Where the Music Lives – From Stages to Neighborhoods in the PNW
Live music isn't just a night out, it’s a feeling you carry home. Whether it’s a lawn full of dancing strangers or a packed ballroom where you know every lyric, these moments shape how we experience place and community. This month’s records are all ones I’ve seen come alive on stage and artists that have helped me understand what it means to feel at home through their sound.
Here’s my June collection of records that echo across the PNW with a nod to the neighborhoods that surround the venues, and the homes where these sounds settle in.
🌌 SYML – Infinity
An introspective album that sounds like a walk through foggy woods or a moment of stillness before sunrise. I have had the opportunity to see SYML live and each time it's a completely special experience.
Pair it with:
A quiet cottage in the forested corners of Olympia or the Columbia River Gorge.
Neighborhoods like Capitol Hill or Southeast Portland for creative solitude with coffee close by.
🌊 Blind Pilot – We Are the Tide
Seen live at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Easy Street Records and upcoming this summer at Topaz Farms. It's safe to say Blind Pilot is an all time favorite. This record always feels grounded in place, honest, and deeply local.
Where to live that feeling:
Oregon coast towns like Manzanita or Astoria, where art and slowness are core values.
Cottage-style homes or converted live/work artist spaces.
🌻 Ruston Kelly – The Weakness
Rustin’s storytelling hits hard. This album wrestles with hope and heartbreak, and finding strength in the vulnerability. I loved seeing him perform at the incredible Showbox. A venue that is so cool everyone must see a show there.
Where this sound lives:
Portland’s East side, especially neighborhoods like Montavilla or Sellwood where musicians and misfits make space for healing.
Rural outskirts of Washougal or Bend. Acreage homes where creativity can echo.
🌵 Dope Lemon – Kimosabe
A desert dream in vinyl form. Groovy, laid-back, and strange in the best way. Seeing him live would feel like stumbling into a neon dive bar in the middle of nowhere or in our case the Crystal Ballroom downtown Portland.
Home pairing:
Bungalow-style rentals in North Portland or quirky Seattle pads in Fremont.
Neighborhoods with personality and porch swing potential.
🐎 Orville Peck – Stampede
I had the opportunity to see him at Château Ste. Michelle last year under the pouring sky, surrounded by swaying fans and the smell of puddles. Drama, depth, and style, I have never seen so many people ignore sideways rain.
Where it makes sense:
Wine country homes near Woodinville or Dundee.
Converted barns or modern farmhouses with fire pits and wide open skies.
💛 Still Woozy – Loveseat
Still Woozy’s style is part indie, part dancey daydream. I saw him in Troutdale at Edgefield, where the crowd's energy matched the playful charm of the record.
Ideal neighborhoods:
Inner NE Portland or Ballard in Seattle.
Think high walk scores, creative, and full of houseplants, vintage shops, and good vibes.
✨ Bonus: Taylor Swift – 1989
From her show at Lumen Field in Seattle to the energy that radiated through the entire city, this album feels like movement, transition, and glittering imagination. I am happy to listen to both the OG and Taylor’s version this month.
Where she lives (figuratively):
Modern condos in Seattle’s Belltown or First Hill.
Anywhere you can hear the city, but still find quiet for a journaling session on the balcony. I think my sunroom on Beach Drive is the perfect backdrop for this album.
🎤 Why Music and Housing Matter
This month I lost my cat of 15 years. Part of my home. One of our favorite things to do together was listen to vinyls. She really did listen to music differently when it was started on the record player. The month of June I have taken a break from starting my day with music as I missed our routine so much. As I make new routines without her I hope to return to this one in July. A slow start to the day with an appreciation of good music and the sense of being home. All these albums I have seen the artist live in my community and shared them with my cat Jazzy girl in our home.
Concerts help shape identity and community. They bring people together and the neighborhoods around those venues carry that joy long after the last encore. As someone who helps people find homes and build roots, I see the parallels clearly: finding the right place to live is like finding your favorite song. You feel it when it fits. Concerts connect us. They bring a sense of community.
I can’t wait for this summer's shows. I am hopeful to hit all my favorite outdoor venues… What is your favorite venue in your community?
I am a licensed agent and love connecting. Whether we talk about what makes neighborhoods special or your favorite music, let’s set up time to chat today.
Rachel Jarvis
503-996-6406