Funky, musician's neigbohood in Portland?? (appointed, real estate market, apartment complexes)

[playinqhooky]

Helloooo all!
I've been looking for a funky, energetic musician's neighborhood in Portland. I have been referred to both the Brooklyn and Hawthorne districts but from what i've read online, the Brooklyn district is far too busy for my liking, and the Hawthorne district is more hipster-like than musical.
I'm looking for a neighborhood/district where all musicians are close, and the genres of music are the most diverse. The vibe has got to be open and fun! I am looking to move to Portland from Southern California this September for college (PCC) part-time, and would love to start my music career as well; i want to be able to meet as many musicians as possible and learn from those around me. My main passion is music, and i want my living setting to mirror that of my lifestyle.
Please help! and Thank you!

[EasyBeezy]

I don't know if anything like that truly exists. Maybe years ago, but now that Portland is expensive, and musicians are generally broke, I would imagine that they are more concerned with staving off homelessness than clumping together. That said, all of Portland is artist friendly, so I would imagine you'd be comfortable anywhere in town, especially on the East Side.

[jjpop]

There's seems to be a pretty healthy busking community in downtown. Here's a blog about busking in Portland: https://pdxbusk.wordpress.com/ . The last post was a couple of years ago, so there may be better info out there. But maybe their contact info is still good and you could ask them your question. It's worth a shot anyway.

[bler144]

Wish I remember which band, but there was an article in Willamette Week a few months back about a long-time Portland band talking about how much the scene had changed precisely because of housing [and to a lesser extent how the real estate market has impacted some venues].

Things are pretty scattered now from what I can see - it's not just the costs, it's the lottery-nature of even getting housing in the area one would want to be. Tends to make congregating a bit more challenging.

In any case, I'd strongly recommend focusing on housing near whichever PCC campus you intend to take most of your classes. You really don't want to be in East Portland commuting to Sylvania or Rock Creek.

[NWGirl74]

Originally Posted by EasyBeezy

I don't know if anything like that truly exists. Maybe years ago, but now that Portland is expensive, and musicians are generally broke, I would imagine that they are more concerned with staving off homelessness than clumping together.

This was my first thought too. A few months ago, I got an email notification for a new Meetup group, "Creatives Reluctantly Leaving Portland" (which seems to have closed down already) and it was for artist-types who were looking at leaving or leaving Portland because they can no longer afford to live here.

OP, I would suggest a backup plan. I have a friend who is a singer/songwriter. He also has an office job to pay the bills. I also know of a musician who works as a teacher, one who works in a hospital and one who works in a bicycle shop.

With more and more businesses being closed and snatched up to turn the property into high-rise apartment complexes, the things that make Portland "Portland" are starting to vanish.

[Bluesmama]

I don't believe there has ever been a musician's village in the Portland area, and it's even less likely now with all the reasons mentioned above. This concept reminds me of the Musician's Village in New Orleans, a neighborhood providing cute, affordable houses in the 9th Ward (of all places). But New Orleans has a cohesiveness amongst its musicians that is different from most other places.


I've always wished that someone in Portland would initiate the idea of creating our own "Frenchmen Street", a strip of nightclubs that play a variety of music. At one time, when nightclubbing was more popular, it would have been a heckuva music utopia. Could probably still generate a new enthusiasm. (However, here it would need PARKING, something that's grossly ignored.)

[Yankeemama]

I would stay in So- Cal if I were in your shoes. There are so many more venues in So- Cal that feature live music and Portland isn't Williamsburg(early 00's), Grrenpoint, Red Hook. I think you will be disappointed in the Portland Metro based on your criteria for moving here.

[Minervah]

Musicians from Curtis Salgado, (70's) to Sleater Kinney (present day) have lived in Portland but there has never to my knowledge actually been an entire enclave or neighborhood of musicians.

[AndyAMG]

Moving from the epicenter of all music to start a music career in Portland. I've heard it all.

That's like posting:

"I live in Nashville, I want to move someplace to start my country music career... How is Charlotte NC?"

To answer your question you would have to give an example. I have never heard of a musicians neigborhood. You mean like The Music Bank in Seattle? Or some hipsters playing banjos on a street corner? record stores in like high fidelity?

[patches403]

OP, I wouldn't worry too much about the neighborhood at this point - I would concentrate on finding a place close to the PCC campus and your work. Unless you're living off a trust fund, you'll be so busy working full time (to be able to afford to live here) and going to school part time that you won't have much time for music until after you've graduated. And by that point, whatever musician areas do exist probably won't exist anymore so you would have to move anyway.