Yeah yeah yeah. Super Bowl 52. It’s sitting there at the end of the weekend like a 500 pound gorilla, drunk on commerce and wallowing a pile of billion-dollar commercials like so much marketing roadkill. It’s fun to gawk at (except for the parts involving giant piece of shit Tom Brady and his colon-in-crime Bill Belichick) but there is more to the weekend than just “the big game,” There’s a pair of top-notch pop stars ruling over the Moda, some damn bold & brilliant comedy sounding off at the Siren, and some extra special treats waiting for you at the theater (Sho’Nuff!). There’s a ton more where that came from; hit the links below and load your plate accordingly.
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Friday, Feb 2
Show Show
The stand-up show in which comedians perform a set and then interact with their jokes in animated form is entering the realm of virtual reality. Laugh along with some of Portland’s best comics, and then watch as they confront their own creations in the weird and unsettling world of VR. Throw in some audience gaming, along with live chiptune music from Mechlo, and you’ve got all the makings of a completely unique showcase. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
8 pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, $15-20
Katy Perry, Carly Rae Jepsen, Purity Ring
My love for the music of Katy Perry is unstoppable and eternal. (DM me for a link to my YouTube playlist “Greatest Katy Jams of All Time,” which kicks off with “E.T.,” launches into “Hot N Cold,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” and “California Gurls” before rolling right into “Dark Horse.” It also features a cameo from the SNL Backpack Kid. It’s really good.) BRACE YOURSELF, PORTLAND, because Katy’s about to hit the Moda Center with one of her fucking ba-zonkers live shows (remember her Super Bowl performance with Left Shark and Missy Elliott?!?!), and there is literally nowhere else on the entirety of Planet Earth that will be a better place to be. ERIK HENRIKSEN
7:30 pm, Moda Center, $50-799
Kyle Craft, The Shivas, Ghost Foot
Local lad Kyle Craft celebrates his second solo record tonight with a pull-out-all-the-stops release show featuring his rambunctious rock ’n’ soul. Produced by the Decemberists’ Chris Funk and released on the venerable Sub Pop label, Full Circle Nightmare is a throwback stomper, with shades of twang and glam to aid in the telling of Craft’s tales of lust, love, and other natural disasters. NED LANNAMANN
9 pm, Doug Fir, $15
Guy Branum
Guy Branum is a no-nonsense, magnanimous, law school-educated, LGBTQ comedian-championing hero. I first saw him perform at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, where he distinguished himself by taking Bernie bros to task and hosting an incredible showcase of emerging queer comedians. Branum can also be heard on a particularly memorable episode of the podcast My Favorite Murder, where he put to rest a debate over the difference between attempted murder and murder. He’s the best. MEGAN BURBANK
7:30 pm, 10 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $17-33
Ashley Bathgate
The final concert of the inaugural Spontaneous Combustion New Music Festival features Ashley Bathgate in a solo performance that everyone in the attendance will likely remember for the rest of their lives. A cellist with the internationally acclaimed sextet Bang on a Can All-Stars, the indefatigable and eclectic Bathgate is equally at home with a traditional classical concerto or a Questlove collaboration. Her setlist for this evening includes several works with and without electronics by living composers, like minimalist pioneer Steve Reich and the endlessly fascinating 2016 Guggenheim Fellow Andrew Norman. Time and time again, the Old Church proves itself as one of the finest venues for experiencing chamber music, and this particular opportunity to witness a brilliant musician stretch the sonic boundaries of the cello will undoubtedly result in spontaneously combusted minds and hearts in every pew. BRIAN HORAY
