Portland’s newest Black-owned music-centered bar aims to foster community, creativity

0:00 Yeah.

0:03 If you don't like the Blues, you got a hold in your soul.

0:09 Everybody likes the Blues.

0:12 I have friends from around the world.

0:14 When you say Portland, they go,

0:17 Portland like Ain't no Black people Portland Where's the Black folks?

0:23 There's Black folks here.

0:25 And even the culture and the spirit of Black

0:28 folks is embraced and appreciated out of here.

0:31 My name's Cyrus Coleman, and I'm his dad.

0:35 I’ve got nothing but love for you.

0:38 I would describe the Downbeat as a rhythm and social club for music lovers.

0:43 We're an intimate bar, we’re an intimate social setting.

0:47 We also have a gallery upstairs.

0:50 The biggest thing I hear is like, yo,

0:52 it doesn't feel like we're even in Portland.

0:54 You walk down, you enter this space, and you feel like transported.

1:04 Imagine if when we moved here, this existed.

1:07 The city would have been a lot less daunting and culturally shocking.

1:10 You know?

1:11 To have this space where we can be seen and felt and heard and safe.

1:18 I would like to say we're inclusive, not exclusive.

1:21 Everyone’s welcome.

1:22 Come on in.

1:23 Come on hang, have a good time.

1:24 You know?

1:26 The first step is just having the space, right?

1:29 So that's been the biggest hurdle for us in the past.

1:33 You know, five years we've been trying to get this thing off the ground.

1:36 Just hoping to be one more cog in the wheel of reasons to stay in support.

1:41 Portland.

1:46 And when it comes to loving you baby I’ve got nothing but love for you.