A Note from the Instigator....
It’s here! Well…digitally speaking. And because you're on The Playlist, you get first look. The latest edition is live online, bursting with stories, photos, and extras we couldn’t squeeze into print. (What can we say? Salem’s got a lot going on.) The print version arrives next week—stay tuned on socials for that reveal. Until then, click around and enjoy, the magazine and your weekend!
— Carlee, The Instigator
Press Play Salem 024 Front Cover
Press Play Salem issue 24 | Summer 2025 | Cover art by Kellin Bass
Thursday Highlights
Doodle & Bloom: Ink and Acrylic Marker Class — Unleash your inner artist in this low-pressure, high-fun class where we turn simple lines into lively flower doodles using ink and acrylic pens. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned doodler, this class is all about experimenting, expressing, and enjoying the creative process—no experience (or green thumb) required! 6 to 8 p.m. May 29, at Creativitee & rofe designs, 110 Commercial St NE. $55. Click here to register.
Belt your heart out or cheer from the crowd at Musical Theatre Karaoke, a one-night-only fundraiser for Waiting for Waiting for Godot. Enjoy food, drinks, and show tunes.Karaoke runs 7–10 p.m. for all ages, with a 21+ session from 10 p.m. to midnight. 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at The Infinity Room, 210 Liberty St S. Tickets start at $10 kids/$12 adults in advance.
D/L Sextet — Led by Ruthie Dineen and Andrew Lion of the critically acclaimed Oakland, CA based large-format group, Negative Press Project. Featuring original music and arrangements of NPP, post bop, and premiering new compositions by Ruthie Dineen and Andrew Lion. Featuring Luis Salcedo on guitar, Noah Simpson on trumpet, Eli Maliwan on saxophone & Adam Carslson on drums. 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at Christo’s. Click here for tickets.
Bazooka Sharkz, Bobby Joe Ebola & The Children MacNuggits, Middle-Aged Queers, and Dollar Store, 7 p.m. May 29, at Blast Off Vintage, 860 High St NE. $10. All ages.
Thursday is Trivia Night at Checkpoint 221. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. and it’s free (but tips for your host are encouraged.) All ages welcome. Get there early to grab food and drink then test your knowledge.
Take part in Taproot Karaoke, 9 p.m. every Thursday at Taproot Lounge & Cafe, 356 State St.
AD World Beat Festival 2025
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Support a Good Cause
Family Building Blocks hosts two nights of fun, supporting their mission to “Keep Children Safe and Families Together!
FRIDAY'S REVELRY: Friday, May 30 | 21+ | 5 p.m. to sunset | $125
Don your favorite cocktail attire, bring your friends, and celebrate your winning bids with a night of Revelry! Revelry guests will enjoy bidding on exclusive silent auction experiences while sampling Oregon's finest wines, signature brews, and tasty bites. Keep the party going as you dance the night away in the vineyard. Click here for tickets.
SATURDAY'S LIVE: Saturday, May 31 | 21+ | 5 to 10 p.m. | $300
Strike a pose for your red carpet entrance followed by bubbly and oysters, a Super Silent auction featuring rare and large format fine wines and other exquisite art and experiences! Handcrafted drinks by Rob the Bartender available for purchase. Enjoy a gourmet, three-course dinner with wine pairings as you bid on unmatched Live Auction experiences and raise your paddles to give! Hit the dance floor with live music by the Flex Tones and delight in late-night snacks as the sun sets in the vineyard! Click here for tickets.
Cheers to 6 Years!
Help Noble Wave, 189 Liberty St NE #112, celebrate 6 years with Noble Fest, an all-day, outdoor music festival on Saturday featuring a diverse line-up of musicians. Here’s what you can hear:
- 1:30 p.m. — Amber Ambedo, lush orchestral rock
- 3:00 p.m. — Sadgasm, pop-punk rock
- 4:45 p.m. — Under the Deku Tree, video game-inspired jazz
- 6:30 p.m. — Jake & the Hill People, honky tonk country western
- 8:45 p.m. — Boundless Joy, heavy rock
This event is free and open to all ages. Grab a seat outside on the sidewalk patio to enjoy some good tunes, a Hot Bird, and a frozen cocktail. The restaurant’s daily menu will be available, as well as specials from the kitchen and bar.
