Portland might have had a sleepy Labor Day weekend, but for the next three days our well-rested city is basically dedicated to doing all of the things at all of the times, a flood of stuff to do so torrentuous it's like someone didn't even bother to connect a hose to the hydrant, they just ran it over and jumped out of the still-running car. TBA:16 gets underway properly, while Rose City Comic Con sets up finely-costumed shop at the Convention Center. North Portland is making a hell of a lot of noise too, with the St Johns NoFest taking over the town square, and the Fixin' To throwing a fun-as-hell concert to celebrate their fixin' up the place. Local theaters say goodbye to Gene Wilder, Alex Falcone begins to say goodbye to Portland, Audrey II says "Feed me!" from Portland Center Stage, and Sunday morning is your chance to eat like a goddamned Viking. A bounty of entertainment options await you; hit the menu below and choose accordingly.
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Friday, Sept 9
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TBA:16
PICA's city-wide multidisciplinary arts festival champions not just Portland's creative community, but artists and performers from all over the world, via performances, live music, visual arts installations, film screenings, workshops, talks, and more. Read our preview of TBA:16.
Sept 8-18, Various Locations, Click here for a list of events.
T.J Miller, Kate Miller, Nick Vatterott
While you may know him best as Erlich Bachman on HBO’s hit Silicon Valley, T.J. Miller is also one of the great absurdist stand-ups of our time. Spontaneous and extremely funny, Miller will be joined on his “Meticulously Ridiculous Tour” by performer/multimedia artist/wife Kate Miller and unconventional comedian Nick Vatterott, all of whom promise a big evening of WEIRD, pants-peeing hilarity. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Aladdin Theater, 7:30pm, 10pm, $29.50
Joseph, Duncan Fellows
I'm Alone, No You're Not is the latest from Portland sister-trio Joseph, and tonight’s show celebrates the record’s release. Its 11 tracks are bound by folksy pop melodies and the synchrony of the sisters’ eerily similar harmonies. Joseph’s music resounds with the interconnected power of family, and it’s stunning. CIARA DOLAN
Wonder Ballroom, 9pm, $18-20, all ages
Fantastic Planet
A 1973 film collaboration between French and Czech animators, Fantastic Planet's based on a science fiction novel by Stefan Wul called Oms en Série, but the movie's theme has a lot to do with Czechoslovakia's occupation by Soviet forces in the late '60s, which brought about the close of the Prague Spring era. In the film, a race of blue giants, called Draags, co-exist with the human-like Oms. Oms are either considered by Draags to be mice-like pests or are kept captive as cute little pets, while the Draags are an enlightened, intelligent race with a sophisticated government and extensive rituals of mediation. Yet they consider Oms to be inferior beings, perhaps because of their size. (Cue allegory.) The story holds up completely, but the imagery is what's really amazing: Although the animation itself is choppy and primitive, the drawings are nothing short of spectacular. It's been described as a mixture of Salvador Dali, Hieronymous Bosch, and Terry Gilliam, and that drool-inducing assessment is not far off. There's also a swanky '70s progressive rock score, which is awesome and hilarious at the same time. (Madlib sampled the shit out of it.) NED LANNAMANN
Academy Theater, 2:45pm, 9pm, $3-4
Loch Lomond, Small Million
Local singer-songwriter Ritchie Young and his dynamic folk-pop ensemble headline Mississippi Studios in support of their brand new full-length, Pens from Spain. Read our review of Loch Lomond’s Pens from Spain.
Mississippi Studios, 9pm, $10-12
Bombay Beach, Love Boys, Records for Rent
Bombay Beach’s Jeremiah Hayden (also of Modern Kin), Kelli Schaefer, Ryan Lynch, and Matt Zimmerman vacillate between cinematic art-rock wizards and melodic pop alchemists. Earlier this summer, Bombay Beach dropped their debut, Death Tape, on Hayden’s own Amigo/Amiga Records, and with it a writhing cinematic mindfuck for the single “Thee Mote.” The record itself is a sort of soundtrack to a film the band has been working on, the details of which are as fuzzy as some of the songs on Death Tape. But it’s a good kind of fuzzy, a dizzying haze as found on segueing instrumental tracks like “Ships” that give way to foreboding synth nightmares like “Murder USA.” It’s really, really good. RYAN J. PRADO
Turn! Turn! Turn!, 8pm
Monolord, Sweat Lodge, Urchin
Prepping Portlanders for the upcoming onslaught of stoner doom at this month’s NW Hesh Fest, one of RidingEasy Records’ newest Swedish imports, Monolord, have no difficulty expressing how deeply Black Sabbath influenced their music. The band, who shares a label roster with local favorites Sons of Huns and Danava, have already made considerable waves in the metal scene while still only being on their sophomore release, April’s Vænir. Rounding out their efforts will be dark, atmospheric doom from the depths of the Mariana Trench provided by local duo Urchin and slight aural relief from Austin’s bluesy-psych act Sweat Lodge. CERVANTE POPE
Ash Street Saloon, 9pm, $12-14
Autonomics, Arlo Indigo, Devy Metal
Autonomics traffics in the kind of sloppy, speedy garage-rock meant to bang a few heads and spill a few beers. Catch them tonight at Bunk Bar for a joint Euro tour kickoff/single release show.
