Shilpa Ray @ Showbar, Portland OR
Shilpa Ray, 10/1/25 Showbar, Portland OR. There’s nothing quite like a cozy show at the Show Bar — the kind of room where the stage feels like your living room and every lyric hits just a little harder. On October 1st, Shilpa Ray turned that intimate space into a riotous confessional, delivering a set that was both blisteringly raw and sharply poetic. Whether behind her keyboard, at a guitar, or just gripping the mic like a weapon, Ray commanded every inch of the room. Her voice swung from smoky serenades to full-throated wails, I was hanging on every unapologetic syllable.
Songs like “Manic Pixie Dream Cunt” and “EMT Police and the Fire Department” weren’t just highlights — they were declarations. With savage and searing honesty, Ray laid bare the contradictions and pressures of womanhood, patriarchy, and performative politics. Her lyrics didn’t ask for permission or forgiveness — they kicked the door down and dared you to look away. She wasn’t just performing; she was confronting, affirming, and exorcising all at once. It’s easy to compare her to legends, but live, Shilpa Ray is a category of one: fearless, filthy, and unforgettable. A must see performer.
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES
PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE JAMES