I built AudioCinema in 2005. An art and music factory, with rehearsal rooms, event space, multi room in house recording studio, video services, and a bar, In a 20,000 sq/ft warehouse in the largely abandoned South East Industrial area under the hawthorne bridge. Now that area is developed. I worked with then Mayor Sam Adams to change the zoning to include the manufacturing of art, and with the OLCC to develop the rules that would allow minors in venues with alcohol for the first time. We hosted PDXPOP, MFNW, TBA, and so many of Portlands landmark events. I closed that space on March 30 2020 at the start of covid lockdown. AudioCinema lives on through a smaller space here in Portland with the identical model, minus the rehearsal spaces, started by a longtime AudioCinema tenant, who understood the value and replicated it. Hopefully the model will spread and serve more communities.
For 15 years we served the art and music community of Portland. AudioCinema LLC still exists, the epic space does not, but the art, music, bands, artists, zoning, access, and influence live on.
A list of just some of the amazing bands that worked at AudioCinema:
Napalm Beach
George Clinton
Pavement
The Shins
The Punk Group
The Decemberists
Bad Brains
Fireballs Of Freedom
Storm Large
Pink Martini
Spoon
Cat Power
Ghost Face Killa
Lady Miss Kier
Deer Hunter
Fernando
Diamond Tuck
The Floydian Slips