[Read all of the articles in our Portland Fun Guide HERE! Looking for a print copy? Look at this handy-dandy map!—eds.]
Seeing artists like Doja Cat and Portugal. the Man in small capacity venues before they blow up is incredibly memorable not (only) because it’s a bragging point, it’s also that you’ve experienced these incredible talents in an intimate setting they will never play again—allowing you to connect with the performers and their music more deeply than is possible at festivals and arenas. Even though her politics now suck, seeing Grimes open for Austra at Holocene in 2011 was insane—it felt like all of Portland was there and those who weren’t, claimed to have been.
There’s an unparalleled energy seeing live music in a small room, surrounded by those who are there to experience the same music you are, people who get it. Here in Portland, we are unbelievably lucky to have dozens of small venues that host gigs on a near-nightly basis. Below is a not-even-close-to-comprehensive run-down of small capacity venues I, and some of the Mercury’s writers, love. See you there! Nolan Parker, Music Editor
If you walk down the streets of North Portland, you’re bound to come upon colorful plaques attached to brick storefronts peppered between newly built apartment complexes. These plaques tell the story of how, before the disruptive I-5 freeway project, the pool halls and jazz clubs of Portland’s historically Black neighborhoods made this the center of Portland nightlife. The 1905 is tucked one block off the main drag of Mississippi, and while it may be one of one jazz clubs in the neighborhood, it is nonetheless a blessing. Whether it’s showcasing world class touring musicians across the spectrum of the genre or highlighting the city’s world-class talent, the 1905 does it all while slinging tasty pizza and bringing stiff drinks to your table on their cute courtyard patio. CAMERON CROWELL
Portland’s long been short on small-to-medium sized venues championing all-ages shows. Thankfully, Black Water Bar has always swam against the current. Recently moved from its NE Broadway spot in the Lloyd District to their new Rose City Park location (NE 51st & Sandy), Black Water continues its legacy as a storied spot for the local punk, hardcore, and independent music scenes who, let’s face it, would likely otherwise be booked to play your friend's basement. House shows are fun, but not everybody can rely on “Ask a Punk/DM for addy” nor are punk-house venues the most ADA-friendly. And sometimes you just want to eat that scorpion vegan burger on the edge of the pit. CC
Can you feel it? Amid shredding guitars, pounding drums, wailing vocals, and thrashing bodies—condensation forms on the pipes above The Fixin’ To’s 125-capacity crowd, droplets blessing the attendees below. “It’s like some silent wet symbol that we’re doing the lord’s work,” owner of the Fixin’ To, Bart Blasengame writes. Praise be, pass the Frito pie! Because the Southern-fried St. John’s staple welcomes all genres, music communities—locally and beyond—have rewarded the venue with continued support. “It’s easy to focus on the trials and travails of running a small venue,” Blasengame writes, “but having bands from Japan or France or Mexico hit us up is hopefully some sign we’re doing the right thing.” ROBERT HUSSEMAN
A hub for all manner of beat-heavy sounds and true to its name, The Get Down is a subterranean venue tucked beneath the Melody Ballroom in Portland’s Central Eastside. Opened in 2022, the Get Down has an upscale speakeasy vibe, with low ceilings, plenty of neon lighting, and beefy security guards. It also boasts a meaty sound system and spacious dancefloor—perfect for its regular schedule of hip-hop, reggae, modern jazz, and electronic artists. ROBERT HAM
Leaven Community, housed in a former Northeast Portland church, is a hotspot for the city’s avant-garde music scenes. The organization’s commitment to diversity and equity extends to their concert programming—Creative Music Guild and Moment are among the roving music events that regularly produce shows at Leaven, drawing enthusiastic crowds of those in the know. The community center is a musical sanctuary boasting stunning natural acoustics often only heard in religious architecture. Don’t let the stained-glass windows and wooden pews fool you, Leaven Community is non-denominational. CHARLES ROSE
The name Lollipop Shoppe is a nod to PDX legend Fred Cole’s pre-Dead Moon outfit of the same name, bridging the gap between elder and greener generations of showgoers in the city. With a range of diverse lineups spanning international DJ sets, secret shows, local punk, electronic, pop and indie, Lollipop is run by stalwart scene instigator, Liz Elder, who has spent the better part of a decade laying the foundation for the venue in addition to running the annual Lose Yr Mind Fest. RYAN PRADO
The folks behind Mendelsshons, a cozy bar on North Mississippi, are filling an unusual and necessary niche in the local music scene—taking classical music out of enormous concert halls and churches to give it back to the people. While their concert calendar mixes in jazz, folk, and musical theater, the venue’s bread and butter is small chamber ensembles performing canonical classical works on a small stage set eight feet above where patrons sit and sip creative cocktails. RH
