Pala: Portland’s Premier Fashion Nightclub
Old Town, Portland, Oregon. Where the roofies out-number the women 3 to 1. However, if you can snake your way through the frat boys and greased up, gold chain adorned, half buttoned dress shirt with designer jeans wearing hoards; you might stumble upon a diamond in the rough.
Saturday night, $4 cover
DJ: Luke Solomon (UK)
Music: Every night I’ve been to this place they were spinning hip, danceable house music. This night was definitely no exception. Vocal heavy and thick bass lines that kept me moving all night, even while in line for drinks. Pala truly is a breath of fresh air for just the simple fact that they are they only club in town (that I’m aware of) that is consistently bringing International DJs through my humble city without a production company: Please note that I emphasize club compared to most places that host a single night. There are certainly venues and promotions groups, such as RedCube, who are bringing in large EDM acts from around the world, but for the everyday party at your downtown local pub, Pala is where it’s at!
Genres: House, Breaks, Funky Breaks, Down-tempo
Drinks:
Microbrews ($4)
Mixed drinks ($6)
Poured heavy (Priceless)
Kat (our regular bartender) has been consistently awesome each time I’ve been here. There was a bartender I hadn’t seen before as well, and he was just as attentive, quick and accurate. The service is great!
Crowd: There was a heavy mix of all types of people, including lots of women who like to get dressed up and boogie. For the majority of the evening, at least half of the patrons at the bar were on the dance floor shakin’ it. With around 100 people in the bar, there was plenty of room for everyone to dance and mingle without pushing and shoving. I’m assuming that the masses just aren’t aware of how great the music and mood is in this place.
Atmosphere: The bar’s only downfall, in my opinion, is lighting. The dance floor is absent of lights except three small black lights hitting three gracefully hung white strips of fabric running from the ceiling to the adjacent wall. However, the lighting in the bar and at the tables gives a wonderful chill ambiance as do the antiquities from Bali that are scattered throughout the place. The bar had a copper finish and LCD TVs playing runway shows, fashion photography and the Korean break dancing championships accenting the scene making this place truly unique.
A couch near the back and a day bed beside the dance floor provide a comfy spot to relax and people watch. Outside there is a private parking lot with canopies under which smokers lounge on benches, still able to hear the tunes bumping inside since the club is nice enough to bring out a speaker.
It’s easy to meet people and strike up interesting conversations, especially outside. When I asked a few what they liked about the place, most all say they enjoy the relaxed vibe and great music. I definitely have to agree!
