This Memorial Day weekend is laden with opportunities to appreciate, celebrate, and indulge in pure genius; The Hollywood pays tribute to both the gone-too-soon Jonathan Demme and the Talking Heads with a Sunday screening of Stop Making Sense. Some of the city's best musicians throw Bob Dylan one hell of a 76th birthday party. Fifth Avenue Cinema puts a whole weekend's worth of Hayao Miyazaki magic on their big screen. The Digable Planets are still out there reminding people just how far you can push the hip-hop envelope, and how rewarding that can be. Yngwie fuckin' Malmsteen shreds so hard the halls of Valhalla threaten to crumble. There's so much genius about on this holiday weekend that you're probably gonna come out of it feeling a little smarter, a little wiser, living a live a little more enriched. Or you'll just have a hell of a hangover and faint memories of the Sparkle Bitch Ball. Either/or. It's an embarrassment of entertainment riches awaiting you; hit the links below and load your plate accordingly.
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Minority Retort
Portland's only monthly stand-up showcase for comedians of color is also one of the most consistently funny comedy shows in town. If you're not familiar, get acquainted tonight with this special supersized installment at the historic Hollywood Theatre, featuring a headlining performance by David Gborie, the lovable Los Angeles-based comedian whose role as a regular guest on Ian Karmel's All Fantasy Everything podcast has been a steadfast source of joy throughout these trying times. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $12
CityFair
Every year the Rose Festival crams the month of June with parades, concerts, dragonboat races, and beauty pageantsâand it all starts with CityFair. Jam-packed with amusement park rides, corn dogs, and elephant ears, CityFair covers nearly the entirety of Waterfront Park and also offers two other things of note: concerts like the What Was Sound show, and sky-shaking, bone-rattling fireworks. So this is your official warning to either get into it, or get out of it. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
11 am, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, $8, all ages
Flynt Flossy & Turquoise Jeep, Maze Koroma
Purveyors of a genre they call EMB hip-hop ("Existing Musical Beings"), for nearly a decade Turquoise Jeep have brought humor back into hip-hop and R&B. The movement started with the fly moves of Flynt Flossy and the deliciously named Whatchyamacallit during a time when the standard club hits lacked comedic substance. There have been a few changes to the Turquoise Jeep roster, as they've said goodbye to the sultry voice of Pretty Raheem and Yung Humma, the creator of their most famous hit "Lemme Smang It," but the boys continue to churn out hilariously sensual jams. For those in the mood to get a little "Licky Sticky" belting out lyrics about their "Cavities," Turquoise Jeep know how to bring seductive performances (which often include audience participation). It's no wonder they've managed to "keep the jeep ridin'" for all these years. CERVANTE POPE
10:30 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15
TWERK
Sometimes you just need to twerk. For me, this usually takes the form of me dancing pantsless next to a Bluetooth speaker, but hereâs a chance to let resident DJ Ill Camino take over sound duties for once, with his HQ mix of hip-hop, R&B, and bounce music thatâll aim to get all the booties shaking. Plus itâs at the spacious and appealing Killingsworth Dynasty, a spot thatâs become an experienced host to a slew of POC- and LGBTQAI-inclusive dance functions. JENNI MOORE
10 pm, Killingsworth Dynasty, $5
Nick Swardson
Helium presents the Minneapolis-hailing actor, comedian, and screenwriter known for his role as as Terry Bernadino in Reno 911!, his work with Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions, and his own Comedy Central sketch series, Nick Swardson's Pretend Time.