7:30 pm, The Old Church, $20, all ages
Panzergod, Funeral Chant, Pandischordian Necrogenesis, Mania
Few extreme metal bands possess names as fascinating as San Francisco’s Pandiscordian Necrogenesis. It sounds like a symptom of a collapsing utopian planet, or a rapid and disruptive ecological evolution that decimates continents. Musically, Pandiscordian Necrogenesis is as raw, creepy, and nasty as black metal can get; it’s the kind of black metal you could sand a boat with. If you’re wondering what collective of rabid minds came up with such a devastating sound, you’ll be surprised to learn that Pandiscordian Necrogenesis is a one-man operation. Steve Peacock, AKA Ephemeral Domignostika, plays guitar, sings, and manipulates a bass and snare drum with his feet while performing. It’s a far cry from the busker with a series of instruments attached to their person controlled by various appendages, but man, if it doesn’t look like a mind-melter to witness. ARIS HUNTER WALES
8:30 pm, Twilight Cafe & Bar, $13
Curtis Salgado & Alan Hager
Tonight the seasoned duo of soul singer/songwriter Curtis Salgado and guitarist Alan Hager will celebrate their new collaborative album, Rough Cut. Released via Alligator Records, it’s an easygoing collection of originals and stripped-down covers (like Muddy Waters’ “I Can’t Be Satisfied”) that debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Blues chart. The event will be fully seated—perfect for some foot-tappin’. CIARA DOLAN
7pm & 10 pm, Mississippi Studios, $25-30
The Dovecotes, Paper Brain, Point Juncture, WA
Hugh Jepson has mastered a casual, compulsively listenable twist on indie rock that is sure-handed and satisfying. NED LANNAMANN
8 pm, The Know, $6
Rasheed Jamal, Terrence Brown, Jahdi Levvi
Three of the Pacific NW’s brightest up-and-coming emcees take turns on the mic at an intimate hip-hop showcase in the Atlantis Lounge.
9 pm, Mississippi Pizza Pub & Atlantis Lounge
Brickbat Mansion, A Tribute to the Cure
In Portland, tribute nights usually take the form of costumed bike rides and overpriced dance parties honoring dearly departed legends like Bowie and Prince. Brickbat Mansion is the long-running darkwave night led by Curatrix and DJ Wednesday, and tonight they’re celebrating the Cure. Don your finest goth attire and enter the darkly chic Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven for Cure tunes spun at the right speed, and in an appropriately mysterious setting. The venue is almost like the Eagles Lodge—members get to purchase drinks with their cards, while non-members are cash-only, but the event itself is free if you RSVP on Facebook.
9:30 pm, The Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven, free w/ rsvp
Drunken Palms, Being Awone, Babehoven
Drunken Palms debut EP Later is a beautiful culmination of re-recorded demos, new songs, and even a cover of U2’s “With or Without You.” Its melodies are built from drum machine beats, loops, synth, and Cocteau Twins-esque vocals that sound ghostly, like they’re echoing off the pews of an empty cathedral. With Later, Drunken Palms gives it all and you want more—a great debut leaves you with that feeling. CAMERON CROWELL
8 pm, Black Water Bar, $6, all ages
Portland Seafood & Wine Festival
Sip a lotta wine, eat a lotta fish! Sounds pretty simple, right? The 13th annual celebration of coastal drinking and dining falls in the middle of Dungeness crab season, too, so there’s definitely gonna be some seasonal delicacies to trie, as well as face painters, balloon artists, and other family-friendly activities.
2 pm, Oregon Convention Center, $14, all ages
Saturday, Feb 3
Stumptown Improv Presents!
