WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

FASHION—One of the city's most original fashion presentations, Fade to Light combines new collections from Portland designers with videos that further convey their inspirations. This is the second year in which they've expanded to a semiannual format, so get your summatime dose of thread inspiration. MS
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 8 pm,$10-40, all ages

FILM—Even if you've never seen John Waters' Pink Flamingos, you've probably heard of it. It's the 1972 film where the late, great Divine gleefully chokes down dog shit on camera. It's still one of the most transgressive scenes ever put to film. It's just one of a bunch of great bits in a weird, colorful gem begging to be seen on a restored 35mm print. DCT
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, Wed & Thurs 9:50 pm, $6-8, all ages

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

MUSIC—When Beck's music first shuffled into your '90s-era life, I bet you didn't realize how excited you'd still be to see him two decades later. The shaggy-haired weirdo turned out to be capable of a surprisingly eclectic and consistently pleasing career, and that Jenny Lewis gal ain't so bad either. MS
Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale, 6:30 pm, sold out (get creative), all ages

COMEDYDave Foley is best known for his work with the legendary Canadian sketch group The Kids in the Hall. (He was the cute one.) And that is right and good. And then there was NewsRadio—also good. And then Foley needed to raise money fast to pay child support, so he started touring as a stand-up. And that is... also a thing that is happening. AH
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Thurs 8 pm, Fri & Sat, 7:30 & 10 pm, $15-32

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

BOOKS—Don't just "go to a reading." Fucking go to a reading. Tonight, Chuck Palahniuk Presents: Bedtime Stories for Adults features a fantastic lineup of local authors performing their work, including Chelsea Cain, Monica Drake, Lidia Yuknavitch, and that guy in the event's title. And along with the ticket price? A copy of Cain's latest, One Kick. Now that's a reading. EH
Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $29-32

FILM—Screening tonight as part of the NW Film Center's "Wes' World: Wes Anderson and His Influences" series is one of the director's very best: Fantastic Mr. Fox. With gorgeous stop-motion animation and a brilliant cast of voice actors, Anderson breathes vibrant, hilarious life into Roald Dahl's classic story. Plus, the film's animation director, Mark Gustafson, will introduce this screening. EH
Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park, Fri 8:30 pm, Sat 5 pm, $9

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

MUSIC—More than a dozen local bands are playing across the river under fake names. It's the first-ever AKA fest, put on by the Mississippi Studios folks to take place at the Burgundy Wildcat (actually, the Vancouver Red Lion), and if you can guess who bands like Thai Food and Sexes are, you're in for a treat, gumshoe. Two stages, 14 bands, a nautical theme, and lots of mysterious music. NL
Red Lion Hotel Vancouver at the Quay, 100 Columbia, Vancouver, 7 pm, $15-20

COMEDY—Did you see Emo Philips at this spring's Bridgetown Comedy Festival? He was sooooo funny. His quirky delivery and sharp wit killed at shows with game-like formats, but tonight he's got no rules to play by. All the better for us, as the comic's hilarious turn-on-a-dime jokes are legend. CF
Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside, 8 pm, $20

MUSIC—A fearsome assemblage of heavy bands comes together for the first-ever Hoverfest, staged by custom amp maker Hovercraft Amplifiers. The bands included Danava, Acid King, Witch Mountain, Eight Bells, and more, with Oregon's doom-kings Yob closing things out, and it all goes down in the back alley by Cravedog and Type Foundry. NL
2119 N Kerby, noon-8 pm, $15, all ages

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24

COMEDY—If you've noticed the ever-increasing number of Whos down in Whoville, you know they've just got to be sexing constantly. And yet Dr. Seuss chose to cut us out of that action. It's for injustices like this that Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction exists. Portland's best comedians (and host Bryan Cook) will show you all the angles of your favorite children's book or dramatic TV show. DVH
Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 8 pm, $10-12

FAIR—It's the rules: Once every few summers, you have to drive to Salem and bask in the glory of the Oregon State Fair. Hate country music? Then go look at prize-winning pies and table settings! Despise curly fries? Dig on some barnyard animals! Can't stand hucksters? Burn money on carnival games! The point is you'll find something you love enough that you'll want to come back the next year, too. DCT
Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th NE, Salem, Mon-Thurs 10 am-10 pm, Fri-Sun 10 am-11 pm, all ages, oregonstatefair.org for tickets & schedule

MONDAY, AUGUST 25

MUSIC—As How to Dress Well, Tom Krell makes melted-sundae R&B and broken-jack-in-the-box pop that's uncommon and exhilarating. How to Dress Well's latest, "What Is This Heart?" is an assured, polished effort that doesn't underplay Krell's avant approach, but solidifies and consolidates it into something that's melancholy, moving, and hard to shake. NL
w/DJ Portia; Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 8:30 pm, $15-17

FILM—Do you even remember how good Rain Man is? It is such a good movie. These days, sure, Tom Cruise is sort of a creep, but in 1988? Alongside in-his-prime Dustin Hoffman? With instantaneous toothpick math and plenty of Alex Trebek thrown in, and the song of the open road in his ears? Cruise was amazing. Rain Man is amazing. DVH
Laurelhurst Theater, 2735 E Burnside, see portlandmercury.com/movietimes, $3-4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26

MUSIC—It is empirically impossible for the reunited Afghan Whigs to put out too much music, come through town too often, or sing the word "baby" too many sexually charged times. That's what's called science. Greg Dulli and the boys are back for a two-night run at the Doug Fir, after blowing the roof off the joint in April. Get fucking stoked, baby. CF
w/Joseph Arthur; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, Tues & Wed 9 pm, $30

BOOKS—Portland-based Paul Collins is a brilliantly inquisitive nonfiction writer whose work animates dusty historical subjects—like Shakespeare's folios and Thomas Paine's remains—with curiosity, liveliness, and wit. His newest, Edgar Allan Poe: The Fever Called Living, digs into the professional and personal life behind the famously tortured legend. AH
Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE, all ages