7:30 pm, 10 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $25
Tim McGraw, Faith Hill
Husband/wife duo Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are the exemplars of the modern career in the country genre. They crank out music with admirable regularity, while squeezing in time to take on acting roles, help produce television shows, serve as mentors for up-and-coming Nashville talent, and make fun investments like McGrawâs former part-ownership of an Arena Football League team. And their fans respond in turn, keeping their albums flying off the shelves and former hits like âThis Kissâ and âI Like It, I Love Itâ in heavy rotation on country radio. The pair are engaging in another joint tour this year, with the goal of firing up advance support for a new collaborative album thatâs set to drop after Soul2Soul: The World Tour wraps up in October. Being the king and queen of country music is their business, and business is a-boominâ. ROBERT HAM
7:30 pm, Moda Center, $69.50-119.50, all ages
Princess Mononoke
The word "genius" gets batted around with regard to filmmakers with a numbing, reductive frequency. But if Hayao Miyazaki doesnât qualify for that title, who does? Since making his directorial debut with 1979âs The Castle of Cagliostro, Miyazaki has blazed his own distinct trail, blending atomic-clock action timing with an awe-inspiring, hand-rendered sense of the infinite. Mononoke isn't just one more example of that balance, it's maybe the best example. ANDREW WRIGHT
7 pm, Fifth Avenue Cinema
Angela Davise, Redray Frazier, Libretto
Though her name immediately calls to mind the firebrand activist, feminist, and college professor, Portlandâs Angela Davise is more akin to the mellow folk and pop music of Joan Armatrading or Tracy Chapman. Tonight the singer and songwriter celebrates the release of her new album, What Will Remain, with local soul-rock virtuoso (and former David Byrne backup singer) Redray Frazier, fresh off his TEDx Portland performance. Whether heâs performing solo or with his band, onstage at the Keller Auditorium or at the neighborhood dive, Frazier does not disappoint. Also on the bill is veteran Portland MC Libretto, still reintroducing himself to his adopted hometown after years locked away in federal prison, and still every bit as hungry as he was back in the Misfit Massive days. While the acts are dissimilar in style, tonight is a rare opportunity to see three unique local talents collaborating with and vibing off each other in an intimate setting. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY
9 pm, The Secret Society, $12
Wrestling for Rock
A fundraiser for Portland's Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, the annual women's arm-wrestling tournament, Wrestling for Rock, hits hard tonight, with proceeds benefiting girls learning how to play instruments super loud. Go on, challenge someone to a duel! MEGAN BURBANK
6:30 pm, High Water Mark, $5-10
Yngwie Malmsteen
With highly theatrical stadium rock presentation and neo-classical fretboard fireworks, Swedish guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen grabbed the shredder centerfold torch from Eddie Van Halen in the mid-â80s and provided the blueprint for subsequent axe superheroes like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani to enjoy mainstream success. By relegating the lead singer to sideman and directing the center stage spotlight onto his iconic Stratocaster, Malmsteen injected glam-rock sex appeal into his searing arpeggios with Amadeus-level virtuosity that wowed huge crowds, sold many albums, and inspired young heshers like myself to dive headfirst into hours of private lessons and bedroom noodling. Copious amounts of my time and lunch money were spent collecting magazines adorned with his leonine mane and daydreaming about attaining even half of the face-melting abilities of the great "Ing-vay," possibly the most recognized first name in heavy metal guitar culture. CHRIS SUTTON
9 pm, Star Theater, $28
Stop Fascism: Chris Hedges Speaks in Portland
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges examines the current state of revolt within the United States, speaking about the country's continuing history of domestic terrorism, and examining the ways in which communities can come together to resist before it is too late.
7 pm, Aladdin Theater, $20, all ages
Mujahedeen, Sunbathe, Echo Ravine, Planet Damn
Ali Muhareb's Mujahedeen serve up a night of melodic rock and groovy electronic psych-pop on Turn! Turn! Turn!'s cozy Northeast Portland stage.
8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!, $5
Sedan: Luxury Sketch Comedy
Portlandâs comedy scene gets EVEN MORE delightful with Sedan, a new sketch group featuring seasoned performers Shelley McLendon, Loren Hoskins, Paul Glazier, Chad Parsons, and the Mercuryâs own Wm. Steven Humphrey. Though they did divulge that they were almost called the Crybaby Turtles, Sedan promises âaction, adventure, and tears.â I call shotty! MEGAN BURBANK
8 pm, Siren Theater, $10-20
Nate Bargatze, Seth Johnston
An evening of stand-up with the comedian out of Old Hickory, Tennessee who has been featured on Jimmy Fallonâs "Clean Cut Comedy Tour," Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Bargatze is also a recurring guest on @midnight, and was listed at #1 on Vulture's 50 Comedians You Should Know list in 2015.
