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Portlanders Bathe in Music at Best New Bands Showcase

The celebration at Mississippi Studios included performances by Swiggle Mandela, Amos Heart, Ann Annie, Black Shelton and Kendall Lujan.

Swiggle Mandela - BNB 2024 (Samantha Klopp)

Portlanders filled Mississippi Studios on Wednesday, April 10, with local love and appreciation while this year’s top five Best New Bands delivered flawless, diverse sets. From a distortion splitting, metallic-punk surge of sound from Black Shelton and The American Dream to clarinet and French horn-laden instrumental gusts of lush noise from Ann Annie, it was a solid night of Portland music. And for anyone who had to leave early, you fully missed out on Swiggle Mandela giving a charismatic, high-energy headlining show, complete with audience participation on the hooks.

Whether you’re working through FOMO or remembering the evening fondly, take a look at a few shots from the night here.

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