Kells Irish Pub- Portland, OR

It's always comforting to know for those that like their Irish music, you can find it all over the world. The Portland, Or stronghold for Irish music is Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub. Kells first opened in Seattle in 1983 and opened up their Portland location in 1990. They have since opened a brewpub in Portland, as well. Kells location in Portland's Old Town, though, is what we are concerned with here, as that is where the majority of the music making happens.

Music
Music at Kells is 7 nights a week. That's right, all 7 of them. No nights off here. From Sunday to Thursday a artist will be featured, usually an acoustic guitar player, starting at 9 p.m. and always free. You can expect some nice Irish tunes, some acoustic covers, and other diddys. Friday and Saturday will feature a full band with a cover of around $2 or $3 and music getting underway at 9:30 p.m. The same band plays both nights and their usually is a rotation, with each band playing every few weeks. These bands put on some high energy shows, so unlike during the week, don't be surprised to find yourself attempting a little Irish jig after a few drinks. Some of regular bands include Coming Up Threes, Grafton Street, Cul an Ti, and Flight of Earls.
To round it all out, the Irish music experience would not be complete with out one of the most famous of Irish music traditions, the session. To get anyone up to speed, here's a description not provided by me, but instead Barry Foy's Field Guide to the Irish Music Session, which should help make it more clear:

...a gathering of Irish traditional musicians for the purpose of celebrating their common interest in the music by playing it together in a relaxed, informal setting, while in the process generally beefing up the mystical cultural mantra that hums along uninterruptedly beneath all manifestations of Irishness worldwide.

This can be found at Kells every Sunday at 7 p.m.

The Venue
Kells shoots for the feeling of an Irish pub, with dark wood paneling, Irish flags, Guinness signs and posters, and all that.
It works well for music, though, as this is not the compact pub that would normally come to mind, but rather a nice long room with a high ceiling. The stage for performers is in the pack, with a nice smiling Guinness looking down on all.

Blurry picture of Coming Up Threes performing

Details
Location- 112 SW 2nd Ave, Portland, Or 97204
Phone- (503) 227-4057
Website- www.kellsirishportland.com