Stumptown Soundcheck

Portland Radio Project / Music Portland
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Documentary
  • Updated Monthly

This podcast is in collaboration with Music Portland‘s Advocacy Council will provide a comprehensive examination of Portland’s music community, addressing the challenges faced by local musicians, venue owners, and other stakeholders. The podcast aims to raise awareness of the issues faced by the PDX music community and initiate conversations on a variety of topics including cultural arts plans, economic development and music tourism.

  1. Sep 27

    Episode 35: Making Room for Music: Rethinking Sound in Portland

    Sound can connect us—to nature, to music and to one another—but sharing space also requires understanding and consideration. Music Advocacy Council Sound Committee co-chairs Derek Trost and Brendy Hale join host Anthony Messano to discuss why updating Portland’s noise code may be the clearest and most practical way to accommodate musicians practicing and rehearsing at home, and how community feedback can help create a better understanding of the needs of musicians and their neighbors.

  2. Jul 26

    Episode 34: Listening Across Oregon: MusicOregon’s Statewide Listening Tour

    MusicOregon’s Statewide Listening Tour set out to hear directly from musicians, venue operators and music professionals across Oregon about what’s working, what’s missing and what support local music communities need most. Tim Wilson, Dick Huey and Cheri Jamison join host Veronica Bisesti to share the tour’s biggest takeaways, the differences they heard from region to region and what comes next.

  3. Jul 16

    Episode 33: Sidewalk Songs: Busking, Policy and Public Space

    What happens when live music becomes part of the soundtrack to your day? This month on Stumptown Soundcheck, host Anthony Messano welcomes David Pollack & Johnny Franco of Curbside Serenade, along with Paul Van Orden from the City of Portland's Noise Program, for a conversation about busking, public spaces, and how music, community, and thoughtful policy come together to shape the places we share.

  4. Apr 26

    Episode 32: Fix the Tix… or Fix the System?

    If you’ve tried to buy a concert ticket lately, you know how frustrating it’s become. Oregon is stepping in with new laws aimed at bots, deceptive practices, and speculative ticketing—but will they actually change the experience for fans, artists, and venues? Host Anthony Messano is joined by Jimi Biron and Kevin Erickson to explore what these reforms get right, where they fall short, and what it might really take to fix the system.

  5. Mar 22

    Episode 31: Behind the Festival: Building Music Events in the Pacific Northwest

    Music festivals don’t just happen—they’re built. We talk with Chad Colwell (Jackalope Jamboree) and Christina Fuller (Waterfront Blues Festival) about what it really takes to create festivals in the Pacific Northwest.

  6. Feb 23

    Episode 30: Amplifying the Industry: Inside the MusicPortland–MusicOregon Merger

    This episode of Stumptown Soundcheck unpacks the merger between MusicPortland and MusicOregon — what changed, what didn’t, and why it matters to everyone in the music ecosystem. Host Anthony Messano talks with Music Oregon Board President Tim Wilson and Music Portland board member (and former president) Kate O’Brien about advocacy, statewide expansion, and the real impact these organizations have behind the scenes. From policy wins to artist investment and membership changes, they clarify the biggest misconceptions and explain who should be paying attention now. If you’re an artist, venue, or industry worker wondering who’s fighting for music in Oregon, this conversation is for you.

  7. Jan 26

    Episode 29: Turning the Corner: Music, Policy, and Portland’s Next Chapter

    Portland is in the middle of another transition, and conversations about safety, culture, and identity often blur together. On this episode of Stumptown Soundcheck, host Anthony Messano is joined by Marshall Runkel, political strategist and longtime Portland civic advocate, to talk through how music and cultural policy intersect with the city’s future. The conversation touches on public investment in arts and entertainment, statewide support for cultural infrastructure, and why music venues matter beyond nightlife. Rather than revisiting what’s been lost, the episode looks toward what could be built next.

  8. 11/27/2025

    Episode 28: To park or not to park...

    With new host Anthony Messano at the helm, Stumptown Soundcheck digs into one of the most universal — and maddening — parts of Portland’s live-music experience: parking. Joined by venue leaders Cheri Jamison (Alberta Abbey) and Jimi Byron (McMenamins/Crystal Ballroom), the conversation explores how parking availability influences ticket sales, audience turnout, artist load-ins, neighborhood relations, and overall venue operation

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About

This podcast is in collaboration with Music Portland‘s Advocacy Council will provide a comprehensive examination of Portland’s music community, addressing the challenges faced by local musicians, venue owners, and other stakeholders. The podcast aims to raise awareness of the issues faced by the PDX music community and initiate conversations on a variety of topics including cultural arts plans, economic development and music tourism.

Information

  • Creator
    Portland Radio Project / Music Portland
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026
  • Show Website
    Stumptown Soundcheck

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