lineup alone sets them apart. But it’s the way these elements cohere — graceful, unhinged, unorthodox — that makes their sound feel like its own weather system.
HIGH GLOW
Shining through a tidal wave of darkness and uncertainty, High Glow drifts between a euphoric daydream and an acid flashback. They’re known for their fuzzed-out guitar tones, driving rhythms, and thunderous beats layered beneath shimmering, bleached-out
vocals.
Their signature style, affectionately dubbed “Sludge-Gaze,” evokes the early 90s while weaving in nostalgic threads of grunge,
post-punk, sludge, and shoegaze. It’s grunge with a cherry on top.
High Glow’s lineup features Tyler Rachal (Risley, Hollow Giant) on lead vocals and guitar, Andrea Tragesser (Apathy’s Last Kiss, Trojan Hearse) on vocals and bass, Daniel Pouliot (Horse the Band, Ancestors) on guitar and vocals, and Zak Andree (Hollow Giant, Killer Canary) on drums. Together, the group has crafted a distinctive sound that blends genres seamlessly, pairing catchy melodies with raw, heartfelt emotion.
GREATERKIND
Three friends on a communal mission to spread love and inclusivity through the medium of music and agriculture formed greaterkind in Portland in 2018.
Channeling elements of jazz fusion and funk with undertones of R&B, gospel and hip hop, greaterkind sets out to do something that is new. A product of playing together in numerous live situations, greaterkind’s music is rooted in improvisation, which brings a different and special energy to each show. Space and creation are key to their process. The band includes Charlie Brown (keyboards), Cory Limuaco (drums), and Peter Knudsen (guitar/bass/vocals).
MUTED THEORY
Muted Theory is a Pacific Northwest-based musician. His sound blends ambient soundscapes with swung drum grooves and syncopated textures.
Taking inspiration from many different genres, Muted Theory blends experimental sounds into a unique composition.
XYLYN HATHAWAY
Xylyn Hathaway has become a conduit of vulgar-beauty-jazz music that sinks teeth into the space it fills.
They paint canvas into composition and wield an upright bass like bazookas, exploding hearts open peeled backwards into one bouquet of manic laughter from the pit of your chest.
MR. VALE’S MATH CLASS
You may or may not learn anything with Mr. Vale’s Math Class, but you’re guaranteed to have a good time. This six-piece funk band has horns that knock down the door and percussion-laden grooves that perfectly accompany any dance party. While you’re at it, come grab some pots and pans and join in.
The Math Class has been busy spreading its unique mix of math and funk across the Pacific Northwest, with recent performances at festivals like Juniper Jam, Shift, NW Folklife, and Goodtime Campout. They’ve also shared the stage with acts such as Jamie Cullum, Marchfourth, and High Step Society. While you might not leave with a deeper understanding of math, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.
KCPUPPETREE
Kelly Campbell (KCPuppetree) is a nationally recognized puppeteer and performer, known for presenting exemplary environmental education through the art of puppetry. Kelly has trained in theatre her entire life and has a deep love for art, the environment, and the magical world around us!
Since a young age, Kelly has had a passion for theatre and the puppet arts, and trained in puppetry with Lunatique Fantasique (San Francisco), Joy Puppet Theatre (Portland), and The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center (Waterford, CT).
As a company member of Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre for eight years, Kelly toured with several productions throughout the Pacific Northwest and taught week-long puppet-making residencies in Portland area schools. Harnessing her deep love of puppetry, Kelly has attended the Eugene O’Neill Puppetry Conference multiple times; performed at The Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta); led puppetry workshops at Atlanta’s DragonCon; regularly collaborates with puppeteer peers around the country; and is an active member of The Puppetry Guild of Portland and Puppeteers of America.
Since it’s creation in 2013, KCPuppetree has produced numerous successful puppet shows, and has toured throughout CA, OR, WA, MT, SD, ND, and MN. With environmental stewardship as a central focus of most productions, KCPuppetree contracted with the Portland Bureau to present Water Conservation puppet show assemblies to Portland Elementary students.
Kelly continues to offer weeklong puppet-making and performance residencies through Young Audiences and the Columbia Gorge Institute of Arts.
MO PHILLIPS
What is Mo-Fi? A TERRIBLY UNSOPHISTICATED WAY TO HAVE A GREAT TIME!
Mo Phillips is a teaching artist and fun-time maker in Portland. He writes and records songs, makes oddball videos, and produces choose-your-own-adventure musicals, all in Mo-Fi. Mo-Fi is a way of making art centered on joy and exploration, primarily of inexpensive apps that do silly stuff.
When not teaching song writing in schools or shredding ukulele for the people, Mo is a dad. That’s his favorite job; the rest is just gravy.