Author: Scott Ostlund

You may have heard of Seth Neefus and Mark Warren Jacques because of their work at the Together Gallery in the Alberta Arts District. Or maybe their names were floated by in one of the local Portland art circles.

As it redefines northwest folk, the Portland-based band Ascetic Junkies is riding a wave of consistency after releasing two albums and is planning for the release of a third possibly this summer.

After a move to Portland from northern Michigan, Portland band Cat Stalks Bird has noticed the more communal music scene and performance opportunities Portland has to offer.

“Rose City Thorns” may not be the most well known track from Portland band Benson Jones, but its title is probably more stylistically revealing than any in the local music community. This rock band that will play at Plan B tonight has an ear for punk and has produced quality songs that represent the genre well.

Though Berg Radin and company didn’t plan on creating a six-piece ensemble when they formed the Portland project And And And, the band grew because current members saw potential and enjoyed the collaborative style.

Texas and Oregon couldn’t be more different. Whether classified by size, weather, sports, politics or diversity the two regions are separated by a series of social and cultural dichotomies.

With one EP called Archipelago under its belt and a new album on the way, Strange Holiday has made the most of its four-month career here in the Portland music scene.

Tomorrow at Backspace, Portland band Ugly Colors will play its album-release show in support of its debut full-length Perfect As We Are. The band, composed of Daniel Jacob Harbold, Alexander Walker, Max Martin, Joey Lewis and Fernando Cruz IV, is playing its second show at Backspace

The Vancouver School of Arts and Academics offers intensive programs in areas such as music, theater, visual arts, literary arts and many others, with the music program offering high school students the opportunity to become well-rounded instrumentally and in music theory.

What started three years ago in a church basement has now spread out to the center of Portland and the Portland State University community. By pulling in community members, students and faculty, the Disability Pride Art and Culture Festival is focusing on telling stories often untold, and not limiting the avenues in which to do it.

The phrase “experimental dental school” may bring up reminders of braces, talky orthodontists or unethical World War II practices, but drop that sentence around the Portland music community and listeners will be quick to point at the local band, which recently shortened its name to XDS.