Portland

Who needs overpriced beer and heatstroke when you can enjoy a music festival in the comfort of your own city? That's how I feel about Musicfest Northwest, taking place in Portland next week from September 8-11. Bitch Media will doing special daily blog posts on the upcoming acts. Don't worry--we won't flood the interwebs with any more updates on the Walkmen or The National, we'll be covering queer and female artists who maybe aren't getting as much attention as the bigger acts. PDX-ers can be informed about which shows to catch and non-locals can look forward new music, mp3s, and videos from shows. This week's mix is emblematic of the Pac-NW unknowns and international stars playing Portland next week. From New-Orleans bounce to artsy-dance and folk rock, hopefully you'll find something you like! Track list after the jump.

Attention PDX-ers (that's code for Portland, Ore. residents)! Don't forget that next Tuesday is the semi-annual Bitch Clothing Swap!

Note: Leslie Hall will not actually be present at the clothing swap. But that doesn't mean there won't be a sequined leotard with your name on it.
This year we'll be at the happening Jupiter Hotel at E. 8th and Burnside. It's only $10 to attend and swap to your heart's content, and $7 if you bring in a bag of your own clothing to exchange. There will be some boutique items on sale for additional moneyz. Get there early to drop off your clothes and get first pickins' (although as someone who has had last pickin's, there are great finds throughout the evening!) All proceeds benefit Bitch Media, and items left at the end of the night are donated to the community. One person's awkward jacket is another person's priceless find, so spread the word, clean out your closet, RSVP on Facebook, and support what you love while getting a new wardrobe! Details after the jump....

Portland's Julie Sabatier, in addition to producing Bitch Media's issue podcasts, has been producing her own stellar podcast, Destination DIY, for three years now, covering everything from self-publishing to DIY funerals to gender identity. Now syndicated on channels across the country, Julie is hosting an event to raise funds for the upcoming episodes.

This Friday in Portland, Julie is hosting a night of communal DIY at the Woods, with live demonstrations of making your own terrariams, bacon, and, of course, your own radio show. Live music will be provided by Leviethan and billygoat, who make incredible stop-motion animation, and guests are invited to bid in a silent auction and hit up the recording room to share their own DIY projects and a chance to hear themselves on the next episode! Portlanders should definitely come out and support independent radio and the DIY legacy in the digital age. (And yes, there will be snacks!)

PDX Salon and Destination DIY present: An Evening of DIY November 6th, 8-11pm at The Woods Tickets are $10-20 (sliding scale) and are available in advance.

Portland's annual women-centered arts fest Siren Nation is back, from November 5-8! This three-day festival is packed with women musicians, filmmakers, artists, and craftsters. Siren Nation's mission is to showcase and support women in the arts--and inspire other women to make their own. This year's festival promises to be as great as ever! The film lineup alone is awesome: four documentaries on four strong women, including Ahead of the Majority on Patsy Mink, the first Asian-American woman to run for president, and Ridin' and Rhymin' on cowgirl-cum-poet Georgie Sicking. As for music, check out this rundown of lineup, including Lovers and Tender Forever:

Northwesterners, get your tickets now! For non-Portlanders, it's worth it to check out the line-up for unknown artists you didn't know you were missing.

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I met her in the backyard. She was soaking up the sun, wishing it would never set. She greeted me with excitement, her energy radiating. When she spoke I could sense she was a strong woman that had worked hard for what she had. I quickly learned that she was a Portland-based writer & director...

You don’t have to look further than "Girl Fuck: An introduction to girl-on-girl lovin’" to see that Erika Moen is all about sex, and completely unafraid to talk about it. The 16-page zine is a starter course for those clueless in non-hetero girl sex, and includes some guidelines from Gender Bending 101. Her work is in the Best Erotic Comics of 2008 and her comic "Silver Bullet" was in the second True Porn Anthology, another erotic comics collection.
But her work isn't all tits and wiggles (rhymes with shits and giggles? No? Okay). Her 2004 self-published "I like Girls" is Moen’s intensely personal story on falling in love with a girl for the first time and the intimidating task of telling her family. Read on for cunts, cartoons, and controversy...NSFW what!