Well, the calendar says there's a full week here, but everyone's heart, soul, brain, stomach, intestines, anything that can seize or clench anywhere on your body—they know that there's basically just Tuesday, and the election that will be ending—finally—God willing and the creek don't rise, and the skies don't split open, and the hot hail and radioactive frogs don't rain down, and the cracks of the Earth don't violently widen and belch forth a sulphuric miasma blanketing our shuddering, frail bodies like fresh loam in the shallow ruts that will pass for our self-dug graves.
...
Anyway, the Mercury is throwing a party on Tuesday, so you should go to that. Should we all survive whatever the fuck happens that night, Ms. Lauryn Hill is gonna be in town, and so is Margaret Cho, and the Oregon Symphony will be live-scoring a screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark just in case you wanna get blackout drunk on rosy nostalgia in an attempt to forget the last year-plus, or you can watch a colorless, explosion-filled vision of the future when the documentary Mad Max: Fury Road returns to theaters! Choose your comforts from the menu below, and we'll see you on the other side.
Jump to: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday
Monday, Nov 7
Sady Doyle, Andi Zeisler
With Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock and Fear... and Why, writer Sady Doyle dives into our ugly tendency to tear apart—and tear down—famous women, from Britney Spears to Mary Shelley to Hillary Clinton. Tonight, Doyle will be discussing her important, timely book at Powell's—and she'll be doing so with Bitch Media cofounder and We Were Feminists Once author Andi Zeisler. ERIK HENRIKSEN
7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books
Boz Scaggs
Like mushrooms after rain, vinyl copies of Boz Scaggs’Silk Degrees tend to sprout up overnight in people’s record collections. “Jeez, I don’t remember buying this,” every record collector has said at one time or another, suspiciously eyeing the iconic album cover with Scaggs on a park bench looking either drunk or dejected as a manicured lady hand suggestively reaches into frame. The former Steve Miller Band guitarist’s blockbuster 1976 album is a swankfest from bygone days, a surprisingly ambidextrous collision of string-laden R&B, gently discofied beats, singer/songwriter introspection, and Springsteen-esque bar-band bravado. And its two hit singles couldn’t be more different: “Lowdown” was, probably, sexy for its time, with its Barry White groove and burning-cool jazz flute; nowadays it sounds immeasurably creepy. But “Lido Shuffle” has a McCartney-worthy melody, a Thin Lizzy quick-shuffle rock beat, and the soaring sing-along chorus of your karaoke dreams. Scaggs has apparently recorded dozens of other albums that you’ve never heard, and presumably he’ll play songs from some of them tonight, but expect those Silk Degrees jams to be the meat of the set list. NED LANNAMANN
8 pm, Revolution Hall, $59.50-85, all ages
Mac Miller, Soulection, Andre Power, Clockworkdj
Pittsburgh-hailing rapper Malcolm James McCormick, best known by his stage name Mac Miller, returns to Portland in support of his new album, The Divine Feminine.
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $30, all ages
MAMA, The Rubs, Ladywolf, Moondrake
MAMA’s official press photo looks like it was taken 40 years ago—it’s faded and grainy, featuring four dudes, some feathered hair, lots of denim, and Thin Lizzy and T. Rex T-shirts. This all makes perfect sense given MAMA’s musical output, which draws heavily from the power pop and hard rock of the ’70s and ’80s. Get in, crank out some killer riffs and sweet melodies, and get out before the clock hits 180 seconds. That’s MAMA’s thing, and they’re darn good at it. The band is on a big ol’ tour with fellow Windy City rockers the Rubs, who are a little more Elvis Costello and a little less Cheap Trick. BEN SALMON
8 pm, The Know
Kevin Smokler, Mo Daviau
Kevin Smokler reads from his new book, Brat Pack America, which offers readers an in-depth tour of the real locations featured in an array of '80s teen movies. Smokler will be joined in conversation by Mo Daviau, author of Every Anxious Wave.