Not only is Portland’s annual Stumptown Improv Festival essential summertime entertainment, the fest organizers are now bringing in sketch and improv groups throughout the year for one-off shows. This time around, Stumptown Improv Presents! brings funny folks The Magic Negro and Other Blackness and White Women to town, both of whom inject commentary on race into their performances. Portland’s Local Ensemble rounds out the bill for what should be a solid night of smart comedy. MEGAN BURBANK
8 pm, Siren Theater, $13
Little Star, Wave Action, Sweeping Exits
Sweeping Exits’ Glitter & Blood is unlike any album you’ve heard before. Frontwoman Mira Glitterhound is the mind behind the expansive, 16-track rock opera, narrating stories of murder, love, revenge, and queer vampires—imagine if Anne Rice wrote an erotic thriller about the Vampire Lestat’s goth band. Glitterhound playfully jumps from genre to genre, but each song is meticulously crafted, with traces of Bowie glam on “The Palace,” while “Lady Death” is more reminiscent of a wispy Carpenters song, and “The Queen’s Ball” sounds like doo-wop surf-rock. Glitter and Blood is an album made to be experienced live—fog machine, fake blood, glitter, and all. CAMERON CROWELL
9:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $10-12
Havania Whaal, Supermoon, Husky Boys
Supermoon’s Playland was one of my favorite albums of 2016; released via Mint Records, it’s full of indie pop songs as bright and colorful as the neon flashing lights of carnival rides, with subject matter that lurks in darker corners of the amusement park. The Vancouver, BC, band sings about living in a mansplained world, the power of having your own secrets, and navigating life’s grey areas in sugary vocals, with surf guitar riffs that recall other Pacific Northwest groups like Chastity Belt and Tacocat. Much like the lunar phenomenon that inspired their name, Supermoon’s free show at the Firkin Tavern is a rare opportunity to see something awesome for zero dollars. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Firkin Tavern, free
Flor, Co.yh, Handsome Ghost
For Portlanders, probably the most interesting thing about LA-based band Flor is that they’re originally from Hood River, that windy little burg about an hour east on I-84 that isn’t necessarily known for producing bands. The next most interesting thing about Flor is that they have a chance to be huge. On their debut album, Come Out. You’re Hiding, the band’s sound—dreamy pop-rock, addictive melodies, big beats, and electronic embellishments—recalls recent success stories like Fun., the 1975, and Years & Years. Its songs are sparkling and irresistibly catchy, and they sound terrific—a credit, no doubt, to band member Dylan Bauld, who produces on the side and has worked with pop star Halsey.
7 pm, Holocene, $15, all ages
Summer Cannibals, Kelli Schaefer, Roseblood
Local rock staples Summer Cannibals celebrate the release of their brand new cassingle at the inaugural installment of the Doug Fir’s new monthly showcase, 5 5 5 – B U R N, bringing you full sets from Portland’s best bands on the cheap.
9 pm, Doug Fir, $5-8
Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy
Nobuo Uematsu’s score for 1987’s Final Fantasy revolutionized video game music. The game was the first to boast gorgeous, thematic compositions—not simply brief jingles or amorphous blips and bleeps—which transcended the technical limitations of the time and could be enjoyed as a separate, musical experience. Expect to hear selections from every installment in the series (of which, Uematsu scored the majority) as they were meant to be experienced, in a live orchestra setting. MORGAN TROPER
7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $25-95, all ages
Dunkirk (70mm)
It’s Oscar season. Christopher Nolan’s latest film got nominated for a bunch of awards, like Best Picture and Best Director (it’s not winning either of those), but most importantly, it got a nod for Best Cinematography. Hoyte van Hoytema’s camerawork deserves to be seen in 70mm, and to celebrate Dunkirk‘s nominations, the Hollywood is screening it as such. Senior Editor Ned Lannamann said “Dunkirk reminds us of the experiential power of film.” So experience it correctly.
2 pm & 7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $10-12
Lights
Born from the same era that produced mainstream electro-pop acts like Owl City and Hellogoodbye, Lights was once a hidden gem on the genre’s fringes. Since then, she’s released four full-length albums, the most recent being 2017’s Skin&Earth. It’s a testament to the Canadian musician’s ability to update her sound without abandoning her roots. The record incorporates distinct hallmarks of modern pop, like climactic anthems and soft ballads. Lights has transformed herself from a mid-2000s obscurity to an electro-pop powerhouse with ties to big names like Tegan and Sara, Chvrches, and Broods. DELANEY MOTTER
9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $24-144
Resistance Ball
Celebrate a year of protests and activism propelled by the efforts of Portland’s Resistance by partying at p:ear. Highlights include a wonderful musical lineup, an activist awards ceremony, and an all-inclusive dress code. Get in for $5 when you bring winter clothing donations for houseless folks. EMILLY PRADO
8 pm, p:ear, $10-15 ($5 w/ winter clothes donation)
These Drums Kill Fascists, Center Pieces, Saloli
Two of the undercover operatives from the Secret Drum Band step out of the shadows to put a hurting on fascists with their unbeatable rhythms. Between sets from support Center Pieces and Saloli, artist Vanessa Renwick will screen two of her short films.