8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15-18
VCR TV
Ever watch The Terminator and think "all this suspense and murder is fun, but you know what would be really cool? If this neon bar they're dancing in was a place I could dance in!" Well guess what.
8:30 pm, Quarterworld, $3
Thomas & Sons Distillery Release Party
Thomas & Sons' latest, the new Kashmiri Amaro, is celebrated with pre fixe dinner paired with cocktails made from the release. Menu items include porchetta, short ribs, polenta, apricot rhubarb mostarda, and more.
8 pm, Solo Club, $60
What Was Sound
If you canât make it up to Sasquatch! this year, the Rose Festivalâs What Was Sound has got you coveredâwith a special one-day minifest of some terrific indie and rock bands including the shoegaze-leaning DIIV, incandescent folk-rockers Woods, the charming folk-electro-jam pop gems of Fruit Bats, and more. Itâs all the best things of a music festival, plus you get to sleep in your own bed! NED LANNAMANN
2 pm, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, $28, all ages
The Vanport Mosaic Fest
In 1948, Oregonâs second-largest city was destroyed by a flood. In honor of what would have been Vanportâs 75th birthday, a four-day festival chock-full of history and immersion will take place. Top picks include Priced Out excerpts, an Oregon Humanities dialogue, Vanport tours by bus or bike via the Gentrification is Weird project, and oral histories. EMILLY PRADO
Various Locations, see vanportmosaic.org for a complete schedule
Storytell Your Abortion
Hosted by local comedian Mary Numair and created in partnership with Shout Your Abortion (SYA) a Seattle-based group aimed at shutting down the stigma surrounding abortion, this event is poised to be unforgettable. The show will feature multiple comedians (Amber Clenaghen, Wendy Weiss, and more) telling their stories of abortions, because the best way to destigmatize this legal and normal act is to talk about it. CLAIRE HOLLEY
8 pm, Black Water Bar, $5
Catfish & the Bottlemen
Catfish and the Bottlemen seem to crank out catchy, scruffy rock songs with ease, sounding like a cross between the Strokes and the Vaccines, without reaching the heights of either. You know how you're supposed to paint a home a neutral color if you want it to sell? Catfish and the Bottlemen are kind of like that. BEN SALMON
8 pm, Roseland, $25, all ages
Hoops, Parts, No Lala
Bloomington, Indiana, dream-pop outfit Hoops is a collaboration between Drew Auscherman, Keagan Beresford, and Kevin Krauter, three songwriters who craft catchy, laidback pop nuggets that almost coercively make you think of summer. Some might be turned off by the suspiciously chill affect that permeates their 2017 debut, Routines, all warm vintage synths and shimmering Roland jazz chorus casting a layer of impenetrable cool over the proceedings. Hoops is best, though, when they accidentally let their guard down. Standout âOn Letting Goâ serves as a jaded kiss-off to lost love that doesnât seem to even convince its writer, Beresford. Mumbled over a wistful breakbeat thatâs somewhere between Moby and Prince, the songâs dismissive refrain of âI donât even care, I donât wanna knowâ is immediately undercut by Beresfordâs concession: âI admit I doubled back when I told you I donât write love songs.â NATHAN TUCKER
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-12
Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazakiâs filmography is an embarrassment of riches, each movie an almost-perfectly sculpted work of magic, wonder, action, and emotion. Spirited Away is the master at his most whimsicalâbut what separates Miyazaki from most storytellers is that he can (and often does) wield whimsy like a scalpel. Something as airy and light as Spirited Away would be an not much more than an empty confection in even the best directorâs hands. But Miyazaki, working without a script (!), weaves a modern fairy tale so affecting that for many, his story of a 10-year-old girl on a mystical journey to free her parents is still the bestâand most humanâanimated film ever made. BOBBY ROBERTS
7 pm, Fifth Avenue Cinema
Federale, Cat Hoch
Portland's own Federale carries the torch of Ennio Morricone high, with a swarming, psychedelic, orchestral sound that'll splatter spaghetti sauce all over your cowboy boots. NED LANNAMANN
9 pm, Bunk Bar, $10
Helms Alee, Thrones, Malekko & the Bunnyman Snakes
Seattle-based post-hardcore giants Helms Alee headline a benefit show to help support Anna Henry with her mounting medical bills. Thrones, Malekko & Bunny Man, and Snakes round out the bill.
