Warmish days be damned, because Christian Girl Autumn has officially begun. This week offers many reasons to head indoors, like Spike Lee's Kurosawa-inspired film Highest 2 Lowest, Amanda Lepore's club kid glamour, and '70s art rockers Sparks. Plus, Freddie Robins installs knitted horses at Cooley Gallery, and the storytelling show Be Gay, Do Crime centers icons of queer rebellion. Read on, and don't forget your coat.
Monday, September 22
Samia
Singer-songwriter Samia wrote a song called "Pool" around six years ago, releasing it as the first track on her debut album Baby in 2020. In it, Samia sings, "How long do I have left with my dog? 'Til I start forgetting shit? 'Til we're rich and then we're not and then we're rich? How much longer 'til I'm taller? How much longer 'til it's midnight? How much longer 'til the morning? Are my legs gonna last? Is it too much to ask?" Having seen her live, I can confirm that she puts as much emotion into her performances as her studio recordings, giving the audience goosebumps and keeping listeners hanging on to her every syllable. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8 pm, $36.05-$88.43, more info, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
Also worth it:
Mac DeMarco, McMenamins Grand Lodge, SOLD OUT, more info
The perennial indie interlocutor introduces his laid-back new album, Guitar.
Historical zines, Multnomah Arts Center, more info
70+ zines pulled from the Portland Zine Symposium archives are on view.
Tuesday, September 23
Freddie Robins: Apotropaic
UK textile artist and Royal College of Art professor Freddie Robins fuses kitsch, gender exploration, and a rebellious sense of expression into tapestries, tactile sculptures, and assemblages. A little insight into what this show might investigate: its name, Apotropaic, means “designed to avert evil” according to Merriam-Webster. It's less “Keep Calm and Carry On” and more ritualistic, composed of knitted horses and studio remnants, among other curiosities. Curated by Stephanie Snyder, Robins’ solo exhibition brings her to Portland as Reed’s Stephen E. Ostrow distinguished visitor, and she’ll deliver an artist talk on September 30. (Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock, Tues-Sat 12-5 pm through December 14, FREE, more info, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Highest 2 Lowest and Spike Lee film series
In 1963, the already globally recognized Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa released High and Low. It starred his long-time collaborator, the actor Toshiro Mifune, and is arguably one of the greatest movies made by anybody. Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest is the acclaimed contemporary director's fanboy homage to this film, starring Lee's long-time collaborator Denzel Washington. It is not one of the greatest movies ever made by anybody, but it is a perfectly good summer film. And if you have the foresight to watch High and Low before checking out Highest 2 Lowest, there's real delight to be found watching the characters and plot lines in each film converge and diverge. Read the Mercury’s full review of Highest 2 Lowest here. (OMSI Empirical Theater, 1945 SE Water, September 23-October 5, times vary, opening night tickets $16-$21, individual tickets $7-$9, discounts for OMSI members, more info, R) HR SMITH
Wednesday, September 24
Jerrod Carmichael
Easily classifiable as both a comedian AND an artist, Jerrod Carmichael has a busy life and performing schedule, touring nationwide and creating fourth-wall-breaking TV specials such as HBO’s Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show and his latest screen outing Don’t Be Gay. After coming out in 2022, Carmichael’s comedy has become increasingly honest and introspective while still bringing the laughs, such as his bit about what is and is not considered gay: having a full-fledged boyfriend over just getting your “D” sucked… very gay. Splitting an Auntie Anne’s pretzel? Super gay! With Carmichael you can expect a night of great laughs, as well as getting a peek inside the artist’s mind as well. (Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Sept 24-25, 7 pm, $36.88-$50.29, more info, 21+) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
@hbo He broke the only rule, y’all. #JerrodCarmichael’s new comedy special, Don’t Be Gay, premieres May 24 on @Max ♬ original sound - HBO
Paradise Blue
A jazz club in 1949 Detroit is the setting of Paradise Blue, the kickoff production for Portland Playhouse’s 18th season. The Black Bottom neighborhood, which is home to the Paradise jazz joint, is on the precipice of gentrification, as the protagonist Blue—a deeply troubled trumpeter—fights to retain control over the club and come to terms with his own tortured history. Acclaimed playwright Dominique Morisseau’s immersive script is one of a cycle of productions documenting the Black experience in Detroit, and how the city and its residents are haunted by the decisions and mistakes of the past. (Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott, through Nov 2, times vary, $25-$59.95, Arts for All passes available, more info) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Thursday, September 25
Amanda Lepore
Amanda Lepore graces the faggots, faeries, dykes, and daddies of Portland with her club kid glamour for one night—giving face, showing off the “world’s most expensive body,” and oozing downtown cool with every pose. This "Back-to-Werk" show sees Lepore invite the city's buzziest queens to share the stage, like Mona Chrome, Ry Bred, Tomboy, and Mercury favorite Violet Hex. Those willing to splurge on VIP afterparty tickets can enjoy the homo DJ collective Jacques Strappe at a secret location only disclosed to buyers of the very VIP tickets. (X-Port Lounge, 1355 SW 2nd, 8 pm, $25-50, more info, 21+) NOLAN PARKER
Choice Cuts photobook release
