After the jubilation of this weekend (and the snow day or two preceding) this busy week ahead is a careful blend of partying and politicking, with some Portland traditions popping up on the calendar for good measure. For example: Peacock Lane opens up, and Tony Starlight lets rip; Revolution Comedy raises money for Don't Shoot PDX while Dante's rocks for Standing Rock; Bill Ayers gets serious, Barfly's Xmas Xtravaganza gets sloppy, Nikki Glaser keeps it real, and oh yeah, there's a newSTAR WARSopening. And if early word is to believed, it could be the first great prequel! Would that count as 2016's first real miracle? If not, there's plenty of other opportunities to have your week made magical: Hit the menu below and choose wisely.
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Monday, Dec 12
Bill Ayers
Anxiety is a logical reaction to the political state of our country, but action’s better. Take it from Bill Ayers, who once tried to make change through the militant Weather Underground, and now through his less terrifying work as an author and educator in his latest, Demand the Impossible! MEGAN BURBANK
7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books
The Pretenders
The modern qualifiers of what it means to be a “bad bitch” may flaunt money, ass, and physical fleekness all over social media, but just a couple of decades ago, the sheer confidence and strength of being an independent femme was all it took. Chrissie Hynde, frontwoman of the Pretenders and one of the original four-piece’s two living members, is the ultimate bad bitch. As far as anyone’s concerned, there’s no Pretenders without Hynde, something she broaches within the lyrics of Alone, the group’s latest. Some of the tracks definitely imply that she prefers to fly solo, but that doesn’t mean she turned an icy shoulder to collaborator and fellow Ohioan Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, who lent his bluesy ears to the LP’s production. CERVANTE POPE
8 pm, Roseland, $50-65
The Moth
The Moth brings some of the country's most exciting storytellers to Portland for a special mainstage edition of the popular series.
7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Halll, $15-65
Bastille, Holiday Friends
The electro-tinged indie pop act out of London come across the pond for a "December to Remember" show in support of their 2016 full-length, Wild World.
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $40, all ages
Torrey Pines
In some ways, Torrey Pines is a playful, understated film. But as its dialog-free, stop-motion vignettes accumulate, it takes on a weight that belies its runtime, becoming an expansive queer coming-of-age tale. Instead of loudly announcing this, though, it builds in a subtle, curious way—never fully spelling out its plot or meaning, and leaving room for audience interpretation. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON
7 pm, NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium, $9
The Album Leaf, Rituals of Mine
Upon an examination of the Album Leaf’s sprawling discography, you’ll find a career devoted to maximizing the potential of pastoral orchestration. It seems as though multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Lavalle’s spiritual calling is to fuse as much flesh-and-bone humanity as he can into the coldest and most distant electronic spheres. Primarily centered on deftly meditative keyboard or guitar motifs, Album Leaf compositions slowly build and expand on the idea of melancholic vibration while testing the parameters of studio technology and deploying a wide palette of stylistic sources (break beats, electronica, indie rock). When these sounds are paired with impressionistic films or expressive lighting, the resulting ambience can reach the sublime. These artistic philosophies shine beautifully on Between Waves, their newest release on the highly respected metal label Relapse, just the latest legendary imprint to believe in this amazing band. CHRIS SUTTON
9 pm, Doug Fir, $16-18
Women & Allies Strike Out and Protest
An opportunity to stand against the normalization of all the destructive norms being given a platform by the Trump/Pence administration, and to ask the members of the Electoral College to do their constitutional duty and deny Donald the presidency.
Chapman Square, noon
Barfly's Xmas Xtravaganza
Not every Christmas needs to be a well-mannered, daintily sweatered party. Christmas can be kind of a sloppy mess sometimes, and that shit is fun, too. Enter this annual shindig, featuring a table full of Northwest Bierhaus Jerky, and chalices of Stella Artois, with Jen Lane personally DJing the event and getting some help from local legend Elvis on the microphone.
