Venue info
Holocene is a music + arts venue, nightclub and events space in the core of inner-SE Portland.
- Est. 2003
- 312 capacity
- 5,000 square feet
- Corner of SE 10th & Morrison
Since the summer of 2003, Holocene has been hosting touring acts from folk to minimal techno, Portland’s own most exciting musicians, unforgettable dance parties, and all manner of arts and multimedia nights that float between highbrow and down-and-dirty. The building is the old Best Auto Parts warehouse: soaring white walls, 25′ ceilings, spindly bow-trusses and a metric ton of hand-built modern detail. The venue has 2 incredible sound systems, projectors everywhere, a very cute custom photobooth, wonderful cocktails and tacos, and a dreamy staff. Come through...
Visiting Holocene
Tickets
Sold through Etix via links from each show on the calendar; listed prices include fees. Door tickets, when available, have no fees. For DJ parties, we usually reserve at least 50 spots for the door.
Ages
Most shows and all weekend late parties are 21+ with valid ID. Please see the OLCC's list of acceptable IDs — we're not allowed to accept any other types.
All-ages shows are marked on the calendar.
Accessibility
Every customer space is wheelchair accessible. Each all-gender restroom has one ADA stall. Please contact us if you need any accommodation.
Seating
It's mostly standing in the performance areas, with barstools in the stage room and lounge seating by the bar. Need a chair? Ask any of our staff.
Getting here + parking
Our entrance is on Morrison at 10th. Street parking is easiest to the north and west of our intersection. We have bike stalls and good transit access: map + directions.
Tech specs
Front Room sound A full Danley Sound Labs system with tapped-horn subs, a Pioneer DJM-A9, CDJs and Technics turntables. Show specsHide specs
- Mains 2 × Danley Sound Labs SH60
- Subs 2 × Danley Sound Labs TH118XL 18″ tapped horns
- Fills 2 × Danley Sound Labs Go2-8CX over the bar
- Booth 2 × Electro-Voice ELX200 passive monitors
- Rack 2 × Danley DNA20K4 Pro, 20,000W 4-channel
- Mixers Pioneer DJM-A9 (primary) · Pioneer DJM-900NXS2 (backup)
- Decks 2 × Pioneer CDJ-2000 · 2 × Technics 1200 MK3 · Technics 1200 MK2
- Bands Simpler live setups can play on the lounge floor, mixed from the main console. Audio can be sent between the two rooms either way.
Full detail in the tech manifest (PDF).
Performance Room sound Custom flown Faital Pro PA with dual-18″ subs and Lab Gruppen amps, mixed on an Allen & Heath SQ-7. Show specsHide specs
- Console Allen & Heath SQ-7 digital console
Allen & Heath GX4815 stage box, 32 in / 16 out, 96kHz, over CAT6 - Snakes Downstage 12-channel sub snake
Upstage 12-channel sub snake with 4 returns
Guest CAT6 run from stage left to front of house, for touring engineers - Mains Custom flown cabinets, four per side, each with a 12″ 2000W Faital Pro neodymium woofer and a 160W 1.4″ Faital Pro neodymium HF driver
- Subs 2 × dual-18″ cabinets, 2000W Faital Pro drivers
- Rack White Instruments SP 2600 digital processor
Lab Gruppen FP 2600 (highs) · FP 3400 (mids) · FP 6400 (lows)
L-R goes in line to the processor, which does the sub crossover. Its settings are locked and set by a third-party rental provider. - Limit 100 dB SPL, slow A-weighted, measured at front of house
- Monitors 4 mixes on stage, powered by a 4-channel Yamaha amp
3 × Yorkville Elite EX401m wedges · 2 × Yorkville Elite EX2000 drum wedges - Mics 6 × Shure SM58 · 3 × Shure SM57 · Shure Beta 58A · Shure Beta 57A · 2 × Shure Beta 52A · Shure Beta 91A · 2 × Shure KSM137 · Audix OM3 · Audix OM5 · 4 × Audix D2 · 2 × AKG D7
- DIs 4 × Radial ProDI (passive) · Radial ProD2 (stereo) · Radial Pro48 (active) · 5 assorted
- Stands 6 tri-base with booms · 5 round-base with booms · 2 round-base straight · 7 short with booms
- Cables 50 XLR, assorted lengths · 6 unbalanced ¼″ TS, backup only
- Power Four 20A circuits dedicated to the stage, and two more backstage that can be run out if needed
Full detail in the tech manifest (PDF).