Bunk Bar, 9pm, $5
XOXO Fest
You can't go to this. You better hope someone who was allowed to go to this tells you all about it at some point, hopefully at some get-together or meeting wherein that friend will impart all the super-interesting creative lessons learned from the internet-famous, internet-conquering artists and creators who do get to go, such as Gaby Dunn, Sarah Jeong, Starlee Kine, Neil Cicierega, Anita Sarkeesian, Laura Hudson, the Auralnauts, and more.
Sept 8-11, Revolution Hall, but don't worry about it, because you can't go.
The Comedy Bull
The stand-up showcase that puts its comedians on the stage and invites the audience and their peers to try and buck them off of it, featuring performances from Dylan Jenkins, Nick Puente, Brandon Lyons, Bill Conway, Hans Kim, Eric Alexander Moore, and Becky Braunstein
Brody Theater, 10pm
Rose City Comic Con Kickoff Party
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Ninkasi Brewing, Things From Another World, and Wacom invite you to help get the pop-culture explosion that is Rose City Comic Con started with a sizable bang. Come out and converse with guests from the convention while taking in live music, food from Portland food carts, and beer from Ninkasi Brewing.
Wacom Experience Center, 6pm, free
Saturday, Sept 10
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The Fixin' To Grand Opening Show
St. Johns bar the Fixin’ To always had a great patio, and now they’ve got a live music venue to boot. The newly built annex, which holds just over 100, was designed with great sound in mind and will bring lots of local live music to North Portland. Tonight’s grand opening—part of St. Johns’ NoFest—boasts a stacked bill of great Portland bands, including the Fur Coats, Cat Hoch, and several others. NED LANNAMANN
The Fixin' To, 7pm, free
Late Night Action with Alex Falcone
Say it ain’t so! The consistently entertaining Late Night Action with Alex Falcone—the best live comedy/chat show in Portland—is closing its doors after seven seasons… BUT! Not before wrapping up with three slam-bang shows starting with this one featuring chef Andy Ricker, author Kelly Williams Brown, musician Logan Lynn, comedian Gabe Dinger, and regular co-host Bri Pruett shoving Alex out of his chair and taking over the show! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Mississippi Studios, 7pm, $10-15
St Johns NoFest 2016
The offbeat musical acts who haunt downtown St. Johns all afternoon and into the wee hours still make up the core of the neighborhood's delightfully strange Nofest. But don't let that third dive-bar set keep you from checking out the art installations and micro-film festival that have become just as important to Nofest's bizarro vibe over the past few years. DENIS C. THERIAULT
St. Johns Town Square, all day, free, all ages
All That Jazz
A special screening of Bob Fosse’s kinda/sorta autobiography, about a perfectionist choreographer who has to decide whether he wants to live a longer life, or whether he’d prefer to keep making musicals, popping pills, and fucking a steady stream of dancers. Featuring a pre-film presentation from Oregon Ballet Theatre and artistic director Kevin Irving.
Hollywood Theatre, 6:30pm, $9
Blessed: A Tribute to Future, Drake, and Kanye
Blessed is a 3-way battle royale between Future, Drake, and Kanye. The night will feature hits and deep cuts from all three artists set to visual accompaniment by Ronin Roc, a free photo booth, and other surprises.
Holocene, 9pm, $10
11th Annual Summer in September
The calendar may say the season is over, but this is Portland—sometimes it stays summery all the way into November. So why not embrace it with Meals on Wheels' annual festival, centered around a Creole-style jambalaya and ribs feast, with live entertainment from Speaker Minds, BlowFrogz, Elite, and DJ Doc Rock providing the soundtrack.
