No Bands Only is an indie trio from Portland, Oregon, consisting of Alex Mercer (vocals/guitar), Lily Chen (bass/vocals), and Jake Reynolds (drums). Their sound blends dreamy textures with introspective lyrics and unexpected rhythmic shifts.
Our music happens in the spaces between us. As three people with different musical backgrounds – Alex came from folk, I studied classical piano, and Jake was in punk bands – we create something none of us could make alone. Our latest EP, "Midnight Dialogues," explores themes of connection and isolation in the digital age, with each song representing a different conversation we've had as a band.
Last winter, we rented a cabin on the Oregon coast during a storm. The power went out, and we ended up playing acoustically by candlelight for hours. That night birthed "Blackout Harmony," a song about finding clarity in darkness. Sometimes you need everything stripped away to see what matters.
When we perform, size doesn't matter – whether it's a tiny bar or a festival stage, we try to create an intimate experience. There's this beautiful moment in our shows when the audience becomes part of the band; their energy feeds back to us and shapes the music in real-time. We call it "the tide coming in" – that moment when everyone in the room is connected through sound waves. That's why we make music – to create little universes together with strangers who become friends through shared experience.