In this economy, a free weekly concert featuring local bands at a hip, centrally located bar is something special—even in artsy, indie music-loving Portland. Ever since the spring of 2007, popular East Burnside watering hole Rontoms has been providing one such opportunity with its Sunday Sessions showcase.

“We had only been open for about four months and were looking for ways to build community around the bar, and by extension, expose the spot to new patrons,” says Rontoms owner Ron Toms.

“Nearly everybody who worked here at the time was in a band or involved in music in some capacity, so hosting concerts seemed a natural fit,” he explains. “One of our bartenders, Joe Bowden, knew just about everybody in the scene. He, I, and another super-connected friend Hannah Carlen started cobbling together a show calendar. It was all done on an ultra [low] budget. Those first few shows were mixed by Joe on one of those cheap, eight-channel Yamaha all-in-one mixer/amp combo things.”

The colleagues’ curation strategy was simple: book local bands whom they enjoyed listening to.

“The [Sunday Sessions] shows, being free, allowed us to be more experimental with band selection, and throw some curve-balls into the schedule without the pressure of meeting the expectations of a cover charge,” says Toms, adding, “We also made it a point to book bands from every genre.”

This month, after 18 years of consistently hosting Sunday Sessions, Rontoms will discontinue the weekly series—but not before going out with a bang by throwing an epic all-day mini-fest on Sunday, May 25. 

“The strength of Sunday Sessions was that they had become a bit of a ritual for people because they knew they could show up any Sunday, rain or shine—no cash in pocket—see a great show, and bump into all their friends in the music scene. Most of the people that attended the shows attended every show.”

Toms says that trend changed after the pandemic, “We knew that the momentum of the Sessions would be damaged by the COVID shutdowns,” says Toms. “It just broke the cycle.” 

“Financial considerations have always been secondary regarding the shows,” Toms says. “The community, goodwill, and fun that they provided were enough for us to keep them going for as long as we did, but because they were free, they needed to be extremely well attended to remain viable. The model from the beginning was that they would be free and they would happen every Sunday night. We always knew that if we ever had to stray from that promise, we would just call it a day.” 

May 25 is the final Sunday Sessions and features a big lineup—nearly seven hours of live music, including rock band the Builders and the Butchers, dream-pop singer-songwriter Ruth Radelet, pop-funk and neo-soul from Bendre the Giant (the musical project of Ben Estrada), the darkly cinematic psych-rock of Federale, indie-folk band Loch Lomond, classic pop quintet New Move, and experimental-noise post-rockers Sama Dams.

Toms says all the bands they asked to play the farewell show have special significance to Rontoms. “Some are old friends, some ex-employees, some have played particularly memorable [Sunday Sessions] shows in the past. The list was much longer, but we’re already looking at a seven-hour show.” 

Similar to their 10-year anniversary showcase, Rontoms will have a two-stage setup for the mini fest—one inside, one on the back patio—minimizing downtime between bands. 

The Sunday Sessions experience was so many things: enjoying an indoor indie-folk show by the fire in winter or bopping along to a lively hip-hop set on a hot summer night, while waiting for a turn at ping pong. We’ll certainly miss the regular opportunity to see free local shows surrounded by Rontoms’ chic ambiance—which unlike many Portland venues, offers ample space to spread out and breathe while maintaining a feeling of intimate coziness. 

Toms said it was unlikely that live music programming would return, mentioning: “I’m very proud of the Sunday Sessions’ 18-year run. It was a joy. I’ve personally seen some unforgettable shows during that time, [and] I’d just like to thank all of the bands, the sound engineers, the bookers, the friends, and the community for the memories.”

The final Sunday Sessions rocks Rontoms, Sun May 25, 3:30 pm, FREE, 21+