Banana Pitch began as a literary magazine back in 2014. To celebrate our 10 year anniversary, we’re launching Banana Pitch Press, an independent press publishing books with interesting one-line pitches.
Submissions open January 2025. Read more here.
Banana Pitch Press
Banana Pitch in the News
An interview with Banana Pitch host Michelle Kicherer on the Portland Radio Project, alongside on of the best podcasters in Portland: Dan Cable, of Dan Cable Presents.
“The interview component (the “Mini Ini”) is probably where things get most kooky and memorable. We get to hear stories and insights from these artists they haven’t shared elsewhere and usually it’s super entertaining. We have a running joke that goes, “Guaranteed fun or your money back, questions asked.”
- Michelle Kicherer with Willamette Week
Guess what!
Banana Pitch will have its own radio show on the Portland Radio Project.
Second Sundays @ Seven
Live on 99.1 fm Portland,
Interview Snippets from the live shows
Terry Currier, owner of Music Millenium
M: I was walking around in the store, sleuthing around as I do, and there's all of these illustrations of you and I'm curious, did that start off with people putting them up secretly or were you in on the joke?
T: It just happens! People bring 'em along. I once hosted an independent record store conference in 2000 and I talked to Atlantic Records and I go, "Would you like to sponsor a nice canvas bag that I can give to everybody? You can put whatever you want on it." and they go, "Yeah, we will!" and then I got the box of bags that on one side said Atlantic Records, but the other side had an illustration of me on it (chuckles). And a variation of that illustration later ended up on a beer can in Portland too.
Terry Currier was on the August 12 Banana Pitch Show at Show Bar in Portland, OR
Photo: Lachlan Sforcina
IG @luckyshot.ph
Franklin Gothic
M: Speaking of cool people, again I just have to note that there's another curly haired individual on the stage tonight. I gotta ask you my friend, what product are you using in that thing?
FG: Rusk Wired. Rusk Wired. Rusk Wired. And a diffuser! The diffuser gives it this tightness.
M: I was always afraid to go short and too mullet-y, 'cause that was a scarring time from my childhood, but--
FG: Curly mullets are in!
M: They're back?
FG: Oh yeah! There's like ten at the airport right now.
Franklin Gothic was on the August 12 Banana Pitch Show at Show Bar in Portland, OR
Photo: Lachlan Sforcina
IG @luckyshot.ph
Elizabeth Stix:
M: I'm curious if there's a story or character that is definitely like, oh yeah this is totally based on this thing, or?
E: Well it's sad because everybody I know thinks it's all about them and it's like, nooo, you're not that important to me. I mean they're all me, right? Because I made it all up, so I take responsibility for everybody. It is fiction, it is made up.
M: Well, let's put this on the record! It's not about you, or any of you. It's about Elizabeth, okay?
Elizabeth Stix was on the August 12 Banana Pitch Show at Show Bar in Portland, OR
Photo: Lachlan Sforcina
IG @luckyshot.ph
New Constellations
From Josh Smith:
J: "Okay, so I held it up in the air and the crowd cheered, and - sometimes you let your intrusive thoughts win, you know? - my brain was like - fucking rip it man. So I ripped it half and everyone kind of stopped cheering and started booing...
M: But I tried to save it! I was like - we can tape it, but then he ate it!
J: Booing only makes me stronger sometimes. *Nervous chuckle*
New Constellations played on the July 8th Banana Pitch Variety Show.
Photo credit: Rose City Review
Rose Gerber:
M: "Is your guitar named?"
R: "I have not named this guitar, but now I'm gonna think about naming it. Maybe we can do an audience vote? How about Bertha?
*Crowd whoops*
R: "It's Bertha"
M: "Man, sometimes the heart just knows"
R: "Sometimes it does..."
From the July 8th Banana Pitch Variety Show. Rose Gerber’s new EP Untraveled Highway came out July 3, 2024.
Photo: Rose City Review