N Stanton & Vancouver, 12pm, $15-45
NoFest Freak Stage
The annual NoFest is back to celebrate its 10th year with the best in avant-garde at various venues around St. Johns. The Freak Stage at James John Café will feature an array of experimental electronic performers, several of whom have releases on one of Portland’s premier weirdo electronic record labels, SadoDamascus Records. 1000Trashcans (Nicholas Schwartz) is one of the label head’s noise-inspired side projects that centers on twisted hip-hop beats strangled by various effects under distorted, angsty rap. Amenta Abioto is a multi-instrumentalist and African soul performer who creates melodic vocal loops that build on each other in exquisite rhythmic harmonies. Standout Ras Mix (Aaron Salomon) releases nonstop left-field electronica that oozes quality and dedication. He’ll lift the rock in the far corner of the desert and unleash the elusive sounds you’ve been looking for. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD
James John Café, 3pm, free, all ages
Rose City Comic Con
Portland's annual celebration of all things pop-culture returns for its 5th year, featuring appearances by Stan Lee, John and Joan Cusack, Greg Rucka, Brian Micheal Bendis, and a slew of other artists, creators, voice talent, and celebrity guests from the realms of comics, film, gaming, animation, and sci-fi.
Sept 10-11, Oregon Convention Center, 10am, $30-125, all ages
A Houseguest Residency
The Portland Museum of Modern Art showcases the works of their 16 favorite visual artists in an open-air installation, with live music and performances from Fred & Toody, Marissa Anderson, and Secret Drum Band complementing the works by Vanessa Renwick, Amy Bernstein, Midori Hirose, Ralph Pugay, Rainen Knecht, and more. Part of TBA:16
Sept 10-11, Pioneer Courthouse Square, 11am
Back Fence PDX: Leap of Faith
http://www.portlandmercury.com/events/17870348/back-fence-pdx-leap-of-faith
Portland's best-known live storytelling series returns with true tales from Joey Slamon, Alina Aliyar, and more.
Alberta Rose Theatre, 8pm, $16-24
Genders, Eyelids, Dogheart
There are some flames that never die, including the musical friendship between Eyelids’ Chris Slusarenko and John Moen. These two are quick to finish each other’s sentences and jokes, not to mention songs. The duo put off starting their own band for years as they toured and recorded with acts like the Decemberists, Elliott Smith, and Guided by Voices. Luckily, the idea persisted, and eventually Eyelids was born. The band’s latest 7-inch is effervescent pop that harkens back to the foundations of the Portland sound with a fresh breath. It’s a preview of what’s to come, namely Eyelids’ second full-length—a first for Slusarenko, who has never recorded a second record with any of the many bands he’s started. Long overdue, but for anyone who caught their recent set at PDX Pop Now!, it’s far from stale. JENI WREN STOTTRUP
Doug Fir, 9pm, $10-12
The Gun Show
Shawn Lee directs this one-man show from playwright E.M. Lewis, with Vin Shambry telling five separate stories about guns intended to spark honest conversations in the period immediately following every performance of the piece.
CoHo Theater, 7:30pm, $20-28
The Mavericks
The Roseland Theater hosts the long-running Florida-based band known for mixing Americana, county, Latin, and rockabilly into one eclectic sound.
Roseland, 8pm, $35
Oregon Fermentation Festival
The magic of letting things get old and taste different (and/or mind-altering) is celebrated with a day-long festival on Sauvie Island, with a maker's marketplace, a DIY pickling station, workshops, presentations, an ambrosia garden (like a beer garden, but with cider, mead, and wine in there, too) and plenty of fermented foods.
Kruger's Farm, 11am, $19-30
Rose City Comic Con Afterparty
The convention might be over for the day, but the night is young. Linger in more RCCC festivities with a night of nerdy music and fun at Dante's. Featuring music from Kirby Krackle, The Doubleclicks, The PDX Broadsides, and DJ Switch. Arcade games will also be playable on site thanks to Ground Kontrol.
