Last Thursday Musicians

One of the things I enjoy most in Last Thursdays are the live music. Portland is filled with talented musicians strutting their music on the streets. Love it. This group was pretty good, it drew a pretty good size crowd. They are called Now Is All You Have.

A true bassist, slapping away on the curb.

My friend Ari is the drummer for the Prince Tribute Band. They drew the biggest crowd during Last Thursday. It got pretty crazy later in the night.

This street drummer is awesome, I see him play all the time while waiting for my bus in downtown Portland.

Mississippi Street Fair pt. 2

One of the cool things about the fair was that there were three stages for local bands to play in. This one of the the smaller stages, the main stage was in the middle of the street fair. 

Moustache craft vendor. Nice, plus you get a free plant.

This was a cool thrift/vintage clothing place. It's a vendor, but the Wanderlust is actually located in this small trailer and they go all around Portland.  Nana got a cool looking belt here.

This was the view of the street fair looking down towards downtown Portland. I still can't believe how packed the street were. It's like a zoo.

Craft vendor.

Nana and I took some pictures with Keila around the Mississippi neighborhood. I love this place, I wouldn't mind moving to the area someday.

Musician's Alley

Old car.

Red Owls in Mississippi

Blues Festival

One of Portland's most exciting annual events is the Portland Blues Festival.  Every year, thousands of people gather in the open grass area or in their boats in the Waterfront area in downtown Portland.  You can hear the blues and jazz music fill the air when you walk in the city and you're automatically attracted to the event.  I came to the event after work and walked along the Hawthorne bridge from the east side of the river towards the Waterfront.  These were some of the interesting things I took pictures of as I walked on the bridge.

I thought food carts is the trend in Portland but I was wrong, now it's food boats.  This dude was selling weenies on the water, ice cream also.  I wonder if he could throw food up to me and I'll chuck some quarters to him.  Maybe I'll try next year. 

This is one of the few times where many boats gather out in the Willamette River.

Ohhh, good dog.  Enjoying the music.

Esperanza

This is probably one of the coolest things I did this year.  I went to a jazz concert review featuring Esperanza Spalding.  What an amazing Jazz musician and a Portland native.  I had a chance to hear her talking about music theory and dynamics. For beginners new to her music, start with her second album.