Remember that old Sesame Street story, The Monster at the End of This Book? This week is kind of like that book, in that there's a monster show in the form of our Malt Ball waiting for you on Sunday, but as Grover discovered, the real fun was getting to those final pages, and this weekend has all sorts of adventures (even Muppety ones!) on the way to that smorgasbord of beer and bands, like a birthday party for our favorite point guard, the sweet necromancy of raising rock bands from the dead in Canby, a 70mm adventure pitting Sharks vs. Jets. vs. Aliens, Bob Sugar running his mouth, some ponies getting blown and some titties getting popped, and just in case one music fest isn't enough, you can have a second one free!. Hit the menu below and load up your plate.
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Friday
Dame D.O.L.L.A.
Sure, there's that whole housing crisis thing, art spaces and restaurants folding up like broken futons, the police department is kind of like constantly fucking up somehow, and there are heavy metals in the air where heavy metals should not be—but then you take a look over at Damian Lillard, who is not only the heart of the city's one true team, one of the best players in the league, and probably the best point guard the Trail Blazers have ever had, but is also a legitimate wizard on the microphone, choosing to celebrate his 26th birthday at the Crystal with his first official show as an emcee, and you gotta think "Man, I guess we're doing pretty alright here in Portland."
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 8pm, $15
Fred & Toody Cole, Jenny Don't & the Spurs
Portland musicians Fred and Toody Cole rocked together for decades in bands like Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows, and the Rats. And while the husband-wife duo have left the rocking in the past, their stripped-down unplugged sets remain unmissable. Catch the legendary pair tonight playing a special roof deck show at Revolution Hall.
Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark #110, 7pm, $12-15
Portland Cello Project: Dance Party in Purple
The Portland Cello Project's annual dance party is always a pretty noteworthy occasion. Tonight's edition of the dance party is a extra special, with the ensemble gathering to pay tribute to the late, great Prince.
Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9pm, $16-18
Hayes Carll, Ashleigh Flynn
In the wake of his highly acclaimed fifth album, Lovers and Leavers, and a Grammy nomination for best country song (“Chances Are,” covered by Lee Ann Womack), Texas-born singer/songwriter Hayes Carll brings a fantastic blend of soulful alt-country to the Aladdin Theater. Try not to choke up when he performs “The Magic Kid,” a beautiful and haunting song about his love for his son. DOUG BROWN
Aladdin Theater, 3107 SE Milwaukie, 8pm, $22.50-25
Stay Wild Release Party
Portland's only free adventure magazine celebrates the release of its 10th issue. Come by and grab a copy of the issue, which focuses on the National Parks and their 100th Birthday, and enjoy tasty beverages courtesy of Brew Dr. Kombucha and New Belgium Brewing when you stop by.
Fjällräven, 901 NW 10th, 6pm, free
Attalla, Queen Chief, Lightning Rules
Heavy times at the Know tonight, where two Portland bands will team up with a touring outfit from Wisconsin to pulverize whoever shows up and gets in the way. Lightning Rules is local, and their first EP—out last September—is a retro rock 'n' roll ripper that, at its catchiest ("Pull Me from Hell"), sounds kind of like Foo Fighters, whose singer used to be the drummer in Nirvana, y'know. Queen Chief is also local, and they do heavy in a different way, with buzzy Queens of the Stone Age swagger and a sound like the Pacific Northwest before the gold rush. Addictive stuff. Last up is Attalla, all the way from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. These cats have it dialed in: tremendous guitar tone, killer stoner/doom riffs, a rumbling low end, non-cheesy throwback vibe. They're good and they're far from home; go see 'em and say hi. BEN SALMON
The Know, 2026 NE Alberta, 8pm
Asher Roth, Larry June
Out and proud stoner/white rapper Asher Roth is making strides toward regaining relevance in the music industry, no doubt hoping to outgrow his identity as the "I Love College" guy. Since then Roth has parted ways with manager Scooter Braun and Schoolboy Records, signed to Def Jam, then left Def Jam for indie label Federal Prism, under which he released his second studio album, 2014's Retrohash. Roth's latest single, "Laundry," produced by Chuck Inglish, is the rapper's first release since February, when he dropped Rawther, the long-anticipated, rock-influenced collab EP with Nottz and Travis Barker. The fun visual for "Laundry" features Michael Christmas and Larry June as they post up at a laundromat and take turns through the verses, emphasizing the fresh-to-death scent of clean laundry. Co-headliner Larry June will join the skilled lyricist for the six-stop tour. JENNI MOORE
Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE Cesar E. Chavez, 9pm, $12-15, all ages
Jay Mohr
Best known for his pitch-perfect smarm as Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire, Mohr's wit is one of the quickest, as heard on his Fox Sports radio show, his own podcast, and in the cut-down-far-too-soon television series Action.
