
1939 Ensemble invited us into their North Portland practice space to talk about the formation of their band and how they developed their unique sound. We also got to capture them performing one of their new songs, “Hourglass,” before they hit the road to go on tour with Tortoise and RJD2, a tour that is…
Read MoreWe had a chance to sit down with John Craigie in his home where he recorded his latest release, No Rain, No Rose. In this video, get an intimate glimpse inside John Craigie’s recording process, find out what to expect from his Great Northwest Music Tour and hear him play a song off of his…
Read MoreWho is Bernadette Bascom? Students’ music teacher and vocal coach, gospel/R&B singer, Vegas stage performer, Emmy Award winner, pal to Stevie Wonder…. High among her many accomplishments is the Music Project at Secondary Academy for Success (SAS), an amazing program initially launched for musicians at what’s now McMenamins Anderson School. Bascom was recruited to lend…
Read MoreJust one of the fun aspects of gathering McMenamins history is when it comes from out of the blue. We recently received an email from a guest at the Kennedy School inquiring about our Draaiorgel het Blauw Frontje. (Great name for a beer, right?) Have a look… ***** My family and I visited the Kennedy…
Read MoreBack in October, fresh off his booksigning at Powell’s, Bruce Springsteen stopped by the Tavern & Pool for lunch with his buddy Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club and other works. Sounds like the start of a Portlandia skit, but it actually happened. And one of our T&P regulars, Catherine Graham, was there not just…
Read MoreIts quite safe to say that The Freak Mountain Ramblers are an institution in the McMenamins music community. Going into their 12th year as a Great Northwest Music tour regular, not once but twice per season, we wanted to chat with The Freak Mountain Ramblers about how this relationship came to be, and to rehash some great memories they’ve made with us over the years.
Read MoreMcMenamins photographer Kat Nyberg had the opportunity to sit down with Saint Motel before their show at Crystal Ballroom on Saturday for a fun, spontaneous interview and photo shoot. Find out why the Crystal is one of their favorite venues, where babies come from, and other interesting topics. It was an amazing show for everyone, and the interview was a fun bit of spontaneity for both Kat and the band.
Thanks for a great night guys!
Are you a member of the Crystal Ballroom’s “Join The Band” loyalty program? Now through the month of June we’re rewarding points for all food and beverage sales in Al’s Den and the Annex.
Read MoreUral Thomas and The Pain kick off the 10th anniversary season of Great Northwest Music Tour
Read MoreThis week’s blog post is gonna be a quickie, but a goodie.
Will West has been holding down a lot of forts for us lately – heading up the White Eagle’s “Eagle Time” and “Add Love” showcases, kickin’ it at Rock Creek Tavern, etc.
We like West for his hand-clappy, call-and-response approach to Americana….
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