First thing there was awesome and it was for Emo Nite back in December 2018. I've gone back several times for Emo Nite and Candy Pop, needless to say those experiences weren't that great. The staff harassed my friends and claimed they were drunk on two separate nights when in fact we weren't even drinking. One friend went outside to talk to her boyfriend on the phone and cried, she wasn't allowed back in because she was "drunk". The second time my friend must've gotten too excited about a song because they threatened to kick her out too. And as we were leaving on bouncer said "thank god". We literally sat half of the night just chilling listening to the songs. Definitely not coming back here read more

Holocene is definitely one of the more upscale, and nicer dance clubs in Portland. It is always fun to come here with friends and dance the night away, whether it is any holiday or just a regular Saturday night. The drinks are a little more pricey than the rest of portland, but nothing compared to other metropolitan cities. I recommend coming here, if you are with a group of friends who are looking to dance the night away. This is one of the better dance options in portland for sure!! read more

The bouncers here must have mistaken me for someone else on Saturday night, 10/27/18, because they assaulted me while I was waiting for my Uber to arrive. Threw me in the street, ripped my shirt and pinned me to the ground. Luckily, some witnesses were yelling at them to stop assaulting me, and I'm lucky I did nothing to fight back. All in all, terrible place who needs new security in charge. Head and back hurt, and I'm pretty positive I'll never be back or suggest anyone else to go there. read more

Had to take a moment to praise one of the best clubs in Portland tonight. in particular tonight was very dodgy and you guys handled it with such grace. You made sure everyone tonight was safe and taken care of. From your security to your bartenders, you CONSISTENTLY give the best service. I'm always impressed by you all but tonight I have to say you really went out of you way to to make sure everyone is safe and taken care of. Also coco the security has always gone out of our way to take care of me. Seriously so impressed. This place is amazing. read more

Bartenders are fantastic, cool dance floor although a bit crowded. The one thing I will say is that I am not a huge fan of the music they play here. It's a little too down-tempo for me, however I'd love to check it out on a night where they have more house music playing. The group of people who attend this place always seem to be very nice although I wish there was a little more diversity. Had a lot of fun there but careful parking your car in the area as my car was broken into while I was there. read more

Portland has long needed a haven for live and DJed electronic music that *isn't* Top 40 or teenybopper rave. For years Dan Reed tried to cultivate such a space at Ohm in downtown PDX; alas, that venue's previous history as a coked-up blues club, combined with its nasty tendency to be overrun by Beaverton meat-market jarheads, eventually pulled the kill-switch on the whole adventure. But Holocene came along on the heels of Ohm and, thankfully, still seems to be running strong. If you prefer the punky electro-wave of (punctuationally clever) artists like Adult., Add N to [X], or T. Raumschmiere to the barbie-doll disco of mainstream clubs, Holocene is a very welcome sanctuary indeed. Of course, me being me, I can't resist erupting in a spate of complaints! Namely, my gripes are that (a) Holocene is too Euro-slick and minimalist for Portland's more historically grimy and gruff underground, thus paving the way for the ever-increased yuppification of close-in SE PDX; (b) too many of the bands and DJs lazily resurrect retro dance music rather than pioneer new sounds (which is what electronic music is supposed to be about, you clods!); and (c) it sucks that Holocene probably survives more because of its indie-hipster cachet than because it is a legitimate, unique, progressive electronic club. Sure, y'all like Yacht and LCD Soundsystem and Eats Tapes and the Juan Maclean and whatnot...but how about more breakcore, power noise, darkstep, dubstep, or other stuff that doesn't reek of cutesy tuneage for overeducated indie-rock babies, complete with the pink-and-blue nursery-school color schemes? All that aside, I support Holocene. It's just that, as a man who favors the integrity of radical artistic expression, I wish this venue were neither so "hollow" nor such a "scene." I now rate myself with 2 Yelp stars for making such a horrible pun. read more