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, 7:30pm, 10pm, $30
Rod, Chugger, Glacier Veins, Two Moons, Lee Faulkner
Tonight's show celebrates the release of Rod's new EP, Pretty Sure, on Sound Judgment and Good Cheer Records. It's a follow-up to the local four-piece's fantastic inaugural EP, 2015's Where I Had Gone. Pretty Sure is seven songs of hook-heavy guitar rock that's scuffed up with lo-fi production and protective coatings of fuzz. "Circle Jerks" rides power chords with anxious immediacy, while "Lethal Weapon" sounds like the sonic equivalent of cartoon fights, where a brawl is just a frenzied cloud of dust with a few random limbs protruding periodically. Slow-burning standout "Whatever" is stripped down to just singer Tommy Celt and a guitar—an unexpectedly sweet intermission in the middle of the EP. It's followed by "Season One," one of the catchiest tracks I've heard from a Portland band this year. CIARA DOLAN
Smart Collective, 6923 SE Foster, 6pm, $5, all ages
Shwood Summer Block Party
Shwood Eyewear hosts a summer block party with Pendleton, Danner, Bridge & Burn, and Tanner Goods, with each brand offering up to 70 percent off their wares. Food from Tight Tacos and Churros Locos, and booze from Widmer Brothers and Union Wine will also be on hand as well as music and games. ELIZABETH MOLLO
SE 7th & SE Grant, 4pm, free
50: A Possible History of Dance Music, 1966-2016
50: A Possible History of Dance Music is your semi-regular chance to witness the frenzied emotion that invariably ripples through a dance floor when the weird little "oohs" that open Madonna's "Like a Prayer" start. There's no shortage of reliable rug-cutters dispensed according to decade by DJs Cooky Parker, Gregarious, and Freaky Outty, under Holocene's neon frieze. The '80s were especially well represented, with songs from New Order, David Bowie, Erasure, and Michael Jackson that are impossible not to dance to. When David Bowie tells you to put on your red shoes and dance, you comply! MEGAN BURBANK
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9pm, $5
Saturday
Blow Pony Moving Party
Fresh off its controversial ouster from Euphoria Nightclub (see this week’s feature), you won’t want to miss the first Blow Pony event in its new monthly home, Bossanova Ballroom. Dance the night away at the highly popular raucous queer-centric event (“a confusing disco for homos and their lovers!”) with New York City-based rapper Dick Van Dick, San Francisco-based electro-hop duo Double Duchess, and some highly talented DJs. DOUG BROWN
Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside, 9pm, $7
DUG X Disjecta: Diaspora
The Deep Underground (DUG) collective takes over Disjecta for the third time this year with a night of music, dancing, food, and art. What started as a group of friends throwing house shows a little over a year ago, creating and providing a space for Portland artists to make and share their art, has blossomed into one of Portland's most important recurring arts and cultural events. Focusing this week on the theme of diaspora and displacement of communities, and the strengthening of those communities, DUG will showcase dozens of Portland artists in a multitude of mediums. Among those set to perform include musician and multi-instrumentalist Amenta Abioto, seven-piece band POPgoji, with their mash-up of American pop/soul and infectious Brazilian beats, and hip-hop artist and North Portland native Mic Capes. Get there early! SKYLER WALRATH
Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate, 6pm, $7
Harefest 6
If rock is dead, Canby's prepping a damn decent zombie apocalypse. Head south for Harefest, an annual festival of cover bands (with tributes to Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, Heart, and more), camping, and beer. Canby: Always your best for traveling 20 years into the past. DIRK VANDERHART
