Events

MUSIC—It seems strange to suggest that one of the most influential artists in the history of Portland hip-hop comes from Vallejo. But even Cool Nutz could tell you (and you can ask him yourself, he’s playing this show) that E-40, the sleepy-eyed slang machine from the Yay Area, is a funk-bumpin’ behemoth in the game. […]

MUSIC—There ain’t many things you can count on in this life, but until further notice the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion remains one of them. Despite the genre folded into its nomenclature, Spencer & Co. draw from a range of influences from hiphop to punk, and the energy of the live experience will sustain you like […]

MUSIC—Layering Ellie Rowsell’s Cocteau Twins-esque vocals over grungy, propulsive rock, Wolf Alice’s songs would be the perfect soundtrack to the Francesca Lia Block adaptation David Lynch once tried to make. Pairing literary allusions (“Wolf Alice” is an Angela Carter story BASED ON A FAIRY TALE) with hard-edged instrumentation, they’re ethereal without being twee, danceable without […]

FRIDAY, MAY 8 BOOZE—Oh, 200 whiskeys, where have you been all my life? For the third year in a row, a two-day, booze-soaked extravaganza called WhiskeyTown, USA will host a ton of distilleries, vendors, restaurants, and bands (Blitzen Trapper!). Getting whiskey-drunk is fun, but supporting a good cause is even better—it benefits the Luna and […]

COMEDY FEST—FINALLY! The best weekend of the entire year is back with the four-day knee-slapping Bridgetown Comedy Fest. With 100-plus comedians (including Dana Gould, Jonathan Katz, Jessica Williams, Kyle Kinane, Kurt Braunohler, and Jackie Kashian) and dozens upon dozens of comedy shows in this year’s brand-new hub around East Burnside, expect to get an amazingly […]

MUSIC—Electronic musician Dan Deacon is coming to Portland, touring his newest album, Gliss Riffer. The video for the album’s first single, “Feel the Lightning,” features dancing pink marshmallow people and plush armchairs that come to life and have sex after the human leaves the house. If the show’s one-quarter as surreal, it should be a […]

MUSIC—The triumphant return of beloved Olympians turned Portlanders Sleater-Kinney is super sold out, so here’s what you do: Post up across W Burnside from the Crystal, turn your face up to those massive ballroom windows, and just listen to the damn thing from the street. Sometimes the sound quality’s nearly as good from this perch, […]

BIKES—Jump into your spandex, climb on your bikes, and race your heart out in the Monday Night PIR Bike Race Series. This flat, two-mile track is the perfect way to test your skills, and there are separate events for all skill levels—from novice, to “Holy crap, that person is burning rubber!” Don’t forget your helmet! […]