Over the past few years, Portland media outlets (this one included) have kept a weary tally of clubs shuttered by rising rents, lamenting the shrinking options for underage music fans. That issue persists today—how venues that serve alcohol (and rely on drink sales to survive) can allow minors without breaking rules imposed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
Though being able to attend concerts might seem trivial to adults, for kids it can be a vital lifeline to engage with their community, seek support, and develop their own self-expression. More broadly, allowing everyone—regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status—equal access to these opportunities dismantles the exclusivity of who gets to experience art and have a voice in it.
Portland’s steady decline in all-ages music venues hasn’t necessarily improved: The year-old Fremont Theater closed last November. In May, the owner of Analog Café was accused of sexual harassment, which led some local and touring bands to boycott playing shows there. And just last week, Anarres Infoshop—an all-ages radical community space in St. Johns—announced that after struggling financially for the past few months, it will host its final concert on Sunday, August 5.