Pat's Acres Racing Complex, 6255 S Arndt, 1pm, $40-175
4th Annual Ray Davies Day
It’s becoming an annual event: The city of Portland declaring July 15 Ray Davies Day in honor of a show he played here four years ago, and now the tradition of celebrating one of England’s finest songwriters continues (albeit one day late). Portland bands like Wampire and the Cry! will cover some of the best chestnuts from the Kinks’ treasure trove, including masterpieces like “Waterloo Sunset” and “Tired of Waiting for You.” NED LANNAMANN
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, 7pm
Tango Alpha Tago, Lemolo, Snowblind Traveler
Since 2009 Seattle's Lemolo has garnered acclaim for their icy mix of just-so piano recital songwriting, astronomical synth textures, and bandleader Meagan Grandall's languidly sleepy voice. This summer Lemolo is touring in support of 2015's Red Right Return, an album with songs that are structured like water: Tempos find paths of least resistance, while tensions build and release in a way that's free flowing but purposeful. Much like water, listeners' attention can ebb. But on tracks like "Aglow," when Grandall steps aside long enough to let the guitars and dynamics explode like sparklers in the night, her band is indeed something to behold. WILLIAM KENNEDY
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9pm, $10-12
M. Ward, Shelly Short
M. Ward's notable for many reasons, the greatest being his ear for subtlety. He's known in pop culture as the other half of She & Him with actress Zooey Deschanel, but in the Northwest, it goes deeper. Ward's built a legion of fans thanks to his slow-burning songwriting, soft husky tenor, and laidback guitar. It's music that channels influences like the Monkees and the Beach Boys. This spring he released his long-awaited eighth release, More Rain. It's feel-good music with a solid core, a guilty pleasure without the guilt. JENI WREN STOTTRUP
Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark #110, 8pm, $25
70mm Extravaganza: Aliens and West Side Story
The Hollywood Theatre's 70mm Extravaganza wraps up this weekend—and they're doing so with two classics on gorgeous 70mm. First up is the 1961 musical West Side Story (it's Romeo and Juliet with gangs! Dancing, snapping gangs!), and then there's James Cameron's 1986 action-horror epic Aliens (it's Vietnam with aliens! Acid-bleeding, chest-bursting aliens!). One of these films offers singing. The other offers screaming. Both are must-sees. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, West Side Story at 6pm, Aliens at 10pm, $12 per film.
The Spits, Chemicals, Sex Crime
Sean and Erin Wood of legendary Seattle band the Spits play songs that invoke the psyches of anyone who's ever shotgunned a beer in a half pipe, broken a window at a house show, or experienced drunken anger management issues. Since the early '00s they've filtered these dangerous inclinations through a prism of robotic goth and Ramones influences and then plastered the totally ripped results onto a succession of highly coveted cassettes, singles, and LPs. These releases have influenced many a discerning misfit who, like Black Lips, King Khan, and local heroes the Mean Jeans, have actively pledged allegiance to their infected skate punk salvo. Those luminaries were no doubt also affected by the Spits' mind-blowing audiences—rabid diehards who often match the band's own blistering machinations to set lists of dystopian anthems designed to electrify all of the dark parts inside of you. CHRIS SUTTON
Dante's, 350 W Burnside, 9pm, $10
Genders, Divers, Times Infinity A trio of Portland's finest bands join forces for a night of pop-tinged psych and sweat-soaked punk rock.
Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water, 9:30pm, $10
Titty Pop
Titty Pop! is a quarterly event from the team that brought you Twerk and Slo' Jams, among other staples of Northwest queer nightlife. DJs II Trill and Ill Camino—who prove again and again that they can get any dance floor poppin'—provide the cuts, with visuals dreamt up by Kayla Oh and aesthetic direction provided by local illustrator and designer Ebin Lee. The focus is on pure club jams, so come prepared to break a sweat to everything from NOLA bounce and Chicago juke to booty bass and reggaeton. This is an all QPoC-produced event—a much-needed change of perspective for Portland dance floors. DANIELA SERNA
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9pm, $7
Great Grandpa, Twelve Gardens, Boreen, Turtlenecked
Portland blog and zine Witch Haus (co-edited by Mercury Music Editor Ciara Dolan) has put together a fantastic lineup for this show. Twelve Gardens makes shimmery, gritty garage rock that should be played softly while driving late at night, with rhythms as hypnotic as the repetition of streetlights you'd be gliding under. Turtlenecked is one man's special orchestral power-pop vision—it's wild weirdness that seems like it shouldn't be as wonderfully catchy as it is. Boreen is the lushest of bedroom pop; it feels like someone murmuring their own sweetly melancholic memories to you as you're falling asleep, so the next morning you believe they're your own. Seattle five-piece Great Grandpa makes roiling rock that's heavy, winding, and warm. Pulling from influences like Pavement and Speedy Ortiz, Great Grandpa's music really hits the spot, and often skewers it. FIONA GABRIELLE WOODMAN
Mother Foucault's, 523 SE Morrison, 7pm, $5
Sunday
The Muppet Movie
The perfect mix of easy-going wit, guileless charm, and great songwriting elevate 1979's The Muppet Movie to that rare plane of kid flicks that are also cinematic masterpieces. While the Muppets franchise maintains a loose canon at best—Kermit and Fozzie are “twin brothers” in 1981 sequel The Great Muppet Caper, for example—The Muppet Movie is the universe’s meta origin story, explaining with its own internal logic how Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy went from idle dreamers to Hollywood’s top sensations. Every scene is memorable, every effervescent line of dialogue is eminently quotable (“A bear in his natural habitat—a Studebaker!”) and every star cameo is perfectly placed (who could forget Mel Brooks as crazed scientist Max Krassman?) There have been a lot of Muppet movies—some great (Muppets Take Manhattan; the 2011 reboot), and some abhorrent (the Wizard of Oz adaption starring Ashanti), but none have come close to the original. MORGAN TROPER
Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark, 11:20am, 4:30pm, 9:50pm, $3-4, all ages
Malt Ball
Yes, it’s the return of the Malt Ball, brought to you by the Portland Mercury and the Oregon Brewers Guild, in which the very two best things in the world—BEER and BANDS—are smooshed together into an afternoon and evening of ecstasy. In other words, it’s the best multitasking you’ll ever do, as you listen to six of Portland’s best music-makers while simultaneously quaffing unique beers from six of Oregon’s best brewers. Each Malt Ball beer has been paired with a band on the bill, resulting in a symbiosis of sound and flavor that will delight all the senses. It’s the best-sounding beer festival in town, or the best-tasting music fest. Actually, it’s both. also read our feature on the Malt Ball.
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 2pm, $18-25
Dimsummer Book Club Pop-Up Shop
Featuring performances and readings from Amenta Abioto, Elton Cray, Uncool, Robyn Bateman, Julian Smuggles, and more.
Turn! Turn! Turn!, 8 NE Killingsworth, 8pm
Teeph, Gaytheist, Sol
It's hard not to be intrigued by anything described as "sludge as fuck," and for NorCal band Teeph it's pretty accurate. Thematically rooted in the weed arts (of course, they're from Chico), the band hopes to actualize their prophecy of selling out this tour in support of their forthcoming album, Widowmaker. It's likely Teeph's dreams will come true, as their sludgy, punky meta-metal has gotten them far enough to share the stage with Portland's prized rock package Gaytheist. With even more support from post-metal kings Sol, this show will contribute to the extended sendoff of our beloved venue the Know. CERVANTE POPE
The Know, 2026 NE Alberta, 8pm
Cathedral Park Jazz Festival
Maximize the fine Portland summer by spending it lounging on the grass while surrounded by the sounds of the West Coast's longest-running free jazz festival. MARJORIE SKINNER
Cathedral Park, N Edison & Pittsburg, 1pm, free, all ages
Don Henley
Hey, did you know that the drummer from the Eagles did solo stuff? No shit!
Sunlight Supply Amphitheater, 17200 NE Delfel Rd., 8pm, $55-100