Electronic Music in Portland, OR

A guide to the best electronic music in Portland, Oregon, including clubs, bars, and events.

electronic music

Electronic music is a genre of music that is created with the help of electronic musical instruments and compositional techniques. It has been a part of the music industry for more than a century and has evolved significantly during this time. Today, electronic music is a very popular genre, particularly in the US and Europe.

electronic music in the 1970s

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, electronic music began to permeate the mainstream. In 1968, the Beatles released their album The Beatles (commonly known as The White Album), which featured the avant-garde track ” Revolution 9.” This song, along with others on the album such as ” Come Together” and ” I Am the Walrus,” showed that the band was interested in exploring new soundscapes.

In 1970, Pink Floyd released their album Atom Heart Mother, which featured an entire side of electronic music. This was followed by their iconic album The Dark Side of the Moon in 1973, which featured the use of synthesizers throughout.

Other artists who were interested in exploring electronic music included David Bowie, who released his album Low in 1977; Kraftwerk, who released their album Trans-Europe Express in 1977; and Brian Eno, who released his debut solo album Here Come the Warm Jets in 1974.

Interest in electronic music continued to grow in the 1980s with the advent of new technologies such as digital synthesis and samplers. This allowed artists to create more complex soundscapes and textures. Artists who embraced this new technology included Depeche Mode, New Order, and Underworld.

The 1990s saw a resurgence of interest in dance music with the rise of DJs such as Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers. Electronic music also became more commercialized during this decade with artists such as Britney Spears and Madonna incorporating elements of it into their pop songs.

Today, electronic music is more popular than ever before. It has been incorporated into all genres of music and is enjoyed by people of all ages all over the world.

electronic music in the 1980s

The 1980s saw the rise of electronic music, with artists such as Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, and New Order at the forefront of the genre. In Portland, Oregon, electronic music scene was particularly vibrant, with clubs such as The Groove and The Metropolis hosting regular events. The popularity of electronic music in Portland continued into the 1990s and 2000s, with clubs such as Berbati’s Pan and The Saturn Bar hosting regular events.

electronic music in the 1990s

The 1990s saw a rise in popularity of electronic music, particularly in the United States and Europe. In the US, the music scene was dominated by clubs and festivals that played a range of genres, from techno and house to drum and bass. In Europe, electronic music was often associated with underground rave culture.

The 1990s also saw the rise of electronic music festivals, such as the annual Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These events typically featured a mix of live music and DJ sets, and attracted thousands of people from all over the world.

Portland, Oregon

electronic music in Portland, Oregon in the 1970s

In the 1970s, electronic music in Portland, Oregon was influenced by the wider world of progressive rock and experimental music. Local bands such as Quicksilver Messenger Service and the Grateful Dead were early innovators in the use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments, paving the way for later electronic music acts. In the 1980s and 1990s, house and techno music became popular in Portland clubs, and the city remains an important center for electronic music today.

electronic music in Portland, Oregon in the 1980s

In the early 1980s, Portland, Oregon was a hotbed for electronic music. The city’s clubs and concert venues played host to a wide variety of electronic musicians, from early adopters of synthesizers and drum machines to cutting-edge experimentalists.

This electronic music scene was spurred on by a number of factors. First, there was a large and active DIY community in Portland at the time, with many people building their own synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments. Second, the city had a number of excellent music venues, including the legendary Pine Street Theater (later known as LaLuna), which hosted regular electronic music nights. Finally, Portland was home to a number of key figures in the American electronica scene, including Suzanne Ciani (who founded the Oregon Synthesizer Institute) and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees (who produced Portland band Quivering Virgins’ 1981 album Electronic Perfume).

In the early 1980s, electronic music in Portland was still very much in its infancy. Still, there were a number of gifted musicians working in the city at the time, and they helped lay the foundation for what would become one of America’s leading electronica scenes.

electronic music in Portland, Oregon in the 1990s

The 1990s saw a boom in the popularity of electronic music, and Portland, Oregon was no exception. The city’s clubs and bars began to host regular DJ nights and electronic music events, and soon a thriving scene developed. This scene culminated in the founding of the Portland Electronic Music Festival in 1999, which has been held every year since.

Today, electronic music is just as popular in Portland as it was in the 1990s, and the city’s clubs and bars continue to host regular DJ nights and electronic music events. The Portland Electronic Music Festival is still going strong, attracting world-famous DJs and producers to the city every year.