John Craigie with the Oregon Symphony

John Craigie is playing the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on December 5 and 6, 2026, for his first orchestral performance. He'll be joined by the Oregon Symphony, and the set draws from across his catalogue, including songs from his 2026 album I Swam Here. It's a pairing of his Americana songwriting and a full orchestra.

Craigie is a Portland folk troubadour, and he's known for the kind of sincerity and lyricism that's worked for him with audiences across the country. This is the first time he's brought his songs to a stage like this, with the Oregon Symphony providing the orchestral backing. The setlist reaches back through his earlier records as well as the new material from I Swam Here, so you'll hear songs from different points in his career rather than just the latest album.

The venue is the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall at 1037 SW Broadway, a former movie palace that's spent nearly a century as one of Portland's most elegant stages. These performances are part of the 2026/27 Sounds Like Portland festival and the Special Concerts series, so they're part of a larger run of music the symphony has scheduled for the season.

There are two nights to choose from—Friday, December 5 and Saturday, December 6—and both start promptly at the listed time, so you'll want to be in your seat before the music begins.