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.
Asian Heritage Month
Join Lan Su to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. In partnership with more than 20 local cultural organizations, performers, and artists, explore the history, traditions, and arts that make up the rich cultural tapestry of AANHPI. From May 4th to 31st, Lan Su highlights the stories, the culture, and the…
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.
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 for two nights of psychedelic stoner rock.
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…
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.
Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series
Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series Presented by 101.9 KINK: The Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series returns on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout June and July. From noon-1:00 pm enjoy music from some of Portland’s best regional and local musical talent. With seven FREE concerts, dancing, and some of Portland’s favorite food vendors at Carts on the…
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…
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.
Our Corner of the Sky: Pride on Broadway
Join Portland's Gay Men's Chorus at their annual Pride Month concert.Step into a world of glorious individuality and triumphant self-expression as the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus presents a dazzling concert featuring the music of Broadway. With show-stopping musical numbers and powerful stories, this concert celebrates the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience and love, leaving audiences inspired and…
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.
Music on Main
On Wednesday evenings, Portland’5 takes advantage of the summer weather to present the Music on Main concert series. The free outdoor concerts are held on Main Street next to Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall — between Southwest Broadway and Park Avenue in downtown Portland — and feature popular local musicians playing a diverse collection of music….
Summer Free For All
Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.
Piano Push Play
Piano Push Play invites local artists to transform old, donated pianos into whimsical works of art which are distributed across the city.
Oregon Country Fair
Delight in the Oregon Country Fair's world-class entertainment, handmade crafts, delectable foods, educational displays and magical surprises at every turn of the path. The Oregon Country Fair is nestled in a wooded setting 13 miles west of Eugene, Ore., and offers an other-worldly path ambiance, parades and more. The Oregon Country Fair creates events and…
Fete de la Bastille
The Alliance Française de Portland presents the 22nd Annual Bastille Day Festival to celebrate the French National Holiday. Like the Fourth of July, the French National Holiday celebrates a revolution that changed a nation. In 1789, the French stormed the Bastille prison, marking the birth of the modern French nation. The storming of the Bastille…
Harefest
The annual Harefest music festival in Canby presents the Northwest’s best tribute bands performing on three stages over two days. The Harefest experience has been described by many attendees and performers as an “adult summer camp,” not only for the fun-loving, good-natured attendees but also because of its rustic location and tent camping around the festival…
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.
Vanport Jazz Festival
The Vanport Jazz Festival features some of the biggest names in jazz. Grammy winners Patrice Rushen and Esperanza Spalding highlight this year's performers. Come out and enjoy the music, food, and merchandise vendors, as well as Oregon wine and spirits, in an atmosphere that attracts visitors from throughout the United States.
William Byrd Festival
Every August, some of Oregon’s finest choral singers convene to perform the stirring music of England’s greatest Renaissance composer, Shakespeare contemporary William Byrd.
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.
Montavilla Jazz Festival
Montavilla Jazz’s 10th Annual Festival runs September 1–3, 2023, with concerts across the city featuring original jazz by world-class local artists. This year, the festival highlights some of Portland’s jazz scene-makers, with internationally-acclaimed drummer Alan Jones headlining the festival Sunday evening with his quartet featuring Grammy Award-winners Tivon Pennicott and Kevin Hays, joined by NYC…
PDX Pop Now!
PDX Pop Now! was created when 14 people envisioned local music emboldened by local recognition and were driven to ignite it. The idea that Portland’s self-sustained scene had reached a level deserving of recognition, discovery, enhancement, stimulation, participation, accessibility and — most importantly — celebration. Thus, the PDX Pop Now! music festival was born in…
Mt. Angel Oktoberfest
In the heart of Oregon's hop-growing region, Mount Angel's Oktoberfest brings 350,000 people to the Bavarian village every September. The Northwest's oldest and best-loved folk festival celebrates the fruits of the harvest with a nice focus on hops. German-style biers, Northwest craft brew favorites, lots of wine, and a bit of cider are served in…
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…
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…
Jazz Combo Nights
The Jazz Are Combos present a series of performances featuring several small groups. Students present a variety of jazz and contemporary music arranged or composed for their ensemble peers. Directed by Darrell Grant, Sherry Alves, Owen Broder, George Colligan, Todd Marston and Ben Medler.
PSU University Band Concert
Portland State University Band presents their spring concert. The PSU University Band is PSU's largest band and is open to players of all abilities. This ensemble is a great option for non-performance majors to earn their large ensemble credits while performing with a fun and diverse group of musicians.
John Craigie
Portland, Oregon based singer-songwriter John Craigie covers the entire Beatles album 'Rubber Soul' with his unique "Lonely" blend of wit, humor, history and stories told between each beloved song. Five special guests will open the show, each playing one non 'Rubber Soul' Beatles song. Much like community, music nourishes us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It…
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.
