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.
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…
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 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.
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.
Summer Free For All
Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.
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.
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.
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…
Chris Pureka
It’s rare for an artist to bridge the divide between critical acclaim and dedicated fan engagement. Chris Pureka is a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose work has resonated deeply with these seemingly disparate milieus. Their music has straddled the folk, Americana and indie rock genres over the course of their 20 year career, and over that time,…
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…
Antonio Rey
Many flamenco aficionados consider Antonio Rey to be the heir apparent to Paco de Lucia’s throne. His career began at the age of ten. He was soon performing on international stages and winning prestigious awards for his incredible virtuosity, such as the Premio Nacional de Guitarra (also won by Paco de Lucia and Vicente Amigo),…
Caroline Rose
After a series of heartbreaking events, Rose had no desire to make a statement, let alone make a new album. It was a time of contemplation and transformation, a time to slow down. What transpired was what the artist considers a gradual union of reconnection and growth. “I was writing songs the way that I…
Chatham County Line
Launched a little more than twenty years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina, Chatham County Line built a devoted local following on the strength of their genre-bending live show — an intoxicating blend of bluegrass, folk, country, and rock and roll — before breaking out internationally with their 2003 self-titled debut. In the years to come,…
Fruit Bats
A sense of place is a unifying theme he’s revisited with Fruit Bats throughout its many lives. From the project’s origins in the late ’90s as a vehicle for Johnson’s lo-fi tinkering to recent years' more sonically ambitious work, Fruit Bats has often showcased love songs where people and locations meld into one. It’s a…
Zane Penny + Husse with Cariño and Kvsper
Zane Penny Instagram/Spotify/Bandcamp: Alternative, sad angst. Alaskans show out for Zane Penny in our hometown. Zane's whole-package presentation raises the eyes of young 20-something shoe-gazers looking to connect. His performance is honest and grungy, yet tender. Zane Penny performed Sundown Solstice Festival 2023 alongside Rae Sremmurd and Turnover. Husse Instagram/Spotify/Bandcamp: A pop producer and…
Willam Jam: A Benefit Concert for Climate Justice
Immerse yourself in the sensational sounds of some of Oregon’s finest musical talent, and prepare to turn the vibe all the way up. From Classic Rock and Blues to Indigenous Roots Reggae, prepare for some high-energy performances by an all-star cast. Enjoy meticulously crafted cocktails, scratch-made tacos, unforgettable flavors of West Africa, and artisanal New Zealand…
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Over his past decade-plus of writing, recording, and producing, Tasjan has released four excellent and critically acclaimed solo albums, touring the world on his own and as the guitarist in the New York Dolls. He co-founded and co-wrote all the material for the band Semi Precious Weapons. In 2021, he was nominated for a Grammy…
Blitzen Trapper
There are numbers so vast they exceed the scope of human reckoning and concepts so immeasurable they surpass the capacity to understand. On their radiant new album, "100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions", Blitzen Trapper makes peace with the unknowable, surrendering themselves to forces beyond their control as they explore the infinite with a broad…
Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers were formed in 1977 in Belfast, Ireland. Along with the likes of the Clash, Sex Pistols, The Jam, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Sham 69, Stranglers, et al – Stiff Little Fingers were at the forefront of the punk movement. They wrote initially about their own lives, growing up at the height of The Troubles…
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,…
The BACH Dialogues – Christopher O'Riley and Matt Haimovitz
Acclaimed musicians Christopher O'Riley and Matt Haimovitz defy convention in "The BACH Dialogues," a concert that breaks boundaries and reimagines the music of a legend. Forget stuffy recitals. This explores where Baroque meets cutting-edge technology, and iconic sonatas get a vibrant new lease on life.
