▁and ▁users ▁from ▁entry . ▁The ▁building ▁that ▁hous ed ▁Back space ▁was ▁renov ated ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁Port land ▁Development ▁Commission . ▁ ▁The ▁establishment ▁had ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁gallery , ▁a ▁computer ▁g aming ▁and ▁Internet ▁c afé , ▁and ▁an ▁" o ft - be le ag uer ed " ▁all - ages ▁music ▁ven ue . ▁It ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁business es ▁in ▁the ▁neighborhood , ▁including ▁Gr ound ▁Kont rol , ▁ge ared ▁towards ▁young ▁people ▁who ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁technology ▁industry . ▁According ▁to ▁Will am ette ▁Week ▁Matthew ▁S inger , ▁Back space ▁"[ e vol ved ] ▁into ▁the ▁ep ic enter ▁of ▁Port land ' s ▁under age ▁music ▁culture " ▁because ▁of ▁a ▁one - off ▁Th erm als ▁performance ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁The ▁space ▁hosted ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁events , ▁including ▁Port land ▁Development ▁Commission ▁meet ings ▁( 2 0 0 7 ), ▁an ▁anti - bul lying ▁event ▁called ▁" Fran k ▁Con vers ations : ▁Spe aking ▁Out ▁on ▁Bul lying " ▁( 2 0 1 0 ), ▁and ▁a ▁concert ▁by ▁D ust in ▁Ruth , ▁the ▁Battle ▁Gr ound , ▁Washington - based ▁singer - song writer ▁and ▁front man ▁of ▁the ▁band ▁Ruth ▁( 2 0 1 1 ). ▁ ▁Cl os ure ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 0 s , ▁Back space ▁had ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁financial ▁difficulties . ▁The ▁business ▁almost ▁closed ▁in