Taylor Kingman, Lewi Longmire, Little Sue and Brad Parsons jamming out in the LaurelThirst’s basement: Photo by Jason QuigleyAs an artist, every day can feel like a grind. Just trying to stay one gig ahead of the next bill while scraping together money to invest in your art. How are you gonna afford that next recording session—let alone gas to get to the studio?
Scrappy as ever, you’re always making ends meet. It can be stressful, not to mention mentally and emotionally draining. But the satisfaction you get from writing a new song that acutely expresses your emotions, from feeling the warmth of a voice singing along to your music and the audience’s applause, from being truly independent—making your own schedule and following your own passion—is unsurpassable.
Yet, much of the time spent creating your perfectly penned product is spent in isolation. If you’re lucky enough to be part of a well-functioning band, you have a small support group. Still, heads are often down, grinding away, letting little from the outside world interrupt you. After working for extended periods in a vacuum, it’s such a release to share your output with the world. And if it’s well received, something special happens. You realize that your creation resonates with others, that there are others out there like you, others that care about what you care about. You have found your community.
And it makes all the difference in the world.
This is our community issue. This magazine see us forge a new partnership with Pip's Original Doughnuts & Chai to support the creation of more content as well as our creators. Our opening Soundcheck spreads at the front of every print copy look for new visual ways to tell the story of the Portland music scene. This time, it's the legacy of Dead Moon.
CLICK HERE to join the Vortex Access Party—you'll get a copy of the mag delivered to your door each quarter plus access to exclusive giveaways and prizes. This month its the new Fruition record on vinyl!We learn so much about community from the artists on the pages of this issue. Whether it's Taylor Kingman, Lewi Longmire, Little Sue and Brad Parsons jamming out in the LaurelThirst’s basement or Typhoon creating family through music, every single individual, writer, photographer, business and organization in this magazine (as well as here) have taught us something about what it means to be a part of the Portland music community. Some have been here literally since day one—and we thank you for your belief in our mission—while others are new to club. Welcome them by checking out their music or businesses and by supporting local!
We will continue to learn so much from the music and stories on the pages of Vortex, and we’d like to invite you to join our community too!
Just like a vortex in nature revolves around a central axis, we revolve around our community—that’s you!
Chris Young Editor-In-Chief