The Adventures of Baksana
Join friends and family for an early evening of music and dance with Baksana Ensemble, entertainment inspired by music, stories and dances from Egypt, Turkey, the Balkans, and the Levant. Step back in time with Baskana Ensemble to the height of the Ottoman Empire and entertainment emissaries on an EPIC adventure to study and…
That's So 90s Variety Show
BOOYAH. Bust out the butterfly clips and bucket hats because the 90s are back, baby. Join this fun-filled variety show featuring talented acts showcasing the music, movies, celebrities, and pop culture from this bomb diggity decade. Throughout the show, there will be trivia contests, a 90’s fashion show, top 10 lists, a costume contest, and…
Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique
Berlioz paints a portrait of obsessive love with opium-fueled visions of cinematic realism, featuring haunting ballroom waltzes, a march to the guillotine, and maniacal witches’ dances. Opening the program, Debussy’s tone poem heaves with hazy sensuality, and violinist Carolin Widmann explores nature and love in works by Takemitsu and Chausson. Program Debussy: Prelude to an…
Fox and Bones
Scott Gilmore and Sarah Vitort are Fox and Bones — energetic offbeat folksters with a retro pop-rock bent who have been setting the world alight with a handclapping, foot-stomping good time since 2016. The indomitable duo has brought their optimistic Americana polish to international stages shared with Rayland Baxter, The Dead South, ZZ Ward, The…
Pomona College Glee Club in Concert
The Pomona College Glee Club and Harmonologia Pomona, under the direction of Dr. Donna Di Grazia, will present a bouquet of unaccompanied music by Williametta Spencer, Will Todd, Paul Mealor, Heinrich Schütz, Johann Christoph Bach, and Shawn Kirchner, as well as Handel’s magnificent Dixit Dominus, performed with student soloists and Harmonologia Pomona, a professional period…
Lacabra + Anthares (France) with Ravine and Atomic Terror
Anthares: Thrash metal band from Morlaix, Brittany. It was in 1994 that Fanfan and Fanch, guitarist and drummer, respectively, formed the group, quickly followed by Phil on bass. An EP produced by Pat O'May was released in 1997. In 1998, a second guitarist joined the trio. They played with Loudblast on the "Fragments" tour. That…
Cadenza Series: Spring Concert
The Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble invite you to their Spring Concert. PYP Conductor Giancarlo Castro D’Addona leads the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, Lawrence Johnson conducts the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, and Gordon Rencher coaches the Portland Youth Percussion Ensemble.
Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All with Anna Diem
The Indigo Girls have been producing game-changing queer folk-rock for the past 40 years. Celebrate the outstanding legacy of the band and the women behind it with this exciting new documentary. Local songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Anna Diem will perform an acoustic set of originals and Indigo Girls songs before the film.
PSU Choirs: A New Dawn
The PSU Chamber Choir presents new compositions by PSU faculty, alumni and current students which they will be recording at Skywalker Sound (George Lucas's recording studio) for an upcoming album. The concert also includes PSU's Community Chorus and other special guests.
Larry & Joe
Larry & Joe is the duo of Joropo maestro Larry Bellorín (Monagas, Venezuela) and GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime star Joe Troop (Winston-Salem, North Carolina). These two virtuosic multi-instrumentalists fuse their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions on the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, and maracas to prove that music has no borders. Their…
Los Yonics
Los Yonics have been a top-tier mainstay on Mexico's grupero scene since the release of their debut album, Que lo Sepa el Mundo, in 1975. Founded by drummer Johnny Ayvar and fronted by guitarist and frontman Jose Manuel Zamacona, they shifted the focus of grupero music from its origins in nostalgic Spanish-language covers of Anglo…
VIAL
What happens when you give musicians KT Branscom and Taylor Kraemer a Tinder account? They find a third and start a band. VIAL is a Minneapolis-based indie punk band made up of keytarist and bassist Taylor Kraemer (she/they), guitarist KT Branscom (they/them), and drummer Katie Fischer (she/they). VIAL brings their genre-bending cascade of sound into…
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.
To The Symphony… And Beyond
Solid Brass presents an evening of music performed by a full brass band that you will surely enjoy. The concert features classic movie music, a classic symphony, and two world premiers of symphonic works for brass by local composers.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
Nonchalant flows, memorable hooks, trap beats that make plenty of room for melody, and the occasional hint of R&B smoothness all combine into an effortless style for Bronx rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie. The rapper hit the scene in 2016, releasing his debut mixtape Artist on his own label, but later signed with Atlantic. He scored…
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