7 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, free
Diners, Cool American, Lutra, Fair Town
Phoenix's Diners make casually celebratory power-pop music. It's a melancholic feel-good—mid-tempo muted bass grooves, twee-folk sensibilities, beach party riffing, and the occasional Thin Lizzy-inspired mini solo. Diners' songs are fascinated with the minutiae of phone calls and mixtapes and nice breezes, but somehow sidestep the insincere innocence and frustrating privilege that occupies much of the music that can be described as twee. They create well-crafted pop songs that aren't terribly weighed down by the burden of self-importance. What Diners does best is offer a humbler narration on quaint simplicity—a dream of a pre-jaded existence that's worth escaping to. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON
7 pm, PSU's Smith Memorial Student Union, $8, all ages
Tuesday, Dec 13
Robert Glasper Experiment
Robert Glasper might be better known for his collaborations than his solo output, but that’s not meant as a knock. He’s worked with Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Anderson .Paak, Norah Jones, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and just about everyone else in contemporary hip-hop, jazz, and R&B. An accomplished piano player, composer, and producer, Glasper provides the bridge between hip-hop and jazz—not always an easy feat (sorry, but Jazzmatazz wasn’t quite a game-changer). His group, the Grammy-winning Robert Glasper Experiment, melds jazz with hip-hop in the same way Glasper’s idol, Miles Davis, melded hip-hop and rock. It doesn’t always work, but when it does the results can be profound, as is the case with their latest album, ArtScience. Without any of the usual high-profile collabs, it allows the four-piece to demonstrate their technical proficiency and innovation without being overshadowed by a more famous guest. Glasper is unapologetically unconfined to genre, which he states midway through the album’s opening track: “My people have given the world so many styles of music, you know? So many styles. So why should I confine myself to one? We want to explore them all.” SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY
9 pm, Revolution Hall, $25
Kung Fu Theater: Martial Arts of Shaolin
This month’s installment in Dan Halsted’s ongoing celebration of all things whoop-ass is one of the world's first looks at Jet Li, Martial Arts of Shaolin, a 1986 Lau Kar Leung classic about a humble monk with a gift for botany who seeks to woo a beautiful woman with his amazing floral arrangem—hah! Just fucking with you, it's a weapon-filled vengeance quest featuring Jet Li killing the shit out of people on his way to murder the man who took his parents from him. BOBBY ROBERTS
7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $9
Toh Kay
Perhaps it should be embarrassing to admit that the music I’ve cried to most often is from Streetlight Manifesto lead singer Tomas Kalnoky’s solo project, Toh Kay. To say I was obsessed would be an understatement—Streetlight was the first concert I attended alone my freshman year of high school, and I had prepared a month prior by studying the lyrics of the band’s entire discography. Toh Kay’s tender and intricate acoustic demos album, Streetlight Lullabies, was what Freud would have deemed a “transitional object.” It’s music that makes the frantic, angsty, existential crises of late-adolescents sound soothing. For hours I’d hole up in my room listening to the musings of “Somewhere in the Between” and “A Better Place, a Better Time,” reading Kalnoky’s liner notes about moving from the Czech Republic to New Jersey, and humming in the missing horn sections. And crying. CAMERON CROWELL
8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $16, all ages
Alex Falcone's Book Release Party
The host of the dearly departed Late Night Action hosts a release party for his new young adult parody novel Unwrap My Heart (or It's Time for Mummies), with help from special guests Barbara Holm and Gabriel Rutledge.
7 pm, The Liquor Store
The Head and the Heart
The Seattle-based indie folk and rock outfit play a "December to Remember" show at the Crystal in support of their new 2016 album, Signs of Light.
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $40.50, all ages
Pylon Reenactment Society, Hurry Up
A tribute to the influential and underappreciated Athens, Georgia jangle pop group, the Pylon Reenactment Society features original Pylon frontwomen Vanessa Briscoe Hay, along with members of Athens bands Casper & the Cookies and the Glands.
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $12-14
Blazers vs. Thunder
It's Damian Lillard against Russell Westbrook—what more could you ask? Tonight, two of the NBA's most electrifying players face off against each other in an important Western Conference matchup. Can the Blazers emerge from the middle of the pack? Can they prevent Westbrook from dropping yet another triple-double? Wear your red and black, and buy a relatively cheap ticket, and find out in person. DOUG BROWN
7:30 pm, Moda Center, $16, all ages
Wednesday, Dec 14
TYuS, Cassow, Jonny Cool
No musician has ever handled the phrase “these bitches, they love me” with the care and tenderness of Portland’s Tyus. The 20-year-old R&B singer released his debut full-length, Never Forget, in October on Warner Brothers. It’s packed with gossamer slow jams, the kind you’ll want to wrap yourself up in and live inside all winter long. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $13
A Good Cheer Holiday Show
Portland-based DIY upstart Good Cheer Records has had as great of a release track record as just about any label going, local or otherwise. If you missed out on catching their talented roster of bands around town, tonight's all ages holiday showcase presents the perfect opportunity to play catch up. Plus, you'll be helping a good cause, with proceeds from the show going to benefit Young Audiences of Oregon. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
7 pm, Holocene, $7-10, all ages
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 lineup changes from show to show, but big laughs for a great cause are always guaranteed. This show will benefit Don't Shoot PDX, and features live music from Jessica Boudreaux, and stand-up from Whitney Streed, Dylan Jenkins, Jake Silberman, Jon Washington, and Brandon Lyons.
