One year of quality music

It can be a hard task to pick which concert to attend on a given weekend in Portland. With a mix of great talent and fun venues, there is almost always an option for everyone.

This weekend, solving this conundrum will take no work at all. In celebration of Mississippi Studios’ one-year anniversary, the venue is having a completely free concert tomorrow night with many well-known Portland artists including Laura Gibson, Justin Power, Yeltsin and Dirty Mittens. There will be more than 10 artists performing Saturday, with collaborations expected.

“We’ve encouraged people to collaborate…[creating] one of a kind performances,” said Mississippi Studios co-owner and booker Alicia Rose.

Collaborations are common in Portland due to the interconnectivity between many bands. Whether connected through a show or mutual band members, it will not surprise Portlanders to see multiple bands on stage at one time. Rose explained that in other regions, there is more competition between bands but that in Portland, groups tend to be cohesive through mixed sets and shared members.

Mississippi Studios picked bands for the show for many different reasons, leading them to having a large bill of groups performing. Not all venues would get this kind of response from the music scene, but Mississippi Studios has built a reputation that draws not only audience members, but also artists themselves.

“It has the best sound in town, it has the feeling of a small venue but it actually…has a pretty big capacity,” said singer and guitarist Chelsea Morrisey of Dirty Mittens.

The intimate space and comfortable capacity makes Mississippi Studios a great place for bands of all different genres to play.

 “We haven’t played at Mississippi Studios before, but I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things,” said bassist Dana Axon of Yeltsin. “I’m really excited to get a chance to play there. It looks like a fun lineup.”

Not only do bands and audiences flock to the young Portland hotspot, its staff and ownership knows they are selling a good product.

“Mississippi Studios is avery unpretentious, down to earth…straight-up music-lover venue,” Rose said. “There have been a lot of people who have become friends because of my booking or just the venue itself. It’s the best thing ever.”

With one successful year under their belt, Mississippi Studios is looking to continue improving on that foundation. With a great lineup of shows coming up, the venue is bound to bring in a committed audience and more inspired artists.

“I’m really excited about this next year because I intend fully to push it far beyond anybody’s expectations,” Rose said.

The venue will also be making some physical modifications and improvements as they continue to transition into their role as a Portland music mainstay. With names like Laura Gibson, Sean Flinn and Justin Power, this free show is one that music lovers cannot afford to miss.