Let me start of by saying that I had to BEG to get this "VIP TENT" reserved. I called multiple times to make sure my name was down because I had not gotten a confirmation by email (as promised) of any sort. Was I aware that this was a TENT you ask? Yes. I was told it was a "swanky tent with couches and lanterns". Well, they didn't lie, it indeed was a TENT MINUS the swank, with lanterns; Coleman fucking lanterns. Was I aware that there was no bottle service, what I wasn't aware of was that there was ZERO service. No one to monitor the area, no one to check to make sure our drinks were full, no one to even ask how our night was going. And don't even get me started on how many dickwads came in asking for blow. SORRY not sorry bro, but we aren't bout' that bump life. I also asked specifically if being in this tent, we would still be a part of the party, answer was yes but it clearly was a NO. Luckily for my amazing friends, family and ever-so-welcoming Portlanders, we made the best of this night regardless of the watered down drinks, poor service, joke and rip off of a photo booth, sub par DJ, horrible sound system and middle eastern sticky ass heat. It's a little sad to say that the highlight of this night was The food truck Gyro (which actually isn't sad at all, awesome customer service, delicious.) All in all, don't waste your time with this joint. I've worked in this industry for years and am now a business owner myself. I couldn't imagine being a bartender and treating people the way they treated my group of people who traveled from all walks of life read more

Yep, as a lot of people have mentioned the door guy is a complete condescending a-s-s. I was in town to meet friends, and had just found out earlier that night my license had expired about a month ago. Another bartender had mentioned it as she poured my second (yes, alcoholic) drink. Now, I get it, it's expired, but 1. I'm no where near 21, don't even look it, and 2. I just flew here and TSA didn't even blink or mention it. So... what the hell, the gov will let me get on a plane through all sorts of security theater, but I can't get into a emo music concert I had already paid for because that same license expired a month ago? Hey Holocene management, here's your one-star-review. You want things to improve? Get rid of the idiot--chip-on-his-shoulder--condescending--i'm-better-than-you door guy. He doesn't belong. read more

Went here for SNAP 90's night and had a good time. $5 where you can party your booty off to hip-hop and r&b (although the DJ did sneak in a few 2000 songs and I was probably the only one to know since I'm a hardcore 90's fan). Plenty of people there but not crowded and super friendly people. The place is big enough that you can dance/walk around without bumping into people. Age went from early 20's to mid 30's for the crowd. It's a great place and I love that I can find a place to listen to 90's r&b. I think it would be an awesome if we could get more DJ's here for events **coughcoughDJSpinnacoughcough* read more

Oh god, I love this place. Yeah, and i'm not afraid to admit it. I mean, who can say that they've been here for 90's night and Afro-beat night -- and loved ever single second of it? Me. It's kind of magical here. (Seriously). You can come here and dance/move your heart out...and nobody will care. At all. It's on the East side - so it's a bit hipster. It's authentic, gritty and straight up fun. So don't expect to roll up and see folks in tight dresses, button up shirts, and bling bling. It's not like that. Wear whatever. Shoot, my friend walked in with sandals, shorts and a t-shirt...and it was just lovely. read more

This is a pretty cool venue. Not the most thought out venue in the world, but definitely a step above the majority of Portland theaters. The club/theater is split into two rooms -- the lounge/bar area and the stage space. The live music is piped into the other room, which is a good idea but doesn't work out. There's a small design flaw -- there is nothing to absorb the sound. It's gorgeous, but other than the cushions on the benches and some crossbeams on the ceiling, everything is concrete. This is fine for mellow music, but when a Joanna Newsom wannabe is shrieking into the microphone in the other room, the off-pitch top out is downright painful. The music space could use some more sound absorption as well, but overall, the sound quality is second only to Doug Fir. As for the bar, there was no consistency. The specialty cocktails were all interesting sounding. I didn't know what to get. I tried a sip of the Free Kitty was really good with the muddled berries. I tried a sip of the Lawn Chair* with the pear and vanilla infused vodka. The latter was just too delicious not to get. I ordered my own, took a sip, and, low and behold, it tasted nothing like Kimberly V's drink. We held both our glasses up to the light and saw that while Kimberly's had a greenish tint, mine had a yellow. Whatever I had was pretty good, but definitely not the same. I was still jonesing for the drink Kimberly had so I got another one. The third try, by the third bartender, tasted nothing like the other two. It was too sweet and lost any bit of the pear flavor the other two had. Urgh. Thanks Kimberly V. for telling me about Musee Mechanique. They were awesome. Now on a semi-personal note: Dear Colin Meloy Poseur and Date, I know that Buddy Holly glasses are irresistible. I too have a weak spot for them. I can't imagine finding a partner with the exact same glasses as me. Lucky you two. Maybe it is meant to be. That said, I do not appreciate the audible smooching happening throughout a set. I paid to see the band playing on the stage, not the couple groping each other standing directly in front of me. I also realize that whatever is in your head must be very important....to you. When your friend arrived mid-set I was at first giddy. Maybe the grotesque displays of affection would stop. No, instead, the talking got louder. I could make out what you were saying. It was because of the three of you that the quiet majesty that the band created was ruined. When people around you started to leave in droves, it was not because of the band. They were amazing. It's because they could hear better in the other room. Away from you. Thanks for distracting me. You really added to the experience. Sincerely, Skylar L. *I totally wrote "Lounge Chair" originally. Thanks Kimberly for having a better memory than I. read more