Tea & Art
Tea, conversation, and art! There will be a closing reception for Dayna Collins and Lisa Laser 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 31 at Salem on the Edge. Both artists will be available for conversation about their process and artmaking. And the last chance to see these two artists' incredibly fun work.
Plus an Art Pop-Up
Plus, there will be a Pop-Up exhibition featuring Eric Tautkus, 2 to 6 p.m. May 31 and 12 to 4 p.m. June 1 at Salem on the Edge. Aerosol artist Eric Tautkus is wrapping up a residency with the Salem Art Association and share some of the work he's created as part of his residency at SOTE. In addition, Eric has repainted the graffiti wall and the new mural will be revealed on Saturday.
Healing Through Sound
Experience the healing wonders of Gong Meditation with special guest, Wayne Marto of Beneficial Sound who will lead you on a transformative journey of healing and deep relaxation, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 31 at Resonance Yoga Collective. $30. Click here to register.
A Classical Experience
In their last concert of their 2024/25 season, Salem Philharmonia presents Fate and the Apocalypse conducted by SPO Artistic Director, Jonathan DeBruyn. The show begins with Giuseppe Verdi’s overture to “La Forza del Destino” ("The Force of Destiny"), followed by Gian Carlo Menotti’s three-movement orchestral tone poem, “Apocalisse” ("Apocalypse"), then concludes with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s dramatic “Fate Symphony”, No. 4. Two chances to experience the show: 7 p.m. May 31 and 2 pm. June 1 at East Salem Community Center, 1850 45th Ave NE. Admission is $20-23. Free for youth age 17 and younger. Purchase tickets online here, or at the door. (Note: A free pre-concert talk will take place 45 minutes before each concert in the auditorium.)
Open Garden
Gaiety Hollow hosts a free Open Garden 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31 at 545 Mission St SE. Listen to historic recorded music quietly playing from the 1930s, the decade Elizabeth Lord had Gaiety Hollow built. The music will take you back to the early years of Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver's landscape architecture business as you stroll their garden.
Get Fired Up!
Willamette Art Center hosts a Raku Fundraiser. Take in an afternoon of fun and community celebrating WAC’s next chapter — its relocation from the fairgrounds. Stop by anytime between 2 and 6 p.m. to pick a ceramic piece, paint it, and watch it get raku-fired. Then take your masterpiece home—all while supporting their upcoming move. A dessert food truck will be on-site with treats available for purchase. Click here to learn more.
Bike Night
Check out Bike Night starting at 4 p.m. May 31, at Cycle Country, 4764 Portland Road NE, where there will be music food, giant yard games, a raffle, prize where and more. Plus awards for Best of in Cruiser, Sport, Adventure and Slow Race.
Book Talk
Book Bin hosts Janice Rubin will be here at Book Bin Salem discussing her new poetry collection, Crossing the Burnside Bridge & Other Poems., 5 p.m. May 30. Janice Rubin is a counselor and educator. Her work appears in Third Wednesday, SanPedro River Review, The Timberline Review, CIRQUE, Glass: A Journal of Poetry and is forthcoming in About Place Journal. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and widely anthologized appearing in the Austin International Poetry Anthology, Pandemic Puzzle Poems Anthology, and the anthology, All the Women Came & Sang.
Happy Birthday, Carousel!
Celebrate the Salem Carousel’s 24th year of being open to the public! At noon, sing 'happy birthday' and enjoy a complimentary slice of cake (while supplies last). $1 rides on sale all day!
For the kids
Blippi: Join the Band Tour — Sing, dance, and explore sound with Blippi, Meekah, and their musical friends in this interactive stage experience perfect for young families. Expect music, confetti, and joyful chaos, 2 p.m. June 1 at Elsinore Theatre.