8 pm, Mothership Music, $5, all ages
Sunday, Feb 4
Super Bowl 52
If we end up having to watch Trump’s golf buddy (Tom Brady, who is a fuckin’ giant piece of shit) win the Super Bowl again, at least we’ll still have this: After releasing his fourth album Man of the Woods just two days prior, Justin Randall Timberlake headlines the 52nd Super Bowl halftime show. While it’s unclear what he’ll perform and with whom—probably not Janet, but perhaps Pharrell, Chris Stapleton or Jay-Z?—it’s safe to say JT will bring “Sexy Back,” a special guest or two, and melt the icy hearts of his haters with near-perfect renditions of new singles “Filthy” and “Supplies.” JENNI MOORE Also features a football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots.
3:30 pm, Basically Every Screen in Portland Capable of Receiving a Broadcast Signal
Prawn, Caravela, Sól, Lowglow
New Jersey’s Prawn plays thoughtful, dynamic post-rock with angsty lyrics. Last year they released Run, a sprawling record that proves it’s not against the rules to be pissed off and aimless, even when you’re firmly entrenched in your 30s. For those about to brood, Prawn salutes you.
9:30 pm, Mississippi Studios, $12
Nasalrod, Kulululu
Jeffrey Couch’s wild-as-hell musical circus descends upon Rontoms for a free show celebrating the release of their newest music video, “Wage Slave,” from their Building Machines LP.
8 pm, Rontoms, free
Little Italy Dinner
Ava Gene’s throws itself a year-long fifth birthday party, taking the first Sunday of every month (until December, 2018) and turning their restaurant into the “red sauce Italian” joint of chef/co-owner Joshua McFaden’s dreams. Reserve a seat between 4:30 pm and 10 pm every first Sunday (January 2018 excluded)
4:30 pm, Ava Gene’s
The Last Dragon
Motown mogul Berry Gordy’s 1985 kung fu flick is supposed to be Taimak’s movie, what with his being the titular hero of the story (such as it is), rescuing Vanity and attaining “the glow” of martial arts mastery. But it’s really hard to give a single solitary fuck about Taimak’s bland ass when Julius Carry III’s “evil” Sho’nuff (!) is snatching every last scrap of scene within his clawed grasp and turning it into cinematic gold. Whatever classic status The Last Dragon maintains is entirely due to his portrayal as the meanest, prettiest, baddest mofo low down around town Shogun of Harlem. BOBBY ROBERTS
9:35 pm, Laurelhurst Theater, $3-4
Evan Thomas Way, Matt Dorrien, Slater Smith
A trio of acclaimed local singer/songwriters bring their latest solo stuff to the Doug Fir stage, with sets from Evan Thomas Way (of The Parson Red Heads, Matt Dorrien (formerly Snowblind Traveler), and Slater Smith (of The Weather Machine).
8 pm, Doug Fir, $10
Thou Shall Not Tailgate
Duck out from all that Super Bowl madness and duck into a screening of this Portland-produced short documentary by Greg Hamilton and Ira Flowers, focused on Rev. Charles “Chuck” Linville, co-founder of the Portland Cacophony Society, and owner of some… boldly decorated homes and automobiles. Filmmakers and subject in attendance.
6 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $5
Dark Matter’s Valentine’s Day Massacre
The cabaret gets a little darker for this anti-Valentine’s celebration. How much darker? “Make Satan our Valentine” is the primary theme, with purification rituals from Roman Festival Februa, burlesque, belly dancing, music, and more.
7 pm, Crush, $14
Don’t forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!