THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Don't have enough green to buy a MusicfestNW wristband? Worry not, since the deep pockets of Nike have funded three days of free afternoon shows at the Wonder Ballroom! Just go to the downtown Jackpot Records on the day of the show and grab yourself a free ticket. Today, it's Philadelphia melody addicts Dr. Dog and the dynamic rock duo the Helio Sequence. EAC

Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 5:30 pm, FREE w/MFNW wristband or pass from Jackpot Records, all ages

There are a billion bands playing this week, but for my money, the one you absolutely do not want to miss is Frightened Rabbit, who make bluntly emotional pop songs without pretense or posturing. The Scottish lads play tonight alongside a pair of other Scottish bands, so get there early and beat the line. NL

w/the Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Archeology; Dante's, 1 SW 3rd, 9:30 pm, $15 (FREE w/MFNW wristband)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Join activists, artists, and aspiring city planners on PARK(ing) Day, a global project that turns parking spots into public spaces. Head down to a parking meter, buy two hours' worth of time, and transform your parking spot into your own urban park! (Materials needed: quarters, AstroTurf, lawn chairs, potted plants, and two hours of free time.) SB

all day, more info at parkingday.org

Craving some sun after sweaty nights in the dark at MFNW? Check out Voodoo Doughnut's Backyard Bash featuring performances by the likes of Grey Anne and more, beer samples from Ninkasi Brewing, and local artisans hawking shit you need. PAC

Voodoo Doughnut Too, 1501 NE Davis, 2-7:30 pm, FREE, all ages

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Shine a Light brings together music, games, and participatory art developed by PSU's Art and Social Practice Program for an after-hours exploration of the art museum like you've never see it before. And if that doesn't sell you, Laurelwood, Lompoc, and the Lucky Lab have each brewed kegs for the event, based on works in the museum—admission gets you all the beer you can drink. You read it right: kegger at the art museum. AH

Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park, 6 pm-midnight, $12

As chronicled in last week's Mercury, Grindhouse Film Festival organizer Dan Halsted recently stumbled across a stash of incredibly well-preserved grindhouse classics. Tonight's the first public showing of one of those super-rare films, and it's the 1984 Shaw Brothers kung fu classic Invincible Pole Fighter! Featuring some crazy-ass fight scenes and plenty of old-school chop socky charm, this is one screening you don't wanna miss. EH

Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $7

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Chances are Modest Mouse has provided an amazing soundtrack to a good chunk of your life. In fact, is there anyone reading this who isn't a huge fan of Modest Mouse? No? Good. THAT IS AS IT SHOULD BE. Which means all of you will be interested in learning that tonight, Modest Mouse kicks off the first of four shows they'll play this week at the Crystal! EH

w/Love as Laughter, Mimicking Birds, Morning Teleportation; Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 7 pm, $22 (FREE w/MFNW wristband), all ages

Need some games to plug into that classic Atari 2600? Then check out the 2009 Portland Retro Gaming Expo, where you'll find all your fave games and systems from the early '80s all the way up to the PlayStation 2! There will be gaming tournaments, a cosplay costume contest, a Konami home arcade machine raffle, live chiptune music, and a videogame system auction featuring a Hello Kitty Xbox! Hello, indeed! WSH

Portland Crowne Plaza, 1441 NE 2nd, 10 am-8 pm, $10

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

No matter what band she's working with, Hope Sandoval's music is draped in the gauzy noir we've come to love from the Mazzy Star vocalist. Her current collaboration with My Bloody Valentine's Colm Ó Cíosóig, Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions, previews songs from their perfectly titled new album, Through the Devil Softly. NL

w/Dirt Blue Gene; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $20-23

A woman abandons her square familial duties and journalism job to pick up a machine gun and head out to kill fascists? German film The Baader Meinhof Complex, about a much-mythologized group of German dissidents, is as complicated and compelling as the real story demands. SM

Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, see Movie Times for showtimes, $6-8

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Although they sold out the comfy confines of Berbati's Pan a few months back, the Gaslight Anthem return to town. This time last year they were just a few kids from Jersey, but after the release of their flawless The '59 Sound album, the band now has Bruce Springsteen in their corner and are well on their way to rock 'n' roll greatness. EAC

w/Murder By Death, the Loved Ones, Frank Turner; Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd, 7:30 pm, $16-18, all ages

If you're a fan of gorgeous vocals, you might murder yourself if you miss tonight's performance by Lizz Wright. Blessed with a sexy low soulfulness that's practically nonexistent in today's music scene, Wright—with her crackerjack backing band—will make you swoon with her smooth jazzy standards dripping with soul. WSH

w/Sonos; Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $22.50-25, all ages

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Please, let's just get it over with and happily agree that Achewood is the funniest comic of the modern age. All praise to Powell's for hosting a dream-team reading with Achewood creator Chris Onstad and the other comics artist who is unhealthily obsessed with alcoholic animals, Mr. Tony Millionaire. SM

Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE

The long-running Loggernaut Reading Series tries out a new venue tonight: Urban Grind East, a coffee shop that's becoming a literary destination in its own right. Writers Suzanne Burns, Emily Chenoweth, and Emily Kendal Frey will present poetry and prose in response to the evening's prompt word, "score." AH

Urban Grind, 2214 NE Oregon, 7:30 pm, $3-5