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The calendar
The calendar is the feature that is used most often. It is not a general music or entertainment calendar. Our goal has been to cover narrowly, and most assuredly arbitrarily, the more traditional aspect of the music and dance in Portland.
Old-time Southern style stringband music, fiddles & banjos, get top priority, as well as traditional style square dancing. We support the old-fashioned so-called "traditional" style of bluegrass. For a more general list of the variety of bluegrass in Oregon, check the Oregon Bluegrass Association website. Here we stick with the old stuff.
You will also find listings for acoustic blues, rags, and jugband music, Sacred Harp singing gigs, French-Canadian, even a few old school country-western bands and jazz bands. The music is usually not slick but closer to home-grown entertainment. Old-time is D.I.Y. The calendar editor reserves the right to include quirky listings that can't be justified but by his whim.
The bands page
The band list starts with the ensembles and individuals that represent the most traditional sound, especially in the old-time stringband style. As you work down the list the definition broadens to include quite a variety of traditional music. Again, the editor has arrogantly exercised his right to select bands arbitrarily. This whole site reflects his taste. Good grief!
The dancing page
The dancing section lists all of the regularly scheduled old-time square dances in Portland, as well as a list of the local dance callers. Included are several videos and links to other sites that cover traditional style square dancing. An amazingly comprehensive list of all variety of Portland dancing is available at, of course, Portland Dancing.
The type of dancing we promote in this section is the old-fashioned way of square dancing, very different from the modern western square dance club movement. The clubs use recordings, we always use live stringbands. The clubs require years of lessons to qualify for the dance floor, but our dances are open to the public and newcomers are welcomed with open arms. Portland style traditional square dance is true folk dancing. Its community, neighborhood, family entertainment, often done in livingrooms and backyards.
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