Freakout! Weekender 2025

Festivals have become a lost art. Slowly tapering off since the 2010’s, their glory days fading into the distance. Sasquatch, Paradiso, and Decibel being tragic casualties leaving a void in the live music scene yet to be filled. Will it ever get replaced? I have these thoughts often and then I find myself at the Freakout! Weekender event, which took over the Crocodile downtown for two days. Years ago, TV channels used to stream festival highlights from famed festivals internationally, capturing the experience in its prime. Though it’s more of a mini-fest, Freakout! Weekender keeps irons in the fire, innovating different ways to wet our appetite for the warm weather to come. This year we get a different angle of the party. When asked what prompted the changes, co-founder of Freakout! Records Skyler Locatelli, disclosed, “This year we were trying not to pigeonhole ourselves”, referring to artists chosen for the bill.  The event featured a significantly smaller lineup, only utilizing the Croc mainstage for night one. While this Weekender embodied a more understated fashion, talent curation was not corrupted. Here were our favorite moments:

Saturday Night

After @ Here After

Los Angeles duo After, is composed of birthday twins Justine Dorsey and Graham Epstein, both Virgos sharing the same birthday. Riding out a mini tour for their newest release “The Story” they shared their 2000’s inspired style. Bringing back emblems of baggy jeans, smudged black liner, pastels and sheer butterfly patterns (if you know you know). Dorsey has an effortlessly ethereal yet power voice. After sounds like they could be on the soundtrack to classics like One Tree Hill or The Princess Diaries.

Notable tracks: Ever, Obvious, In a City Called Garden

Glixen @ The Crocodile Mainstage

Based in Flagstaff, AZ, Glixen is a 4-piece band with a very striking presence. Droning tones echoing off the walls creating drawn out shoegaze with vocals like sirens serenading through water. Lead guitarist Aislinn Ritchie and bassist Sonia Garcia serve glam fallen angel vibes style wise with heavily studded belts and bracelets and lace bows swinging from the headstock of their guitars. Thank god for baddie representation in alt spaces. Each member is visually fully absorbed in their performance.

Notable tracks: Splendor, All tied up, lust, Sick silent, Moodswing

 

JOUDY @ Here after

NYC trio Joudy contrasts smooth vocals over heavy, deep dark drear. It got noisy, long hair that was thrown and bobbed and drums that were loud. The experimental rock band originally from Venezuela took over the intimate theater space and tore up the stage. The hardest and most unexpected moment came when they covered Massive Attack‘s “Angel” and made it their own. Absolutely killed it and instantly became favorites.

Notable tracks: Mastery, Tail End, Uneasy, Atlas

The Jins @ Madame Lous:

The Jins are garage punky with obvious Nirvana/Kurt Cobain influences. Sometimes looking at the lead singer Ben you can notice the same Cobain vibe. His grainy telecaster strumming, his ripped jeans with cuts in the knees, paired with Hawaiian shirts. The Jins give fun energy and easy listening. This reminded us of another time but in a new light. After catching their set we understood why this band was on top of everyone’s list.

Notable tracks: She Said, I Can’t Let My Lover Go, Crutch, Death Wish, On Your Own

BALTHVS @ The Crocodile Mainstage

The band formed in 2019 by Balthazar Aguirre and Johanna Mercuriana has taken off in the last couple of years. Their last album, Harvest, was played a lot and it created a lot of buzz around them. The Colombian psychedelic funk trio fuse elements of funk, cumbia, disco, and house to form their sound. The melodic music is something you can’t help move back and forth to. This was a really good fit with the festival’s vibe.

Notable tracks: Famagusta Port, Solar, In Lust, Mango Season, Johanna’s Dream

Sextile (DJ Set) @ Madame Lou’s

The band was in town playing a show the night before at Showbox SoDo so the promoters were able to book them for a little dj set to close out Saturday night. We were a little disappointed they didn’t play live but this was actually a really cool experience. They were up there vibing to the different tunes and people were having a great time dancing around.

Sunday Night

MYXA @ Here After

The ominous trip -hop duo from our backyard MYXA gave us a visually and audibly interesting set tucked back in the Here After. I was reminded of artists like Mirah and PJ Harvey that have eclectically dark and quirky expressions of feminine creativity. MYXA creates and immersive soundscape with intriguing background visuals.

Notable tracks: I bleed, Absolution, Meat Girl

 

Amantes Del Futuro @ Here After

Producer/Composer Immanuel Miralda has been on the scene since 2002. His stage name translating to “Lovers of The Future”. True to his name, he’s known for creating electronic cumbia that remains very much traditional. The way he fuses tradition and modern methods together showcases the richness on Latin culture and how tightly it adheres to its roots yet still moving with time. From the beginning of the set, people were up dancing in the corner of the theater, background visuals of men dancing Cumbia Wepa, a modernized twist on the old folkloric dance. Overall the set was synth heavy with a consistent rhythm that begs to be moved to.

Notable tracks: Cumbia Rosa, No Puedo Olividarte Cumbia Rosa, Cumbia Marrión

SWMRS @ Madame Lous

AKA Emily’s army, SWMRS was formed in 2004 in northern California. They’re the pop punk band that’s less pretentious, more fun and RAMPANT with ADHD. Cole Becker is a ball of energy, bouncing around the stage, playing guitar, being a stage menace. The group is dressed in button-down shirts with ties that become drenched in sweat from all the activity. My favorite sight was when the song “Ryder” kicked into gear and it seemed like Becker’s guitar was so powerful it had a mind of its own and he was trying his best to hold on for dear life. Infectious energy, definitely a blast.

Notable tracks: Palm trees, Ryder, Miley, Lose It

Spoon Benders @ Madame Lous

We can never get enough of the Portland locals, and Spoon Benders was a perfect way to end the two-day event. The band had a special guest with them tonight as their drummer was John Sherman of legendary Red Fang. This band is not afraid to experiment with new sounds and constantly change around, always giving something refreshing. Their ominous sounds lead by vocalist Katy Black pull you right into the show. Tonight, we saw Black switch around to the bass giving a new light to the psych-rock band. Always a great time with the band and their sophomore record, How Things Repeat is transcendent.

Notable tracks: No exit, Rival, Rm 157, Dichotomatic

Photos: Sophia Barkalakis @s.barkalakis