It was shoulder to shoulder for mary in the junkyard on November 6 at Mississippi Studios, an intimate room with a 375-person capacity, a small balcony, and its signature glowing bass drums above the stage.
During Lefty Parker’s opening set, I took a couple of test shots from the front. The crowd was so quiet that after the first couple of clicks, all I could think was, “Wow, that’s loud.” I switched my camera to silent mode and kept it there for the rest of the show. The trio’s singer and guitarist, Clari Freeman-Taylor, joined Lefty for the first and last songs of his set.
mary in the junkyard played mostly songs from their new album, Role Model Hermit.
Early on in the set, when drummer David Addison started the intro to “New Muscles,” Clari and Saya Barbaglia turned to face each other and put up their fists like they were about to fight. Then came the opening line, “I’ve been looking for somebody to fight.” Seeing them square up before Clari sang it made the moment even funnier.
One of my favorite things about watching the London trio was seeing Saya switch between bass, guitar, and viola. At one point, she took off her shoe and sock and threw them on the floor, then sat down and played viola while pressing a bass pedal with her big toe. One minute she was playing beautiful parts on viola, and the next she was rocking out on the bass guitar.
There was also a last-minute cover of Michael Hurley’s “Knockando.” Lefty and Clari sang from a lyric sheet, with Clari on guitar, Saya clapping along, and David playing tambourine. I liked how loose that moment felt. It was a great way to end the night.
After the set, I stopped by the merch table and ended up with a signed setlist. Unfortunately, the record was already sold out. I went in knowing only a few songs and left wanting to bring the record home.
Words and photos by Andrew Noice
Instagram: @andrewnoice
Mississippi Studios · Portland, Oregon · November 6, 2026