We had our hopes up, after a recommendation from a Dingo's bartender that Holocene was the happening place on a saturday night. In the words of a Californian, it was hella bunk. The number one reason, really bad music. The first DJ was good, but after 5 minutes she left the tables and introduced the "premier DJ" of the night. He was horrible. He was mixing a cross between african/bolliwood/house/new energy and hiphop. Sounds cool enough in theory, but in practice it sounded like a trainwreck. Everytime we tried to dance, the DJ would "attempt" to mix in another song and it would be on different beats. Because of the music, we thought there would be P.O.C.'s but unfortunately there wasn't that many. One good thing about Holocene it was nice to look at, but just like people, looks aren't everything. read more

Once upon a time I lost my cell phone, favorite jacket, and dignity at Holocene - But Oh Shit, did I have a great time. I have pure unadulterated lust for Holocene. As a byproduct of the LA club scene, it tugs on my heartstrings. Stiff drinks, sleek appearance, jamz ... what more could one ask for? Personal favorite regular event at Holocene include Snap 90s night and Booty Basement. Let us not forget Friday happy hour, free food, FTW! I called later to inquire about my beloved jacket, the employee kept me on the phone as they dug through the lost in found. " I have a Carhartt jacket, some pants, and a pair of shoes " . Now - I don't know about you, but if this is the sort of bar where people can accidentally leave there pants and shoes at, count me in...twice. read more

Dear Holocene... I think you're winning me over. At first, I thought you were pretentious. Your $5 well drinks hurt my feelings too. You acted as if I didn't deserve to be on the guest list. I did appreciate the separate space from the music venue with lots of room for sitting and conversing without feeling bad. Lots of music venues cram everything into the same room. If you're not so into the opening act, you're embarrassed catching up with an old friend while talking over the precious melodica and snare duo. Holocene, you know what? That didn't stop me from coming back! When I did go back, you were much nicer. Maybe the last time you were just having a bad day. The same bouncer was still a little gruff but the bar staff was 100% amazing and nice. The $5 drinks? Well, I get it now... you pour two $2.50 well drinks into every cup. Maybe you should tell us that? So, I'm glad I checked you out again! Nice work... read more

