Satyricon Nightclub was a nightclub in the Old Town neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States, best known for providing a place for local and touring alternative rock bands to play. Located at 125 N.W. Sixth Avenue, it opened in 1983 and operated until May 2003, then in a different format from August 2006 to October 31, 2010.[1]
The Satyricon, named by its founder George Touhouliotis after Federico Fellini's film, was the one venue in Portland "where everyone who was or would be anyone in Northwest rock played over the course of two decades,"[2] earning the nightclub a national reputation. Chuck Paugh threw his first rave party there in 1985. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain first met future wife Courtney Love there in 1990. After Cobain's suicide in 1994, Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl played his first show with his post-Nirvana outfit Foo Fighters at the club as well. Another iconic grunge music band, Pearl Jam played the club on September 28, 1991[3]
The news headlines arising from Satyricon include:[4]
Satyricon reopened as an all-ages club in August 2006 under the management of the owners of the Loveland, a popular all-ages venue in Portland.
Satyricon to close forever in October 2010.[5]
Satyricon closed on October 31, 2010 and may soon be torn down to make way for a center for the homeless.[6]
The final performance was on October 31, 2010 with original Portland punk/hardcore bands playing the bill for a 21 and over audience.[1]
Demolition began on building in July 2011. [7] Much of the building was down by October 2011. A crane was visible and new construction started November 2011.