This applies to every person that has attempted to create art*…
Whether they are those few talented musicians who end up being the next Decemberists, or the starving artist who won’t be appreciated until their life has passed. The Portland music scene is absolutely amazing. The art is inspirational for other artists around the world. Basically, Portland has an emergent influx of creativity that lacks one important thing… an audience.
Roam the streets of Pearl and Old town/Chinatown on a Wednesday. You won’t find lines of people gathered to see the up and coming artist who line their walls with perfect expressions of self discovery. What about the multiple locations with great music talent that don’t feature Portland’s undiscovered gems? Those musicians can only be discovered at venues consistently drawing empty crowds. You need a “First Thursday” or music festival to experience our unique flavor. This creates disappointment in the support outside of actually attending a concert or art show. Basically, we have a bunch of hypocrites praising Portland’s creative scene.
And you know THAT person. They talk about how they just went to an AMAZING art gallery off of NW Glisan on “First Thursday”. That person might even make a social jab at your status for not attending. These people are not native to Portland. That guy doesn’t appreciate the sweat needed for each creative stroke which provides the entertainment they enjoy. These hypocrites have a designated driver and will eventually go home to Clackasucks later that night. They do not understand art, but enjoy taking a trip down creativity lane.
Hopefully, this speaks out to all the artists that exist in Portland. It isn’t your job to establish an audience; it should be the community which speaks so highly of this art scene, to support your work. I cannot tell you how many shows I’ve attended with amazing talent, but lacks the supportive audience. I feel sorry for all those who benefit from “First Thursday”, only to hear crickets when the Second Thursday, Third Thursday and Fourth Thursday come around.
Things About Portland That Suck 
If you think the Portland music scene is amazing then you do not know music. At all. Portland musicians need to learn how to tune their instruments and read at least a little bit of music. However, you make a great point. The biggest problem I came into throughout my years playing here is the fact that Portland is a city of “musicians” and has a lack of an audience. It is why major bands leave and so very few bands have come out of Portland. Hype the mainstream sucks train all you want but it is true. If the guitar, your voice and the flow of the song are all out of tune who (other than douche bag hipsters) would want to listen to that.
Learn more about music first. Interview lead guitar players for a band who can’t even play the solos and then get back to me about Portland’s “amazing” music scene.
thats how our ‘scene’ works here too in fort wayne indiana. its a popularity contest where the people you end up hearing of are just the ones who have the most friends ‘in the scene’. you dont actually see support for good art.
coincidentally, i know quite a few people from this area of the midwest who have moved to portland area.
Boy ain’t that the truth! Scenesters can bite me!
“The age of the starving artist is over!” –an announcement I heard at the 2000 Arts Alive! conference at the convention center, which was followed by cheers and applause.
Bullshit.