Bathrooms: Gendered, multiple stalls. Gluten-free options: full bar, unsure on menu. Vegan options: full bar, unsure on menu. As a venue, I really like Holocene. The layout is a little odd, but the two stages is nice, and the extra little makeout room on the way to the bathrooms is cute. There's also a place to hang up coats (at your own risk, as it's unsupervised), and the dance floor is not an awful size. The green room is decent, and better located than I've seen in many other venues. They've also got an honest-to-goodness photo booth, which is fun. The main space features a mezzanine-ish level so that people can watch the dancers, as voyeurism appears to be a favorite Portland activity, especially amongst the crowd that frequents the Holocene. The bar placement and operation is less than optimal, though, as there isn't really room for more than two bartenders to work at once - for the entire venue - and the drinks tend to be a bit overpriced. Don't be surprised if you stand in line for twenty to thirty minutes on a typical night at the Holocene. Gaycation: 2 Stars Monthly Dance Night - Third Saturdays DJs - 3? 5? 17? Whatever - there's a lot of them. Cover: $5 If you're looking for an overly-crowded night where people are more concerned with how cool they look than with getting out on the dance floor and having fun, this is your event. It felt like the space where straight folk come to observe the queers in their natural habitat. About every third person on the dance floor had a drink in their hand, and prettily dressed voyeurs outnumbered folk dancing about five to one. When the dancing finally did pick up, there was a rush to the floor, and you could quite literally not move to get your hands above your head. My ass met more people than I did that night. This is also the only Portland even that I've ever been to where I was openly bashed for being trans - by a gay man, no less. If you're interested in seeing everyone you know ever, check this event out. Otherwise, Portland is full of dance nights - do yourself a favor and go elsewhere. read more

"Warehouse Lounge" is the best way to describe this place. It's spacious and cozy, all at the same time. I've been coming to Holocene for years. My sins are painted all over the walls of this place. I've waited in line for shows, I've skipped the lines to get inside the venue, i've danced on stage with DJ Assault (the king of booty rap/ghetto house), i've slapped an old flame in the doorway on the side of the building after he confessed his feelings for me. I've held a girlfriend's hair back while she was puking in the bathroom at this place. I've chilled here by myself. These are all memories spanning 2006-now, and they're all good, bittersweet or not. Now in it's current year, i've been frequenting this club mainly for the Booty Bassment installments every first Saturday of the month. For this particular club night, shit gets SWEATY. Imagine a bunch of hipster-ish white kids crossed with hip hop club kids packing the dancefloor, grinding to the likes of 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne. They also serve booze slushies and the recipe varies for every club installment---last Saturday was vodka, strawberry, lemonade, and black pepper. I don't usually do icey slushy drinks, but that was downright DELICIOUS. Aside from the long waits for drinks on weekends, Holocene is a great club to both roam and perch as a patron. Plenty of little spots for people to chill, two dancefloors for people to occupy, a stage in the back for white girls with dreams of being a rap video extra to cut loose, and there's even a cash-only bar in the backroom to cut down on the wait at the main bar. I love Holocene. The giant ceilings and low lighting make it one of my top club destinations in Portland. I would say if I actually had to wait in line for over 10 minutes, I don't think i'd frequent it as much, but I don't, so there. ;) read more

SNAP! on Friday nights are awesome! We came to my home town for a night to hang out for my best friend's birthday. If you want a laid back, 90's kinda night go to Holocene! This isn't a super fancy place, more like a warehouse feel. You can dress casual and Sassy's is not too far down the street.. hehe. One of my friends is a promoter and she got in contact with DJ Docadam who was also spinning that night. Big thanks to Docadam for showing us a good time =) read more

We got kicked out for no reason. Jamison the security guard made the decision to kick us out based on a friend that "drank" to much. He had two drinks! He kicked all three of us out. I've gone the last 2 years, and this is the first time it has happened. IT'S not the most we've drank. I guess walking by him was to much to handle. read more

Oh Holo-xoxo-cene, you're one of my favorites. Seen a variety of good great amazing shows here (for cheap. I love you eternally for that Portland!), dance dance danced my ass off several nights, felt wholly unhip among the PDX elite, drank delicate&creative drinks-of-the-eve, gotten wasted from drinking New Deal straight, lived close enough to walk drunkenly home, leered at the gorgeous sexpot or androgynous bartenders, enjoyed the separate smoking room, liked the decor, saw some confused brahs inside once who should have been across the street at sassy's or downtown, took silly photobooth photos with friends, had my heart broken a few times by beautiful songs sung here, hearted the regular DJs and their danceparties, knew I would miss this place when I moved back to CA, found out I was right. read more

I was going there to see a friend's band tonight (Nov 15). They were "opening at 8:30PM", it was 8:20PM. There was nobody in line. It was cold out, and I asked the door person if I could wait indoors on one of the chairs with my laptop. She just says "no", not no with an apology, and possibly an explanation. Just, no. Even though it would not have hurt or affected anything. I left and went home instead. I'm not going to wait out in the cold for 10 minutes to then come in and spend way too much money on overpriced drinks. Forget it. Incredibly rude service, and that's before I even got to the bar. read more

