At the end of a month stuffed full of traditional holiday entertainment, Classical Revolution PDX (CRPDX) offers up a palate-cleansing alternative. For their Bachxing Day show, CRPDX musicians will gather to perform their own interpretations of Bach sonatas, cello suites and cantatas in the casual atmosphere of the Someday Lounge.

The fifth-annual event may take its punny name fromBoxing Day, the December 26th English bank holiday, but it really has nothing to do with Christmas. It's a laid-back celebration of the music of JS Bach and a showcase of the group's mission to make classical music more fun to listen to and to play.

"It's a cool night because there is not much going on the day after Christmas," says CRPDX founder Mattie Kaiser. "People get a little stir crazy from all of the holiday events and like to get out for a fun evening."

An offshoot of a movement that got its start in San Francisco, Classical Revolution PDX is a group of classically trained musicians dedicated to breaking down the barriers to classical music by performing it in more casual venues.

Their monthly events, held at the The Waypost bar in North Portland, take the standard pub house formats of the open mic night and the jam session and give them a classical twist. For these "chamber jams," CRPDX musicians sign up online to suggest pieces or form impromptu groups. Non-traditional approaches are encouraged — it's not unusual to see a violin playing Hendrix or a Mandolin playing Mozart — and the audience is invited to interact with the musicians or even jump in to perform a piece themselves.

The Bachxing Day show follows a similar format, says Kaiser, but with a few "rules" that apply: Any Bach (JS, WF or PDQ all count), any instrumentation and any interpretation. Audience members can also join in on the fun by creating ridiculous Bach names, puns and haikus to win prizes.

The actual lineup remains in flux up until the show, but one planned highlight for this year's event will be a special performance of the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto in honor of their fifth year at the Someday Lounge. You can also expect to see a chacone on two baritone mandolines and an aria from J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio for bassoon and piano.

"Bach is special for chamber musicians because he wrote so much solo material," says Kaiser. "It was a staple in our musical education — most musicians have played Bach at some point for recitals or competitions. It's an important part of our personal expression. That's why we like to celebrate Bach."

Video produced by Greg Bond