8 pm, Tonic Lounge, $10
Portland's Prom
Save the date and break out your nice dress or fancy slacks, because Portland's Prom is returning for its 8th year, featuring live music and plenty of punch served up in a lavish setting.
9 pm, Star Theater, $15-20
LKN, Low Hums, Galaxy Research
With just an amp and a guitar, Lauren K. Newman pickpockets the atonal ascendance of free jazz and performs 10-minute-long sacrificial rites that are neither solos nor just riffing. They're truly astounding. MAC POGUE
8 pm, The Know
The Postcards, Melville, Body Academics
Thereâs not a whole lot of information available online about Portland-based baroque-pop band the Postcards. The âAboutâ section of their Facebook profile includes no bio and no band membersâ names, and there isnât an official Postcards website. Their Bandcamp does, however, feature a full stream of the band's new, debut LP, This Green Hill, which offers a peek at the Postcards' interests. Namely: jangling, psychedelic, â60s-style pop music, heavily influenced by Brian Wilson and his work with the Pet Sounds/Smiley Smile-era Beach Boys in the late â60s. This Green Hill sounds carefully constructed out of hooky melodies, lush harmonies, layered production, and a toolshed full of instruments, some conventional to pop music and some not so much. Not only is This Green Hill the Postcardsâ first album, tonight is their first-ever show. Intriguing, right? BEN SALMON
9 pm, Kelly's Olympian, $5
City of Goses
A mini-beerfestâand the Rose Festival's first ever sanctioned beer festival)âdedicated to showcasing sour gose-style beers, featuring over 30 varieties from the Pacific Northwest.
1 pm, The Labrewatory, $15-20
The Tender Table
A storytelling series allowing queer, femme, POC voices to share personal stories about food and nourishment. This month's installment sets up shop in the kitchen of Yale Union, and serves up stories from Anna Vo, Stephanie Adams-Santos, and Zeloszelos Marchandt.
3 pm, Yale Union, $5-10
Blowpony
The May installment of Portland's premier queer-centric dance extravaganza features a headlining performances by Thorgy Thor (RuPaul's Drag Race season 8), music from DJs Airick X, Aurora, and Just Dave, and go-go dancing by Heatherette, Charley Sharp, Brndnm, Nikki Bunz, and Johnny Cakes. Hosted by Draven.
9 pm, Bossanova Ballroom, $15
Digable Planets
Yep, beloved â90s hip-hop trio Digable Planets is still reunion touring, and yep, weâre still excited about it. Ladybug Mecca, Doodlebug, and Butterfly last took the stage at the Crystal last August, meaning even if you attended youâre probably gonna need a post-Trump palate cleanser. Yes yes, yâall! DIRK VANDERHART
9 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $29.50-32, all ages
A Tribute to Jonathan Demme
Few directors are as revered as Jonathan Demme, who, over the course of four decades, carved out a remarkable filmmaking career. From his music documentaries and concert filmsâwhich ranged from a trilogy of films about Neil Young to Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids, which came out just last yearâto his fantastic features (which included Caged Heat, Something Wild, Swimming to Cambodia, Philadelphia, and more), Demme obliterated the line between art and commerce. His movies reminded everyone how cool, fun, and powerful film can be. Last month, Demme passed away at age 73; this week, the Hollywood pays tribute to the filmmaker with 1984's concert classic Stop Making Senseâthe definitive record of everything amazing about the Talking Heads. ERIK HENRIKSEN
7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre
Sparkle Bitch Ball
Get ready to sparkle, because all the kings, queens, âand everything in betweenâ will be at Holocene to celebrate tonightâs Sparkle Bitch Ball. Besides maximum fabulosity, one can expect the release of psych rock outfit Skull Diverâs new album Chemical Tomb, as well as the debut of their music video â8 Pack 8 Legsâ starring your host and local drag queen royalty Patrick Buckmaster. Joining the fun will be more music from Rare Monk and Foxy Lemon⌠and you (bedecked in glitter, sequins, and ready to stun). WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8:30 pm, Holocene, $10-12
Bob Dylan's 76th Birthday Bash
Bob Dylan is turing 76! Come celebrate with an night of music featuring the Portland Country Underground doing Blonde on Blonde, along with performances by The Quick and Easy Boys, Kory Quinn, Little Sue, Jenny Conley, Kylie King, and more.
