BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition - January 2020

KEX Portland
Portland Art Museum
The first career retrospective of
the Brooklyn-based artist features
over 90 works, including conceptual
photography, videos, and
sculpture, that survey and critique
American ideals from sports to civil
rights from the Black gaze. One of
the most affecting pieces is “14,719
(2018),” a large-scale installation
the PAM commissioned from
Thomas. It resembles an American
flag, with the number in the title relating
to how many white stars are
stitched into the navy fabric—and
each star representing someone
who died from gun violence in the
U.S. in 2018.
EAT/DRINK
Jojo
3582 SE Powell Blvd
If you ask around for the best
friend chicken, locals will point you
towards this food truck. Whether
Doug Fir Lounge
Deadstock Coffee
you order a classic southern fried
chicken sandwich, a boneless
thigh with spicy Thai fried Brussels
sprouts on the side, or one of
their many rotating specials, you
can’t go wrong. The offerings are
juicy, flavourful, and messy. Bring
napkins and an appetite.
The Solo Club
2110 NW Raleigh St
This eatery and cocktail lounge
serve up Mediterranean-inspired
plates and excellent brunch on
the weekend (the shakshuka
is top notch). Their drink menu
prominently features Amari, bitters,
and vermouth in both classic
and creative concoctions. Plus,
with kitschy details including original
barstools and light fixtures
from its historic sister-restaurant,
Besaw’s, you’ll want to linger longer
just to marvel at the décor.
Jojo
The Solo Club
Deadstock Coffee
408 NW Couch St
Sneaker-themed and judgement-free,
this coffee shop is at
once a creative hub and the place
to get a damn good brew. They
roast their own beans and have
all sorts of fun stuff on the menu,
including the LeBronald Palmer
(sweet tea, coffee, and lemonade)
that’s named for a rare edition
of the LeBron 9 Nike shoe. Plus,
you haven’t seen latte art until
you’ve seen a kick in your caffè
crema.
SHOP
Wildfang
404 SW 10th Ave
A go-to for Tegan and Sara and
Janelle Monáe, this boutique
specializes in gender neutral styles.
Think everyday essentials that look
beyond typical ideas of women’s
fashion. Their Wild Feminist Collection,
which includes everything
from fleece and t-shirts to tux
blazers, is one of their signatures.
Mississippi Records
5202 N Albina Ave
This little place has been a collector
go-to for more than 15 years
for its selection of rare blues, soul,
and jazz vinyl that also comes at
an extremely reasonable price. A
quick peek around the shop and
you’ll spot hard-to-find titles from
John Coltrane, Nina Simone, and
Blind Willie Mitchell. Mississippi
also operates as a label, specializing
mostly in re-issues. It all firmly
abides by its “Love Over Gold” motto,
which emphasizes founder Eric
Isaacson’s vision that decisions
here are made in the name of love,
not money.
Music Millennium
3158 E Burnside St
Opened in 1969, this Portland
institution just celebrated its 50th
anniversary. And, as the city’s oldest
record shop, it’s as much of a
destination as it is the place to find
quite literally any vinyl, cassette, or
CD imaginable. From Angel Olsen
and Orville Peck to the Buzzcocks
and David Bowie, bins of $2 wax,
as well as a thorough selection
of rare 45s, Music Millennium has
it all—even their own merch. Set
aside an hour or two just to explore
this awesome space.
Powell’s Books
1005 W Burnside St
No trip to Portland is complete
without a pilgrimage to Powell’s.
Known as the largest new and
used independent bookstore in the
world, it first opened in a former
car dealership on Northwest Burnside
in 1971, a flagship location that,
following a big expansion in 1999,
sprawls an entire city
block. Now, Powell’s
boasts five different
locations across PDX,
with an inventory
upwards of two million
volumes.
She Shreds
Founded by Fabi
Reyna to provide a
visible and inclusive
platform for female,
non-binary, LGBTQ+
and BIPOC guitarists and bassists,
She Shreds is redefining how
players from underrepresented
communities are presented in the
greater guitar industry. Features
from what it’s like being pregnant
on tour to women instrumentalists
in tropical music are just a glimpse
into the topics this magazine dives
into. “Reimagining, reinventing,
and redefining language, imagery,
design, and music journalism all
play a part in how She Shreds aims
to push culture forward,” Reyna
tells BeatRoute. Pick up an issue at
Powell’s.
NIGHTLIFE
Doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St
Dressed up like a log cabin in homage
to its location’s roots (Burnside
was once a logging road) this
iconic venue plays host to some
of the best indie and up-and-comers
in the city. The performance
space is intimate, with a sunken
floor and open concept, so there’s
not a bad seat in the house. The
upstairs restaurant is open all day
from 7am until late and features an
exceptional science-based cocktail
menu. Don’t leave without trying a
Nitro Old Fashioned from the north
end of the bar.
The Lovecraft Bar
421 SE Grand Ave
With a huge pentagon overlooking
the dance floor, a room with a coffin
in it, and an eight-foot-tall statue
of Cthulhu, the octopus-man-dragon
creature dreamed up by writer
H.P. Lovecraft, this horror-themed
bar lives up to its namesake. It’s
also well-known for its industrial,
goth, punk, and dark electro dance
nights.
Jack London Revue
529 SW 4th Ave
Tucked away in the basement of
the Rialto Poolroom, the Jack London
Revue has a speakeasy feel to
it with, as they put it, “the modern
bells and whistles of a cutting-edge
21st century club.” The place to
see live jazz and an important
facilitator in making
space for it in the city,
the venue also hosts
a number of fantastic
weekly nights including
Neo Soul Sundays with
Rich Hunter, a figure
of Portland’s hip-hop
community.
Aztec Willie’s
1501 NE Broadway St
Taqueria by day, salsa
club by night. Voted as
the best spot for Latin dancing in
Portland, Aztec Willie’s includes a
variety of styles from bachata to
timba. You don’t have to be a pro to
join the fun. In fact, there’s usually
a dance lesson before the floor
opens up into a giant party. ,
KEX/MIKAEL LUNDBLAD
JANUARY 2020 BEATROUTE 31