Summer Lunchtime Concerts

Summer is busy here at Hassalo. Its not unusual to see folks carrying a kayak through the lobby or dogs returning from walks with a stray branch from the park. It’s never a dull day during the warm months but Hassalo has another tradition for the Summer months that’s ongoing from June through August: Lunchtime concerts in the Plaza. Not only do we have bustling herds of people leaving and coming home into the longer daylight hours, there’s plenty of opportunity for gathering outside, and that’s where our Lunchtime Summer Concerts come into play.

The Plaza

Lunchtime concerts began a couple of years ago as a gathering spot for residents and office workers to commune once a week in an open, airy space. Along with the lunchtime concerts, Hassalo’s parent company, American Assets Trust, initiated a rotating Food Truck schedule during lunch hours along 9th avenue, to encourage locals to eat in the neighborhood. Its not unusual to see residents carting a to-go bag from the trucks over to the Plaza for the weekly concert, and that’s exactly the point. The Plaza was built into Hassalo’s property as an area for communing and celebrating. The large open space sits between Velomor and the Lloyd 700 high rise building. The space’s purpose was considered long before development, and serves its original intentions with a large, wrap around wooden seating area, creating an almost stadium feel. Plenty of trees and greens scatter the perimeter and at the edge of the Plaza stands an urban elevator that accesses Hassalo’s underground parking. That spot is the perfect placement for musicians to set-up and perform.

The Artists

The Lunchtime Summer Concert Series is booked and ready by May, so we get a sneak peek at who is performing for the whole summer right from the start. Some of the artists are local Portland bands with a heart for playing in their city. Lloyd Jones is one of the year’s first in the line-up, and as an accomplished Blues Guitarist, its not a surprise he has a spot in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. Then we have a more contemporary option with The Hit Machine, a band playing covers of top-charting bands through the last few decades. A personal favorite is The Countrypolitans, a folksy, indie band offering country, and rock favorites along with their own original works. No matter what artist/band shows up, the sound projection is killer. With the stadium shape, and open urban air, music travels through the whole neighborhood during the concerts; even some residents admit to quietly observing from their window if they don’t fancy a walk downstairs.

The overall plus of having Summer Concerts, is the invaluable community it provides. Neighbors gathering together each week for the standing event allows a consistent excuse to get out of the house and socialize. Each year the crowd gets bigger, and more involved. We even had some folks use the open space for dancing this Summer, which makes the whole event even better. Just another reason to love living here, and it’s small details like lunchtime concerts  that make Hassalo more than just a place to live, but an experience.