Make Music Day
Laugh
Jeremiah Coughlan is a candid, self-deprecating comedian known for his conversational style and quirky stage presence. He’s performed alongside a wide range of acts, recorded two live albums (the latest with Helium Comedy Records), and appeared at major comedy festivals across the U.S. and internationally. A regular at Helium Comedy Club, Jeremiah was a finalist in Portland’s Funniest Person Contest in 2022 and 2023, placing second runner-up last year. 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Infinity Room. Tickets start at $15 online. All ages show but material will not be clean. Click here for tickets.
Laugh
Laugh the night away at Improv-aganza! an incredible improv show featuring lots of players and a surprise guest host, 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Infinity Room. $12 advance/$15 at doors. 21+ Click here for tickets.
And Laugh Some More
Celebrate Halloween in spring with Unearthed Evil: A Horror Movie Clip Roast & Revue, a cult-favorite comedy event. Hosted by Michael Garcia and the Forgotten Fantasies crew, this horror-meets-comedy showcase features Salem’s top comedians hilariously roasting classic and campy folk horror films like The Wicker Man and The VVitch. Expect Mystery Science Theater-style riffs, bizarre vintage ads, and a countdown of over-the-top horror kills. It’s part spooky, part side-splitting, and all-out fun for horror fans and comedy lovers alike. 7 p.m. May 31 at Infinity Room. Tickets start at $10 in advance. Age 21 and older.
Vicki Woods
Pentacle Theatre's The Glass Menagerie
On Stage
LAST CHANCE to see Pentacle Theatre's production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie — Amanda Wingfield, a faded remnant of Southern gentility, now lives in a dingy St. Louis apartment with her son, Tom, and her daughter, Laura, who has a physical handicap and debilitating shyness. The father has left home: Tom supports his mother and sister with a shoe-factory job he finds unbearable. When Amanda convinces Tom to bring home from his workplace a “gentleman caller” for Laura, the illusions that Tom, Amanda, and Laura have created in order to make life bearable collapse about them. Directed by Jeff Sanders. See the show 7:30 p.m. May 29-31, at Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave NW. Click here for tickets.
This weekend at Salem Cinema...
Salem Cinema May 30
MUSIC
Live Music: Southern Crossing — favorite hits from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. 5:30 p.m. May 30 at Ankeny Vineyard, 2565 Riverside Dr. S. $5
Jacquie Roar with Jordan Rainer — A night of music as *The Voice* finalist Jacquie Roar and Nashville standout Jordan Rainer. Jacquie brings high energy and emotional depth, fresh off a Top 4 finish and the release of her solo single “Bad Habit.” Jordan blends soulful storytelling with a rock ‘n’ roll edge rooted in southern tradition. Together, they promise an unforgettable evening of bold vocals and raw musical talent. 8 p.m. May 30, at Salem's Historic Grand Theatre. Tickets start at $20 in advance. Click here for tickets.
Outer Orbit is a funk soul collective led by Galen Clark (Subtonic, Anna Tivel, Sleater-Kinney) and fronted by vocalist Sarah Clarke (The Motet, Dirty Revival, Portugal, The Man). The band features an all-star lineup of PDX musicians including members of Ghost-Note, Allen Stone, Portland Cello Project, Mono Neon and more. Outer Orbit brings original soul and pocket heavy funk while drawing on a range of influences from Sly Stone and The Meters to Aretha Franklin and Emily King. 8 p.m. May 30 at The Governor’s Cup Coffee Roasters. Free. 21 and older.
Immerse yourself in the powerful and energizing sounds of Japanese taiko drums with Monmouth Taiko, 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 31, in Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library. Free performance with seating available on a first-come, first-seated basis.
Saturday Música: Severin Sisters — The Severin Sisters have been dazzling audiences with their Americana music for over fifteen years.Touring and entertaining throughout the Northwest they have had the pleasure of opening for such renowned acts as Rascal Flatts, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Del McCoury Band, and The John Cowan Band. 3 to 5 p.m. May 31, at Cória Estates, 8252 Redstone Ave SE.
