Scoop: The Day the Music was Muted

1. ENJOY THE SILENCE: You know what Portland needs? A silent disco. Because...um...well...it just does, OK! For the uninitiated, a silent disco is a dance party in which everyone is wearing headphones and listening to the DJ of their choice. In essence, it takes the communal experience of going to a club and personalizes it, which would seem to defeat the whole purpose—though Michelle Arrazcaeta, who’s throwing “Portland’s first art-infused silent disco” Dec. 2 at Union/Pine, argues it does the opposite, “transforming the anti-social act of listening to headphones into a shared experience.” OK, but what about the fact that everyone around you will be moving to a different rhythm? That sounds very annoying. Anyway, these things are growing increasingly popular for whatever reason, so help Arrazcaeta pay for the DJs, the art and, most crucially, the headphones, here.

1. CANCELED: November was shaping up to be a huge month for music shows in Portland. But last week, a series of big-name cancellations hit. First, Morrissey, who was scheduled to mope out at the Schnitz, canceled his remaining North American tour dates to return to England and tend to his ailing mother. Then, Green Day confirmed what everyone presumed would happen after Billie Joe Armstrong’s onstage breakdown in Las Vegas in September, postponing its upcoming concert slate, including a planned stop at the Salem Armory Auditorium. Finally, rapper Wiz Khalifa backed out of his appearance at Memorial Coliseum—surely a disappointing blow to local marijuana sellers. Don’t worry, though: As of press time, the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies’ gig at Dante’s on Dec. 1 is still on.

1. BOMB DROP: The ill-fated space under Noble Rot on East Burnside Street—home to four doomed bars in five years, with clientele ranging from frosted tips to biker tats to khakis and donkey pins—quietly cracked its doors this week as Bar alla Bomba (literally, bar of the bomb), a more upscale venture featuring Venetian-style small plates heavy on meat and seafood. As explained to BaB’s owner, Christopher Ashley, by a gentle old man in Venice: “For vegetarian, it is disaster.” The chef will be Ethan Flom (Broder, Savoy), and the official grand opening is Nov. 8.

1. FUTURE DRINKING: Tae Gyun Kim and Hyun Joo Lee are opening a “Napolese-style wood-fired pizza kitchen” called Oro Di Napoli at 3632 N Williams Ave. that will be headed up by former Bluehour and Morso chef Kenny Giambalvo. >> Akkapong “Earl” Ninsom of Thai restaurant PaaDee is opening Tarad Restaurant & Thai Market at 601 SE Morrison St. >> Farmers market gluten-free bakery Petunia’s Pies & Pastries is opening a brick-and-mortar location in the West End, at 610 SW 12th Ave. >> A new distillery called Rolling River Distillery is planned for 1215 SE 8th Ave.

WWeek 2015