THURSDAY, JULY 1

ALL ABOUT THE WASHINGTONS—The only thing better than local Pacific Northwest hiphop is paying only a buck to take it all in. Dollar Dollar Bill Y'all presents a few of our region's top emcees—Luck-One, Grynch, Sole Provider—for a door charge you can find under your couch cushions. EAC
w/Kenny Mack, & more; Salmon Street Studios, 109 SE Salmon, 9 pm, $1 (for real), all ages

FROM ASHES—Legendary Northwest poet Walt Curtis lost everything he owned when the bookstore where he lived burned down in May. Friends and admirers host a benefit to help him recover: Tom Spanbauer, Oregon Poet Laureate Paulann Peterson, and other Portland literary talents will read, along with live jazz and more. SK
Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd, 8 pm, $10

FRIDAY, JULY 2

PORTLAND HEARTS PORTLAND—If you have yet to check out Penny Jam (the online video series of local bands playing their tunes in different Portland locations), 10 episodes will screen tonight. Plus, live performances from three bands featured in the series: Loch Lomond, Tango Alpha Tango, and Doubleplusgood. ND 
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 8:30 pm, $5

WELCOME TO EARF—There's only one way to celebrate Independence Day, and that's with a big-screen showing of... uh... Independence Day. Pdx.fm's Cort and Fatboy present a raucous, beer-fueled screening of the 1996 blockbuster in which a computer nerd (Jeff Goldblum), a drunk (Randy Quaid), and an alien-punching fighter pilot (the Fresh Prince) fend off some eeeeevil ETs. There is also a stunt dog. EH
Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne, 11 pm, $3

SATURDAY, JULY 3

SOCCER—To be fair, Canadians are not Russians. But they're close, right? That's why—on the night before our nation's hallowed birthday—we should rally around our Portland Timbers as they lay waste to those godless commies otherwise known as the Vancouver Whitecaps. From what I understand, Canadians believe in socialized medicine and don't love their children. USA! USA! USA! WSH
PGE Park, 1844 SW Morrison, 7 pm, $12-30

ROCK ON—The East End kids have plenty in store for this holiday weekend, including two great nights of shows and a Sunday afternoon block party with Red Fang. But first, tonight they kick off the action with the Omnibus grand opening party, celebrating the music/clothing store opening up inside the club, while the great Ty Segall blasts garage-punk tunes from the basement. NL
w/the Mean Jeans, Pure Country Gold; East End, 203 SE Grand, store open at 4 pm, FREE; show at 9 pm, $10

SUNDAY, JULY 4

USA & JXATG—Nothing says "USA! USA!" like a blast of glorious noise from the one and only JonnyX and the Groadies. JXATG celebrate their 14th anniversary with their usual chaotic Fourth of July concert and vegan potluck, plus tonight's festivities will double as a release show for their forthcoming album—released exclusively on cassette and 12-inch, naturally. Your ears shall run red with blood; the white and blue stuff is up to you. EAC
w/Thrones, Purple Rhinestone Eagle; the Artistery, 4315 SE Division, BBQ at 6 pm, music at 8 pm, FREE, all ages

KABOOOOM!!—Last year the economic crisis all but killed our city's fireworks display. BUT AMERICA IS BACK, BABY! And so is our potential to blow shit up. Tonight celebrate our economic recovery at the fireworks display of your choosing: Waterfront Park Blues Fest, Oaks Amusement Park, Vancouver National Historic Site. Again... USA! USA! USA! WSH
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 1020 SW Naito, 10 pm, FREE; Oaks Amusement Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park, dusk, $5 includes park admission; Fort Vancouver, 612 E Reserve (Vancouver, WA), 10:05 pm, $5-7

MONDAY, JULY 5

BLUES YOU CAN USE—Okay, the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival will never be mistaken for cutting edge. But here are a few reasons you won't want to dismiss it entirely: Taj Mahal and Trombone Shorty on Friday, Booker T on Saturday, Commander Cody on Sunday, and today, the grand finale with Galactic and Little Feat—not to mention there are worse ways to spend your time than in the sun by the river. NL
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 1020 SW Naito, Fri-Mon, $10 plus two cans of food, full lineup at waterfrontbluesfest.com

TRIANGLE—The biggest film yet from the co-directing brothers Duplass, Cyrus has the star power benefit of three stellar actors in a dramedic love triangle between man (John C. Reilly), woman (Marisa Tomei), and woman's full-grown son (Jonah Hill). Try to manage your expectations. MS
Opens Friday, various theaters, see Film Times

TUESDAY, JULY 6

FRIENDSHIP OPPORTUNITY—It's a wonder listening to Deerhoof as their rhythms and riffs crumble and coalesce—sometimes whispering, sometimes rumbling under the sweet, high voice of singer Satomi Matsuzaki. PAC
w/the Donkeys, Southeast Engine; Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd, 7:30 pm, $12, all ages

EXTRA LIVES—Local writer/professor/gamer Tom Bissell's latest, Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter is fantastic. Clever, funny, and insightful, it examines what videogames do well, what they suck at, and why they're becoming increasingly important to our culture. Whether you play videogames or not, this'll be a reading you don't want to miss. EH

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

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7

BENDER—Aimee Bender's The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is vintage Bender, a whimsical premise explored with unflinching realism. A little girl takes a bite of lemon cake—and realizes that within the cake, she somehow senses her mother's feelings of depression and loneliness. From then on, every meal she eats echoes with the feelings of the person who prepares it. And needless to say: It's Aimee Bender. It's great. AH
Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE

THE GRIND—Portland grindhouse archivist Dan Halsted returns with another night of vintage 35mm grindhouse trailers at the Grindhouse Trailer Spectacular 2. If you missed it the first time, don't sleep on this chance to wallow in some seriously underbelly Americana. MS
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $7