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

Music

MAITA on Open Mics, Avoiding Clichés, and Straining to Feel Wild

The Portland indie rocker's sophomore LP, I Just Want to Be Wild for You, dropped February 18 on Kill Rock Stars.

02/24/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

5 Can’t-Miss Shows at the 2022 PDX Jazz Festival

Local legend Mel Brown, four-time Grammy winner Robert Glasper, and (many) more will bathe the Rose City in sound throughout the rest of February.

02/16/2022 By Gabriel Granillo and Conner Reed

Song of the Week

Song of the Week: ‘What, Me Worry?’ by Portugal. The Man

The driving, tongue-in-cheek anthem is the first new, solo material we've heard from the Lords of Portland in roughly four years.

02/11/2022 By Conner Reed

Events

10 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in Portland

Film festivals, art shows, a Black Panthers retrospective, and more fill the Rose City's calendar this year. Here's what we have our eyes on.

02/08/2022 By Karly Quadros, Conner Reed, and Shannon Daehnke

Makers

How a Luthier from Uzbekistan Makes Some of Portland's Most Beloved Guitars

Luthier Peter Tsiorba on making music from trees, a 16th-century lute, and a Portland guitar that changed everything.

01/31/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Music

Song of the Week: ‘Twilight’ by Ruth Radelet

The Chromatics vocalist covers the crushing Elliott Smith cut for Kill Rock Stars’ 30th anniversary

01/28/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Song of the Week: ‘Nuestro Amor’ by Sávila

The Portland three-piece casts a gossamer spell in this cut from last summer's Mayahuel EP.

01/21/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Song of the Week: ‘Sundown, Sundown’ by Federale

A sweeping, satisfying cover of Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra

01/14/2022 By Conner Reed

Arts News

Will Omicron Set Portland’s Arts Venues Back to Spring 2020?

Canceled performances, postponed productions, ever-evolving protocols: how live events are weathering the latest COVID surge.

01/12/2022 By Conner Reed

Music

Song of the Week: ‘Night Things...’ by M A N E

Slippery weirdo-pop of the highest order

01/07/2022 By Conner Reed

Pop Culture Deep Dive

2021 Was the Year of Millennial Ambivalence

Lorde’s Solar Power and Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You are polarizing explorations of a major 2021 theme: processing devastation by turning away from absolutes.

12/31/2021 By Conner Reed

Holidays

Where to Ring in the New Year in Portland

From the comedy nights to a glam gala to a Haitian cooking class, here are some Portland events where you can say goodbye to 2021 and hello to 2022.

12/27/2021 By Cami Hughes and Karly Quadros

Music

Song of the Week: ‘Outside’ by Les Gold

The indie rock collective's enthralling single marries campy noir with SoCal sun.

12/24/2021 By Conner Reed

Visual Art

Inside the Portland Art Museum’s Aux/Mute Gallery

DJ Ambush of the Numberz has transformed part of PAM’s fourth floor into a platform for BIPOC artists.

12/20/2021 By Conner Reed