Pop Culture Deep Dive

Mid-Year Pop Culture Report

From Big Thief to Marcel the Shell to a kinetic new take on Chekhov, these are the 2022 cultural nuggets that have spoken to us most directly.

07/08/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Portland Monthly’s Essential Summer 2022 Playlist

Summer songs from Portlanders old and new to spin this season

06/24/2022 By Conner Reed

Concerts

McMenamins Has Launched a New Concert Series in Forest Grove

At last: shows for people who would like to be in bed by 10.

06/17/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

The 1985 Kate Bush Classic Resurrected by Stranger Things Is the Song of the Summer

Where in Portland have you heard “Running Up That Hill”?

06/15/2022 By Margaret Seiler and Conner Reed

Pride

Catching Up with Two of Portland’s Reigning Queer DJs

DJs Sappho and Silversound on Portland's queer nightlife and their most reliable pump-up tracks.

06/15/2022 By Shannon Daehnke

Events

A Rundown of Portland’s Biggest Summer 2022 Concerts and Events

An incomplete guide to Portland’s best summertime cultural offerings

06/08/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

‘Backup Plan’ Pulls Dakota Theim's Music to the Present

The Portland singer/songwriter's infectious new single bridges his love of Harry Nilsson with contemporary bedroom pop.

06/03/2022 By Conner Reed

Events

6 Can't-Miss Speakers at TEDx Portland 2022

An anonymous poet, a Meow Wolf cofounder, a stripper-slash-writer, jazz drummer, and plenty of others will grace the Moda Center on May 28.

05/24/2022 By Conner Reed

Nightlife

Portland Is Dancing Again

A combination of roving dance nights, new venues, and pandemic fever has pushed Portlanders back out to the clubs.

05/16/2022 By Conner Reed

Pop Culture Deep Dive

Electra Heart 10 Years Later

Revisiting one of Tumblr-pop's most indefatigable outputs on its tin anniversary.

04/29/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Inside Portland's Booming House Show Scene

DIY home venues are back in full swing as omicron recedes. Can they handle the influx of fun-starved partygoers?

04/06/2022 By Shannon Daehnke

Live Music

Review: British Pop Star Dua Lipa at the Moda Center

Glitter, gays, roller skates, moms, dads, drag queens, a lobster, and more were all ‘Levitating.’

03/30/2022 By Shannon Daehnke

Editor’s Note

From the Editor: A New Season Blooms in the City

Spring is the perennial Portland promise.

03/28/2022 By Fiona McCann

Q&A

Jackpot! Recording Studios’ Larry Crane on Portland’s Music Scene, Past and Present

‘One person can walk in the room and make the record completely different, and that’s you.’

03/25/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

50 Oregon Albums That Define Our State

From Elliott Smith to Emancipator, Cool Nutz to Quasi, we’re running down the Beaver State’s most essential LPs.

03/23/2022 Edited by Conner Reed By Conner Reed, Gabriel Granillo, Karly Quadros, Katherine Chew Hamilton, Margaret Seiler, and Fiona McCann

Music

Portland Monthly’s Essential Spring 2022 Playlist

Fresh tracks from Portlanders old and new to spin this spring

03/22/2022 By Conner Reed

Movers & Shakers

Perfect Party: Spring 2022

From Dua Lipa to Ava Duvernay to a real clown, here's who we’re inviting to our dinner table.

03/21/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Song of the Week: ‘I Feel Fine’ by Reptaliens

The husband-and-wife-fronted band face the indoor doldrums on this track from their January LP Multiverse.

03/11/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Song of the Week: ‘Dancing Dimensions’ by Ural Thomas & the Pain

The Portland soul legend is back with a spacey, satisfying new single.

03/04/2022 By Conner Reed

Music on Film

Onry’s ‘1955’ Braids Together James Baldwin, Emmett Till, and Ouija Boards

The viral Portland opera star’s new short film is part of an upcoming visual EP.

03/03/2022 By Conner Reed