Music
Portland’s musical offerings are diverse as the city itself, with options including indie rock, jazz, classical, pop and more.
Home to indie darlings and internationally acclaimed artists alike (think Pink Martini, Esperanza Spalding, The Decemberists, The Shins and Elliott Smith), Portland is a haven for music lovers. Visitors can explore the city’s dozens of live music venues or take the stage themselves at one of Portland’s many open mic nights.
Music Events in Portland
Portland overflows year-round with live shows, festivals and music-centered things to do.
Live Music Venues
These five venues showcase some of the best live music in each of the city's five quadrants.
Local Musicians
Check out these up-and-coming musicians making a name for themselves in Portland.
The New Class of the Portland R&B Scene
A new generation of artists is attracting more light to the Portland R&B scene than ever before.
The Portland Hip-Hop Scene
Take a deep dive into the past, present and future of the Portland hip-hop scene with our expert guide to the best rap artists, showcases, shops and more.
Portland Filipino American Musician Mixes Island Heritage and Hip-Hop
Talilo Marfil, rapper and advocate, reflects on the power of community and takes readers through his favorite Portland hangs.
Upcoming Music Picks
Check out our events calendar to find music around the city.
Karaoke From Hell
The Northwest's original live karaoke band, Karaoke From Hell, has been rocking Portland for over 25 years and counting. The catalog boasts nearly 700 songs for you to sing, covering every genre from show tunes to skate punk. Catch it every Monday at Dante's and every Thursday at The Spare Room.
Darcelle XV’s Weekend Drag Show
Darcelle XV and Company have been entertaining audiences from all walks of life for over 50 years with Las Vegas-style cabaret revues of Glitz, Glamour and Comedy. Stop by when you are in Portland and you will be glad that you did! We have traveled the United States presenting a show that you have to…
Inner City Blues Festival
A Benefit for Health Care for All Oregon – OREGON presents Soul Queens and Blues Kings Healing the Health Care Blues Norman “Boogie Cat” Sylvester and Lenanne Sylvester-Miller bring together some of this region's finest Rhythm & Blues favorites for an amazing night of Soul and Blues.
Rockwood Market Hall Music Series
Each month, on a late Sunday afternoon, the Rockwood Market Hall hosts a local artist to perform for community members who enjoy their food while listening to live music in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. With various cuisine options, the Rockwood Market Hall is a great place to enjoy dinner with family and friends. See you…
Sabertooth
McMenamins, Portland Mercury, X-Ray and doPDX proudly present Sabertooth 2024. With its roots in Portland’s Crystal Ballroom’s psychedelic history, Sabertooth comes to both the Crystal Ballroom and Spanish Ballroom for two nights of psychedelic stoner rock.
Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn
With acts that have ranged from Phoebe Bridgers to Stevie Wonder, McMenamins Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn are an annual rite of summer and a hot ticket for cool nights.
Zoo Nights
Enjoy the magic of Portland summer nights with live music, food and festivities at the Oregon Zoo while relaxing among the lush gardens and wildlife at Zoo Nights.
Foster Summer Soiree
The 2024 Foster Summer Soiree will bring live entertainment and vendors to Laurelwood Park, special activations at several Foster businesses, sidewalk sales, and other festivities. This exciting event is back for its second year.
Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival
Chamber Music Northwest’s annual summer festival combines high-caliber classical music with a laid-back atmosphere.
Latino Cultural Festival
Get ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration of Latin culture at the 17th Annual Washington County Chamber — Unitus Community Credit Union Latino Cultural Festiva. This culturally rich event provides a platform for sharing information, connecting with the community, and promoting local businesses and non-profits to more than 10,000 attendees. The festivities will…
Waterfront Blues Festival
Every Fourth of July weekend, the Waterfront Blues Festival takes over downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park.
