Black Shelton is one of my favorite artists in Portland. He is bold, dynamic, and brings art itself to every performance – in what he wears on his face, his body and his feet, to what he represents to our community at large. Like so many of us, he was born in another place, and has made it a life choice to be a part of what Portland is becoming in the post-pandemic generation.
I wanted to feature him as the final performer in the PDX Pop Now series of photos, although coincidentally he was the very first artist to play in the week-long event, 8-22-22.
I first shot him opening up for Hollow Sidewalks and Shaylee at The Fixin’ To, prior to the festival’s commencement, and was utterly floored by his performance. He infuses soul, 60s sensibilities on guitar and saxophone, and a modern perspective on local and national culture. He is a one-man army, playing to self-produced tracks, turning in a comprehensive band experience through his fingers, vocals and dynamic energy, dominating the stage with every performance.
In a word, Black Shelton is where it’s at. We are lucky to have him in our scene, and I look forward to watching his evolution with the local live-listening audience. Here’s to every one of the fifty bands that played in ten clubs over seven days August 22 -28, 2022, and my sincere love and appreciation to everyone that worked so hard to make this year’s festival the incredible experience that it was. It was an honor to attend and to be a witness to your greatness.
Much Love – J. Pinky, PDX Presents
Listen and watch the Reel for this live show at https://www.instagram.com/p/CiFptKQjdui/