Girls, do you ever just wanna dance? You know, get your groove on, shake your hoo hoo, just let loose? I'm not your typical club goer. I HATE trashy clubs that play crappy main stream hip hop and are stuffed full of chicks wearing next to nothing and dudes humping legs. Luckily for me on election night my friends suggested the Holocene to celebrate and get our dancing fix! This place is like my Zen dance club. GREAT DJs, strong drinks, cool wharehousey atmosphere, no pretension, no sleazy chicks, and only a couple of leg humping dudes (they're pretty much unavoidable at clubs, oh well).:) Had a blast, left sweaty and tipsy. Definitely want to go back sometime! read more

Yay! I'm a fan. Yay! I found a new place to dance! Yay I got toasty off 2 $5.00 drinks and then sobered up from all the kickass dance moves I had. This venue was just as previews have stated. Small enough to feel intimate and big enough not to feel claustrophobic. I saw the cutes lesbo couples and some of the silliest boys dancing. I saw DJ Anjali which was great. She is so hot! and her beats are great too. As busy as this place was there was ample seating and they even have a place to hang your seats. I'll be back here to shake my ass! read more

After all these years of living in Portland and pretty close to this place for most of my time here, I finally got to Holocene for the first time. It wasn't what I expected. I had this preconceived notion about what the Holocene looked like inside. I've walked by it hundreds of times and just imagined it being one large and grungy room. Boy was I wrong. Holocene is actually very nice. The word lounge comes to mind pretty quickly upon seeing it for the first time. Granted on this night lounge probably left my mind just as quickly once the loud bands started playing. We did come here specifically for the live music. The stage is in the back of the space. It isn't a huge room, but there is a an opening in the wall that opens up to the larger room in the back of the space. This place wasn't exactly packed on a Sunday night, but I'm sure for larger shows it can get pretty cramped and warm in here. My review has run out of steam. Good place to get a drink and see some music in a part of town where options like that aren't very plentiful. read more

So, there was a line. But I wasn't in the mood. I walked in, ignoring the bouncer and the dirty looks from the wenches fighting with the bouncer to get in. Hahah. Yeah, that's right, this is how it's done! Just keep going as if you know what you're doing. So, surveying the crowd, I have found the biggest contingent of non-hipsters in the land of hipsters. Apparently, I have arrived at their supposed trendoid hangout. This possibly their equivalent of the LA/ Hollywood scene. It was very dark inside. It was cold Tuesday night but extremely stuffy inside the club. We went to the side room which was almost as big as the main dance floor. There were lounges all around and no lines for the restroom. S'alright. read more

Holocene is one of a good dance club in my neighborhood. I like the interior and the ambience of this place a lot. It's dark, it's cozy. They played a Black and White Bollywood Movie with a projector screen. The music is awesome and I heard they have great concerts there. They also have a photo booth and a free coat check. If you only had soda, they give you a free refill. I think that's pretty sweet. read more

Unlike many reviewers here, I did not come to Holocene to get down at boogeytown. That statement alone should make sense of how much I don't dance, or club. Anyway, I came here to attend The Moth storytelling event. Perhaps it's not the best review of a club since I wasn't actually clubbing, but it'll be a review all the same. The location was great, perfectly centered in the SE and close to other bars, restaurants, shops, etc. Parking was easy, bike parking available. The staff was nice, though the bar was really slow at getting drinks out. I understand customer service and how difficult it can be, but you literally are a bar. Serving drinks efficiently should be the top of the "To-Do" list. The bathrooms are way too small and crowded for the amount of people allowed in. As a woman I will always be prepared to wait in line for the toilet, but the length of the wait at Holocene was absolutely insane. Three stalls for a club of that popularity is a bit ridiculous. Drinks were good, though well overpriced for what you get, even for liquor standards. Environment was cool, welcome, comfortable, and perfect for the event we were attending. I did not have the luxury of dealing with asshole bouncers, though I welcome the challenge next time! I am woman, hear me roar! ;) I'll definitely come back for another Moth, but you won't catch me on the dance floor. You'd be better off trying to watch a geriatric patient whip & nae-nae. Come to think of it, that does sound pretty awesome... read more

