Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats

Two Festivals, One Weekend

Our music writer picks his favorite acts at the Whit’s Block Party and Pickathon

Music fans, you’re in luck. This weekend offers two live music festivals to choose from.

The Whiteaker Block Party, an annual celebration of the people and music that help put the Whit on the map, runs all day Saturday, Aug. 3. It offers the best opportunity to catch all sorts of local bands you’ve been hearing about all year.

There’s also Pickathon up the road near Portland, an independent music fest that gains in popularity every year, featuring some of music’s most popular names.

If you’re staying in town for the Block Party, start your day with the rockabilly and punk of Real Gone Trio at noon on the G-Spot stage. Then head over to the Ninkasi Stage at 1:30 pm for the pure FM-radio pop of The Graduating Class. Catch Graduating Class now before they’re burning up your next Spotify playlist. 

Or instead, see Dimly Lit at 1:10 pm on the G Spot Stage. For a pleasant comedown, check out some darkwave with Stariana at 3:55 pm on the Main Stage, while Daddy Rabbit plays ’50s and ’60s covers and originals with a punk-rock twist at 2:20 pm on the Cornerstone stage.

Also on the Cornerstone stage is Brittany Bailey at 3:30 pm, JD Miller and the Broken Heart Rodeo at 5 pm and Yeehawk at 7:30 pm, all representing Eugene’s emerging classic country scene. 

Back over on the main stage, Ferns play indie rock at 5:05 pm, Red Cloud plays heavy rock at 5:20 pm on Uncle Brad’s Secret Stage, and at 5:50 pm Surfs Drugs play the G-Spot Stage. You never know what Surfs Drugs have in store, but it’s always weird.

The Whiteaker Block Party is free.

If you’re in the mood for a road trip, Pickathon features plenty of great music to choose from. (At least Pickathon goes for four days, so in theory it’s possible to catch both the Block Party and Pickathon.)

First, moody Portland rockers Soft Kill play the Galaxy Barn at 1:20 am on Thursday, Aug. 1, because at Pickathon, the party goes all night long.

Other Pickathon must-sees include Flasher at 6:40 pm, featuring members of Priests, New Zealand indie rockers The Beths at 10 pm, and Viagra Boys 1:20 am. All three play the Galaxy Barn, Friday, Aug. 2.

Also on Aug. 2, there’s Black Belt Eagle Scout at 4:20 pm at the Lucky Barn as well as Sneaks at 7:40 pm on the Woods Stage. Laura Veirs plays Aug. 2 at 2:40 pm at the Lucky Barn.

On Saturday, Aug. 3, don’t miss Nap Eyes at 5 pm as well as Eugene metalheads Yob at 10 pm, both at the Galaxy Barn. In addition, Lambchop plays Lucky Barn at 7:40 pm and Khruangbin plays the Woods Stage at 9:20 pm.

Rounding out the last day of the festival is Julia Jacklin at 10:15 pm on the Starlight Stage and Nathaniel Rateliff at 11 pm on the Woods Stage. 

For complete music lineups of either the Whiteaker Block Party or Pickathon, go to whiteakerblockparty.com or pickathon.com. Pickathon is a ticketed event.