hipster decadence

We love Mississippi Studios. It’s easy to say that, but allow us to explain:

We’ve undoubtedly played around Portland in venues both big and small. From the full band sold-out show at the Crystal Ballroom to an acoustic set performing for a few folks at Ford Food + Drink, to an audience twenty years older than us at the Aladdin Theater to increasingly drunk people looking to have a good time at the North American Organic Brewers Festival. We’ve had to operate the sound board ourselves; we’ve had the sound guy disappear; we’ve had no PA system at all; we’ve had one of our instruments turned off in the middle of songs throughout our set while the sound guy blamed us for their cord failures; we’ve had people set up our sound check and do something completely different during our show; we’ve had absolute pros who do their job efficiently and quickly (can’t beat the Crystal/Aladdin with that!); we’ve had professional sound guys and we’ve had hobbyists.

The reason why we like Mississippi Studios? When we show up for our sound check the sound engineer is present and ready (one time the guy had listened to our music BEFORE we got there!), adjustable with our variety of songs (acoustic and rock/electronic), and they take a photo of the sound set up. Not only that, but on the side of one of the speakers is the itinerary of events for that night, plus the sound engineers name and the on-site managers name printed below. They are a truly thoughtful venue, setting a standard we haven’t experienced anywhere else.

Oh, and let’s not forget one of the best parts about Mississippi Studios—the sound quality is almost identical to our album. We’ve only experienced that in one other place, and that was at Trophy’s way down in Austin, Texas!

The alcohol and food offerings are great as well, and the vibe they’ve set up is cool but laid back. You can listen to the live music without going into the venue, or you can sit around the corner in the dining area or patio separated by a sound-proof wall.

They also host some of the 94.7fm private shows with bigger bands that come through town. So, if you’re in a band or are looking for a good venue to see a show and haven’t been, do check out Mississippi Studios when you can!