Minority Retort
Hell yes, itâs Minority Retort, the cityâs premiere comedy night showcasing comedians of color. This monthâs headliner is Los Angeles-based up-and-comer Neel Nanda, whose recent credits include Funny Girls, Garfunkel and Oates and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Minority Retort is hosted by Jason Lamb, Julia Ramos and Neeraj Srinivasan. Chris Johnson, Marcus Coleman, and Debbie Wooten will also perform. (8 pm, Siren Theater, $10) SUZETTE SMITH
Lily Tomlin
The beloved comedian, actor, singer, and writer takes a break from filming Netflix's Grace and Frankie and returns to her stand-up roots to deliver an evening of fun and laughter at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. (7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $40 & up)
Big Thief, Iji, Tommy Alexander
Due to the runaway success of their 2016 debut Masterpiece and 2017 follow-up Capacity, Brooklynâs Big Thief is becoming one of the most important bands in indie rock. Songs like the folksy, haunting "Mythological Beautyâ revolve around the voice of singer/guitarist Adrianne Lenker, who alternates between mumbling and howling lyrics that vividly reanimate memories with details like âshrapnel and oil cans, rhubarb in the yard.â (9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $16-18, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
Portland Polish Festival
If you are a fan of fantastic food and fun, the annual Polish Festival is the place to be. Picture this: non-stop onstage performances including polka and Klezmer bands (including a Polka contest), insanely tasty Polish food like Golabki, bigos, and sausages, and most importantly BEER. Lots and lots of glorious BEER. If you can find a more enjoyable outdoor experience, please email me courtesy of this paper. (Sat 11 am, Sun noon, St. Stanislaus Church, free, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Halloween
In the final trailer for David Gordon-Green's upcoming sequel to this film, the voice of Jamie Lee Curtis dramatically intones through whispery reverb that "40 years ago, on Halloween night, Michael Myers murdered three people." The statement comes off as oddly comical now, after four decades under the Shape's hulking shadow, with thousands of bodies strewn across the sordid history of a genre he elevated to prominenceâthree seems like child's play. (Hell, Child's Play racked up a bigger body count.) But watching John Carpenter's breakout film, the weight of those three deaths feels heavy indeed. Halloween is considered the father of the slasher, but Carpenter's film maintains its power because it doesn't really slash that much. It simmers, and stares, and slowly glides into menacing situations and abandons you there until the shadow of Michael Myers swallows you right up. That sort of thing seriously fucked people up in 1978. It still works pretty damned well in 2018. Followed by a Q&A with star P.J. Soles (7 pm, Hollywood Theatre) BOBBY ROBERTS
Andaz
For more than 15 years, DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid have been an inimitable force in the Portland dance scene. Since 2002 the power duo has hosted Andazâtheir monthly bhangra, Bollywood, and desi bass dance party (the longest running on the West Coast)âand let me tell you, it is WILD. There were flashing lights and Bollywood movies playing on TVs. The air was thick with moisture, so thick that I'm pretty sure it was condensing on the ceiling. Surrounded by energetic dancers, DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid inundated late-night revelers with rhythms from South Asia and beyond. (9 pm, The Liquor Store, $5-10) CIARA DOLAN
Johnny Marr, Belle Game
Itâs a shame that Johnny Marr sometimes gets overshadowed by the headline-grabbing nonsense that pours from Morrisseyâs mouth these days. Over the past five years, the former Smiths guitarist has released a string of striking pop records that recall the shimmer of his former bandâs best album, 1987âs Strangeways, Here We Come. Marrâs new LP Call the Comet is no different, with jangly hooks for days and lyrics that address the caustic political climate weâre currently experiencing by painting a kinder, more empathetic world. Marr has played sideman to artists like Neil Finn, The The, Brian Eno, Billy Bragg, and Modest Mouse. Think about that: The writer of some of the greatest pop songs of all time took a backseat for years before releasing his first solo record. That says as much about Marr as the fact that such incredible musicians sought him out. (8 pm, Roseland, $27.50-50, all ages) MARK LORE
The Mattson 2, Astronauts etc.
If, as a band, you decide to cover John Coltraneâs landmark 1965 jazz album A Love Supreme, youâre either daringly confident in your ability to bring something new or interesting to one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed, or you just love being in way over your head. Most fall into the latter category, but the Mattson 2 qualify as the former. On The Mattson 2 Play âA Love Supreme,â the SoCal jazz duoâpercussionist Jonathan Mattson and guitarist Jared Mattson, who are identical twinsârework Coltraneâs masterpiece with verve and virtuosity, giving familiar tunes an update thatâs electrifying, psychedelic, refreshingly modern, and respectful at the same time. Sharing tonightâs bill (and backed by the Mattsons) is singer/songwriter Astronauts, Etc., AKA Anthony Ferraro, a classically trained pianist whose new album Living in Symbol is a deliciously unhurried set of soulful dream-pop jams. (9:15 pm, Jack London Revue, $15) BEN SALMON
Olympia Provisions Oktoberfest!
A bit of Bavaria comes to Olympia Provisions. Well, quite a bit more than "a bit," actually, more like a big meaty hank, or two-fists-full, or however Bavarians colloquially measure a whole buncha drink, meat, and good times, with help from Rosenstadt brewers overseeing ceremonial tappings at the tented beer garden, with contests for "best lederhosen" and "best stein holder," among other feats of strength and endurance. (noon, Olympia Provisions Public House Eatery, $12-20)
Oktoberfest at Occidental Brewing
The beloved St. Johns brewery opens its doors for its biggest Oktoberfest celebration yet. Indulge in beers from all around the world, along with food from Urban German Grill, all while enjoying live music from the deck. Admission nets you a souvenir stein and one beer fill. You can purchase additional beer tokens and food as you go. (noon, Occidental Brewing Co., $10)
Looney Tunes: Warner Bros. Cartoon Classics
"Portland cartoon maven" Ivan Gold presents a carefully curated selection of 10 all-time classic Looney Tunes shorts from 1947-1955, many of which you probably first saw (and eventually memorized) in cut-down form in some Bugs Bunny and Friends mid-afternoon cartoon block decades ago. But it's a whole 'nother thing to see them on the big-screen where they belong, with no commercial breaks for Cinnamon Toast Crunch interrupting the funâ just some of the most influential comedy shorts of all time, one right after the other, bigger than life and as drop-dead hilarious as they were 70 years ago, including: The one where Bugs tricks Daffy into repeatedly getting his face shot off (Rabbit Fire); the one where Elmer finally kills the wabbit (What's Opera, Doc); and the one with the frog who lives solely to sing and ruin men's lives (One Froggy Evening). (Sat-Sun 2 pm, NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium, $8-10) BOBBY ROBERTS
Hair Puller, Marriage+Cancer, Post/Boredom, Licky Chomps
Fresh off a performance at this summer's PDX Pop Now! festival, Portland noise rock rippers Hair Puller headline a hometown show at the Kenton Club along with support from likeminded locals Marriage+Cancer and Licky Chomps, and Washington's Post/Boredom. (8 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club, $7)
