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Project Pabst started in Portland in 2014, and over four years, it grew to include Denver, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Acts like Blondie and the Buzzcocks performed alongside Run The Jewels and Ween. Then, in 2018, it abruptly vanished. After a seven-year hiatus, the festival will finally return to downtown Portland this weekend, bringing back one of the area’s largest recurring concert series — and this time, Stereogum is a media partner.
The peculiar layout of Project Pabst means that you don’t have to miss a set all day if you’re really committed. Hedged on one side by NW Naito Parkway’s steady traffic and, on the other, the Willamette River, the narrow park is anchored by stages at the north and south ends. In the middle, food and beer tents are clustered across from a pod of porta-potties. As soon as an act finishes their set on the south end, another band takes the stage on the north end. If you come in with a strategy for timing your beer runs and bathroom breaks, you can see at least part of every set.
However, there are performances worth prioritizing, ones you should schedule all your other drink and food and smoke breaks around. Here are my picks for the 10 must-see sets of Project Pabst 2024.