So, lemme start by saying last year's new years eve here with Beyonda was the best night ever. I agree with Cosondra, if you know something's going to be big, then go. Otherwise, it's eeriely empty, to the point of thinking maybe it's a set up for some horror movie scene. Cute venue, but it's pretty spaced out. That can be a good thing if it's crazy busy, or a horribly bad thing if only 20 people are there. The ladies restrooms were pretty clean all the times I've gone, which is a super plus. That smoking room is weird... I can't lie, I've totally smoked in it because shit Portland is cold in the winter, but it's sorta creepy. It gets super smokey (go figure) and just generally weirds me out. read more

Venue is decent, if a bit stark/spartan in the decor. The layout is easy to navigate and you can't lose your friends for long. I like the style of the dance floor, almost like an expanded living-room-impromptu-dance-party. HOWEVER. Bar is fecked up mess. Two bartenders on an incredibly busy night is ludicrous. Forming actual lines at the bar rather than a sea of thirsty patrons would have helped as well as additional bartenders... the staff would have made more money and the turnover time would have been much better than the 25, 30, and 20 minutes wait times I endured while there. ALSO... I get it. You're non-smoking. Woo-hoo. Would it kill you to install an actual ventilation system in the smoking room-area-closet? That's just disgusting. Overall, not that bad, but not a place I'll think of first when deciding where to go out. read more

The Dj was awful! I was drunk, I WANTED to dance, but then I squeezed past all the tall sweaty dudes that were throwin elbows as dance moves and just could not get into the the tunes. It was all outdated music. I was over it about 4 songs into it. Left the dance floor, got a drink that tasted like crap, and my friends and i decided to pretend we reserved the VIP room. No one questioned us all night. Got some cool pictures out of it from a decent photographer. We smoked pot and drank out of a flask in that room too. No one hassled us at all. The bathrooms were outrageously disgusting. 3 of the 4 stalls were over flowed with toilet paper and bowel movements.. The one stall that had a decent toilet, had no TP in it. I saw a few girls walking around with toilet paper trails stuck to their heels. They definitely need someone on constant bathroom maintenance there, cuz that shit was disgusting. Then Sassy's is right across the street. Uck... read more

great place but they had a security guard last night at the moss show that is really rude & awful ! there was a line in the girls bathroom & i was at the end of it & this male security swung the door to the girls bathroom open & hit me with it so hard & he told me "that wasn't a good place to stand" like where am i supposed to stand whilst waiting for a stall ???? & i jokingly said he could've killed me & he proceeded to tell me to go die outside ? never apologizing for hurting me ? & why is he barging into the women's bathroom like that ? horrible person to have on your team... he was wearing a black long thing on his head idk what to call it, don't mean to be rude just trying to describe him so maybe he doesn't hurt or insist on any of your future customers dying outside read more

5 star for one of the best night club in Portland , I've been here few times , there is plants of rooms to dance , the security people are friendly , people who go there are nice , It's so Portland with nice people . Try to go early to escape waiting in the line , the capacity is 300 people . There are 2 stages , it means you have enough room to shake it up and you can go to any stages you want to . I highly recommend here if you are into dancing . read more

Holocene - New Year 2016 ! - Dance Clubs Near Me - Portland, Oregon

First: the Portland club scene is frightfully lacking. Holocene is arguably the nicest space for hosting dance music events- high ceilings, good amount of seating that's still close to the action, lovely decor. The vibe here depends largely on the night. I have had great times at Bubblin', Ecstasy, Cock Block, and Atlas (now defunct) parties. My only beef is that I wish the bookers would expand a bit. It's one of the only spaces that can also hold enough people to turn a small profit if you are bringing an out-of-town headliner, but all the slots are locked down tight by the mostly local crews. I wouldn't go hang out there any old night, but I'm always stoked when a party I want to attend is happening here. read more