8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $12-15
Rodriguez, Arum Rae
The story of Sixto Rodriguez is one of the greatest and most heartwarming in rock ânâ roll history. A Mexican-American hippie from Detroit records two radically charged folk rock albums in the early â70s, and then fades into obscurity until a reissue label and fledgling filmmaking crew dig up his gilded treasures. The 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man exposed Rodriguez's unsung magic, particularly on his debut LP, Cold Fact, to a public instantly enraptured by his heady mixture of Bob Dylan's poetic wizardry and Neil Young's fearless Americana, all wrapped up in the broken bricks-eye view of Motor City depression. Itâs reassuring that such enriching and incendiary music can get that type of belated appreciation. CHRIS SUTTON
8 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $39-65, all ages
Hands Up: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments
The August Wilson Red Door Project is bringing back the revered Hands Up, a monologue set commissioned in the wake of Michael Brown and John Crawford IIIâs murders. Each of the seven testaments were created by individual Black playwrights. Past runs have sold out quickly, so get your free tickets in advance. EMILLY PRADO
2 pm, Wieden + Kennedy, free w/ rsvp
Sir Richard Bishop, Robert Millis
Sir Richard Bishop is best known as a founding member of experimental art-punk project Sun City Girls, which had a 26-year tenure that yielded over 50 albums. Since the bandâs dissolution in 2007, Bishop has continued to release mind-warping guitar meditations, most recently with last yearâs Tangier Sessions. Itâs a dizzying collection of neoclassical compositions with brilliant guitar playing, and fuses together styles as seemingly disparate as flamenco, jazz, strange avant-garde, and pretty much every other genre youâve ever heard. Bishop taps into a truly wordly aural contemplationâyou oughta tap into it, too. RYAN J. PRADO
7:30 pm, The Old Church, $12-14, all ages
Thirsty City: Mic Crenshaw, Libretto, DJ Wicked, Ugly Tarantino, Burial Ground Sound, Moongriffin & Yafe Aros, Dr. Bloodmoney
In something of an about-face from their ordinary broadcast of grindcore sludge, doom metal, and breakneck punk, the Know hustles its electronic side with another installation of Thirsty City. RYAN J. PRADO
8 pm, The Know, $5-15
Obit
An unvarnished, proudly geeky look at the history of the newspaper obituary and the deadline-plagued reporters responsible (with a heartbreaking segment on David Foster Wallace). ANDREW WRIGHT
3:30 pm, 7:55 pm, Cinema 21
Pantha Du Prince, SciFiSol
Using sounds from nature and near-ambient techno beats, Berlin-based producer Hendrik Weberâbetter known as Pantha du Princeâmakes music unlike anything youâve ever heard. You can zone out, you can meditate, you can simply danceâor do âem all. NED LANNAMANN
9 pm, Doug Fir, $14-16
Freddie Gibbs
If you fed the blueprint for a rapper who was equal parts genius, gangsta, and great into a 3D printer, Freddie Gibbs would be the prototype. CHRIS SUTTON
8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $20, all ages
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!
