"Do what you love, and share it with the world" — Independent Music & Festival Journal Since 2013
Social Justice
Welcome to the City of Roses, where white supremacy reigns. Life hasn’t been the same since May 26th, 2020. When George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police went viral, solidarity for Black lives rose around the globe. Protests sparked in every major city, some continuing night after night, for nearly two years now. […]
![Soulection love in Portland: Sango at 45 East | February 13th, 2020 [Review]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/087041d2-sango11.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Electronic
Arriving at the sleek, high production venue 45 East, it’s hard to know what to expect based on the layout and location. Nestled within a few blocks of warehouses on the east side of Portland, 45 East unites a bottle service club vibe with a low-key party feel. The pretentiousness of a usual club is […]
![A Never-Ending Experience: Shpongle at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR Nov 27, 2019 [Photo Gallery]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/56d6396f-dsc00771.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Electronic
Shpongle’s live shows are a mix of tribal fusion, worldly influences and electronic beats to create a sound all his own. Throwing in influences of Brazilian dance and flamenco, you can never prepare yourself for what you may experience at a Shpongle show. Make sure to catch Shpongle at his upcoming show in New York, […]
![On the Come Up: Getting to Know New Artist Retta’Reye from Portland, Oregon [Artist Interview]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/85c0a6d8-lauretta.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Hip-Hop
As Spring season approaches and warm days draw near, the unleashing of new music is also on the horizon for us at Compose Yourself Magazine. With some of the largest music conferences occurring in March (SXSW in Austin, Texas and Winter Music Conference in Miami, FL) there always seems to be a surplus of fresh […]
Art
Beyond shattering the ordinary confines of society standards and discriminatory governments, art has always been a medium used to express the self in the loudest presentation possible. Art can neither be controlled or silenced, and this is why it’s a medium that resonates so deeply with so many people. Naturally, art and protest are one […]
![The exhibits of Andy Warhol, Josh Kline and Corita Kent speak to Portland’s inner-city social injustices [Portland Art Museum, October 2016]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/warhol1.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Art
What do Andy Warhol, Josh Kline, and Arvie Smith all have in common? They’re all being featured at the Portland Art Museum, and have all focused their bodies of art on misogyny, racism and police brutality. Portland is the center of very heated issues dealing with all three of these, so there is no […]
![Fruition Announces NYE Portland Dates + New Live Video Of “The Meaning” [Event Preview]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/13923580_1053674624719744_1231241625617709094_o.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Jamband
Fruition just announced even more tour dates rolling all the way through November and ending with what’s bound to be the best way to spend NYE in Portland, Oregon, with three nights at the Wonder Ballroom (last time’s fruitiness @ the Wonder). The band will travel extensively this tour and join greats Greensky Bluegrass for a few […]
![Fruition Takes Vertex Festival’s Inaugural Year By Storm [Artist Interview + Review]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/4K9A2956.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Festival Coverage
The festival gods sure blessed Vertex when they the scheduled Fruition FOUR sets over the inaugural festival’s three days in Buena Vista, Colorado, August 5th-7th. It is the sort of material festival wet dreams are made of and CYM was also blessed enough to be apart of the fruity and freaky ride. If you are […]
Electronic
It’s no news that The Polish Ambassador, a.k.a. David Sugalski, and Wildlight (made up of Sugalski and the marvelous Ayla Nereo) are making sonic waves with TPA‘s intergalactic beats and electronic music production, Nereo‘s beautiful instrumentation coupled with her singing/songwriting as well doing their part to give back to the earth and community, but did you know just how […]
![Fruition ‘Labor of Love’ Album Release Night Two in Hometown Portland, OR, Sets Band to Sail on Highest Musical Seas Yet + The Hill Dogs Perfect Complement [Show Review]](https://i0.wp.com/composeyourselfmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20160423_221704.jpg?resize=600%2C375&ssl=1)
Jamband
We showed up with childlike eagerness to Wonder Ballroom ready for an ultimate serenade of love-fueled lyrics, impeccable string strummin’ and a guaranteed ‘ol fashioned good time to get the soul centered. The Hill Dogs, a local Portland gritsy folk and rock staple, kicked things off into full gear and the energy filling the Ballroom […]