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Locally-based Americana outfit Never Come Down returns to Portland on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at The Showdown, closing out a 20-show nationwide tour supporting the release of their sophomore album, Greener Pastures. Though it’s only been two months since the bluegrass-tinged quintet last played in town, they’ve changed considerably in that time.
“I always think after several weeks of living together, being on the road, you get pretty tight,” singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist Crystal Lariza says. “There’s a different level of freedom you get after playing that many shows in a row together. The material’s there, I hope to bring some fun fresh different stuff too—kinda change it up.”
After performing in Portland for six years, Never Come Down has cultivated a diverse crowd. “We’re getting all sorts of people these days,” Lariza says. “I’m shocked how young the people coming to the shows are, who’s singing the lyrics, who’s listening. We’ve got a nice spread of people.”
West Texas Exiles will be co-headlining with Never Come Down at The Showdown, both playing full sets. Coming up from the Lone Star State on a tour of their own, West Texas Exiles will bring a smooth country rock sound to the upcoming show. Hurst describes their co-liners as their “musical cousins,” given both bands fit into the traditions of bluegrass and country.
Never Come Down’s country-bluegrass sound, meanwhile, leans more on an acoustic vibe. The band’s members believe this to be a beneficial attribute in a growingly electronic world.
“The more digital and the more virtual so many things get, the more interest there is in things that are in the room and acoustic and made of wood; that’s our whole deal,” says Kaden Hurst, Never Come Down’s singer-songwriter and mandolin player.
SEE IT: Never Come Down and West Texas Exiles at The Showdown, 1195 SE Powell Blvd, showdownpdx.com. Doors at 7:00 pm, show at 8:00 pm. Aug. 6. $20, 21 and up.