Natasha Kmeto
Electronic producer/vocalist Natasha Kmeto’s powerful, edgy voice commands a whole room. Her 2016 single “Pour Down” kind of reminds me of electro-pop from the early ’90s, and her newer, saxophone-laced single “Versus” (from her 2019 EP Verse/Versus) is retro-tinged as well, giving off some fabulous Annie Lennox vibes. Whether she’s performing her own catalog solo, or adding vocals and keys behind R&B outfit Chanti Darling, or DJing under the Nasty Tasha moniker, her live sets are always dope. Tonight provides a rare opportunity to catch her mesmerizing live act for free while cozying up with one of Rontoms’ excellent grilled cheese sandwiches. (Sun Feb 16, 8 pm, Rontoms, free) JENNI MOORE
Zwickelmania!
Prime your liver for Zwickelmania, the annual event where more than 100 breweries open their doors for your drinking pleasure, with free samples, cornhole, tours, and beer releases. It’s kinda like an open house for beer, but the house is essentially all of Portland and select breweries outside the city. (Sat Feb 15, 11 am, Various Locations, free)
Bob Desaulniers, Half Shadow, Saloli
When he’s not providing the liquid low end as bassist for post-punk lovelies Lithics, Bob Desaulniers explores the American Primitive landscape, guided by his fingerpicked acoustic guitar work. Tonight at Kenton record shop Speck’s, he will be performing live to celebrate the release of his latest solo effort Rose Water, which highlights his folk compositions that float with the pleasant calm found in Leo Kottke or Sarah Louise’s best work. Sharing the bill are two equally great local solo musicians—Half Shadow and Saloli—that provide a nice contrast to Desaulniers with their electric instrumentation and cosmic yearnings. (Sun Feb 16, 4 pm, Speck’s Records and Tapes, $5, all ages) ROBERT HAM
Drunk in Love: Beyoncé vs. Drake
Tribute Night throws a belated Valentine’s party for people who prefer to express their love and affection in the form of hitting the dancefloor and staying there all damn night while getting down to a sprawling section of hits, remixes, b-sides and deep cuts from the Queen Bee and Drake. (Fri Feb 15, 9 pm, Holocene, $10)
Cry Babe, Sundae Crush, Cay Is Okay
It feels like I hear Cry Babe’s “Soft Honk” song everywhere I go, and I might. Not only is it a relatable, catchy, funny song about street harassment, but singer Anaïs Genevieve’s unusual contralto delivers the mundane tale with an unforgettable “Northern ballad” style of singing—like Morrissey, but punk, and all her own. The indie rock three-piece is locally beloved for their unique, soft punk approach, which sometimes touches on baroque pop (like on “Picard,” from their 2019 EP Be Cool). Their sound is immediately identifiable and usually a welcome earworm. (Sat Feb 15, 9 pm, No Fun, $7) SUZETTE SMITH
’80s Video Dance Attack: Valentine’s Celebration
A special Valentine’s Day installment of VJ Kittyrox’s recurring dance night, which keeps MTV’s golden era burning bright by projecting classic music videos on giant screens and rattling the dance floor with a thumping sound system. (Fri Feb 14, 9 pm, Mission Theater, $10)
Vision of Love
Hey Love and Boogie Buffet enlist DJs Kween Kaysh (Seattle) and Cuica (PDX) and special guest Carlos the Rollerblader to bring you a special Valentine’s Day dance party serving up nothing but sexy slow jams and bangers. (Fri Feb 14, 9 pm, Hey Love, $5)
Portland Black Film Festival: Do the Right Thing
This year’s Portland Black Film Festival got a strong start last week with a 70mm screening of Malcolm X, and it continues this week with another must-see Spike Lee joint: Do the Right Thing, a movie that electrified audiences like a lightning bolt in 1989. Starring Lee, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, John Turturro, Danny Aiello, Samuel L. Jackson, and Rosie Perez, it stands as one of the best movies of the 20th century—with a story that unfolds over a sweltering day and night in Bed-Stuy, Do the Right Thing combines unforgettable characters, blazingly vivid cinematography, and a fearless dive into America’s roiling racial tensions. Over three decades after it was made, it’s still jarringly, heartbreakingly relevant. (Sat Feb 15, 7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $7-9) ERIK HENRIKSEN
Red Rumsey, Blesst Chest, The Social Stomach
The Unwound alum takes over Turn! Turn! Turn! for an intimate evening inside his head, with support from Blesst Chest and the Social Stomach. (Sat Feb 15, 8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!, $8)
Wild at Heart!