Cathedral Park Jazz Festival
The Jazz Society’s Cathedral Park Jazz Festival is a free concert open to the public and held over three days in mid-July at Cathedral Park at the base of the St. Johns Bridge in the Cathedral Park neighborhood of Portland. Nearing four decades of history, the festival is the longest-running jazz and blues festival west…
Pickathon
Every August, Pickathon draws diverse musical performers to celebrate music and the outdoors at the lush Pendarvis Farm just outside of Portland.
Multnomah Days
This beloved annual event incorporates a one-day open-air, family-friendly street festival with scheduled musical acts, a community parade, an art fair and over 125 vendor booths, and food and beverage services available via outdoor street dining and food carts — plus outdoor street dining.
El Grito
Join in the most important holiday celebrated by the Hispanic community in Oregon. El Grito 20th Anniversary immerses the rich traditions of the Latinx community with delicious Mexican cuisine and family-friendly entertainment, folkloric and Aztec dancers, live mariachi, salsa, cumbia and pop music, and interactive and educational community booths. The event also features contests, prizes, raffles,…
Comfort and Joy
Make memories together as your Oregon Symphony creates a magical winter wonderland through classic sing-alongs and your favorite holiday music. And, just in case you forget how many fa-la-la-las are in “Deck the Hall,” lyric sheets will be provided. Artists Deanna Tham, Conductor Oregon Chorale
Gospel Christmas
Feel the spirit of the holiday season with the 25th annual performance of this beloved concert, featuring the region’s premier gospel singers alongside your Oregon Symphony. Experience the joy and uplift of gospel music, performed with passion and feeling by some of the finest musicians in the region. Artists Charles Floyd, Conductor NW Community Gospel…
She Persisted: The Musical
Fourth-grader Naomi's field trip to a Women's History Museum turns into a time travel adventure where she encounters inspirational women who have overcome barriers and made waves throughout U.S. history. From activists to athletes, artists and more, this musical features the stories of female trailblazers such as Harriet Tubman, Virginia Apgar, Ruby Bridges, Sally Ride,…
Legally Blonde The Musical
A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun it should be illegal. Elle Woods appears to…
Mystery and Stories
Musica Universalis is pleased to announce a concert with Cléa Galhano, a renowned recorder virtuoso. The concert will showcase selections from the Cantigas de Santa Maria performed in Musica Universalis vibrant style. Musica Universalis is known for its innovative use of eclectic historical instruments, including cimbalom, shawm, bagpipe, recorder, crumhorn, vielle, violin, rebec, viola da…
Oregon Mandolin Orchestra
The Oregon Mandolin Orchestra invites you to join a spring celebration with a musical program that features a luscious array of pieces showcasing the addition of guitars to the OMO ensemble. "This year’s spring program will be the first OMO performance to feature our new – and still growing – guitar section,” said Christian McKee, OMO musical director. McKee said…
Inon Barnatan
A celebrated pianist of "breathtaking charisma" (Philadelphia Inquirer) and "uncommon sensitivity" (New Yorker), Inon Barnatan brings Portland Piano International's season to a close with a program of mesmerizing music by Rachmaninoff and Schubert. Rachmaninoff's early Moments musicaux showcase signature elements of the Russian composer's unabashedly romantic music — lush melodies, heightened expression, and thunderous, bell-like…
New Beginnings
In the season of new beginnings, the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Conservatory Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and String Ensemble present a concert filled to the brim with brilliant new music by Polina Nazaykinskaya, Giancarlo Castro D’Addona, and Nancy Ives. The 2023 PYP Concerto Competition Winner, still to be announced, will perform their winning piece with the Philharmonic Orchestra.
Audrey Luna Vocal Recital
Metropolitan Opera Star and PSU Alumnus returns to Portland to give a song recital and master class, with Dr. Chuck Dillard accompanying on piano.
