Concert Review: The Bends Impress Portland Crowd at Hawthorne Theatre
Since I started writing formal concert reviews, I have fallen into a bad habit: I only cover shows I know. For almost every gig I walk into, I know at least one of the bands, recognize a handful of songs, or, at the very least, have snuck a peek at other people's photos from previous tour stops.
On Wednesday night, September 30th, I finally did something I’ve been meaning to do more often. I took a blind chance on a band I knew absolutely nothing about, at a venue I had only visited once before. There was no homework before the show, no snooping for photos, no setlist scouting, and no background checks on their influences. I walked into the venue armed only with the brief pitch given to me when the assignment landed on my desk.
I was told The Bends were an up-and-coming alt-rock band whose resume already included slots at Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, alongside support slots for heavy hitters like The Killers, Inhaler, Ole 60, and the Red Clay Strays. The resume sounded very up my alley, with bands and festivals that I already enjoy.
So, there I was: a Wednesday night in Portland, Oregon, at the Hawthorne Theatre. I was genuinely excited to check out both The Bends and their opening act, Flamingos in the Tree, but I was equally curious to see how a midweek Portland crowd gets down in a smaller room.
I arrived early, something that I always try to do, but something that becomes a have-to-do when I am at a venue for the first or second time. Standing outside, I was greeted by one of my favorite sights in live music: parents taking their young kids out to experience a real show. Looking around the room as it filled up, I noted that this was a noticeably younger demographic than the typical crowds I cover. We’re talking a heavy concentration of teenagers to early 20-somethings.
That was my first hint that tonight was going to be a fun one. While I love the music of my own generation, so many shows packed with people my age suffer from a distinct lack of energy. It’s as if crossing the 25-year-old threshold suddenly makes it uncool to show up early and claim a spot on the rail. Not this crowd. Everyone who arrived early stayed downstairs. Nobody was hunting for a table or chairs; instead, they were mingling tightly near the barricade, always a positive omen for the night's energy.
Looking back, the opening band, Flamingos in the Tree, felt like a somewhat odd choice for this specific bill. Usually, when up-and-coming acts tour together, they pair up with a stylistically similar band. While you could technically classify both of tonight's groups as "alt-rock," they didn't sound remotely alike. Their only obvious common ground was that they all appeared to be in their early-to-mid 20s and played instruments.
They represented two completely different interpretations of the "alt-rock" umbrella. Flamingos in the Tree proved to be highly talented musicians, but they operated with a very loose, wandering sound. Where a lot of modern alt-rock bands readily cite powerhouse '90s groups like Nirvana or Alice in Chains as foundational influences, these guys leaned into a laid-back, almost jazz-influenced sound mixed with a dash of Sonic Youth, though probably not the Sonic Youth you are thinking of. Think more along the lines of their most avant-garde, experimental phase. I deeply respect their musicianship, and there is undoubtedly a dedicated audience for that style of music. Personally, though, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
The moment The Bends stepped onto the stage, the energy in the room completely shifted. It became instantly clear exactly who Portland had bought tickets to see.
Because I was flying completely blind on their catalog, I spent the first couple of songs watching the crowd and listening intently, trying to pinpoint a comparison. I can't say that The Bends sound like any one specific band; they have genuinely carved out their own unique identity. However, they carry a sonic weight that feels wonderfully classic. I caught a fascinating mix of vintage vibes, reminiscent of the first time I ever heard The White Stripes, blended with the crunchy, heavy rock texture of Stone Temple Pilots’ debut album, Core, topped off with a touch of Kings of Leon. Calling it "grunge" would be the lazy route, and it would do them a disservice. This is true alternative rock that brilliantly borrows a little of this and a little of that. I highly encourage listeners to stream them and form their own opinions to see exactly what I mean by this mix of influences.
Throughout the set, a persistent thought kept looping in my head: I was watching a band with an immense ceiling, but one that is also still very much in its beautiful developmental stage. I don't mean that as a negative. Rather, their influences span such an incredible range that it gives them a lot of directions to go naturally without someone saying they "changed their sound." It explains how they can seamlessly open for the country-gospel-rock styling of the Red Clay Strays, pivot to support modern rock royalty like The Killers, and earn endorsements from country superstar Zach Bryan. Possessing a sound that fits comfortably into so many different musical ecosystems leaves a band in an incredibly envious position, with an infinite number of paths ahead of them.
A couple of songs anchored the night for me. The first was their current breakout single, "Makeup," which they used to close the show. It was undeniably the fan favorite of the evening, sending the room into a frenzy.
However, the track that truly hooked itself into my brain was "Seasons Change." On this specific number, vocalist Hayden Field’s delivery bears a striking resemblance to Thom Yorke of Radiohead (specifically channeled through a Fake Plastic Trees-era lens), while the rest of the band leans heavily into that driving, '90s alternative undercurrent. Hearing the lyrics echo through the venue was a highlight of the night:
"Seasons change, I'm walkin' away But look at the shape I'm in Feelings fade, not runnin' away But look at the shape I'm in..."
One major takeaway from the night is just how brutally tough the Portland market can be to crack for a new band. Unless your sound caters to a specific niche or built-in local subculture, it is an uphill battle. The crowd in attendance on Wednesday was fantastic, but it was about half the size I would like to see for a good new band like this. The sound and the performance deserved to come close to selling out a venue the size of the Hawthorne.
The Portland scene relies heavily on word-of-mouth and cultivating a fierce sense of FOMO (fear of missing out). It takes a friend saying, "Man, you missed an unbelievable show. You HAVE to catch them next time they're in town." The Bends fit that exact description.
One of my favorite post-show rituals is eavesdropping on the crowd as they exit the venue. Walking out toward my car, I caught snippets of several side conversations, and one sentiment was repeated almost verbatim: "That was a show people are going to be talking about a few years from now."
It turns out a lot of people agreed with what was already brewing in my own mind. A few years down the road, the fans packed into the room tonight are going to be bragging about the time they saw The Bends at the Hawthorne Theatre alongside just a couple hundred other people. I don't possess a crystal ball, and a million things can happen on the road to stardom, but if tonight was any indication of where this band is starting from, expect to see "SOLD OUT" on their Portland flyers in the very near future.
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