Rockin' Out at Portland's Crystal Ballroom

April 24, 2008


By Ashley Moran

This past week, I had the opportunity to check out one of the Crystal Ballroom's alternative concerts, put on by 94.7 fm's Passport Approved program. The concert featured Skybombers, Justin Hopkins and Bassboosa. The Passport Approved program runs on Sunday evenings and features artists from areas around the world. For example, Skybombers are from Australia, and Bassboosa is from London.

If you've never been to the Crystal Ballroom, be sure to check it out! It's located near Portland's pearl district, close to a variety of fabulous restaurants including Manzana, Andina, Paragon and ¡Oba!. There are also a variety of places located near the Crystal Ballroom to grab coffee and dessert or a cocktail and a late-night snack after the show. Better yet, the Crystal Ballroom is also a McMenamins, so you can grab a pint of Ruby or Terminator Stout and a delicious burger at Ringler's Pub without even having to leave the building.

The ballroom itself is exquisite. The floor bounces when you walk across it (you can even feel it move as you stand still), and there are a number of gorgeous chandeliers overhead- many with pink and even blue crystals! There is also a bar and snack bar in the ballroom, to help you keep your energy up while dancing and/or rockin' out.

Now on to the concert. I thought the music was excellent, and 94.7 fm did an excellent job organizing the event in collaboration with the Crystal Ballroom staff. The style of music was rockin', but still mild and mellow enough that my ears didn't ring afterward. Skybombers played first, and they entertained the crowd by telling quirky stories about the origin of each song they had written. I also loved the way they danced around the stage- I think everyone could tell that they loved performing. I also spotted members of Skybombers and Bassboosa signing merchandise for fans later on in the evening, which was very impressive.

I had heard a few of Bassboosa's songs on the radio, but wasn't completely familiar with their music until I attended this concert. I really enjoyed their style- it was quite mellow, but upbeat and catchy at the same time. They also played a remake of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game", which was definitely my favorite. All in all, it was a fantastic night, and I hope to attend another concert like this very soon!

For more information on upcoming concerts in Portland, please visit the Crystal Ballroom's event calender. Also be sure to check out our Upcoming Events section. Rock on!

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Comments (1)

ashley holcomb:

omg i loved this show!!! passport approved is one of my fav shows on 947, skybombers were wicked and loved the other bands too!! come back soon?

Posted by ashley holcomb | April 24, 2008 4:17 PM

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