Portland Pitches in 2012?

[davidkaye]

Planning on heading north to Portland and wanted to know how good the casual busking is. I don't want to have to get on the list for Saturday Market or anything, just set up my button accordion and play.

Are there any good intersections, such as near Powell's Books, or areas such as Pioneer Courthouse Square that actually work and won't attract cop harrassment?

[EpitaphofSanity]

I know Pioneer Square Courthouse will let you play as long as you don't produce revenue , at least that is what I was told by their director person thingy.

[Irina]

Hi, I am in Portland right now, but I only do festivals here. The only official pitch is Saturday Market, buskers lottery early in the morning. Try working near Voodoo Donuts - there's alway a long line to this place, captive audience... and it's between several clubs. so it may be a good day and night spot. I saw musicians on Pioneer Square and at the Fountain. During Blues Festival there's huge crowd on the waterfront, but festival stages are really loud, so only bucket drummers manage to work near entrances...But all the bars are packed, may be you can find a place to work inside...Are you coming for Blues Fest? It is totally awesome and donation to foodbank only, no charge, 4th -8th july.

[jeep caillouet]

I did a festival there called art quake a few years ago. I also played banjo down town on the side walk near a train station area. I forget if it had a name. I played in the day time.

[jeep caillouet]

Eugene country fair is in a couple of weeks. That always a fun place to work.

[Irina]

Oregon Country Fair is a whole different story...You can buy a 3 day ticket in Safeway and stay in a hostel in Eugene (3d street hostel is better then Willamette st hostel) or book one of the campgrpunds if you have a camping gear with. There's a free shuttle between Eugene and the fair, it stops running about 8pm, but it's easy to hitchhike. A lot of food vendors have 'play for dinner" policy, some even have little stages for busking musicians. If you never been to OCF - it's worth the experience, it's kinda hippy carnival in the woods, but do not plan on making much money.... Bands do well if they also sell CDs, but solo busking musicians just get food, weed and change...

[davidkaye]

...Are you coming for Blues Fest? It is totally awesome and donation to foodbank only, no charge, 4th -8th july.

No, I'd be going up there just because I used to live there and I want to connect with old friends and check out the place. My gasoline would cost about $350+ for the trip from SF and I'd be taking time away from my main job as a freelance computer tech support guy. So I'd like to be able to make some good cash on the trip to offset this.

In SF I can make a living wage on the street, but I've never busked in Portland, though I lived there for 6 years in another life...

[Irina]

I just walked on Hawthorne - a band set up at Ben and Jerry's and a guy playing guitar at the entrance to Fred Mayers.

[Irina]

I went to Saturday Market yesterday and checked the current buskers rules. No more lottery at the Saturday Market, and it does not control buskers anymore, if there's a problem - you deal with city cops, not their security. (Police in Portland is mellow and polite...) Market is both Saturday and Sunday, busking areas are around the fountain on nw 1 ave, and small fountain on the waterfront. But for street musicians it is not a good pitch as they have 2 stages with loud music.

[davidkaye]

Irina: So you mean that the police don't hassle anyone? So this means I could busk at Pioneer Courthouse Square or other places with good walk-by and I won't have a problem?

[Irina]

Look, I do not know much about police other then they are very nice and polite. Saturday Market has nothing to do with Pioneer Square - it's 2 different locations. SM used to superwise buskers around Saturday Market only - but they do not do it anymore, and let cops deal with buskers. They have hippies selling jewlry for suggested donation - it is like Fishemen's Wharf in old days. If they do not close illigal vendors, I think they would not bother buskers unless they get loud and obnoxious or get into fight with each other etc. There are tonns of transients here with alcohol and drug addictions and mental desease, so it is kinda 'street culture", watch your tips.

[davidkaye]

Irina, yeah I know that PCS is not SM; I lived in PDX for 6 years and used to own the Roxy restaurant, so I'm no stranger to the place. Thanks for your info.

[Irina]

I understand that, but old threads are used by folks in 'search' function to get info on pitches and festivals - so I am writing with this posssibility in mind - not just for you, but for anybody looking for info about Portland. This forum helped me a lot when just started to travel, and I do ask a lot of questions and get answers, so I appriciate opportunity to to contribute - to keep "give and take" in balance...Peace!