Mercury Things to Do Staff

LECTURE—It’s Halloween, so treat yourself to a new level of terror as scruffy philosopher/secret Sound of Music fan Slavoj Žižek brings his runny nose and terrifying killjoy act to town, in a talk titled “Is God Dead, or Unconscious, or Just Evil?” IS THAT A TRICK QUESTION, SLAVOJ ŽIŽEK? Another trick is how easily Žižek […]

COMEDY—It takes a certain type of person to appreciate the comedy of Anthony Jeselnik (not judging here). One needs to enjoy dark, cruel one-liners that are constructed with mathematical precision, and presented with a sociopathic glare (with juuuuuust a hint of self-awareness and charm). These are jokes that will make your mother blanch and stare […]

JAZZ TOBACCO—So the Mercury‘s ringing endorsement of legal pot convinced you to VOTE YES ON MEASURE 91, but you want to know more. And you want to laugh, and learn about some good strains before weed becomes legal (because you voted, right?). Check out live podcast Let’s Talk About… Pot, a show that features stand-ups […]

MUSIC—It’s been six months since beloved Canadian duo Chromeo last came to town, spraying fire-hose-velocity disco-funk onto your sullied dancing shoes so they gleamed and twirled and hot-stepped like a brand-new pair, only all that hot-stepping just sullied the damn things all over again. Six months. DIRK VANDERHARTw/Wave Racer; Roseland, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, […]

COMEDY—Late Night Action, the late-night talk show co-hosted by Alex Falcone and Bri Pruett, continues tonight with appearances from Patrick Rothfuss, author of the high fantasy, doorstop-thick trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicle, KGW news anchor Reggie Aqui, and comedian Kirsten Kuppenbender, with music from Portland’s own kindhearted jokesters, bookworm-folk duo the Doubleclicks. MEGAN BURBANKMississippi Studios, 3939 […]

MUSIC—Maybe the best thing about Yelle—French electropop darlings who found themselves even more famous after a weird Katy Perry remix—is their apparent refusal to sing in English. Yelle’s insistence on French makes perfect sense layered atop their campy stage presence and synthy, Euro-style disco beats—so perfect it would be jarring and gauche if they ever […]

FACIAL HAIR—The World Beard and Mustache Championships used to be an every-other-year affair. America’s most-zealous purveyors of ridiculous “freestyle chin-beards” and “Hungarian mustaches” would traipse off to Europe or Alaska, and mostly get trounced by Germans. This year marks the beginning of a yearly championship and—surprise!—it’s at the Keller. This time, friends, it’s for the […]

BOOZE—EAT A SOLID MEAL before you even think about buying a ticket to the Great American Distillers Festival. Hoochmakers from all over the country will be sampling out their vodkas, rums, bourbons (and more!) over two days, along with panels, competitions, and other excuses to get your buzz on. MARJORIE SKINNERLeftbank Annex, 101 N Weidler, […]

MUSIC—It’s time to gambol down memory lane with a double bill of pop masters from the past. The Psychedelic Furs have soundtracked all your favorite films (hello, Pretty in Pink and Valley Girl!), and Richard Butler’s deep croon still stirs the prom-goer within us all. Evan Dando and the Lemonheads open—hopefully with a load of […]

BEER—Hood River’s pFriem Family Brewers make a host of exceptional beers (I would happily drown in vats of their Wit and Belgian Strong Dark ale), and tonight they invade North Portland, taking over the taps at the Old Gold for a single evening. There will be small-batch rarities, whiskey-and-beer pairings, food specials, and—yeah—really, really good […]

MUSIC—Listening to Horse Feathers is like touring tiny islands of pop, surfacing in oceans of beautiful instrumentation, each track a delicately constructed diorama of sound. Catching them live in a record store—on the day they drop new album So It Is with Us—is one of the best ways to experience their expansive-yet-private atmosphere. BOBBY ROBERTSMusic […]

MUSIC—The sultry, succulent tunes of J Roddy Walston and the Business have their roots in the South, but the Baltimore outfit’s rough-and-tumble, soulful rock is nationwide. With shards of glam, some Beatlesesque sunshine, and a jagged punk spirit, it’s growly, howly, and loud—just the way you like it. NED LANNAMANNw/Fly Golden Eagle; Doug Fir, 830 […]