WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21

CINEMA & MUSIC—One of the most polarizing films of our time, I'm sure you'll agree, is Baz Luhrmann's 1996 modernization of Romeo + Juliet. If you're among those who loved it, see it get the Fin de Cinema treatment tonight with a live soundtrack! And if you hated it? Maybe you'll like it better this way? MS
w/Magic Fades, Grammies, Soul Ipsum; Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 8:30 pm, $5-8

MUSIC—There's nothing achy-breaky about the heartfelt country-folk of Widower, whose new album Fool Moon is yearning and gorgeous. Don't miss 'em play the newly refurbished—and fantastic—showroom at the Alberta Street Pub, along with Widower's Mama Bird labelmate Barna Howard, and a solo set by some dude from some big Seattle band. NL
w/Josiah Johnson; Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta, 9 pm, $7

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

FILM—We've been giving mad props to the NW Film Center's Top Down series of rooftop movies and live music, because, wellll... they deserve it, with a lineup that includes films like 1983's The Hunger, which every even vaguely goth person holds near and dear to their dark, anguished hearts. MS
w/Foreign Talks; Hotel deLuxe parking garage, SW 15th & Yamhill, 8 pm, $9

VARIETY SHOW—Tonight's installment of local nerd variety show #NerdNightOut features screenwriter/podcaster Josh A. Cagan, singer Marian Call, and girl-geek rockers the Doublelicks. The fun is hosted by comedian and Mercury columnist Alex Falcone, who... wears glasses? Don't worry, the non-nerd identified are welcome, too. AH
Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton, Thurs & Fri, 8 pm, $10

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23

MUSIC & COMEDY—Help local print studio Flight 64 celebrate 10 glorious years of providing affordable studio space. The member-run nonprofit is throwing a kickass benefit with music by Magic Mouth and Onuinu, along with greased-up laffs from stand-ups Nathan Brannon and Shane Torres. Yay for awesome artwork and the artists who make it. CF
w/Bonnie Montgomery, Jason Traeger; Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta, 7 pm, $12, all ages

COMEDY—His TV credits include Childrens Hospital and Comedy Bang! Bang!, and for years he was Craig Ferguson's go-to guy for George W. Bush impersonations. In his stand-up, James Adomian harnesses his furious delivery and gleeful range of impressions in the service of biting social commentary. AH
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Thurs 8 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 & 10 pm, $15-25

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

MUSIC—It's Saturday night, and you've blown through another crappy week. Your best shot for transcendence is cramming into a crowded, sweaty bar, soaking yourself with booze, and blasting your ears with the finest, grittiest, heart-on-sleeve, hoarse-throated rock Portland has to offer. Thank god for Divers, who'll give you exactly that. NL
w/Nato Cole & the Blue Diamond Band, Pageripper; Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan, 9 pm, FREE

BURLESQUE—Here's hoping Tempest Storm's triumphant return to the Star won't set off another "burlesque war" like it did in 1953 when she ruled its stage. The famous flame-haired beauty has been in the peeler biz for over half a century, and the Las Vegas resident headlines a showcase of burlesque from Stumptown's finest. This is some historic sexiness, ladies and germs. CF
Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $20-50

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25

COMICS FEST—Portland experimental comics and arts fest the Projects actually began back on Thursday, so you should have acquainted yourself by now. In case you haven't, check out Experimental Half-Hour tonight. The cable TV show, which dabbles here and there (largely there) in the area's arts and music scene, is hosting a live taping. Enjoy some weird tunes. Maybe be on TV. DVH
w/Light House, Matt Carlson, Ilan Manouach, Cloaks, & more; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 8 pm, $5-7

MUSIC—If you haven't attended Rontoms' free Sunday Sessions, you're missing out on a great way to become acquainted with Portland's magical music scene. This week, they present a super fun double bill of Gaythiest (applying a beatdown of pure, melodic pummel-rock) and Magic Mouth (punky and funky, to make your butt all drunky). This is gonna be a great show, and did I mention it's free? WSH
Rontoms, 600 E Burnside, 8 pm, FREE

MONDAY, AUGUST 26

MUSIC—The smart post-hardcore of Native is both spry and elephantine, and pure exhilaration to listen to. With their fine new album Orthodox out on Sargent House, the Indiana band is on the road with O'Brother and Daylight, and this show will make for a pummeling pick-me-up to start off your week. NL
Backspace, 115 NW 5th, 7:30 pm, $12, all ages

FILM—Concluding the loose trilogy of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, The World's End is finally here, starring the hilarious duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and directed by the fantastic Edgar Wright. Featuring a booze-filled pub crawl and a sci-fi apocalypse, it's the movie you should be seeing this week. EH
Various Theaters, see Movie Times

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27

MUSICAL MARIJUANA—At first I thought the Roseland was branching out from its usual acts, bringing in, for anyone to gawk at, a very nosy wild animal named Snoop Lion. Then they told me that's the new name of a 1990s rapper who embraced Rastafarianism, the one religion in the world that lets him smoke as much pot as he likes! DCT
w/DJ OG-One; Roseland, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, $40-55, all ages

FILM—All hippies must one day learn that the world is the opposite of what they think it is. So god bless the long-forgotten 1972 flick An American Hippie in Israel, which documents what happens when a bunch of dopey hippies viciously turn on each other! The Grindhouse Film Festival has a 35mm print, and promises "murderous mimes, robots, bloodthirsty sharks, free-loving debauchery." SOLD! EH
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $8