It’s summertime still (heat-check, anyone?) and the music festivals have overtaken this fine land.  They continue to blaze by–Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Hard Summer, Outside Lands, Doe Bay, etc., etc., etc.   Amongst those that we’ve yet again failed to attend is Oregon’s Pickathon Festival, held each year (this year’s was the 14th annual) at the Pendarvis Farm near Happy Valley, Oregon.  Fortunately for us, KEXP and others have been in attendance to film fine performances that we would have otherwise completely missed.  Check out a few of our favored vignettes below.

First up is Southeast Engine, the Ohio band that has been evolving and revving up for a decade and now seems to be hitting on all cylinders.  Their 2011 album, Canary, is an under-appreciated gem that showcases songwriter Adam Remnant’s lyrical acumen.  Check out below the band performing a song from that album, the sweet, harmony-laden Rosie.

Then check out the harp-laden (more harp!) Barr Brothers performing their moving song, Held My Head.

Next up is the ubiquitous War On Drugs covering the great Waterboys’ chestnut, A Pagan Place.

Following is the fantastic Phosphorescent (in solo mode) covering Randy Newman’s Days of Heaven.

Next, check out the Mynabirds rendering a captivating vocal treatment of their song Disarm.

Finally, we have Oregon’s gigantic Typhoon with their new song Morton’s Fork as performed in the Pendarvis House for KEXP.