Atomic Blast presents this Valentine’s Day dance party fueled by soul classics of the ’50s and ’60s as unearthed on 45 and shined-up to a blinding dancefloor brightness by DJ Action Slacks and DJ Honey Child. (Sat Feb 15, 9 pm, The Spare Room, $8)
Valentine’s Day Bangover
Volume Bomb PDX takes over the Starday Tavern and 5&Dime to drown out any lingering Valentine’s Day mush with a full-slate of live punk and metal that’s just too much for one bar to contain. (Sat Feb 15, 6 pm, Starday Tavern, $5)
The Israelites, The Cascadians
The Los Angeles-hailing, Oregon-based ska, rocksteady, and reggae institution celebrates their 30th anniversary at the Twilight with help from like-minded locals the Cascadians. (Sat Feb 15, 8:30 pm, Twilight Cafe & Bar, $10)
Mo Troper, Tender Kid, Phone Voice
Portland singer/songwriter Mo Troper brings his infectious indie-rock and power-pop to the stage at Holocene to celebrate the release of his new Tender Loving Empire-issued album, Natural Beauty. Like-minded locals Tender Kid and Phone Voice round out the proceedings. (Sun Feb 16, 8 pm, Holocene, $10)
Renegade Gospel
A non-religious “sunday service” from the Renegade Gospel, serving up brunch, mimosas, and glorious vocal harmony, maintaining all of the positivity and spirituality of church but none of the dogma. (Sun Feb 16, 1 pm, Local Lounge, $10)
This House of Mine Zine Fundraiser
The Kenton Club hosts a fundraiser and art show for the artists contributing to This House of Mine (T.H.O.M), a collaborative zine about reproduction health funded in part by the Regional Arts Culture Council. Featuring live music from Fat Kitten, AC Sapphire, and Disassturbator, a photo booth, body art and prints for sale, and a uterus piñata. Learn more about how to submit or donate at www.houseofminezine.com. (Sun Feb 16, 8 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club)
Stage Meets Screen: Yentl
Amazingly, it took until 1983 before Hollywood let a woman write, direct, produce, and star in a major motion picture. That woman had to be Barbra Streisand in order to do it, and it took her 15 years of fighting (and eventually agreeing to huge pay cuts and financial penalties) in order to get it done. At which point Yentl—a musical adaptation of a Isaac Bashevis Singer play about a woman who has to go to extraordinary lengths to get the same education as a man—became a box-office success, won Streisand a Golden Globe for Best Director… and was promptly turned, along with its writer/producer/star, into an industry punchline for the rest of the decade. It’s 2020, Streisand is still the only woman to have won a Globe for Best Director, and maybe it’s time to give Yentl the fair shake it’s almost never gotten. (Mon Feb 17, 7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $7-9) BOBBY ROBERTS
P.L.O.W. (Portland Legends of Wrestling): Love at First Fight
This comedy showcase is specifically for those professional wrestling fans who know, down deep, the best part of the whole circus isn’t even the ‘rasslin part—it’s the promos. “Professor Ed” Hosea hosts a holiday-themed evening of Portland comedy talent assuming outlandish personalities and cutting only the finest promos live on stage. (Tues Feb 18, 9 pm, Kickstand Comedy Space, $5, all ages)
The Savage Family Band, Ryan Joseph Welter, Ted Parker, Kennon Christel
Portland punk and Americana outfit the Savage Family Band headline a hometown show at No Fun, with Ryan Joseph Welter, Ted Parker, and Kennon Christel lending their own folk-rock sounds to the proceedings. (Tues Feb 18, 9 pm, No Fun, $5)
Millennial Falcon, Rad Max, Bastard Salt
The Liquor Stores serves up a night of synth-driven dance-rock and new wave from a trio of rising local acts. (Wed Feb 19, 8 pm, The Liquor Store, $7)
Create & Celebrate: A Night Celebrating Black Creativity and Power
An arts showcase starring the future—and present—of Portland’s young black creative talent, featuring brand new works of poetry, live music, and dance from students from Portland Public Schools. (Wed Feb 19, 6 pm, Grant High School, free, all ages)
Optimism!: A Comedy Showcase
The White Owl’s monthly stand-up show returns for February with sets from Pedro Andrade, Sarah Young, Jeremiah Coughlan, and Becky Braunstein. Hosted by Jaren George. (Wed Feb 19, 9 pm, White Owl Social Club, $5)
A Beat Happening #19
Another showcase for the city’s best beatsmiths, creating grooves, breaking beats, looping the loops, and generally remixing the night itself for a couple of hours. Featuring performances by A-Luxury, See the King, Machado Mijiga, and Creme Brulee, along with a DJ set from One Trak. (Thurs Feb 20, 6 pm, Future Shock, free, all ages)
Ms. Carrie Stacks
The singer-songwriter returns to Yale Union for a solo show featuring some new stuff, as well as work from her 2017 EP 5 Sad Songs. (Thurs Feb 20, 8 pm, Yale Union, free, all ages)
The Von Howlers, Hippie Fight, I Want the Knife, Agents of Ecco
The Von Howlers like their brand of blues garage-bound and slightly grimy. Catch up with them tonight when they link up with Eugene punk outfit Hippie Fight, Roseburg’s I Want the Knife, and fellow PDX garage and surf rockers the Agents of Ecco. (Thurs Feb 20, 9 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club, free)
There’s even more to do in our Cheap, Free, & Fun calendar, and don’t forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!