In Scene Report, musicians from all over the globe fill us in on what’s going on sonically in their hometowns. This week, Sallie Ford of Sallie Ford And The Sound Outside gives the scoop on Portland, OR. The band’s new album, Untamed Beast, is now out on Partisan.


 
Portland is a great place to be in a band and to go listen to music. I’m a full-time musician, and the city has a lot to offer. The rent is affordable, and it’s easy to find a house with a basement to have band practice. There is a strong sense of community among the bands here, but at the same time there is a lot of variety and originality.
 
Recently I’ve noticed more rockin’ acts coming into the scene, which is something I like to see. For a while there, it seemed like every band in town was folky and had a string player, which isn’t really my thing. I still like a few mellower acts and go to a variety of shows myself, but I think Portland does have a pair of balls to flaunt.
 
As far as a music listener, there seems to be a great show to go see every night of the week. A lot of bands make sure to stop here on their tours, and there are of course many local bands to check out. We also have a couple great festivals like Musicfest NW and Pickathon.
 

 

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