Mufassa is not dead!! At least for tonight, Portland's soulful garage rock band is alive once more. However we can’t undo the wildebeest stampede from The Lion King, as much as we might like to.

Don’t miss out on this delightfully unexpected Mufassa reunion show at Kelly’s Olympian. If you’ve seen them before you know this is going to be a monster of a set. If you haven’t...well, it’s going to be a monster of a set! Think classic rock meets psych, done in a dirty basement by total beefed out dudes. Reminiscent to the smooth sounds of King Kahn, these boys croon. Check out the song “Tyrone” from their 2014 debut album Pride, then listen to the next track, “Down,” for a totally different side of their musical spectrum. Mufassa had been making quite a name for themselves over the past couple years before taking an indefinite hiatus after their lightning-fingered bassist Stephen Moore ran off to architecture school in San Francisco. Moore heads back to sunny California tomorrow, so don't hold your breath for more opportunities to catch this band again anytime soon.

Also playing tonight are stoney psych-shredders Cambrian Explosion and new guys, Lightning Rules. All brought to you by Jeremiah from Eyez Front booking.

- Chandler Strutz

Photo by Todd Walberg

Welp, better go give your money to the Autonomics. The Portland trio puts out it’s newest EP Keep Tulsa Ugly tuesday, 8.5.14. The self-release is a fuzzy, grunge-pop snapshot of the band’s tour-tight sound. Recorded in less than two days, the songs are crunchy, raw, and full of energy--a perfect representation of their gnarly (in a good way) live set. All five songs smash through your ears in just under 13 minutes. The track “I love you, Oprah Winfrey” will have you humming and la-la..ing along in no time. Shit is catchy.  

Check out the new songs and see The Autonomics at Bunk Bar with Psychomagic and Mufassa tonight. Show starts at 9pm. $5 gets you in, and a free download card for the EP.

- Chandler Strutz

I like shows with an entirely local lineup. Especially when the bands all bring different elements of the scene. The bill at Kelly's Olympian this Thursday (7.17) is a perfect example of just how much talent Portland has to offer.

Fre$h Hair will kick off the evening with a certain mischief. This duo manages to glorify day to day heartache and experience with charming harmonic frivolity. Whilst their lyrics may seem typical of two young women trying to smoke their way through things, they bring authority in their writing and in doing so, a truly beautiful modern folk sound.

Up next is Ladywolf with their rhythmic jolt of lo fi psychedelic rock. Listening to Ladywolf is like being transported to a place I've never been. Mainly New York in the late seventies. I feel like I'm in a dirty nightclub and I'm 21 again. In a glorious way.

The Handles bring a heartache of lap steel country drawl with great, laid back capability. Their choruses play with melodies that will have you singing along even if you only pick up half of the words. "My love is a bottle, and you are the reason". It's that kind of sadness that makes you feel right at home.

Mufassa will close out the night before hitting the road the following morning to embark on a West Coast tour. If The Beatles, T Rex and Black Sabbath had a baby - spunky and confident, these boys definitely know how to pack a punch with songs like "Johnny," but can also draw you back in with the thoughtful storytelling in tracks like "Women." This evening will be quite the ride.

- Jennie Chapman

It's time we set aside our previous notions that Mufassa is the King of the Jungle, or that unfortunate condition of the male genitalia that you've read about on Urban Dictionary (here).

Rather, Mufassa is one of Portland's most promising new bands who play a powerful blend of soulful, bluesy garage rock, reminiscent to the genious of King Kahn. And, as voted by the people, Mufassa is The Deli Portland's current Artist of the Month! The group is currently working on a new album, of which they gave listeners a taste last month with their single Johnny. The track is an epic dancy rocker, showcasing classic rock'n roll guitar riffage, and gentle soulful vocals like that of a higher pitch Elvis. Take a listen for yourself and keep an eye out for their next album. - Travis Leipzig 

The five guys of Foxy Lemon  have been working hard on production, tightening and experimenting with sounds which largely encompass dripping bass, strong drums, and and classic rock guitar elements of rock and blues. They have oft been compared to doing some fresher, glammy Led Zeppelin or Jack White. Keishi Ihara's voice is emerging, and the band's work on their  XOXO EP- like that dirty guitar stretch on "Muscat" (oh, sweet wine),  is kinda hot. The fact that they are returning to The World Famous Kenton Club with Mufassa tomorrow night instantly garners my approval. Patrimony open the night at 8:30 followed by The Ex-Girlfriends Club. - Brandy Crowe