Curly Hair, Clear Vision: Blondshell’s Portland Performance
Blondshell’s return to Portland last week felt like a major victory. Words and photos by Jenny Shackleton.
Headlining Wonder Ballroom for the first time, she played to a packed house of fans who had been waiting patiently since June, when the original date was postponed. You could feel the excitement pulsing through the crowd from the moment she walked on stage. Portland was more than ready. For longtime fans, it was a meaningful milestone. Just two years ago, she opened for Liz Phair at Revolution Hall, and before that, she headlined the much smaller Polaris Hall. Seeing her quadruple the capacity and take center stage at Wonder Ballroom was a clear sign of her growing impact.
Sabrina Teitelbaum, known as Blondshell, began the show with her signature look—curly blonde hair down, loose and flowing. By the third song, she had pulled it up into a messy bun, a familiar ritual that seems to mark the moment when the set really starts to heat up. This was my fourth time seeing her live, and that small gesture always feels like a turning point in the performance. She told the crowd that Portland is her “favorite place in the world,” and the audience responded with warmth and enthusiasm. Her voice was raw and magnetic, moving through songs with a mix of vulnerability and power that has become her trademark.
The setlist featured tracks from her latest album If You Asked For A Picture, released earlier this year via Partisan Records. Highlights included “What’s Fair,” “T&A,” “23’s A Baby,” and “Kiss City,” each delivered with emotional intensity. She also previewed material from Another Picture, an expanded and reimagined version of the album that will be released on November 14. The new project includes collaborations with artists like John Glacier, Gigi Perez, Samia, and Conor Oberst. Blondshell spoke about how much she admires each of them, and how grateful she feels to have their interpretations and voices woven into the release.
Her partnership with producer Yves Rothman continues to shape her sound into something both intimate and urgent. The emotional depth, sharp self-awareness, and dry humor that defined her 2023 debut are still present, but now they come with even more ambition. As the show came to a close, the crowd lingered, reluctant to let go of the moment. Portland has watched Blondshell evolve from a promising newcomer into a headliner with a devoted following. If this performance was any indication, she is only beginning to show us what she is capable of.
Jenny Shackleton (she/her) is a photographer based in Portland, OR, originally hailing from Philadelphia, PA. Her love for live music started over 15 years ago after seeing the Jonas Brothers perform on their Burning Up tour in 2008 and the rest is history. As a naturally shy person, it’s surprising she feels so comfortable at concerts with hundreds of people attending, but has always believed that they are special, somewhat liminal, spaces. Everyone is there for the same reason: to have the best night and see artists pour their souls’ onto the stage. That is what Jenny likes to capture in her photos. Jenny enjoys spending time outside with her partner and their dog, watching movies, and owning way too many sneakers.