Bridge City Block Party is Exactly What Portland Needs

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Bridge City Block Party fulfills the longstanding need for an EDM-centric festival in the heart of downtown Portland.

While Denver is often lauded as the Bass Capital, the Pacific Northwest certainly gives it a run for its money. This year’s iteration of Bridge City Block Party (affectionately known as BCBP) was the most iconic one yet, seemingly solidifying it as a premier annual event in the heart of Portland.

Red Cube has worked tirelessly over the years to make BCBP a staple of the city. From humble beginnings of launching their first day party on a cement square near their prolific club 45 East to taking over downtown Portland’s iconic Pioneer Square last year, the event has come a long, long way.

This year, BCBP swapped to a new venue once again: Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The park itself has long been host to numerous events and festivals, including the Jazz Festival and the Rockstar Energy Open, but the waterfront has long lacked a proper, EDM-focused event.

Despite looming weather and their first foray into a new venue, BCBP was executed seamlessly. Food and drink were abundant and easily accessible, with the help of RFID wristbands that made paying for any festival necessities a breeze inside the venue. Although lines for merch were long, they provided some of the best options that each artist had to offer, as well as festival exclusives from Red Cube in partnership with one of the city’s most notable brands, Portland Gear.

Photo courtesy of Bridge City Block Party.

Day one was packed, but the energy was high.

Even though weather threatened to dampen the action, a short drizzle did nothing to deter the crowd. By the time the first set ended, most of the venue felt congested. The park itself is somewhat narrow, making crowd navigation difficult from start to finish.

This was expected, to an extent, as Subtronics hasn’t played in Portland proper in nearly four years. While the crowd may have been packed, it didn’t subtract from the experience in the slightest.

Day one gave attendees an excellent spread of artists to satiate their bass music palates. Local talent Liam Lantern took the stage first by warming up the crowd with underground sounds, followed by Costa‘s wobbly soundscapes.

Blossom took the stage next with a roaring drum and bass set that riled up the crowd fittingly, readying everyone for the rest of the night. Dr. Fresch came out heavy with his own unique blend of genres, playing through the cloudy sunset until Whethan took the stage. Overall, the setup for Subtronics was done right, captured perfectly by city favorites.

To end day one, Subtronics put together a set Portland won’t soon forget. The crowd was ecstatic; from the rail to the pit to the back of house, everyone was dancing. It was a moment that pulled the city together and will be remembered as the moment of the block party. Even with the city’s strict time constraints, Subtronics remained on stage for a two-song encore that capped off the night perfectly.

Photo courtesy of Bridge City Block Party.

Day two ended with a bang.

As expected, day two was a smoother experience. Lines were faster, and the venue was much less crowded at the start, as attendees held out a bit to recover from an exciting day one. The weather, while gloomier, still held throughout the day, making it a quintessential outdoor Portland experience.

The Block Party’s second local talent, Samurai Del, kicked off day two the right way with a no-holds-barred set. Gardella and Saka both lit up the crowd as more concert-goers poured in, setting the rest of the night up for success. Portland favorite EPROM took the stage next, ripping an all-time set for his hometown crowd.

Often, audience stamina wanes as festivals come to a close. That wasn’t the case at BCBP. Zingara kept the fire going with total crowd control for an hour, even bringing out Gardella to perform alongside her for part of her set.

To close out the Block Party, Zeds Dead took their usual ten-minute intermission before taking the stage. The crowd anticipation was palpable, as waves of Zeds Dead jerseys and hoodies rushed to the front of the venue.

It was the most exciting set of the weekend. For an hour and 15 minutes, the Canadian duo had total control of the crowd. It was a ceremonious way to cap off Bridge City Block Party, cementing it as a must-attend for next year.

Photo courtesy of Bridge City Block Party.

Red Cube knows how to throw an afters (and a pre-party).

BCBP itself was a massive undertaking, but that didn’t stop Red Cube from doing the most. To kick off the weekend, they hosted a pre-party at their legendary club, 45 East, featuring none other than Dr. Fresch.

As he’s a Portland favorite, the crowd was clearly read to get the weekend started. The dimly lit venue was filled with ravers from not only Portland, but from around the US as well. It was the first glimpse into what the weekend would have to offer, and it offered plenty.

The Block Party concluded at 10pm, and Red Cube was well aware their attendees wouldn’t be ready to call it a night. After day one wrapped, Wethan took over The Den, a large, open-concept venue that feels more DIY than club-focused. The underground feel is a welcome addition when it comes to bass-heavy performances, and the ambiance added greatly to another high-powered Whethan set.

To conclude the weekend, they brought out the big guns. Zeds Dead went straight from their headline set at 45 East to play for yet another sold-out crowd. The venue was filled to the brim with not only attendees, but incredible music and even better vibes. It was a bittersweet moment, capping off a legendary weekend that attendees will be waiting for a year from now.

Photo courtesy of Bridge City Block Party.

Bridge City Block Party is the end-of-summer event Portland needs.

Much like Bass Canyon, Above & Beyond Group Therapy, and BOO Seattle, Bridge City Block Party has become an essential experience for any Pacific Northwest raver. While not as large as the aforementioned events, it brings just as much heart and dedication to the craft, all while keeping the Rose City in mind.

Red Cube’s love for the city has never been more apparent, and they are committed to bringing Portland the best of what electronic music has to offer. As they continue to grow and expand, the scale and quality will, too. It’s only a matter of time before they make the Bridge City Block Party a must-attend for not only those in the PNW, but from around the US.