Skip to main contentDespite its physical above-ground location, the Mudai Lounge always had that underground feeling. A similar experience to seeing a show at Dunes or in someone's basement; that delicious charge locked into your spine that felt like you and the bands were getting away with something.
It was that same feeling that kept Tony Prato, the man who until very recently booked shows at Mudai, bringing bands to the small bar atop this Ethiopian restaurant in NE Portland. He had somehow convinced his bosses to let him turn the space into a haven for bands of all stripes that leant towards the DIY aesthetic. And for just over a year, it thrived. Until, that is, internal issues between Prato and Mudai's owners made it impossible for him to keep going forward.
So, after one last amazing show this past month with Blood Beach, Edibles and Macrocosm, the Mudai Lounge is now back to being just another bar in a town chock full of them.
To commemorate this space and the person who helped make these shows a reality, we asked Prato to reminisce on his favorite bookings at Mudai.
WWeek 2015