Totally over it. Do I really want to wait in line while the bouncers let 4 people in every 10 minutes on a busy night? No. Do I really want to wade through 21-year-old baby dykes screaming about how drunk they are at Gaycation? No. Do I really want to make out in the bathroom with no locks here? No. Okay, maybe yes. All the big dyke nights happen here (and yes, on Saturdays) so I was there every Saturday for a while when I moved to Portland. Haven't been in a while. Over it. read more

Holocene has been good to Portland. The modernist, sleek white space provides Portland hipsters and musicians with good music, yummy drinks, and a tight knit crowd of regulars. The main room features a bar, tiny tables, and long white padded benches with a wall that serves as a screen for a projected image of the show in the smaller stage room. Oh, and there is a smoking room behind clear meat-freezer like plastic panels, so the smokers stay warm, happy, and quarantined. The sound is consistently good, and Holocene has just launched its own record label which is already gaining fans. Although the djs can vary there is usually fun to be had, and since the space is good for lounging you may just come for a drink. DJ Beyonda is always fun, and if you go enough you're sure to find a dj you connect with. Every second Sunday is Tart, a queer ladies dance night. The very best thing about Holocene is that it provides cheap and awesome shows for some of Portland's very best bands in an intimate space where everyone seems to know each other. Musicians from local bands frequently work the door or behind the bar. The Blow was playing here on a regular basis way before they got big press cred, and just before Christmas Holocene hosted a secret show that turned out to be M. Ward. For $5. There were only about 150 people there, many recognizable local musicians, and it felt like the bar had given a warm snugly Christmas present to Portland. Holocene, we love you, too. read more

I can't believe people think this place is pretentious. I think I'll re-yelp Izzy's sentiment that "It was more pukey than alluring". Now, I'm one of those white girls that likes to dance to 80s music with hipsters, but I did really enjoy the music. I just don't think it makes sense to have 2 tiny doorways to the dance floor. Dance floors oughta be open. And maybe I came on the wrong night, but the dancing was more akin to bobbing gently in a calm sea than any real motion. Which would have been just fine if the club was playing whale calls or something, but it was Mary Anne Hobbs and it was pretty upbeat. What was missing in body movement was made up in body odor.And the stinky crowd all seemed to know each other, like it was a birthday party for a bunch of friends that didn't shower that day or have to work the next one. The bartenders were very nice though. read more

Great venue, liked the trippy music and the laidback nature of the place. Very chill and casual club to go and dance, will definitely go back next time I am in Portland. read more

I went here for a concert, and coming into the place made me a little confused: where the heck is the concert? I saw a DJ spinning by a dance floor and a bar area. I got it! It's in another room behind closed doors. They weren't letting people in yet; I was there a bit too early I guess. When the doors of that room were open, I saw a small stage and some couches. I imagined a bunch of hipsters crammed in there and started to sweat a little. However the concert made up for that, as I was able to get right in front of the stage (it pays to show up early) and dance my ass off with guys with mustaches and women all with the same dyed black hair. I probably would have been miserable if I were stuck in the back of the room, but at least there were couches. read more

It must be a good club, because I felt really old there. The bar was great and the separate band area was cozy, yet open.I relaxed my old ass on a comfy couch for most of the evening. I don't get the whole DJ/ambient thing, but the music was tolerable. Oh, and keep queueing up at the bar, Portlanders. It makes it much easier for me to get a drink while you dawdle in your passive-aggressive world. read more

Although Holocene is known as a club space in the evening, it can also be reserved during the day time for private events. I was recently here to attended a wedding and reception. The couple held a small ceremony in the stage/dance area, then it was quickly set up with tables for the reception portion. If you are looking to hold an event for about 130 or so you may want to consider holding your event here. read more

Holocene - Dance Clubs Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Holocene, I pretty much adore you. I love your parties Gaycation and DoubleDown. There are always pretty ladies and great music. I was happy when you finally brought in a coat check this past winter. Let's keep that up! The only thing I'd ask you for now is to please bring in another bartender. The waits can be incredibly long, to the point I just don't order any more drinks. (most likely for the best, but disappointing) I also love that you're in walking distance from Sassy's. What a great pair for a fun night! read more