Possibly Irish returns for an evening of energetic Celtic music, heartfelt ballads, and lively sing-alongs on the lawn. Featuring traditional instruments like the Irish whistle, bodhran, fiddle, and hammered dulcimer, this free, all-ages show promises a spirited good time. The tasting room will be open from 12 to 9 p.m., with food trucks arriving by late afternoon and music from 6 to 8 p.m. Bring blankets or chairs for lawn seating, and prepare for a cozy evening under the stars. May 31 at Chemeketa Cellars, 215 Doaks Ferry Road NW
BlackSmith Neighbors — blend of folk, blues, and Americana, 5 to 7 p.m. May 31, at West Hills Vineyards, 4785 Salem Dallas Hwy NW
Live Music: Leanne McClellan Band — an eclectic blend of classic rock with a little pop, blues, and some jazz mixed in. 5:30 p.m. May 31 at Ankeny Vineyard, 2565 Riverside Dr. S. $5
Terry Robb & Adam Scramstad with The Joanne Broh Band Featuring Garry Meziere unite for one unforgettable night of blues, fingerstyle guitar, and soulful vocals. Terry Robb brings decades of virtuosic acoustic blues mastery, Adam Scramstad adds raw, slide-driven Americana, and the Joanne Broh Band with Garry Meziere rounds out the night with fiery R\&B-infused blues. A must-see lineup of Northwest greats. 8 p.m. May 31, at Salem's Historic Grand Theatre. Tickets start at $20 in advance. Click here for tickets.
Salem Cinema: Rebel Without A Cause
On Going Events
Discover Chemeketa's Planetarium — The current show Two Small Pieces of Glass is a full dome presentation that follows two teenage students who learn from an astronomer how telescopes work during a star party. It also examines how these optical instruments have improved in the last 400 years and what great discoveries were made with them since the time of Galileo. It also includes a brief introduction to the night sky over Salem. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. every Friday through June 6 in Building 2, Room 171 on the Chemeketa campus off Lancaster Dr. Use the blue parking lot. For more information, call 503-399-5248
Salem Saturday Market featuring a rotating line-up of 150 vendors selling local produce, hand-made products and more, is now open for the season. Shop 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through October in the parking lot at 865 Marion St NE. salemcommunitymarkets.com
Traveling Wheelz hosts Open Skate —and it's Blow-Up Costume night — starting at 7:30 p.m. Fridays at The Mad House. Learn more here.
Seat up for the Super Casual Saturday Salem Bike Ride on Saturdays. Meet at the bottom of Soap Box Derby Track at Bush Park at 11 a.m. Wheels down at 11:30.
Salem Cinema
Plus Explore Art
See work by Jesus Escobar at The Best Goose Bar and the Salem Public Library.
Such as...
Carlee Wright
Level 2 Gallery at Salem Convention Center
See New Energy: New Work by M Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek at Level 2 Gallery
- Stefani Art Gallery showing modern, contemporary, and abstract art from local and internationally recognized artists, 305 Court St NE | stefaniartgallery.com
- Local artist Jesus Escobar has work on display at Best Goose Bar and the Salem Public Library.
- New Energy: New Work by M. Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek at Level 2 Gallery on the Second Floor at Salem Convention Center | 503-589-1700, oregonartistsseries.com (See an extension of this exhibit in the Art Hall at the Salem Public Library)
- See Curious Untamed Blooms by Dayna Collins, a vibrant floral series in oil and cold wax, and a delightful collection of birds and mixed media work by Lisa Laser, at Salem on the Edge, 156 Liberty St NE | salemontheedge.com
- Persistent Voices | Six Artists Perspectives is a powerful exhibition of six artists who center their art practice on the complexity of being human, especially the social, political and personal experiences and ramifications of living as a female in our time, at Salem Art Association, 600 Mission St SE | salemart.org
- Special feature of the work of co-op members Dee Hendrix, mixed media painting, and Jean Lea, acrylic and watercolor, at the AiA Gallery, 444 Ferry St SE | AiAArtGallery.org
- Nancy Floyd: For the Love of Trees at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St | 503-370-6855, willamette.edu/arts/hfma
Click here for a full list of what's on exhibit this May.