It’s January, and it can be tempting to curl up under a warm blanket and never go out on a rainy night.
But it’s also Portland Music Month, and PDX Presents founder J. Pinky Jansen joined City Cast Portland podcast host Claudia Meza and executive producer John Notarianni to offer recommendations for reasons to venture out:
Live Music this Month
- Portland's Folk Festival: This yearly three-night event kicks off on Jan. 12 at the Crystal Ballroom. Featured performers for the first night are Thunderstorm Artis, Rainbow Girls, Goodnight, Texas, The Talbott Brothers, Brad Parsons, The Parnells, Liz and Pete, and Haley Lynn. Jansen’s recommendation: “That's going to be a good scene and a great time.”
- Hippie Death Cult. Notarianni’s recommendation: “They're a local trio that play psychedelic, stoner metal. It's lots of really big grooves but also pretty melodic.” They’ll be at Polaris Hall, also on Jan. 12.
- Ominyx w/ Billy & the Kidz. A tip from Jansen: if you like the headliner, come in time to check out the opening act as well. Jansen’s recommendation: “A lot of metal or post-hardcore bands are a lot of screaming and testosterone, where [Ominyx] is a little more groovy and psychedelic.” Of Billy & the Kidz, this is Jansen’s pick for the next big breakout band. The show is at the Holocene on Jan. 17.
- Fear No Music. It’s part of a series “Demystifying New Music.” Meza’s recommendation: “They're gonna be performing music and then talking about it because I feel like a lot of people are intimidated by new music.” It’s at Reed College’s Elliot Chapel on Jan. 21.
- Paolo Angeli. He calls his music traditional Sardinian folk music, but he’s Italian avant-garde too. He has a specially fashioned guitar with three sets of strings. Notarianni’s recommendation: It’s “a homemade instrument that he then runs through all these pedals and effects and he just gets these crazy orchestral groans and swells out of it.” It’s on Jan. 27 at the Jack London Revue.
- Audion. It’s an electronic music show from Detroit musician and DJ Matthew Dear. Notarianni’s recommendation: “If you've spent any time going out to electronic shows and know that feeling when it's really late and everything's a little bit woozy.” It’s also Jan. 27, at the Holocene.
Other Resources
- Jansen recommends the Portland-based site and app nearhear.app, which offers music listings with samples of the music to plot your own musical adventures around town.
- There’s one more reason to go out for Portland Music Month. The events are a fundraiser by nonprofit Music Portland to raise money for the Echo Fund, which supports recording projects, tours, and events.
Bonus: Winter Fun
If you’re not getting enough of an ice-cold winter feel during our relatively mild winter, maybe visit an ice skating rink:
- Lloyd Ice Rink at the Lloyd Center mall. As an extra seasonal treat, there are the occasional indoor snow flurries over the rink.
- Winter Ice Rink in Downtown Portland. It’s an outdoor ice-skating rink!
Live Music This Month