It’s been 10 years since No Fun opened its doors, and a steady stream of eclectic noise bombs has emanated from its innards ever since. No Fun’s narrow confines bring an intimate feel to its live music offerings, running the gamut from punk and heavier fare to jazz and live DJs. The bar’s unflappable vibe takes on elements of both neighborhood dive and well-oiled working musicians’ HQ. Their no guest list policy means more proceeds go directly to artists. RP
If you’ve been searching for a small capacity venue to love in SW Portland that doubles as a secret reprieve from the chaos of Old Town, look no further than Shanghai Tunnel. Accessible via the Ankeny Alley between SW 2nd and 3rd, descending the stairs to the subterranean venue is like stepping back in time to a more punk, more rockin’ Portland. It feels like you’re going to bump into Courtney Love having a drink after a shift at Mary’s, waiting to catch Dead Moon or Wipers play. Shanghai has also recently changed hands and, lucky us, the new owners have updated the sound system, locked in the bar program, and developed a food menu that bangs. NOLAN PARKER
Ahh, The Spare Room—there are few places as eccentric as this Cully neighborhood classic. Whether counting your squares at Bingo night, grooving to some of the best soul DJ nights in town, or hopping up on stage for karaoke, something strange and memorable is always happening in your periphery at the former bowling alley. Seriously, I was there the night Damian Lillard hit his playoff series-clinching shot (from nearly half court) against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Next to me a group of old men were throwing money on a table making live bets, pre-gambling apps. When the shot went in the whole bar erupted, two of the old guys jumped on top of the table tapping their wrist watches and screaming in joy—DAME TIME! Two hours later the place would be filled with young people shaking ass to an Al Green remix. CC
Swan Dive accentuates its 19th Century expanses with a dose of gritty cool. Downstairs, expect dance parties, burlesque nights, karaoke, and VJ sets, along with weekly jazz. Upstairs is a sonic cauldron of wide-ranging artists—touring and local—ranging in scope from punk, to indie rock, goth, pop, electronic, and everything in between. The bar’s side room is all ages until 9 pm, and there’s a drag brunch every Sunday. An exciting newer addition to the Central Eastside’s thriving live venue renaissance. RP
Turn! Turn! Turn! is your favorite basement party hang at street level. Your parents—hell, your grandparents—feel at home at this intimate, 49-capacity venue. “We want it to be the place where a wide variety of acts, including acts that don’t have a big name yet, have a place to start,” owner Mark Davies says. Bartenders double as sound engineers, artwork from weekly drawing clubs adorns the walls, and kludgy college bands perform one night with sextagenarians playing brass and bass the next. Hip-hop, jazz, indie, emo, noise: the whole neighborhood’s invited. A frisbee-toss from Portland Community College and Jefferson High School, where cyclists pedal along N Williams and buses rumble down the avenue… that’s where the venue thrums amid the din. It’s centrifugal motion, it’s perpetual bliss. RH
The long-running heavy music haven, Twilight Cafe and Bar opened at its new location in late 2023, expanding its capacity and visibility with the move from SE Powell to SE Grand & Belmont. Twilight is the venue to see bands with tattoo-headed members sporting umlauts in their monikers. The curb outside the venue is often dotted with a cavalcade of be-stickered tour vans and tough-looking smokers in leather. This is a venue for the thrashers, by the thrashers. Bring earplugs. RP
Visiting the modern art gallery Virtua, tucked inside the creepy confines of the nearly-empty Lloyd Center Mall, is surreal enough. That feeling is only trebled when the small, but mighty space hosts performances by experimental artists from across the globe, like Baltimore duo Matmos and Michigan-based weirdo Twig Harper. For older music heads, it’s the ideal setup: there’s ample parking for venue attendees and the shows have to be over by nine to accommodate the mall’s operating hours. RH
Sadly, due to space restrictions, we can’t include a write-up of all of our favorite small rooms in Portland. Here’re a few more beauties to keep an eye on: the Alleyway, Barn Radio, Dream House, Ethos Music Center, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, Ming Lounge, the Waypost, Xhurch, and the World Famous Kenton Club.
We would also be remiss not to light a candle for the fallen small venues of our fair city: Anarres, the Artistery, Backspace, Beech St. Parlour, Berbati’s Pan, Club 21, Dig A Pony, Dunes, East End, the Know (Alberta), Liberty Glass, Liquor Store, Meow Meow (Division), Plan B, Satyricon, Slabtown, Tonic Lounge, Valentine’s, the Woods, X-Ray Cafe. These venues did so much for Portland in their times—their sweaty, noisy, beer-soaked memories will live on in our hearts forever. NP