Bombay Bicycle Club
A melodic, guitar-driven indie rock outfit from North London, Bombay Bicycle Club emerged to critic and fan buzz with their 2009 debut, I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose. Blending sensual, reverb-slicked post-punk sensibilities with the kind of bubbly, rhythmically adventurous quirkiness that evoked acts like Orange Juice, Bloc Party, and Vampire Weekend,…
bbymutha
Brittnee Moore, known professionally by the stage name of bbymutha, is an American rapper. She was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In a 2017 interview Moore described herself as a 'stay-at-home mom' who earns her income through rapping. She began her career through SoundCloud, where she released her first track, "Slut". In 2017, she rose to prominence…
Kara Jackson
Kara Jackson is an award-winning poet, singer-songwriter, and producer from Oak Park, Illinois (Chicago). She is the 2019 National Youth Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate of Chicago (2018). Kara released her debut album, Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?, in April 2023. Kara is also the author of the poetry book…
A Town Called Home with The Prairie Benders and SUNTEX
A Town Called Home Led by multi-instrumentalists Howdy and Marilyn Darrell, A Town Called Home showcases close, heartfelt harmonies and original tunes steeped in a wide range of traditional musical influences, yielding a cut of Americana all their own. Merging deep Texas roots with a West Coast vibe, their songs run from pensive and introspective to…
Country Music Night
Every Sunday Portland's premier country music DJs, The Country Co-Op plays outlaw country and honky tonk music at The Sandy Hut. The bar is always packed with people dancing and singing.
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Drew Holcomb has always charged listeners’ hearts and minds while inspiring them to find joy and community in their 15 years of nonstop touring. And never more so than on his latest album, Dragons. His most collaborative record to date features artists and songwriters, including Lori McKenna, Natalie Hemby, Sean McConnell, The Lone Bellow, and Ellie…
Joy Again
For Joy Again, inspiration indiscriminately bounces around like a superball. It ping-pongs between the Philadelphia band before it settles and crystallizes in one capriciously catchy bop after another. These six lo-fi alternative pop outliers — Sachi DiSerafino [vocals, guitar], Arthur Shea [vocals, guitar], Blaise O’Brien [keys], Zachary Tyndall [keys], Will Butera [drums], and Kieran Ferris[bass]…
METZ
With time comes the understanding that the joy of connection is mirrored by the void of loss, how the constancy of love is matched only by the impermanence of life, and the simple idea that life cannot be created without risking the dark. So it is with METZ, a band once known for blowing out…
Prateek Kuhad
For just over a decade, Prateek Kuhad has been quietly carving out a unique role for himself as a globally recognized pop musician from India. Originally from the northern city of Jaipur, Kuhad, who sings in Hindi and English, easily connects with fans of all ages and backgrounds. His third studio album, The Way That…
In Concert on Downtown’s Transit Mall
Picture this: A serene mid-day in Portland, the sun gently casting its warmth over Pioneer Square. As you sit down for lunch, the air is filled with the melodic strains of live music. It's Concerts on Downtown’s Transit Mall, an oasis of sound amidst the bustling city. Let the music serenade you as you savor…
Cat Clyde
Cat Clyde is a singer/songwriter based out of rural Ontario, Canada. A combination of driven, soulful blues and sweet, folk-tinged, dulcet tones that carry a particular sense of familiarity provide the structure on which she creates her unique sound. Cat Clyde’s 3rd album, Down Rounder, is a wonder of deeply felt songwriting, a record that finds the…
Julia Holter
Recent years brought about for Julia Holter an existential focus on human connection amid the staggering change that came with the death of loved ones (including her young nephew, to whom the album is dedicated) and the birth of her daughter. On "Something in the Room She Moves", Holter vividly processes the complexity, gravity, and…
The High Hawks
The High Hawks are a group of musical friends who hail from various jam and Americana bands: Vince Herman, frontman and festival ring leader from Leftover Salmon; Tim Carbone, ace fiddler and multi-instrumentalist from Railroad Earth; Adam Greuel, ring leader and guitarist from Horseshoes & Hand Grenades; Chad Staehly, keyboardist from Hard Working Americans; Brian…
Duniway Live Music
Enjoy live music by local musicians in the Mayrose Lounge Bar with Happy Hour specials from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Receive a 20% Local Discount on all food and drink. Must show ID.