Lighting Uplights, moving spots, UV and haze in the stage room, moving spots over the dance floor, all on a CompuShow system. Show specsHide specs
- Control Elation CompuShow on 2 × Akai APC40 MK1
Guest DMX run from stage to front of house, for touring LDs - Stage room 7 × ADJ Flat PAR Tri7X uplights · 4 × Chauvet Intimidator Spot 255 IRC · 4 × Chauvet SlimPAR QUV12 USB · ADJ MB DMX II · Ultratec Radiance hazer
- Front Room 6 × Chauvet Intimidator Spot 255 IRC over the dance floor
DMX patch · universe 0
- 132–180 UP1–UP7 · ADJ Flat PAR Tri7X, mode 7
- 200–251 MH1–MH4 · Chauvet Intimidator Spot 255 IRC, mode 1
- 261–355 Dance floor, 6 × Chauvet Intimidator Spot 255 IRC, mode 1
- 412–447 DS1–DS4 · Chauvet SlimPAR QUV12 USB, mode 1
- 500–501 FX1 · ADJ MB DMX II
- 509–510 F1 · Ultratec Radiance hazer
Full detail in the tech manifest (PDF).
Projection Four projectors on one Resolume system, including 4K over the bar. Any video can go to any screen. Show specsHide specs
- System All four projectors run from one PC with Resolume, which can play any combination of videos on any choice of projectors
- Stage BenQ MH535FHD, 1920×1080, onto the geometric backdrop or a motorized screen
- Bar Epson 5050UB, 4K (3840×2160), onto the white wall above the bar
- DJ booth Optoma HD146X, 1920×1080, onto the white wall
- Hallway Optoma HD146X, 1920×1080, onto the white wall of the hall into the stage room
- Inputs HDMI from the DJ booth to Resolume, via ATEM Mini Pro
HDMI from front of house to Resolume, via ATEM Mini Pro
HDMI from the stage, direct to HDMI 2 on the stage projector, no latency
OBSBOT Tiny 2 camera feeding the stage to Resolume - Files DXV plays smoothest. With notice and the source files, we can convert yours.
- Daytime both rooms have blackout shades for projecting in daylight hours.
Full detail in the tech manifest (PDF).
More questions
Nope — we're open for shows, club nights and special events only. And that's every Wed-Sat night, many Sun-Tue nights, and often afternoon/early-evening Fri & Sat.
Anytime we're open, yes!
Birthday cake: probably, but we'd appreciate your reaching out prior
Hula-hoop or swinging dance prop: sorry, no
Meta/creeper glasses: nope
Personal defense knife/spray/firearm: no
Fake/toy weapons: not even on Halloween, sorry
Big camera: depends on the artist and their wishes
Stuff to vend: not unless you're part of the event and have cleared it with us prior
Extravagant, space-taking outfit: essentially always yes
We do use moderate amounts of haze for club nights, and for some shows.
We do not have proper strobe lights in house, but bands and DJs sometimes bring their own. When we're aware they'll be used, we put up signage. But this can sometimes get missed — so please use caution if you're affected by strobing light.
Please reach out to us via the contact form.
You know we're going to ask you to check your spam folder, right? Please search there for "Holocene" and "Etix".
If you have a credit card charge for the ticket in the expected amount, you should definitely be on our list, but feel free to reach out to us for confirmation. If you weren't charged, then the purchase did not go through.
Sometimes voids, etc. can leave temporary amounts on your credit card that show as PENDING. If you see a strange or duplicate charge, try giving it a few days to clear. And if it then moves from being a pending amount to an actual charged amount, definitely get in touch with us and we'll get it sorted.