Hawthorne Theatre — Attraction in Portland

From past reviews on past (almost)15yrs I can tell this place has changed & improved some things (like where the bar is & some hallway signs to help how/whr to go for what), but sadly it still has all ages shows that brings in people that are ANYTHING BUT FANS &justThr 'cause they're bored. I can still remember abt a decade ago I went there to see a band that is pretty much(some literally)dead now&since the bar was at the back then I wasn't surprised some(mostly females)got into the "all ages" area drunk&jumping on people's backs/shoulders(literally). Moving it to the side helped decrease that, but now instead of crackhd like drunks it's teen-like(many likely are in teens & 20s)AHs that go in the floor crowd while its compacted (especially soldout1s)&start hitting people w/whatever theyCan&pointlessly pushing any1they see&no one does anything about it. Is this a fight club or a concert/theater venue? Many of ACTUAL FANS like me AREN'T THERE TO JOIN/WATCH A FIGHT CLUB! We paid to SEE the bands/other NOT6or7ft tall hds &/or get bloody skin/eyes/other &/or some1 spit/spray their whatever on us, there are many places that are free "we/they" that can do that (like outside in certain areas). 4 other venues in Portland Ive gone to in past 3yrs were more caring/responsive when unwanted/not allowed violence was taking place(just like as if someone was smoking inside). 1(not this 1) 5- 8yrs ago I went to & it had the expected pit & crowd surfing, but it got so out of control someone almost perm damaged my lungs(collapsing them) after slamming into parts of crowd,even the headliner band was concerned whn they saw I had pretty much collapsed/blckd out after that&had the staff takMe2the saferAreaOfCrowd,in a way that was sadly the best part of that show. At least compared to others' reviews pre2015, now the security guard/s were nice/more friendly, I know better in any venue to not go in bathrms(go b4,like eating before you go in) unless it's emergency/to get air so can't say any abt that, I've memorized the order from door to stage what to show (besides the newer things like related to covid) like some other venues I've been to many times but this yr there wasn't any visible schedule to see WhoTF was ACTUALLY playing(both band poster & ticket didn't show actual 5, NOT 3, bands playing. I could tell1was local). If I was at the back I would have no idea who the unknownOther 2bands were until I would go2aMerch table...which as past revws have said are right at sides of floorcrowd so can be damaged &/or impossible to buy frm during show. They did have a big fan in there which helped circulate the air much better than 5 or 10 yrs ago. Tix: I always have no matter which venue order/get the Tix b4, not will-call or at point purchase & always have (or at least try to) respect the staff AND bands, so those points I've never had probs w. Just people in crowds, even in seated crowds (in a couple diff venues of course), it's like along with proof of ID & covid card (& tix)there should be proof you/they're there to SEE/watch the bands AND KNOW about them (like names of members or state/country from) not play wrestle/boxing/UFC on the floor 'caus they had nothing els2do/bored ruining others' experience. There's friendly excited crowd then there's overaggresiv crowd(like I've seen many vids of at pre2020fests). IDKMaybe theres just not enough staff there(since the covid restrictions)but it's fine until the bands start playing then it's like going over an old rope/vine bridge. Cn't guarantee it would completely stop or wipeout the injuries problem, but if majority of shows were 21+ (or maybe some shows, but more likely SECTIONS/AREAS if even exists/possible: Shows 18or16& under or sections14& under or2-14yrOlds w/1or2 adult/parent accompanying them4shows/areas parents want to bring their kids to or kids/minors want to go to. Just like some that have areas for disabled/wheelchair access) it likely would severely DECREASE that problem(as much as the proof of knowing more than name of band that's on the ticket/s or 1 song...

The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is the limited seating upstairs. I know, I know, it's an old place and they can't help it...but when you compare it to the Doug Fir Lounge, my 5 star choice in town, Hawthorne unfortunately came up with no creative solution to the problem.

The building used to be the Sunnyside Masonic Temple back when I was a kid, and it's funny to see shows there, because we used to drive by it every Sunday for years in the 80's. It's a cool old building.

ALL THAT SAID...I saw Failure there just 3 days ago, and it was a really good show. My wife and I sat in the back on the balcony, since she's super short and can never see over everyone's heads. Since she's short enough that everyone can tell immediately that she'll never be able to see anything, people will generally give up a seat for her out of sensitivity. This held true, and two very nice people squeezed together with their dates to give us enough space to sit. It was a little tight, but even I got to sit the whole time.

The sound system in this place, at least at this show, performed exceptionally well, and even in the back of the room with earplugs I could still hear all the instruments and the singers with great clarity. The event staff were friendly and helpful, not the surly bouncer-types. I can't speak for the quality of the drinks, because all I had was water (I don't drink).

The location unfortunately does not have parking on site because the lot is only really big enough for the band's tour bus, but the neighborhood behind the venue to the south and west had plenty of parking, and we were able to park only a few blocks away - 5 min walk. We did show up something like 30 mins early to ensure we didn't have to park a mile away. The only thing I would caution is that you should not leave anything of value visible in your car, as I understand that break-ins are common in this area, despite the fact that it is otherwise a safe neighborhood. We made sure to park in front of a well-lit house (many of the households seemed to have gone out of their way to light up their front yards - white Christmas light and path lighting, etc.) and we did not have any issues.

On the whole it was a good night, and I would recommend it for any music fan who wants a chill...

Saw Fortunate Youth at this venue and had a very disappointing experience which is unfortunate considering they are a really great band to see live. The issue wasn't the band; however it was the venue and the staff that made the experience awful. First of all, I am aware every music venue has different policies, and I understand if a venue does not allow pot smoking. However, do NOT go over the top and be distracting to the performance. Throughout the show there was people lighting up joints and the security would come in barging through the crowd acting like someone was about to shoot up the place. They would not only confiscate the weed, they would grab the person and throw them out like they were committing the worst crime in the world. This was happening the whole show and the little venue had about 15 security workers wandering throughout the place with flashlights trying to spot out as many people smoking as they could. As a spectator, this was VERY distracting and I couldn't even focus on the band I paid money to see, and I'm sure it was just as distracting for the band as well. Listen, if you don't allow smoking, then confiscate the weed and give a warning and possibly kick the person out if they're causing real trouble, but don't over staff the place and have the security walk around with flashlights pushing through the crowd just for some pot smoking. That is overly dramatic and is a bummer considering Portland is a great place for the music scene. I've been to plenty of other venues around here (Star Theater, Roseland Theater, Mississippi Studios, GoodFoot. Crystal Ballroom and more) and NONE have ever been this strict at all. I attend live shows every week and I can PROMISE I will never attend this music venue again and I don't recommend any band nor spectators waste their...