Dante's, 7:30pm, $10-12
Sunday, Sept 11
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Portland Black Music Festival
Tony Ozier, Farnell Newton, and DJ OG One decided 2016 was the year that the city's amazing black musicians were celebrated with their own all-day festival, highlighting amazing jazz, R&B and hip-hop artists and their contributions to the community. Read our story on Portland’s Black Music Festival
Mission Theater, 3pm, $25
Bone Machine Crit
Who’s ready for a fixed-gear bike race? Everybody. Head to Swan Island for what will sure be a highly entertaining, and probably dangerous, afternoon with hordes of racers wheeling and whizzing around an eight-turn, one-kilometer track competing for money, prizes, and glory. The women’s race is 26 laps, the men’s race is 30, and $2,000 in cash will be up for grabs for both. DOUG BROWN
Swan Island, 12pm, free, all ages
Stir Crazy
While every other theater in the world went straight to either Willy Wonka or Blazing Saddles for this week’s Gene Wilder tributes, Laurelhurst is taking a bit of a left turn, and screening the best of the Wilder and Richard Pryor team-ups, 1980’s Stir Crazy, a ridiculous mistaken-identity farce (directed by Sidney Poitier!) that turns the goofiness up way past 11, then struts out of the room in a woodpecker suit while chanting “We bad, we bad!”
Laurelhurst Theater, 3:45pm, 9pm, $3-4
Prophets of Rage
Despite the whole rap rock thing being sullied by the likes of Limp Bizkit—who proved to be the final nail in the coffin—Rage Against the Machine still has the respect of many, since they actually had important things to say. Add decades of truth-telling from Public Enemy, and it’s best to pay attention. Prophets of Rage—members of RATM sans Zack de la Rocha, with Public Enemy’s Chuck D and DJ Lord, and B-Real from Cypress Hill—have formed to fight back against the racism, xenophobia, and sexism propagated by Trump and other GOP goons. If America has ever needed Prophets of Rage, whose performances are rallies against social and racial inequalities, it’s right now. If these Prophets connect with just a handful of people, consider this a good thing. MARK LORE
Sunlight Supply Amphitheater, 7pm
Sad Rad, Wolvves, Soccer Moms, Horse Movies
Sad Rad’s twinkly, simple indie rock is unabashedly pleasant. Escapism at its purest, the band’s most recent EP, Sick Girlz Lame Boyz, sounds like Youth Lagoon without any internal strife—Sad Rad exists in the manic pixie dream world created by indie rockers of yesteryear, where sadness is acknowledged but ultimately fleeting. The choice to keep audible background noise (shuffling, people talking, guitars tuning) in the final versions of the pretty synth tunes seems like an effort to edge up the recordings, but Sad Rad is a clean-cut band majoring in soft pop with a minor in twee. They find their groove in instrumental tracks and the delicate vocals of singer/songwriter Sophia Modica. Any reach for darkness (namely, references to anxiety or angst in song titles) seems insincere—Sad Rad is a confection, and although anguish can seem like the source of all art, owning up to blind positivity has a plethora of merits as well. MORGAN TROPER
The Analog Cafe and Little Theater, 4pm, $8, all ages
Daniel Levitin
Daniel Levitin is a cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, best-selling author, musician and record producer. Tonight he comes to Powell's to read from his new book, A Field Guide to Lies, which shows readers how to sort through bad data, half-truths, and full-on lies while navigating life in the information age.
Powell's City of Books, 7:30pm
Death Valley Girls, The Shivas, Top Down
Death Valley Girls’ June release, Glow in the Dark, ferociously torments lo-fi grittiness with hot poker guitar riffs and Bonnie Bloomgarden’s hell-raising howls and shrieks. Her unbelievably elastic register is the dark centerpiece of standout “Seis Seis Seis,” a track that devolves from controlled incantation into complete sonic breakdown. “I’m a Man Too” head-butts the notion that “It’s a man’s world” with doo-wop punk, while “Love Spell” mechanically churns drums and heavy riffs under Bloomgarden’s piercing snarls. Death Valley Girls’ hellish punk is inescapably magnetic, like running into a tornado and relishing the hair-whipping chaos. CIARA DOLAN
Mississippi Studios, 9pm, $10-12
Viking Breakfast
All you can eat pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausages, fresh fruit, bottomless coffee, and at 10am: Storytime! I'm sure we'll all learn how the Pancake Vikings raided many Bisquick villages to bring this delicious bounty to the breakfast table.
Norse Hall, 8:30am, $4-7, free for children under 5
No No Soliciting
Kelly Pratt leads a group of Portland musicians (including Erika Anderson, Holcombe Waller, and Dave Depper) through a show featuring songs written specifically for the event, based on suggestions by audience members, and completed in 15 minutes. Part of TBA:16
PICA at Hancock, 10:30pm, $8-10, all ages
Little Shop of Horrors
First it was a low-budget piece of schlock from Roger Corman. And then it was a colorful, crazy-ass comedy/musical thanks to the work of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and now it comes to life at Portland Center Stage.
Sept 10-Oct 16, Portland Center Stage, 2pm, 7:30pm, $25-50