WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

MUSIC—Tonight you can see two legends of metal in their acoustic guises: Scott Kelly of Neurosis makes chillingly dark folk with his outfit the Road Home, while Yob's Mike Scheidt marries the pastoral and geological in his elemental, classically informed solo work. This is hushed, intense, winter-weather music. NED LANNAMANN
Hawthorne Theatre Lounge, 1507 SE César E. Chávez, 9 pm, $10-13



FILM—One of the all-time great movies, 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid features a double dose of handsome (courtesy of Robert Redford and Paul Newman), and dangerous amounts of fun, drama, and flying bullets (courtesy of director George Roy Hill and screenwriter William Goldman). See it on the big screen, thank me later. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark, Wed & Thurs, 1:50 & 9:20 pm, $4



THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5

EAR CANDY—Every month, your besties at the Merc and Mississippi Studios bring you the best live local music for no money whatsoever. Because we wuv you! Tonight: the mind-zonking psych of Máscaras, the brain-pleasing songwriting of the Domestics, and the smile-making fuzz pop of the Century. Don't miss it! NED LANNAMANN
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, FREE



BOOKS—To celebrate the latest from literary journal Windfall, Broadway Books hosts a reading tonight featuring local writers of note, which CANNOT BE DONE without Ursula K. Le Guin, author of 21 (!) novels, creator of richly textured universes, and Portland resident. Don't forget your copy of The Left Hand of Darkness! MEGAN BURBANK
w/Paulann Petersen, Carlos Reyes, & more; Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway, 7 pm, FREE



FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6

MUSIC—The Crystal Ballroom is throwing themselves a shindig of trippy proportions with the Sabertooth Micro Fest. They're celebrating their psychedelic history with a host of awesome bands, like the stoner metal of Sleep on Friday, Kurt Vile and the Violators on Saturday, and Stardeath and White Dwarfs on Sunday. Wild, man. COURTNEY FERGUSON
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Fri-Sat 8 pm, $30-35, Sun 8 pm, $20, $75 for weekend pass, all ages



COMEDY—Brian Posehn is a funny fellow. He likes metal, getting stoned, and appearing on stuff you enjoy, like New Girl, The Sarah Silverman Program, and Reno 911! He's also a big nerd, so he's the perfect stand-up for Portland audiences. Hopefully he'll tell the most horrific pot-smoking story ever, which took place in good ol' Stumptown. COURTNEY FERGUSON
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Thurs 8 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 & 10 pm, $16-34



SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7

COMEDY—IAN KARMEL'S SHOW IS HELLA SOLD OUT, FAM. (See how I imitated Ian there??) However! True fans of this hilarious, formerly local comic (and current Merc columnist) should mug whomever they need to mug in order to get tickets to see these two sets that will be recorded for Ian's upcoming comedy album on Kill Rock Stars. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 8 & 10:30 pm, scalper's choice



FILM—In this, its third year, the Portland Black Film Festival has a specific focus: to concentrate on "the important contributions to cinema of African American women directors." It kicked off on Thursday, and tonight the fest continues with a 35mm print of Kasi Lemmons' 1997 film Eve's Bayou, and it continues on Sunday with Free Angela and All Political Prisoners. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, see Movie Times, $8



SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8

BOOKS—Hope you like small, talking walruses! Because Arthur Bradford, who reads tonight from his new short-story collection, Turtleface and Beyond, has made a career out of such creatures. Bradford looks like a teen, writes what John Hodgman calls a "slightly cannabinoid strain of magical realism," and is an inspiration to us all. MEGAN BURBANK
Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE



BIKES—The Worst Day of the Year Ride faced much ridicule last year, when the annual bike event had to be called off precisely because it was the worst day of the year: Portland was blanketed in inches of snow. This year, the event is back—probably!—and it's always a fun way to demonstrate you're up for (almost) any weather on two wheels. DIRK VANDERHART
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne, $33-45, see worstdayride.com for times



MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9

MUSIC—Slowly, surely, Ariel Pink has crept onto the radar of pop appreciators, but it's been a bit of a slog. Whether you're a longtime advocate, or you've been recently converted by nuggets like "Picture Me Gone" and the easygoing "Put Your Number in My Phone" off of last year's Pom Pom, now's the time to see him. MARJORIE SKINNER
w/Jack Name, Hosannas; Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez, 8 pm, $18-20



BOOKS—Charming British author Nick Hornby has written another apparently charming book, Funny Girl. He'll be talking about it with Wild author Cheryl Strayed, who knows a few things about telling the story of a strong-yet-flawed female protagonist. Hopefully Hornby will be taking some notes. DENIS C. THERIAULT
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills, Beaverton, 7 pm, FREE



MUSIC—Maybe you'll cry at tonight's S show. Seattle songstress Jenn Ghetto told the Mercury back in October people are always weeping when she takes up her ungoogleable stage persona. But while Ghetto's going to throw her share of heartbreak at you, her latest material is also fast and catchy. So go ahead and cry, but dance a little, too. DIRK VANDERHART
w/the Ghost Ease; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $8



TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10

PANTIES—The Unmentionable lingerie show has become a beloved pre-Valentine's tradition: a diverse parade of locally designed underthings, including the first unveiling of work from Altar (née Mag-Big), go-to retailer Lille Boutique, erstwhile Portlander Rachel Rector, and plus sizes from Chubby Cartwheels. Fun for everyone! MARJORIE SKINNER
Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 8 pm, $10-12



DRAG—If you hate "subtle" (and you should), don't miss the most ingeniously over-the-top event of the week, RuPaul's Drag Race: Battle of the Seasons! Some of the best drag talent from Seasons 3 through 6 (including the fabbo Sharon Needles and Ivy Winters) will be performing outrageous theatricalities including live and lip-syncing competitions. Trust me, they're gonna work! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 10 pm, $32.50-35