Northwest Hesh Fest: Day 1
Believe it or not, our trip around the sun has already brought us to another Northwest Hesh Fest. The first night features local kingpins Red Fang three weeks before the release of their new record, Only Ghosts. If you’re a fan and impatience is a quality you possess, it’s highly probable you’ll get a live preview of some new heavy-riffing earworms. If you fancy your rock ’n’ roll from the circus, or from the dankest, darkest alleys, Friday is for you. This night features a splendid combination of the uncanny mind-whirlwind that is Danava, followed by the sedative, murderous groove of England’s Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. The final night gets gritty with Texas’ the Blood Royale—their snarling, high-octane metal-meets-punk sounds like High On Fire getting their asses kicked by Zeke while Carnivore plays in the background. ARIS HUNTER WALES
Dante's 9pm, $25-103.33
The Cool Kids Patio Show
This evening’s installment of comedian Andie Main’s The Cool Kids Patio Show is the penultimate show of the season, so don’t be a square! Get yourself over to the Doug Fir’s newly remodeled patio to enjoy an extended happy hour, along with stand-up by some of Portland’s funniest comics and a smooth set of soul and funk from local duo Free! Mason Jar. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
Doug Fir, 6pm, free
Hecklevision: Thrashin'
Special guests Nariko Ott, Alex Falcone, Shannan Hunt, Mark Saltveit, Laci Day, and Mark Mahoney prime their texting thumbs to shoot the most poisonous of darts at Thrashin’, the ’80s turd about skateboarding that’s so relentlessly corny not even Poochie would stop to give it a sniff. BOBBY ROBERTS
Hollywood Theatre, 9:30pm, $9
Wanda Sykes
It's been a long, interesting road for the woman who first got noticed as part of Chris Rock's crew, and then blew up on her own with multiple HBO specials, a sitcom, a talk show, and starring roles in films like Evan Almighty, Over the Hedge, and more.
Keller Auditorium, 7:30pm, $39.50-65
Blesst Chest, LKN, Sam Humans
Blesst Chest makes bizarro, acid-washed, fuzzed-out, groovy tunes that sound like Ratatat's cool prog-rock parent, lacking the sophisticated production of today's young 'uns but wailing hard like it's 1977. CIARA DOLAN
The Know, 8pm
Drive-In at Zidell Yards
You know that place under the Ross Island Bridge where no one ever goes? Well, the NW Film Center is showing some movies down there! Park your car, bring a chair or a blanket, and pay in cash to see The Big Lebowski (Thurs Sept 22), Goldfinger (Fri Sept 23), Space Jam (Sat Sept 24), Say Anything (Sun Sept 25), and Cool Hand Luke (Mon Sept 26). More at nwfilm.org.
Sept 22-26, 7:30pm, $8-10
Ghostland Observatory
An evening of dancey electronic rock served up by the Austin-based duo consisting of singer Aaron Behrens and producer/drummer Thomas Turner.
Roseland, 8pm, $30
Parallel Dimensions
Bunk Bar presents Parallel Dimensions, a new showcase from local comedian and storyteller Tim Ledwith that aims to bring the worlds of sound and laughter together. Tonight's first installment of the event features pummeling tunes from Joe Preston's long-running ambient doom and metal solo-project, Thrones, as well as some side-splitting stand-up from one of Portland's most lovable weirdos in Jason Traeger.
Bunk Bar, 9pm, $5
The Lower 48, No Lala
These Minneapolis transplants have been hard at work playing shows in Portland bars for several years now, and they have refined their sound from bland folk to a much richer-sounding psych-pop. Powered by clean guitar riffs, quick, sometimes jazzy drum beats, and beautifully executed vocal harmonies, the Lower 48's musical presence is manicured without crossing into bubblegum territory. CAMERON CROWELL
The Liquor Store, 9pm, $8