Chris Portka is an acoustic singer / songwriter who has been based in the East Bay since 2001. He's been passionate about playing music his whole life and is influenced by the likes of Syd Barret, David Berman, Yo La Tango, Jonathan Richmond, Gillian Welch, Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. Over the years he has experimented and fine tuned his style with an exploratory approach to sound, music, and writing. He enjoys playing covers with a mix of original work. He has a deep calming voice and performs with a style that shows vulnerability as well as a grounding tranquility.