Local, Live Music to Shake The Winter Blues

It’s winter in Portland — though unlike the rest of the country, the daffodils and camelias are already sprouting and budding.  It’s also time for a fresh crop of new music that’s coming up early this year. For more live music shows, check out our online calendar.

Three-time GRAMMY nominated artist Justin Roberts recently became a dad, and he’s been busy writing songs about the journey to parenthood. His Wild Life album will be out on February 28th, and the first single “Heart Like a Door” will pull at your heartstrings. Roberts has many fans in the Portland area and most recently performed with Red Yarn at a Fambly Ramble.

Fans of kid-friendly podcasts will enjoy the songs and sketch comedy on the Story Pirates Podcast, which is now in its third season. The podcast, which recently won an iHeart Radio award, has featured some amazing guests (Billy Eichner, Alex Brightman, and Portland’s own Colin Meloy) lately, and Meloy will also guest on the upcoming Story Pirates album (Cats Sit on You) in February.

Music and stories are also a feature of PJ Library Listen, a free entertainment hub for families raising Jewish children. The site offers dance mixes and holiday playlists along with stories based on traditional folk tales.

Local music LIVE: 

Portland Children’s Museum continues to feature interesting music. Red Yarn will perform his regular monthly morning concert there on Friday, February 21st at 11 am. The puppetry-enhanced folk show is free with museum admission (and for members). And, the second annual Building Bridges Family Music Festival is in the planning stages, set for September 12 and 13, 2020!

Mo Phillips enjoyed a good run with his amazing “Spectacular Daydream” musical at the Echo Theater. He’s got a bunch of shows coming up this month, including a regular Thursday night monthly gig with Red Yarn at Mississippi Pizza.

Jessa Campbell continues to perform around town, including at OMSI and at the Alberta Street Pub (which has picked up the not-so-secret family concert series after the closure of The Secret Society). 

If you are a little remiss on your resolutions to move more in 2020, we’ve got the prescription for fun. Koo Koo Kanga Roo, the hilarious dance-party duo whose “brain breaks” on YouTube have millions of fans, have teamed up with the Harlem Globetrotters. Their song “My Jam” is now a wonderfully fun music video, which just debuted this week.

Get up and move with the Harlem Globetrotters and “My Jam”