The Innocents
Now the subject of an award-winning documentary film, The Innocents, is social justice advocacy through performance art. The work is an effort to delve deeply into the current issues surrounding the subject of wrongful imprisonment and exoneration, as well as a commitment to connect with the communities in which it is performed. This work cuts…
Brainstory
Based in LA but hailing from the Inland Empire's own Rialto, CA, two-thirds of Brainstory, Kevin and Tony Martin, are brothers by blood, while Eric Hagstrom is a brother through their music and long-term friendship. While the group's initial connection comes from the heady mixture of jazz-performance-focused music school and the grind of playing local…
Petey
Petey (born Peter Martin) is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who combines introspective and transformative lyrics with a spirited amalgam of indie rock, emo, punk, and electro-pop. In 2020 he began posting a popular series of absurdist alt-comedy sketches on his social media channel, and in 2021 he issued his debut full-length effort, Lean…
Yellow Days
Noted for throaty, yearning vocals accompanying his swimmy indie soul-pop, Yellow Days is the performance alias of British musician George van den Broek. After some early releases during his teenage years, he began to gain traction with 2017’s full-length "Is Everything Okay in Your World?" Switching locales to Los Angeles, his follow-up, A Day in…
Prepare for the Night with DJ George the Mixologist
Come enjoy music from DJ, George the Mixologist, who will bring vibes to the park every Friday evening before people enjoy all the nighttime entertainment downtown has to offer.
Canby Brewfest
Get ready to tap into some frothy fun at the Canby Brewfest, bringing back the beer-fueled extravaganza that had folks spilling their pints in excitement last year. Picture this: over 40 beers on tap, with local brews so good they’ll make you forget your name, live music that’ll have your hops hopping, and food trucks…
PSU Steinway Piano Series: Oxana Yablonskaya
The PSU Steinway Piano Series presents an exciting weekend of masterful piano performances: Friday, May 10 at 7:00 PM Concert with guest pianist Oxana Yablonskaya. This powerful concert will include solo works by CPE Bach, Schubert, Schubert/Liszt, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Ms. Yablonskaya will also perform the piano 4-hands version of Franck’s Prelude, Fugue and Variation,…
The 502s
The 502s are a band of friends and family hailing from Florida. A sextet comprises cousins Ed and Jake Isola, who grew up across the street from one another (in house number 502). Also, it features kindergarten friends Matt Tonner and Joe Capati, plus Sean Froehlich and Nick Melashenko, who joined the gang when they…
Pearl Jam
Though they made their initial mark as frontrunners of the grunge movement of the early '90s, Pearl Jam began and remained more emotionally curious and stylistically adventurous than many of their flannel-clad peers of that era, expanding past the angst and dissonance often associated with grunge to become one of the most popular and enduring…
Paco Versailles
Paco Versailles is a collaboration between guitarist/composer Vahagni and songwriter/producer Ryan Merchant (Capital Cities).Their sound is a mix of flamenco guitar rhythms with disco-leaning electronic production and captivating vocals, a new genre they call Dancemenco. The name Paco Versailles was conceived while imagining a collaboration between their biggest influences, the legendary Spanish guitarist Paco De…
Max Simon and The Alabama Choir Boys with Rosy Boa and Grolixies + Gentle Being
Max Simon and The Alabama Choir Boys https://www.instagram.com/maxsimonsays/ Rosy Boa – Bandcamp – Instagram Grolixies – Bandcamp – Instagram – Apple Music – Spotify Gentle Being – Bandcamp – Instagram – Spotify
Meagan Sky's Self-Love Soiree
Join a Mother's Day event centered around women, wellness and self-care. There will be vendors, live music, drinks, snacks, and more. Fill your cup + fuel your soul. Bring your mom and/or treat yourself to an evening where you truly feel taken care of. You can treat yourself and walk away feeling uplifted and inspired to follow…
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