Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Toro y Moi Lead First Wave Of Soundscape Northwest

(Gold Atlas) The Storied Arts proudly unveils the first wave of lineup for Soundscape Northwest, an ambitious new international music festival and conference launching its inaugural edition April 27 to May 2, 2026, in Portland, OR.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Toro y Moi top this first announcement, along with Alan Sparhawk, Baby Rose, Budos Band, Bully, Cassandra Jenkins, Damien Jurado, DANIYEL, El Ten Eleven, FACS, Flock of Dimes, Greg Mendez, Helado Negro, Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation. Maye, Shabazz Palaces, Sun Atoms, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio, Weird Nightmare, Y La Bamba, Ya Tseen, and rising stars from Portland, the PNW, and music scenes around the world. Dozens more are yet to be announced, coming in February.

A future-forward reimagining of the traditional industry conference, Soundscape Northwest (SSNW) sets out to forge lasting connections between international artists, fans, and industry, with a heavy focus on music discovery and supporting Public Radio.

Produced in collaboration with Austin-based Tiger Bomb Promo, Soundscape Village Radio showcases the most innovative college and public radio presenters working today. 10% of SSNW's profits are going to support these visiting listener-supported stations, all of whom have lost their federal funding and desperately need our help to stay on the air.

The Soundscape in Residence program features singular international creatives across disciplines. Gilles Peterson and Novena Carmel are Hosts in Residence, while longtime Portland local Y La Bamba (now living in Mexico City) is Artist in Residence, and photographer Driely S is Filmmaker / Photographer in Residence. More Residents will be added to the program and announced over the coming months.

With six days of programming across more than a dozen venues, featuring 100+ international artists, SSNW transforms a historic Central Eastside industrial neighborhood into a dynamic cultural playground. The international lineup features massive underplays in intimate venues, exclusive debuts of new projects from high-profile talent, historic first USA appearances, and iconic Portland locals.

"This is far more than an industry event; it's a blueprint for how music can drive economic recovery, urban renewal, and cultural innovation," says Scott Crane, founder and Executive Creative Director of The Storied Arts and SSNW. "Music is an engine for change. Portland is the ideal place to prove the model. We have so many unique venues, a legendary food and beverage scene, a gorgeous new international airport, and a lot of false narratives about our city that we're proving wrong. It's a perfect storm."

Crane also cites vital partnerships that he says have helped bring Soundscape Northwest to life, including: design and production partners Happylucky (Portland); booking technology startup, Gigwell (Los Angeles); experiential partners, Somewherelse (Toronto), PR agency, Gold Atlas (NYC); beverage team, Hey Love (Portland); and Portland host hotels, Jupiter and NEXT.

"Soundscape Northwest wouldn't be possible without the community that's come together around it. This definitely takes a village and we couldn't ask for a better one."

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