{"id":11594,"date":"2016-06-16T18:23:09","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=11594"},"modified":"2016-06-16T18:23:09","modified_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:23:09","slug":"wheres-the-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wheres-the-party\/","title":{"rendered":"Where’s The Party?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summerguide 2016 | view this story as a .pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

Where’s the music’s loud, where the beer’s cold, where everybody is.<\/span><\/h3>\n

By Karen Hofreiter<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"SG16-After-Dark\"There’s<\/span> something about those long and languid summer days that makes seizing the cooler nights an imperative. Portland\u2019s Old Port offers a plethora of opportunities (despite the complaints of a few killjoy guests at nearby hotels) to get loose and loud well into the witching hours. <\/span><\/p>\n

Summer city classics<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In Portland, it\u2019s not always at the trendy newcomer locales that you\u2019ll find the really good times. Some of the city\u2019s most tried-and-true do it best, with the characteristic warmth and laid-back atmospheres most conducive to high spirits and hedonism. <\/span><\/p>\n

Remember those illicit backyard parties of your underage youth, the ones your friends threw while their overly trusting parents were vacationing in Italy? Blaring and rambunctious with stale Doritos and warm, flat beer in red Solo cups? Swap these out for authentic toasted tortilla chips and local craft beer and that\u2019s exactly the vibe you\u2019ll find on a summer\u2019s eve at Amigos Mexican Restaurant<\/strong> (9 Dana Street, Portland 772-0772). In the outdoor space out back strings of lights along the high wood fencing, a band tucked in the corner, and the youthful, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd create that homegrown, thrown-together-last-minute atmosphere of an authentic party. As a local party fiend put it: \u201cThe name of the place should be \u2018The IT bar of the Old Port.\u2019 It\u2019s\u00a0 <\/span>just dive-bar enough to scare away the high-maintenance types, the whiners, the snobs, the yuppies, and the hipsters\u2026 and the patio is where it\u2019s at!\u201d (Yelp, September 2015).<\/span><\/p>\n

The nightly live jams coming from the wharf-side deck at the Portland Lobster Company<\/strong> (180 Commercial Street, Portland, 775-2112, portlandlobstercompany.com) liven up this long stretch of Commercial Street. It\u2019s hard not to be lured over for a beer, bite, and perhaps a little boogie\u2013if there\u2019s space, that is\u2013in the \u201ccrowded, hectic atmosphere\u201d (Tripadvisor reviewer, Killington, VT, December 2015). The incredibly popular lobster and seafood joint is almost always packed with locals and tourists alike, cramming in to crack lobsters and sip Maine-brewed summer ales, while soaking up the live music lacing the fragrant sea breeze. \u201cThis place is straight up ROCKING what seems like every day of the week during peak season.\u201d (Yelp reviewer, Flushing, NY, February 2016).<\/span><\/p>\n

Head just around the corner and you\u2019ll find another deck for dancing at The Porthole<\/strong> (20 Custom House Wharf, Portland, (773-4653, portholemaine.com). The expansive wharf-side patio draws high-spirited hordes on balmy summer nights with live local acts, plates of briny oysters, and no-frills cocktails. From post-work suits ditching their jackets and loosening their ties during happy hour, to slap-happy tourists already on their sixth round, there\u2019s \u201cplenty of people-watching: young folks dressed for the clubs, old folks dancing to music…\u201d (Yelp reviewer, El Dorado, CA, August 2013).<\/span><\/p>\n

Another famed Portland patio sits on the rooftop of Brian Boru <\/strong>(57 Center Street, Portland, 780-1506, brianboruportland.com). At this classic Irish pub, join the sea of sunglasses while guzzling Guinness or sipping cider and listening to live bands (Thursday-Sunday) cranking out everything from reggae to funk to rock and pop covers. While some may not be too keen on the craic\u2013\u201ca really LOUD bar\u201d (Yelp, Wilmington, DE, September 2015)\u2013for the rest of us, that\u2019s the whole point.\u00a0 <\/span>As a native Irishman raved, \u201cThis bar is without doubt one of the reasons I\u2019d return to Portland for a night out. The rooftop bar was busy and with the live band playing the atmosphere was wonderful\u201d (Tripadvisor, August 2015).<\/span><\/p>\n

Really loud and really big<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Portland\u2019s premier outdoor concert venues offer a slew of national acts for all tastes…as long as your taste is big, bold, and blasting. Join the 3,000 revelers at the Maine State Pier<\/strong> (Commercial and Franklin streets, Portland, Box Office 358-9327, waterfrontconcerts.com) and catch acts like Top-40 rapper Fat Joe <\/strong>(June 4); indie rock band Dashboard Confessional<\/strong> (June 15); and the epitome-of-summer crooners, the Beach Boys <\/strong>(July 7). Beyond the masses and the mammoth steel-frame stage, serene sailboats float through Casco Bay, providing an a picturesque backdrop to the revelry. <\/span><\/p>\n

The recently reopened Thompson\u2019s Point <\/strong>(Thompson\u2019s Point Road, Portland, (207) 747-5288, statetheatreportland.com for event listings) also boasts a stellar line-up this summer. Enjoy acts like progressive rock group Moe. <\/strong>(June 17) and the feel-good reggae tunes of Michael Franti & Spearhead<\/strong> (June 15) while enjoying the view over the Fore River and feasting on food truck favorites from CN Shawarma and Fishin\u2019 Ships. Last summer\u2019s concert-goers always mention the incredible sunsets from the open-air venue. After all, \u201cWho doesn\u2019t dig music next to the ocean???\u201d (Facebook fan, October 2015).<\/span><\/p>\n

Weekend wind-down<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Just because it\u2019s Sunday and you\u2019re back to the grind in 12 hours doesn\u2019t have to mean a dreary night in. Taking in a film at Congress Square Park is the perfect chilled yet social last call to a party warrior weekend. Grab your camp chair and drink cooler and join the audience for classic thrillers like North by Northwest<\/em> and Psycho;<\/em> retro rom-coms like Breakfast at Tiffany\u2019s<\/em> and Manhattan;<\/em> and beloved blockbusters like E.T.,<\/em> Indiana Jones<\/em>, and Star Wars.<\/em> Laugh, cry, and get goose bumps in unison while the weekend slips behind the giant silver screen and the rush of traffic and pedestrians on Congress Street fades to a peaceful lull. Portland Summer Film Series<\/strong> (Congress Square Park, Portland, portlandsummerfilms.com; see website for schedules and times).<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summerguide 2016
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