7:30 pm, Powell's Books on Hawthorne
Mad Max: Fury Road: Black & Chrome
A brutal, beautiful, two-hour action overdose injected with a welcome feminist bent. Black & Chrome is director George Miller's preferred cut of the film—entirely in black and white.
Fox Tower 10, see Movie Times for showtimes.
Tuesday, Nov 8
Tory Lanez, Jacquees, Kranium, DJ VeeCee
Add yet another Canadian hip-hop/R&B sensation to the list: 24-year-old Tory Lanez, whose lead single, "say It," has helped hoist him into the national spotlight. Plenty of cosigns later, his debut studio album, I Told You was released in August. It's a "swavey" mix of moody knocks like "Flex,""To D.R.E.A.M.," and dancehall tracks like "Luv." Lanez also has some associations locally: Portland rapper-singer ISSA recruited him to be featured on "Sleep on You," another dancehall jam that'll make you want to move those hips. JENNI MOORE
9 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $25-32, all ages
Election Party 2016
If you’ve ever attended any of the past Mercury Election Night Parties, then you already know they get WILD. And once again, we’ve got another cathartic, fun evening planned for this coming election day. Expect local and national results on the big screen, audience participatory games such as a wall-building contest, “Grab That Pussy (Cat),”“Smash the Trump Piñata into a Million Fucking Pieces,” and then a huge dance party featuring DJ Gregarious where we drink, smooch, and celebrate our first woman president. (Pro-tip: Get there early.) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
6 pm, Doug Fir, free
Mad Max: Fury Road: Black & Chrome
Mad Max: Fury Road, as you no doubt are well aware, is one of the finest motion pictures of the past decade—and easily one of the greatest action movies of... well, ever. And the Black & Chrome Edition? Well, that'd be the black-and-white version of the film—and director George Miller's preferred cut. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Fox Tower 10, see Movie Times for showtimes.
Wednesday, Nov 9
Rae Sremmurd, Lil Yachty, Eearz, BoBo Swae, Impxct
The Tupelo, Mississippi-hailing hip hop duo consisting of brothers Khalif "Swae Lee" Brown and Aaquil "Slim Jxmmi" Brown hit the Crystal in support of their new full-length, SremmLife 2. Atlanta's Lil Yachty provides support.
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $35, all ages
Criminal
Phoebe Judge, Lauren Spohrer, and Eric Mennel bring their popular crime podcast to the stage, focusing on the stories of people who have been caught in the middle of criminal activity.
8 pm, Revolution Hall, $20, all ages
Toro y Moi
Chaz Bundick is a puppetmaster of a huge range of dancing, bouncing sounds. You know him better as Toro y Moi, your one-stop shop for future jamz and retro '80s synths, all squelching along for a funky, freaky dance party. NED LANNAMANN
8:30 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $20-23, all ages
David Sedaris
David Sedaris returns to Portland with his inexhaustible supply of hilarious stories about subjects ranging from his crazy family to life abroad, as recounted in his best-selling books Barrel Fever, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls.
7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 32.50-54.50
National Geographic Live
Award-winning photojournalist Steve Winter is the co-author of the new National Geographic book Tigers Forever. Tonight he talks about his quest to share the beauty of big cats living all around the world, as well as his mission to save them.
7:30 pm, Newmark Theatre, $20-40
Revolution Comedy
Every second and fourth Wednesday, local stand-up comic Andie Main hosts a benefit showcase designed to assist progressive causes through the power of comedy. The line-up changes from show to show, but big laughs for a great cause are always guaranteed. This show will benefit Don't Shoot PDX, with stand up from Jeremy Eli, Barbara Holm, David Mascorro, and Jaren George. Hosted by Main and Jason Lamb.
7:30 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $10
The Wild Reeds, Valley Queen
An evening of harmony-driven twangy country and folk rock from this Los Angeles-hailing trio who are currently touring in support of their new album, Best Wishes.
