The Roots
I have long contended to sometimes-skeptical friends that Black Thought, field general of the legendary Roots Crew, is a top-five all-time emcee. It’s not a lot of verbal flash that does it for me (though he has that, too). It’s the longevity and the consistency. Three decades into the game, Black Thought is the same effortless, eminent talent he’s always been. Of course, a band of geniuses providing the beat doesn’t hurt. DIRK VANDERHART
5 pm, Edgefield, $59.50
1-2-3
Mississippi Studios, XRAY.FM, and the Mercury are hosting a blowout party called 1-2-3 to celebrate the end of summer. It’s like a fun mantra you can whisper to yourself—enduring seven straight months of grey and cold and rain will be as easy as one, two, three! Actually, it’s named that because there will be performances by fantastic Portland bands spread across the first three days of September. That’s not all—there are 1-2-3 passes available for this triad of concerts, and they’re much more economical than buying tickets to each individual night. Friday’s show features the sparkling electro-pop of Reptaliens and Wild Ones, while Saturday’s lineup sees folk up-and-comers Lenore. open for alt-country favorites Blitzen Trapper. It’ll go out with a bang Sunday, with Edna Vazquez Band and the always-energetic Orquestra Pacifico Tropicale. The Strange Babes DJs—Jen O, KM Fizzy, and Magic Beans—will spin records all three nights. CIARA DOLAN
Sept 1-3, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $33 (for all three days)
The Bite of Oregon
The Bite is Oregon's biggest celebration of all things delicious, transforming the waterfront into a massive celebration of food, drink, and song, as well as a proving ground for the state's best chefs and mixologists. Regardless which chef takes home what title, the real winner is your mouth.
Sept 1-4, 11 am, Rose Quarter Commons, $5
Lez Stand Up: Not Tired of Winning Yet
I fucking love Lez Stand Up. Not only is it one of the city’s absolute best queer-friendly comedy showcases, it’s one of the city’s best comedy shows, full stop. There’s a reason the ladies of Lez Stand Up sell out shows without trying: They’re really fucking funny, and when they fill a room, having people who aren’t straight white dudes on the bill isn’t a tokenizing afterthought. Portland's Funniest Person Caitlin Weierhauser hosts this iteration of Lez Stand Up, with comedy from Rinna Rem, Mel Heywood, Shilpa Joshi, Bob Wolf, Laura Anne Whitley, and Kirsten Kuppenbender. MEGAN BURBANK
8 pm, Siren Theater, $10
In the Cooky Jar
DJ Cooky Parker (Scott Magee, to his mama) has hosted In the Cooky Jar for seven years, beginning at the much-missed Woods before he eventually made his way to the Eagles Lodge, where he's kept a near-constant residency since 2012. Of all the dance nights in town, In the Cooky Jar is likely the only one where you can dance to Rufus Thomas and Little Johnny Taylor underneath black-and-white photos of old dead white dudes. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY
9 pm, Eagles Lodge (F.O.E.#3256), $5 with food donation, $7 without
Tony Hinchcliffe
An evening with the Youngstown, Ohio-hailing comedian known for being a regular guest on "The Joe Rogan Experience," from his 2016 Netflix special, One Shot, and from his time spent touring and participating in celebrity roasts with the likes of Jeff Garlin and "Roastmaster General" Jeffrey Ross.
9 pm, Aladdin Theater, $20, all ages
Yves Tumor, MSSSR, Felisha Ledesma, Daniela Karina
The latest, sure-to-be memorable and thought-provoking performance from Tennessee-based producer and performer Sean Bowie.
10 pm, S1, $12
Johnny Butler, Old Unconscious, Peter Rainbeau
Saxophonist Johnny Butler is the latest in the new breed of musicians aiming to push jazz beyond the 21st century by folding in elements of electronic and hip-hop production techniques. What sets this former Seattleite apart is his excitable use of looping technology and incorporation of laptops/pre-programmed beats into the mix. Butler visits Portland on the heels of the release of his latest and funkiest album, Hyper Violet, which incorporates live vocal turns from soul singers like Tecla, Sister Sparrow, and Raycee Jones. Joining him on the bill is Old Unconscious, a psychedelically inspired local ensemble featuring Shy Girls member Noah Bernstein and keyboardist extraordinaire Cory Gray. ROBERT HAM
8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!
Blessed: Future|Kanye|Drake
Ante Up PDX and Tribute Night have made the call: Future has attained status enough to step in the ring with Drake and Kanye, and DJ Ronin Roc will spin their best and boldest to see who comes out on top in this Blessed battle royale.
9 pm, Holocene, $10
Dan Balmer Trio
One of only five musicians to be a member of both The Oregon Music Hall of Fame and the Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame, guitarist Dan Balmer has established himself as staple her in the Portland jazz scene. Catch him tonight when he performs with his trio rounded out by drummer Micah Kassell and bassist Jeff Leonard as part of Portland Parks and Recreation's Concerts in the Park series, followed by a screening of the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at dusk.
6:30 pm, Mt. Scott Park, free, all ages
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!
