Satan's Playground: The Devils Point
Home to Gear Jamming Rock and Alternative Erotica

By Sam Soule for pdxguide.com
March 3, 2005

The flaming gas torch hanging over the front door makes a bold impression, as does the neon COCKTAIL sign with the letters T-A-I-L burned out. Couched in the drab environs of outer-lying Southeast Portland, a maroon painted and wedge-shaped building stands out— way out — strung up in flashing lights like the office to Hell's own used car dealership.

Welcome to the Devils Point. It can really rock.

With help, it can really rock more.

It's like this, unless you fit the following description: mellowing hell-raiser, short hair, tattoos, male, seeking escape from desperate blue collar reality through strippers and motorcycles — there's really no reason for you to have ever of heard of the Devils Point. Even if your thing is strippers and motorcycles.

In a baffling (perhaps uniquely devil-may-care) way, the DP has fashioned itself as Portland's home for alternative erotica (scene strippers daily! website a plus) and gear-jamming rock 'n' roll (drunk punks weekly! no website necessary) without making a strong case to you, the weak and the willing. What's the point of sin without temptation?

The problem lies in the fact that for years this bar has existed in a sort of netherworld within Portland's bar and club scene, fluctuating between full-service dive, strip club, and music venue, and, as is the case now, a combination of all three. These days trendy strippers of an alternative rock/alternative sex stripe are what the DP banks on, but a more reliable draw might be had with greater emphasis put on live music, something more than one half-assed booking a week. The place has potential, and Portland has a need — Where have all the decent barroom rock shows gone?

I walked into the Devils Point this week in search of just that. And it had been a while. The last time I had been in the place, the bar bore a simpler (and better) name. For years The Devils Point was brilliantly known as The Point (remember, wedge-shaped building), a run-down gin mill with loads of dead end charm, and as such, was totally unremarkable.

Then came the Boom Years. In the latter half of 1990's it became fashionable for local entprenuers to buy up bottom-feeding bars and inflate their (perceived) street credibility. The Point was one of many who saw new life as a possible perch for low-flying fashion drunks. By re-tooling the name and re-working it's image—into that of a low-rent Dante's—The Devils Point has managed to continue to be, at least in popular regard, totally unremarkable. I for one had no reason to even visit that end of town after a nearby gym stopped showcasing student pro wrestling shows. At least Dante's has pizza.

But on a recent Saturday night I basked in the devilish glow of the Devils Point. And you know what? This tiny space is a great place to see a band, high marks awarded all around for sound, sight lines, bar access and requisite in-your-face vibe. I was mildly stunned.

Sure, I could do without the red light/red paint back-of-a-gothic-pornstore abmbiance, not to mention the overwhelming scene of dudes. Given the number of males shuffling around the clot of off-shift strippers, beautiful women all, albeit stony-faced —the well-read cast of the modern day sex worker — I had to assume someone had the night's featured entertainment confused (easy enough to do). And, truthfully, I can only ASSUME the women in question were house strippers; contrary to what the marque promises, I've been back twice and have yet to witness anyone dancing. The girls at the bar just looked like they came with the place.

Still, the room is small and cool, the bar staff pleasant (enough), and the pinball is in good working order. There's hope. And there's no pool table. That means more hope.

As I've suggested, what has likely sapped DP's vitality, beyond the bar's far off off-center location, is the fact that people don't really know what is going on there. So I called up and got a very nice person on the phone who, while nursing an inflating hand following a recent cat bite incident, gave me the low-down on what is scheduled to happen at the DP on a nightly basis.

She also assured me that dancers are supposed to be working all the time. That is, "when they show up".

Following is the Devil Point's nightly entertainment schedule:

Monday: Fire Strippers
Tuesday: FatalBeauty.com Night
Wednesday: 80's DJ's
Thursday: Devil Dancers
Friday: Band Night
Saturday: SuicideGirls.com Night
Sunday: Karaoke

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Mon.-Fri; 2 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Sat & Sun.
Happy Hour: 4-6 pm Mon.-Fri; 50-cents off well/draft.
Dancers: All the time (aka, whenever)

The opinions expressed within are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of pdxguide.com or The Columbian Publishing Co.