Despite the fact that he'll soon have a book out, Corbin C doesn't think of himself as a photographer. He's a music fan with a disposable camera in his pocket, hitting up several shows a week, capturing moments in mosh pits, amateur wrestling rings, and kiddie pools filled with creamed corn. Choice Cuts: Disposable Camera Archives was curated by Rich Perin of Buckman Publishing, who combed the artist's archive, selecting snapshots and printing the artist's remarks alongside. The photobook release boasts Karma Rivera as emcee, a live set from Dim Wit, music videos shot on HI8, and plenty of behind-the-photo tales. (Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, 7 pm, $25, ticket includes a copy of the book, more info, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH
Friday, September 26
Peggy Chiang: barn burner
With a list of unexpected sculpture materials, including oil, wire hangers, bandsaw blades, shirt collars, roll-up gates, and bone(!), Peggy Chiang’s new exhibit barn burner is meant to be an exercise in destabilization. Objects hang, balance, tip, and are generally devoid of the standard narratives of physics. Chiang’s work is full of these “discrete objects that explore a distinctly American narrative” with the goal of subverting conversations around value, labor, and memory. (Adams and Ollman, 418 NW 8th, Wed-Sat through Oct 25, 11 am-5 pm, FREE, more info, all ages) BRI BREY
Sparks
Sparks may not have been the most memorable band to emerge from the ‘70s glam rock scene, but their blend of synth pop and cheeky beats has endured for 50 years. The LA-based duo, founded by brothers Russell and Ron Mael, set the stage for the synth-heavy pop hits of the ‘80s while also managing to transcend the era with their avant-garde sensibilities. The Mael Brothers—who were sometimes confused for a British band—often saw their albums perform better in the UK than the US. Sparks’ 1974 album Kimono My House is still regarded as a cult classic. The band continues to craft their sound, put out records, and tour. You can catch them live Friday at Revolution Hall. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 8 pm, $56.33-$291.55, more info, all ages) COURTNEY VAUGHN
Saturday, September 27
Yoshida Chizuko
Pioneering Japanese modernist Yoshida Chizuko gets her due in this first-ever major retrospective, which spotlights Chizuko’s paintings, woodblock prints, and rare monotypes, among other print mediums. Described as “quietly prolific” by exhibition organizer and curator Jeannie Kenmotsu, Ph.D., Chizuko’s avant-garde contributions to both the modernist movement and 20th-century Japanese printmaking have long been undersung in favor of male artists of the period. Featuring optical art, naturalist works, and experimental pieces, the exhibition traces the full arc of her career and restores overdue recognition to her legacy. (Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park, FREE–$25, more info, all ages) LC
Also worth it:
Matthew Bennett Laurents: Curiobloom, Carnation Contemporary, more info
Gloopy coil-built vessels are a varied visual snack.
Sunday, September 28
Atsuko Okatsuka
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka is memorable for her unbridled energy, physicality, and her iconic “bowl” hair cut, though you may have also noticed her rise to internet stardom with her invention of the viral #DropChallenge, in which she performs sexy (and hilarious) squats to Beyonce’s “Partition.” Now an acclaimed writer and actor, as well as a comedian, Okatsuka has launched her nationwide “Big Bowl Tour,” where you can expect her signature wacky, self-deprecating style of trying to navigate American culture, housework, marriage, teenagers, and much more, all while exhibiting infectious energy and boundless charisma. Oh… and expect to be surrounded by bewigged Okatsuka super fans, who only add to the charm. (Newmark Theater, 1111 SW Broadway, 7 pm, $51.50-$89.42, more info, 18+) WSH
Be Gay, Do Crime
One of the funniest (and most educational!) comedy shows in town, Be Gay, Do Crime features a storytelling format in which comedians share stories about their fave queer “rebel” icons throughout history. This month the special guests include Naomi Dixon (whose chosen topic will be iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer character, Faith Lehane), Esau World (on Freddie Mercury), and Juliet Mylan (on the Public Universal Friend… who was a 1700s preacher claiming to have risen from the dead to become a genderless evangelist). Co-hosted by Brian Govender and Jane Dillinger, Be Gay, Do Crime is instructional, goofy, and thoughtful, with an extra dash of fun provided by audience members who share their own past “crimes”—so get ready for a night of dirty, devilish, and despicable fun! (Fuse Ensemble Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne, 7:30 pm, $25 or “GAYAF” [Give as you’re able, friend], more info, 14+) WSH
Centennial Celebration: Tangerine screening and Q&A with Sean Baker
Cinema 21 first opened its doors in 1925 with a live organ and a steady rotation of silent films. The theater celebrates its 100th birthday with a 10-day slate of films, one worth a loop around the block in Nob Hill: Sean Baker’s Tangerine (2015), which serves as an early example of his interest in depicting intersectional class struggle. The film follows a trans sex worker’s search for her cheater boyfriend across lo-fi Los Angeles on Christmas Eve. Fresh off his 2024 Best Director Oscar win for Anora, Baker will offer an in-person Q&A with former Oregonian film critic Shawn Levy. Read more on Second Run. (Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, Centennial Celebration Sept 19-28, pricing and times vary, more info) LC
Also worth it:
Portland Bread Fest, Avenue Portland, more info
30+ bakers and pastry chefs hawk treats at a farmer's market-style festival.
Looking for even more events happening this week? Head on over to EverOut!