PSU Percussion Ensemble
The PSU Percussion Ensemble presents its Spring concert, featuring contemporary percussion works, and command performances by members of the PSU Percussion Studio.
Jet Black Pearl
Hailing from the Netherlands, the untamed and inimitable Jet Black Pearl spent many years in the south of France before settling in Portland in 2014. She has performed on more than a thousand stages all over the world. Smartly wacky, her songs are a mad hatter's European party with a funky attitude. With her loop…
The Spitfire Grill
Broadway Rose Theatre Company presents "The Spitfire Grill", a touching tale filled with folk melodies. Based on the 1996 film, "The Spitfire Grill" is a touching and inspirational musical. Percy, a spirited parolee, follows her dreams to the small town of Gilead, hoping to create a new life for herself. She takes a job working at…
Concerts at Ardiri Winery
Allow Ardiri Winery to appeal to your senses with delicious wines, stunning views, and intimate concerts by various local artists and performers. Featuring concerts from a number of artists who bring the dulcet tones of jazz and funk to the winery while Ardiri brings the wine. Whether the Oregon forecast brings rain, shine, or snow,…
Carrie Jennings
Live music by singer-songwriter Carrie Jennings from Seattle, WA. Her music is deliberate and sultry, combining melancholic singer-songwriter lyricism, soulful horn lines, and dreamy indie pop aesthetics. Her performances are both tender and bold, with lush instrumentals and endearing stage banter. She is a storyteller and groove-maker compelled to explore the depths of the human experience…
Fonograf Editions Fundraiser w/ Eileen Myles, and more
Please join Fonograf Editions for a very special night of readings, music, libations, raffle prizes, and support for this small, non-profit literary press/record label. The line-up of artists and writers joining includes: Eileen Myles (virtual), Brandon Shimoda (virtual), Dao Strom, Neal Morgan , Emilly Prado, Connect on Instagram @fonografeditions, Twitter @fonograf_ed, Started in 2016, Fonograf Editions has always focused…
The Cat and the Canary w/ Live Score by Corey J. Brewer
Seattle-based musician Corey J. Brewer performs a new live score over the 1927 silent horror comedy film The Cat and the Canary. Regarded as one of the most important and influential films in the early history of American genre cinema, The Cat and the Canary perfected the ‘old dark house’ formula and set the stage for the Universal horror cycle…
A Century of Unforgettable Music
PYP concludes its centennial season with a performance of Franz Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony – the first piece ever performed by this orchestra, formerly known as the Portland Junior Symphony. Don’t miss your last chance to be thrilled by Season 100’s Portland Youth Philharmonic on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall stage. PYP welcomes special guests to…
Avi Kaplan
By the time Avi Kaplan launched his solo career with 2017's Sage and Stone, he'd already built an audience that stretched globally, racking up three GRAMMY Awards as a member of the platinum-selling vocal group Pentatonix. As the group's profile continued to climb, Avi knew he needed to return to his own artistic foundation —…
Major Tomboys
Ziggy Stardust fell to Earth once upon a time. It is the mission of Major Tomboys to pay tribute to his god-given ass. Major Tomboys is Portland’s all-femme David Bowie tribute band, founded by Renée Muzquiz (lead singer/guitar) and Lauren Hatch (keyboard) in the summer of 2018. There was a flash of lightning, an explosion…
dada
Since the release of dada’s groundbreaking 1992 debut Puzzle, the trio has created an array of songs boasting progressive rock musicianship, dazzling vocal harmonies and melodic power pop layered with inspired psychedelic and experimental rock impulses. Adding to the trio’s groundbreaking line of attack are the marathon-length shows that deliver on the promise that every…
MēAgan Sky
Join Alberta Street Pub for an inspired evening filled with empowering music and soulful vibes. Mēagan Sky will take you on a journey of self-love through her unique blend of indie pop and soul music. Get ready to feel empowered and uplifted. Mēagan Sky is joined by an amazing band of some of Portland's finest…
Sol Elicio Presents: EXPRESSIONS DJ Night
There are many ways of expressing yourself. This event is special because this curated lineup aims to really showcase some people who express themselves in an admirable way. Expect to hear all flavors of dance music across the globe in this diverse lineup. From house and techno to garage, breaks, DnB, juke/footwork and more. …
A Night of Worship featuring Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith, winner of season 9 of The Voice, joins the Portland's Singing Christmas Tree Choir for A Night of Worship on Saturday June 1. A mix of traditional and contemporary worship music with special guest Jordan Smith, Georgene Rice, Timothy Greenidge, and more.
Schubert & Strauss
The lyricism of music inspired by dance takes center stage in Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and Strauss’s Rosenkavalier Suite — their rhythms and melodies evoking the opulence of 19th-century Vienna. And Artist-in-Residence Xavier Foley paints musical portraits of Argentina in a new arrangement of Piazzolla’s tango-infused Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Program Giancarlo Castro: Commission and…
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