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $13-15
Natasha Kmeto, Crater
Watching local indie-electro R&B artist Natasha Kmeto perform live is like watching someone perform brain surgery at a dance party. Bunkered behind a wall of keys, samplers, and reverb, she recreates her beats live, looping her sultry voice to create songs that she dubs "futuristic soul." ROCHELLE HUNTER
9 pm, Holocene, $10-12
Mad Max: Fury Road: Black & Chrome
Sure, you can stream Black & Chrome on Amazon and YouTube, and it's coming out on Blu-ray soon—but c'mon. It's fucking Fury Road. See it big. See it loud. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Fox Tower 10, see Movie Times for showtimes.
Thursday, Nov 10
Ms. Lauryn Hill
The career of hip-hop icon Ms. Lauryn Hill is full of stops and starts: She’s released just one studio album, 1998’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and is known for cancelling shows at the last minute (hold your breath, Portland). But nearly 20 years after her debut, Hill’s blissed-out harmonies continue to age into well-worn but never exhausted classics. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Keller Auditorium, $57-202, all ages
Margaret Cho
Comedian/actress/author Margaret Cho has been in the game since the early ’90s, and since then she’s been a devout advocate for women, Asians and LGBT rights. Her comedy shows are a riot, pushing the boundaries and touching on everything from aging Koreans to her addiction to prescription painkillers, bisexuality, Joan Rivers’ funeral, and having a “Fat Pussy.” Also an established recording artist, Cho is known for incorporating her singing talents into her stand-up routines. JENNI MOORE
8 pm, Helium comedy Club, $28
The Last Artful, Dodgr, Mic Capes, Fountaine, Donte Thomas, Ton Jongir
This is what we’re talking about. Fresh off the despair of the 2016 election (pretty much whichever way it plays out), the Liquor Store hosts the sort of great-sounds-meet-amazing-art event this town needs more of. Hit the basement for a collection of the city’s premier emcees (Dodgr, Fountaine and Mic Capes among them), and ogle the Technicolor talents of Sarai Lopez at the ArtxSarai art sale while you’re at it. DIRK VANDERHART
8 pm, The Liquor Store, $5
Oregon Symphony: Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Oregon Symphony performs John Williams’ memorable score live as the film plays behind them.
7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $40-125, all ages
The Broadcast
Portland has no shortage of storytelling nights, but the Broadcast, brought to you by Siren Nation's lady-centric arts fest, is well worth your attention: Tonight, hear from PAE actor Jocelyn Seid, author Charise Harper, and co-Producer of The Mystery Box Show, Reba Sparrow. The theme for tonight's storytelling event is "Winners and Losers."
8 pm, Alberta Street Pub, $12
Girl Tears
The Los Angeles-hailing garage punk trio bring their three-chord bombardment back to Bunk Bar in support of their recent sophomore full-length, Woke Against The Tide.
9 pm, Bunk Bar, $8
Leo Kottke
An evening with the Athens, Georgia-hailing blues, jazz, and folk guitarist known for his fingerpicking style. Mainly focused on instrumental compositions, Kottke compares his baritone singing voice to "geese farts on a muggy day."
8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $39.50-42
On Drugs, Thong, VCR
Eugene three-piece VCR play stoner garage-pop that sounds like Fountains of Wayne becoming a Scooby-Doo psych band. CIARA DOLAN
5 pm, Quarterworld, $3
Pansy Division, Macho Boys, Cockeye, Wasi
It's been a long time since poppy queercore pioneers Pansy Division were thrust into the faces of mainstream America on Green Day's Dookie tour in 1994, but the band's legion of man-lovin' loyalists hasn't waned a bit. With sporadic releases dotting the last decade of their trailblazing career, and as subjects of the 2009 documentary film Pansy Division: Life in a Gay Rock Band, their elder statesmen status almost makes you forget they wrote "He Whipped My Ass in Tennis (Then I Fucked His Ass in Bed)." Tonight, you'll remember. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Dantes, $12
Mad Max: Fury Road: Black & Chrome
Ride eternal, shiny and chrome. WITNESS.
Fox Tower 10, see Movie Times for showtimes.
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!