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Portland Best Concert Venues

By Robert Barnesy


There is no lack for nightlife in Oregon with the variety of available Portland concert venues. Big, little, modern or historic, the city offers many options. Enjoy one or two brews and rock out with friends or have a fine dining experience followed by the opera. Below there is a list with the concert venues you can explore and visit in the city of Portland.

Roseland Theater

Found in Chinatown, the Roseland is typically one of the Portland concert venues favored by younger crowds. The location offers a split between all ages shows and those constrained to +21 guests. Local, hot, and occasionally celebrity talent perform here. A large stage, featuring leading edge lighting and sound equipment, faces a sizeable standing room only floor, that has a capacity of 1,410 and offers some balcony seating. The bar and diner known as Peter's Room connects to the theater and provides food and drinks. Peter's Room seats 400 and occasionally hosts intimate live performances. Many select the location for the selection of prepared acts and the relatively inexpensive tickets that usually hover around $20.00, but prices may escalate to $60.00.

Rose Quarter

The Rose Garden, or Rose Quarter, doubles as a sports arena and one of the concert venues in Portland. The flexible locale plays home to the NBA Portland Trail Blazers and the WHL Winterhawks. The facility often features tiered arena seating round the oval court or rink. When hosting musical events, the facility transforms into a smaller setting with 3,000 to 6,500 available seats arranged in a semi-circle round the stage. The Rose Garden often hosts concerts from assorted facets of the country and rock genres that are acceptable for audiences of all ages. Keenly priced tickets often run between $40 and $100. The location offers general concessions along with a selection of catered dining rooms.

Crystal Ballroom

Though in a historic building having an extravagantly designed interior, the ballroom offers a casual environment and hosts musical entertainment that appeals to audiences ranging from kids to forty-somethings. The pretty interior space features classic light fixtures and wall sconces, superb wall paintings and weird architectural moldings. The ballroom has a soundstage and lightshow where local well-liked and tribute bands often perform. The locale also includes Lola's Room, a smaller location that hosts DJ events and intimate live performances. Tickets for shows appearing at the Crystal Ballroom range all the way from a $5 to $35 cover charge.

Keller Auditorium

Formerly called the Municipal Auditorium or the Portland Civic Auditorium, the Keller is among the oldest concert venues in Portland. The elegant facility opened in 1917 and fans of the fine humanities may catch a performance of the Oregon Ballet Theatre or the Portland Opera, as both groups constantly perform at the Keller. Though the facility leans more towards Broadway shows and classical music performances, the Keller in addition hosts preferred entertainment from time to book. The classy building has a capacity of 2,992 with main floor orchestra seating, second level box seats, and rear first and second balcony seating. Ticket costs for performances range all the way from $60 to over $300, relying on the program and seating choice.




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