Dolphin Midwives and Mordecai are teaming up for what’s sure to be an emotional and synth-driven night. The bands will be playing at the White Owl Social Club, Thursday December 27th. Listening to Dolphins Midwives puts you smack dab in the middle of a dark, calm night with the rays from a full moon kissing your brow. The sensitivity and depth present in the delicate strumming of the harp creates an intuitive and self-aware atmosphere. It puts you in touch with both the artist and yourself. Mordecai is known for their unique infusion of early 2000’s emo-ballads and electro-synth sensibilities. The band sounds like a more mature version of the songs you listened to in your bedroom as an angry teenager.

The sets start at 9, and the show is 21+. Tickets are free, so make sure to stop by!

-By Avril Carrillo 

Deli Portlanders,

It's been a months long road in the process of nominating and voting on who all of you feel are the city's best musicians for the year. After thinking back on all the shows played and albums released from 2016, we've finally got a solid list of Portland's finest. Take a gander at who you all fell for (and just how much you fell for them), while also showing some love to yourselves and the lovely jurors that participated.

Thanks to our jurors: Linneas Boland-Godbey (Next Northwest), Aaron Sharpsteen (Photographer), Tony Prato (Bunk Bar), Duffy Rongiiland (Gnar Tapes), Rob Cullivan (Portland Tribune), Leigh Belacic (PDX Pop Now), Jeni Wren Stottrup (Gritty Birds Podcast), Annie Ostrowski (Riot Act Media), Blake Hickman (Good Cheer Records), Clifford Prince King (Photographer), Mo Troper (Impose Magazine/Portland Mercury), Chad Davis (Musician), Jordan Stamm (Drunk Dial Records), Hunter Skowron (Dazzleships Records), Todd Walberg (Photographer), Yousef Hatlani (Faces on the Radio), Corbin Corbinn (Crush House/Photographer), and Andrew Olson (dr0ne PR).

Let's get down to the nitty gritty of what you all have been waiting for...

Lithics

Lithics exude mystery. From their experimental punk drone to their intentional lack of an internet presence, they're the band you may not have known existed until you saw them accidentally. They've been coasting in Portland's formerly under-appreciated but always DIY post/art punk scene for almost three years now with just two releases under their belt. Their three track, self-titled tape from 2015 gave us a taste, but it was their 2016 release Borrowed Floors that helped propel them into being Portland's best band of the year.

---

2. Cat Hoch

This isn't the first success Cat Hoch and her band have experienced with the Deli. She came out on top entirely in 2015, when she was voted the Best Emerging Artist of that year and was the readers' choice for best in shoegaze and psych rock for this year. From opening up for Ride to commanding even bigger stages, Cat Hoch and her talented group of musicians aren't stopping anytime soon.

---

3. Abronia

Ambiently soft yet broodingly heavy, Abronia have expanded their lineup to match their beautifully atmospheric and expansive sound. Our overall pick for best in electronic and experimental and perfect for moments of mental reflection (but easy to enjoy in damn near every other scenario), Abronia's dominanation of the experimental side of the poll makes total sense, and we can't wait to hear new releases from them.

---

4. Ice Queens (Alt Rock/Metal, 7pts)

5. Fur Coats (Hip Hop/R&B, 6pts)

6. The Toads (Indie Rock/Post-Punk, 6pts)

7. Mr. Wrong (Punk/Garage, 6pts)

8. Shrine of the Serpent (Alt Rock/Metal, 5.5pts)

9. A Volcano (Alt Rock/Metal, 5pts)

10. dolphin midwives (Electronic/Experimental, 5pts)

11. Gold Casio (Electronic/Experimental, 5pts)

12. Chanti Darling (Hip Hop/R&B, 5pts)

13. Lola Buzzkill (Hip Hop/R&B, 5pts)

14. Laura Palmer's Death Parade (Psych/Shoegaze, 5pts)

15. Wave Action (Punk/Garage, 5pts)

16. Donte Thomas (Hip Hop/R&B, 4pts)

17. Little Star (Indie Pop, 4pts)

18. Candace (Psych/Shoegaze, 4pts)

19. Zozma (Psych/Shoegaze, 4pts)

20. On drugs (Punk/Garage, 4pts)

21. James Curry IV (Electronic/Experimental, 3.5pts)

22. Mini Blinds (Indie Pop, 3.5pts)

The holiday season can be a string of joyous occasions sprinkled with gifts and seasonal flavored drinks. Most of the time, it's quite the opposite, where only terrible times are had when you're forced to deal with people you have no interest in spending time with. Fall and winter festivities always mark the approaching end of the year and while 99% of us are ready for 2016 to be all sorts of over, let's spend one of the more fatty holidays of the year with some freaks.

Noisey instrumentals will come at you from all directions during the Freaksgiving Bash this Wednesday, where enjoyably mesmerizing solo acts Consumer and Dolphin Midwives will join experimental duo Gooo and Baronic Wall's space pop as they play the space at Turn Turn Turn. It'll be a fairly unconventional way to kick off a day of gluttonous mouth stuffing, but it'll be a bomb bash nonetheless. 

It's 21+ and starts at 8pm.