Counting down the last weeks of summer—THREE WEEKS—some folks may be pre-mourning, but our advice is don't underrate the autumnal season. It brings with it a feeling of crispy newness, fresh academic vibes, and opportunities to get cozy. This week we’re highlighting Beyoncé birthday celebrations (and new album Renaissance), a new local release, and all the ways Tegan and Sara are blowing up our fall.
MUST-SEE:
One can’t miss upcoming event.
Slay the Day / Bey the Night
The best way to celebrate Beyoncé’s 41st birthday is by dancing to the silky, feel-good bops stacked inside her new dance-forward, reference-packed record, Renaissance. With sparkling, strobing highlight tracks—“Heated,” “Cuff It,” “Pure/Honey,” “Cozy,” and “Virgo’s Groove”—Bey emphasizes self-love and honors club and ballroom sounds, especially her personal and professional influences. If one is in need of a sacred space to get turnt and move one’s body like crazy to Beyoncé tunes new and old, Produce Row can facilitate that! On Sunday, September 4, BIPOC- and LGBTQ+ dance party series, Slay, teams up with Tribute Night for an all-day celebration in honor of Beyoncé Gisele Knowles-Carter. Portland’s Produce Row will play host to the Slay the Day party (4 pm-8 pm), welcoming Yoncé fans into the spot’s expansive covered patio. Immediately following, DJ Ronin Roc spins all those iconic, irresistible Sasha Fierce vibes at Bey the Night (8 pm-late). Produce Row’s comfy booths and delicious menu (truffle fries! burgers! fish and chips!) offer an ideal setting to rest and refuel in the nonexistent space between bops. (Sun, Sept 4, Produce Row, 204 SE Oak, 4 pm to late, tickets here)
MUST LISTEN:
One new music release from a Portland-relevant artist.
“Look At You,” Wynne
Like we prophesied two columns ago, Lake Oswego-raised, Portland-based rap sensation, Wynne, dropped yet another single, “Look At You.” Hopefully from a forthcoming project—the University of Oregon grad has been on a roll lately with her single release schedule—“Look At You” follows up July’s “Where 2 Next,” and dueling two-pack singles from June and May: “Ex-Boyfriend / Gossip at Brunch,” and “Holiday / U Sick.” The newest single sees Wynne spitting fire throughout its three verses and packing a sassy refrain: “Look at me/ Look at you/ Now look back at me/ That’s embarrassing/ You see how my ass sit in thesе baggy jeans/Don't make mе send you back to therapy.”
ADDED TO THE QUEUE:
Some upcoming music buzz to put on your radar.
Tegan and Sara: Cry Baby Tour
Things never slowed down for twin sister duo Tegan and Sara after their 2004 stunner So Jealous, which packed iconic hits like “Walking with a Ghost,” and “Where Does the Good Go?”—the latter of which became a staple on the Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack after premiering in the fourth episode as Meredeth and Cristina’s “dance it out” song. In 2019, the sisters—who are both openly gay—wrote a memoir, High School, that’s been turned into a TV show, premiering this fall. On Friday, October 21, the duo will release their highly anticipated 10th album, Crybaby, via their new label Mom + Pop. Then a month later, Tegan and Sara will embark on their first tour in three years, with one of their last shows going down at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom for a crowd of avid fans. (Sat Nov 19, 9 pm, Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, all ages, $48.50-$55, tickets here)
