Bar Guide 2015: Black Water

835 NE Broadway, 546-1682. 8 pm-2 am nightly.

Vegan punk spots in Portland are like the Hydra. Cut one head off, and more will grow to take its place. Fast on the heels of Slabtown's closure, punk-metal Black Water was worshipping at the altar of seitan within months, throwing together a sold-out Divers show with lines around the block before it was even running full hours. And the place even looks like Slabtown, right down to the scuffed-wood stage painted black and spartan rumpus-room decor. The food is pretty good, in the old-school vegan way—lots of sauce and animal-free protein on the $8 vegan cheesesteak. But for now, Black Water is a little like a vacant clubhouse when shows aren't in session, and a madhouse when they are. On an off Friday—with Tarantino's entire film oeuvre projecting onto an above-stage screen in reverse chronological order—the bartender told everybody drinking at the bar they should go to the show at Habesha next door. So they did. But often enough there's touring metal, and if you've got fucking Appendix in town from fucking Finland, nobody's going to Habesha except on their knees.

Entertainment: Live punk and metal around three nights a week, projected TV or movies.


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WWeek 2015

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