7:30 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $10
It's a Tony Starlight Christmas!
If you like your holiday swinging with a dose of cocktails, check out It's a Tony Starlight Christmas, in which Portland's fave crooner is joined by a rat pack of talented singers to perform classic holiday hits (and comedy) in the style of Frank, Dino, Liza, Bing, and more. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8pm, The Tony Starlight Showroom, $25-69
Glass Animals, Hustle & Drone
An evening with the English rock, trip hop, and psychedelic pop band out of Oxford, currently touring in support of their new 2016 album, How To Be a Human Being.
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $37, all ages
Thursday, Dec 15
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
No, BB-8 isn't in this one. BUT WAIT! Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has a bunch of other stuff going for it—like the chance to see badass Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) lead a motley crew of insurgent Rebels as they steal the plans to the Death Star! With director Gareth Edwards promising an all-out war movie, Rogue One might be the first Star Wars prequel that people actually like. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Various Theaters, see Movie Times for showtimes and locations
Nikki Glaser
Comedian Nikki Glaser is a delightful imaginary best friend, so I was devastated when her show with fellow stand-up Sara Schaefer was canceled to soon by evil MTV. But there, there: Glaser is back in action with her own smart, funny show on Comedy Central, Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, and a set of Portland shows this week! At last! MEGAN BURBANK
8 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $25
Peacock Lane
SCARF UP, MOTHERFUCKERS! It's time to get your eggnog-loving ass to Peacock Lane, which starting TONIGHT will blaze and burn with SO MUCH GODDAMN CHRISTMAS CHEER that your eyes will shoot out jets of scalding-hot mulled wine! For over 80 years, the residents of Peacock Lane have gone bugfuck shitcrazy with Christmas lights—and my sources on the Lane are whispering that this year is gonna be a particularly mind-blowing orgasm of electric insanity! Will there be a hot cocoa booth? FUCKING OF COURSE THERE WILL BE, AND I'M GOING TO DRINK ALL OF IT. ERIK HENRIKSEN
6 pm, Peacock Lane, free, all ages
From Coraline to Kubo: A History of LAIKA's Films
Mark Shapiro of the stop-motion animation studio walks audiences through the process of making their modern classics, from script to screen, with an opportunity to get right up close to the puppets used in the movies.
7:30 pm, Cerimon House, $15, all ages
Rollick
Rollick Comedy has a new monthly showcase at the Beulahland! The inaugural lineup includes the hilariously relatable body- and sex-posi standup of Bri Pruett, and it’s a chance to get to know the Mercury’s new “Party Review” columnist Daniel Martin Austin. There will also be beer and pie. JENNI MOORE
7:30 pm, Beulahland, free
Citizen Cope
Clarence Greenwood, AKA Citizen Cope, brings his blend of of blues, soul, folk, and rock to the Aladdin for the Portland stop on his solo acoustic tour.
8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $40.50-42, all ages
Secret Drum Band, 1939 Ensemble, DoublePlusGood, DJ Derek Smith
Anything Lisa Schonberg touches is gold. More than just a great drummer, she uses drums as compositional tools that have made bands like Explode into Colors and Kickball great. Always in demand, she's drummed for Mirah, Tune-yards, Tara Jane O'Neil, the Need, and Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, just to name a few. But it's the rare Secret Drum Band performance that brings her into the spotlight. Composing with the space in mind, Schonberg brings together a surprise star-studded cast of five drummers and two noise/tone/sound makers to create an experience unlike any other. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $8-10
J Names
A collection of all the improv talent in Portland that begins with the letter J. Amazingly, there's a ton of it. With special guest Erin Jean O'Regan.
7:30 pm, Siren Theater, $10-20
Coco Columbia, Sheers, Korgy & Bass
One of the most original soul-funk-electro albums you're likely to come across belongs to a local young music-school dropout under the brilliant moniker of Coco Columbia. On the surface, The Weight has all the gloss of Top 40 teen pop, complete with cameos by rappers like Soopah Eype and Fabian Rush. But under the covers is Pat Matheny-like guitar work and Columbia's own jazz drumming, making her satiny compositions sound very adult indeed. ROBERT HAM
8:30 pm, Holocene, $7
Portland Rocks with Standing Rock
Dante's and PDX Benefit Alliance present a fundraiser for Standing Rock featuring a traditional native song and drum performances, a speech from Native Elder and peaceful protest organizer Hugh Ahmatook, and live music from Spirit Lake, Miller & Sasser, Lousy Bends, and Midlife Crisis.
9 pm, Dante's, $8
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!