Other Show Houses & DIY Spaces
here’s some places i only went to once:
Ainsworth Basement: Oct 20 2018
This is where Pink Noise II happened – I don’t know anything about this place!
Amit’s House: May 27 2018
Amit no longer lives at this house located at NE 40th and Going, but he did in 2018.
Basement 41: May 28 2016
This was a house located near Rev Hall in SE Portland. I attended one show there in 2016. A source claimed that the show was “hosted by a young photographer who was cancelled seemingly moments after that gig.”
The Basement Ballroom: Jan 27 2023
Reis, potentially a native of southeastern Wisconsin, lived in this house located at N Interstate and Humboldt. A source reports that the house changed names with each show, and was also known as Pink Baltimore on at least one occasion.
Big Sky Ranch: March 31 2018
The one time I went to this house on N Montana was their inaugural show – did they have more?
Buck Haus: July 8 2016
This house at NE 15th and Ainsworth doesn’t seem to have hosted many other shows – this is the only one I can find any evidence of.
The Boathouse SE: May 6 2017
Located at SE 59th and Division, this so-called “boathouse” was about 3 miles from any navigable body of water, and bore no relation to the Boathouse of North Portland. I believe they changed their name after realizing that another place was already called that.
Brooklyn House: July 14 2017
This house was at SE 43rd and Brooklyn, and I can’t tell you anything more than that.
The Chokey: Sept 30 2016
Located at NE 22nd and Killingsworth, the Chokey was active from 2016 to 2017, but I only went this once.
Church House: Oct 28 2016
This “Church House” was located at NE Church St between MLK and 7th Ave. A comment by Ben on the Facebook event for the one show I attended clarified that the show “[wasn’t] at the original church house..”, suggesting the existence of a prior house that used the same name.
Club Sofa House: Feb 18 2017
Club Sofa House was located at SE 50th and Kelly; I cannot find any evidence that they ever held any other shows than this one.
Eclectic Rambler Exchange: Nov 18 2017
Located at 216 SE Alder, this 14-vendor vintage mall held their grand opening with a show by The Shivas on August 10 2017. They were later named one of Portland’s best new shops of 2017 by The Oregonian; I have found no record of them existing beyond that calendar year.
Frog Dog House: April 23 2016
Described by one attendee (Tully) as “not so much of a ‘location’ as it is more of a conceptual journey,” Frog Dog House was one half of a duplex apartment located at SE 14th and Main. My one time attending a show here was their finale.
The Goo: Nov 4 2017
Ah, what could I say about The Goo? Nearly nothing. It was located SE 59th and Harold.
Grapefruits Art Space: Feb 7 2018
At the time of the show I attended, Grapefruits Art Space was located in the alleyway behind the old glass factory in North Portland. It was later located in the rare book room at Mother Foucault’s Bookshop before moving to 1.75 acres in central Vermont. Grapefruits is a project of Martha Daghlian.
John’s House: Oct 29 2022
Dreckig played this Halloween party at John’s house somewhere in Northeast Portland. I do not know who John is.
Knott House: July 30 2022
This house was on Knott Street, but I don’t know if anybody actually called it Knott House.
The Leak: Feb 18 2017
Unlike many show houses, The Leak maintained a Facebook page (still active as of September 2024) with extensive details about the shows they hosted while they were active from 2016 to 2017. Also unlike many show houses, it was located in SW Portland off Capital Highway and Taylors Ferry. Ben Nelson and Harrison Wallace lived here.
Mark’s House on Sauvie Island: March 14 2019
Mark lived/lives here on Sauvie Island on Lucy Reeder Rd, and one day there was a secret house show here and somehow I found out about it. Who is Mark, anyway?
My Friend Ben Scott’s House: March 4 2016
Per the Facebook event, My Friend Ben Scott’s House was formerly known as The Lodge, however the “My Friend Ben Scott’s House” named existed at least as far back as May 2015 when they hosted a show with Safety Net, Sioux Falls, Snow Roller, Caregiver, and the eponymous Ben Scott (I did not attend). My Friend Ben Scott’s House was located at SE 37th and Bybee and was the home of Sioux Falls, of which Ben Scott was then-drummer. They did not appear to host any shows past summer of 2016.
Mystery House: Oct 14 2022
I didn’t take good notes this time and I have no idea where this house was, but my investigation has so far led me to believe that it was “by a 7-11” and that “there was a cat.”
One Night Stand: Sept 21 2016
“One Night Stands” was to be a series of one-off house shows at places that might not ordinarily otherwise host such a thing. To my knowledge, it didn’t happen again. This house was located off SE Belmont at Cesar Chavez Blvd.
Red Star: May 12 2017
Located at SE 12th and Cora in Portland’s Brooklyn neighborhood, at least one member of Pleasure Curses lived here at the time. They had their own email address, redstarpdx@gmail.com.
Sam’s House: March 30 2018
Sam Carpenter of Tom Ghoulie lived in this Buckman house. My Google Maps saved places also lists this as “Sortovia / Sauna House,” but I’m not sure what this means.
Tillamook Basement: March 3 2018
Stephanie lived at this house at NE Rodney and Tillamook.
Vuum-70: Jan 3 2017
I don’t remember where this house was located, but Charlie Ahern lived here.
The Web 2.0: March 23 2019
Presumably a follow-up to an earlier, original “The Web,” this house was located at NE 27th and Emerson.
Williams House: July 29 2023
While I only enjoyed this house located at N Williams and Rosa Parks from the backyard, a former resident (Evan) writes, “At the foot of the holy redeemer Catholic Church in north Portland, this venue lasted almost one year. 4 cats, and one dog lived in this house. RIP Big Dave.”