WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14

CATCH IT—We recommend monthly storytelling night Back Fence PDX maybe too often, but it's so damn good every time! Tonight a past Fear Factor contestant, an Old Spaghetti Factory connoisseur, and the Mercury's own editor tell never-before-heard stories on the theme of "Catch Me if You Can." Plus: free cupcakes! SM
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, 7:30 pm, $12-15

PINK 'N' PORN—It's a campy classic porn double-feature in 35mm starring the 1966 Japanese new-wave-influenced The Love Robots, in which a scientist invents sexy (and sex-having) love dolls designed to kill wealthy businessmen! Immediately followed by 1979's Ms. Magnificent about a supersexy (and sex-having) superheroine, who flies around having sex-having super sex! WSH
Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, The Love Robots at 7 pm, Ms. Magnificent at 8:30 pm, $1.99 for both

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15

BOOT SCOOTIN'—Hear some classic country tunes in one of the city's classic ballrooms: a Caleb Klauder Country Band show is one of those magical experiences that can't be replicated or easily defined. There'll be plenty of whiskey, a packed dance floor, and twangy tunes from perhaps Portland's greatest live band. NL
The Secret Society, 116 NE Russell, 9 pm, $10

MIRROR GAZER—Portland's own Onuinu—AKA Dorian Duvall—is getting a lot of attention lately, and for good reason. At once catchy and hypnotic, his dense, synth-y electro-pop is unlike anything else out there. And better than just about anything else out there, too. EH
w/Minden; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $8-10

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16

IZAKAYA FEST—Portland and pub culture are an obvious match. And Japan? Sure! Izakaya 2012 celebrates the food, art, and booze of Japan, and the cost of admission gets you eats from restaurants like Biwa, Ping, Miho, and others. Plus! Sake will flow, and there are promises of a "traditional Japanese maid café." AH
Jupiter Hotel, 800 E Burnside, 5:30-9 pm, $45

STFU—Lauren Weedman's new show No... You Shutup sounds horrible when I try to explain it to friends: You guys! It's solo, autobiographical, comedy theater about finding love and family. Ugh. But! In the hands of Weedman—a brilliant performer and hilarious writer—it's sure to be excellent. You'll have to trust me blindly on this one. Just go! SM
Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate, Fri & Sat 8 pm, Sun 7 pm, $15-20

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17

SONS OF A HUN—Powerwash your ears with metal! Portland trio Sons of Huns are going to make the rafters rattle with their thick prehistoric rock. Their sound is so big, the castle exterior of Club 21 might buckle like Fred Flintstone's car under the weight of a mighty Bronto Burger. CF
w/the Ax, Shut Your Animal Mouth; Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan, 10 pm, FREE

ETERNAL FLAME—In the Bangles, Susanna Hoffs' honeyed voice soundtracked some youthful moments. The singer/songwriter is still making lovely chamber-pop sounds with the reunited crew and on her new solo album, Someday. Wear an armload of bangles so you can jangle dance to her sunny folk songs. CF
w/Michele Van Kleef; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $22-25

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18

FORMER LIVES, LIVE—Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard released his first solo album, Former Lives, and while it's not the juicy breakup album we were hoping for in the wake of his split from Zooey Deschanel, it's still a supremely tuneful and down-home affair. For true inner-eye soul-searching, look to opener Damien Jurado, who's one of the best singer/songwriters alive. NL
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 9 pm, $28-33, all ages

BLAZERS BE BALLIN'—Momma always used to say that the best things in life are friends, family, and some fine-ass men running around in gym shorts. As luck would have it, the Chicago Bulls play the Blazers on our home turf on Sunday. Watch as Batum steals your heart, as well as some awesome three-pointers! RF
Rose Garden, 1 Center Ct, 6 pm, $19-175

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19

SO DELICATE—Using his guitar in awesomely unique ways instead of his voice, Delicate Steve coaxes the strings of his Telecaster into telling stories full of positive vibes and enchanting soundscapes. Backed by an orchestra of ambient synth, there's a powerful force at work here that belies the term "delicate." And by all accounts his live show is not to be missed. WSH
w/Dana Buoy; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $12

PRYOR—The Hollywood reaches deep into the comedy-history vault with a screening of 1971's Dynamite Chicken, a scattershot collection of comedy sketches, interviews, and routines that's most notable for featuring the first film appearance of Richard Pryor. AH
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20

HIP HOPERA—Long after our cities have crumbled to dust, one artifact of human existence shall remain: R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet. An epic "hip hopera" of sex, violence, closets, and Big Man the Midget, the legend is now a whopping 22 chapters long. Tonight, the Hollywood's showing it all—so that attendees can sing along. EH
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 9:30 pm, $7

COLD SPECKS—So what do you get when you cross Southern gospel with goth? "Doom soul" as beautifully sung by Cold Specks (AKA Al Spx, a Canadian singer/songwriter living in London). Intense lyrics are paired with driving gloom that never quite tips into depression, and a voice whose darkness is always reaching upward toward the light. WSH
w/Blind Bartimaeus; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $10-12