You're already busy this week, but you just got busier: Earl Sweatshirt, Yves Tumor, and a few key members of the Twin Peaks cast are in town. And not that there's anything wrong with Portland holiday standards (trudging down Peacock Lane, looking for a bar with a fireplace), but we've got some solid suggestions for other things to do. For instance, you can meet Asian Santa at Lan Su Chinese Garden, fondly recall "old Portland" at a Karaoke from Hell anniversary shindig, and—perhaps most importantly—help support folks affected by ICE raids at not one but two fundraisers. Let's go!
Monday, December 15
Earl Sweatshirt / Liv.e / Zelooperz / Cletus Strap
Emerging as one of the best rappers attached to the Odd Future hip-hop collective, Earl Sweatshirt has been through the wringer: Addiction, sobriety, relapse, Buddhism, fame, marriage, fatherhood, et al. fray lesser artists, but not this Sweatshirt. His pains and struggles, his life, have crystalized the rapper into an immovably chill force in alternative hip-hop. His new Live Laugh Love album goes hard in Sweatshirt’s clockable low, stream of consciousness timbre. Voir Dire, Sweatshirt’s 2023 collab album with Alchmist, is especially ripe with aural juice. (Crystal Ballroom, 1322 W Burnside, 8 pm, $62.75-$68, more info, all ages) NOLAN PARKER
Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
I have a friend who hosts an annual black tie party in December because they feel like adults don't have enough reasons to get fancy—a sentiment I agree with. As a child, my parents would dress us up in velvet and lace for photos with Santa, to attend the Nutcracker, and even to eat Christmas dinner at home—what happened to that? If you're looking for an excuse to get dolled up, I suggest heading to see Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, where dressing in your "vintage best" is encouraged. Don't let the vintage part intimidate you, the musical collective is all about reinterpreting modern music in the style of yesteryear—think pop songs à la jazz, ragtime, and swing classics of the '20s through the '60s. I recommend checking out this Chappell Roan cover or their tropical take on the Eagles' "Hotel California" (I particularly love when the horn players play parts originally performed on electric guitar) for a crash course. As the tour’s title implies, there will be some holiday tunes sprinkled in; the band did record a Christmas album, after all. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, $60.95-$210.33, 8 pm, more info, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
Also worth it:
Floral Rodeo, Nil., more info
Emma Strgar, co-owner of Ethereal Reflections—the pop-up gallery collective hosting some of the chicest wine nights, art shows, and reading parties—is also the founder of floral design studio Tulip Cowboy, whose events tend to sell out quickly. This holiday edition of Tulip Cowboy's Floral Rodeo offers attendees a design demo, ceramic vase, and wide selection of beautiful blooms, with Nil.’s bites and wine available for purchase.
Tuesday, December 16
Jeffry Mitchell: Winter Blooming
"If Jesus comes back, I'm introducing him to Jeffry Mitchell," former Stranger writer Jen Graves once opined. "Jeffry can bring Christ up to speed on things like humor and gayness and art, and Jesus can feel good about what humanity's been up to." The self-proclaimed "gay folk artist" creates playful, elaborate ceramics that are flatly impossible not to love, with a friendly vitality that nods to the importance of both meticulous craft and self-acceptance. In other words: Your new favorite artist has a show installed downtown. (PDX Contemporary Art, 1881 NW Vaughn, FREE, 10 am-6 pm Tues-Sat through Dec 27, more info, all ages) LC
Soup Night: There’s No ICE In This Soup
This giving season, you’re invited to gather around for a hearty meal while supporting immigrant families and folks experiencing food insecurity. A $20 ticket gets you a collaborative dinner with soup made with local produce by Llena, fresh bread from Grand Central, chimichurri by La Porteña, and cookies from Hungry Heart, PLUS it pays for a meal for someone in need. Along with dinner, the evening will also feed your soul with conversation—belly-warming and heartwarming! Bevvies from Van Henion Brewing, Ginger Cult, and Landmass will also be available for purchase with 100 percent of proceeds going toward the effort. (Che;, 920 NE Glisan, 5-8 pm, SOLD OUT, more info, all ages) JANEY WONG
The Psychotronic After School Christmas Special
Look closely, and you’ll find that Portland’s film screenings are far from digital-only. Greg Hamilton, the veteran programmer also known as Darkroom Associates, carries legendary film archivist Dennis Nyback’s reel canister with 16mm film programs that lean rare and bizarre, like the Psychotronic After School Special, Trailermania, and the Nyback Show. The crate-dug, celluloid-only screening conjures something weird and festive—think Christmas aliens, rental Santas, baby Seth Green, and other hard-to-find footage. (Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $10-$12, more info, not rated) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Wednesday, December 17
Karaoke from Hell’s 33-⅓rd Anniversary Party
If you’re familiar with “old Portland” (circa 1990), then you’ll know it was a golden time for artists, bands, and the creative weirdos who helped establish the city’s good-time reputation. And one of the last standing survivors of this delicious decade is Karaoke from Hell—which since 1992 has been giving karaoke singers the opportunity to sing in front of a live band, instead of along with a shitty pre-recorded track. This brilliantly creative idea is still alive and kicking 33 years later, and Karaoke from Hell will be celebrating itself and Portland’s amateur singers with a blast of an anniversary party that will also feature their fun and interesting self-titled documentary… as well as your beautiful singing voice, if you so choose to participate. Oh, and by the way, if you haven’t ever sang along with Karaoke from Hell, can you really call yourself a Portlander? (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, film 7 pm, sing with the band 8 pm-midnight, more info, 21+) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Leon Thomas
Remember André from Nickelodeon’s Victorious? No? Well, ever heard SZA’s “Snooze”? Thought so. Get this: The same guy was involved in both. Having gone from playing guitar on a kids’ show to becoming a Grammy-winning producer and solo artist, Leon Thomas has turned a lifetime of music-making into a legit R&B takeover. His Platinum hit “MUTT” has been virtually unavoidable on social media, and now he’s taking that Billboard-topping energy on the road with the Mutts Don’t Heel Tour. Accolades aside, this is your chance to confirm just how musically gifted this man is and peep a true childhood glow-up at the same time. (Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, $46-$56, more info, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS
Thursday, December 18
Rose City Stage Company's A Christmas Carol
If your appetite for A Christmas Carol has not yet been satiated, consider this brief production, which is a collaboration between Rose City Stage Company (a new theater group), No Vacancy (an organization which works to get projects into unused downtown spaces), and Central City Concern (a major, local organization providing housing and mental health services)—the last of which donated the space. With a focus on the text of Dickens' holiday tale, Rose City Stage offers a "minimalist reading" of the classic that triples as a fundraiser for both the fledgling company and Central City Concern. (Starlight, 355 NW 6th Ave, December 18-20, 7:30 pm, pay what you will, tickets here, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH
Yves Tumor / Nation / Omari Jazz
Since debuting as Yves Tumor in 2015, the chameleonic artist has released it all—soul, R&B, noise, experimental club, ambient, pop-punk, etc.—and, with the release of lead single “Berghain” featuring Björk on Rosalía’s new album, anthemic opera. The most recent time I saw Yves Tumor was years ago at Funkhaus Berlin, where Tumor threw an absolute temper tantrum because the sound team wouldn’t turn the levels up (people were leaving at this point because it was too loud). Despite what it may sound like, the show was wildly entertaining until the very end. This a recommendation to attend Tumor’s DJ set, especially with Portland’s Omari Jazz in tow. (The Den, 116 SE Yamhill, 9 pm, $32.50, more info, 21+) NP
Friday, December 19
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me with Ray Wise and Sheryl Lee
I doubt you need me to explain to you why David Lynch’s bone-deep nod to film noir is good viewing. But then again, it wasn’t always beloved. When Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me was released in 1992, it launched a polarizing critics' war—in the words of one particularly wrong New York Times writer, "It's not the worst movie ever made, it just feels like it." Luckily, we all came to our senses. The misty gloom of Twin Peaks feels good to revisit on the cusp of winter, particularly with Ray Wise and Sheryl Lee in the house. (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, Fri Dec 19, 5 pm; Sat Dec 20, 2 pm,, $50, more info, R) LC
ZooZoo
Imago is such an unassuming little theater, tucked back behind Le Pigeon off E Burnside. You might not know that their signature movement piece Frogz made its way around the globe in the 2010s. Their traditional holiday show ZooZoo incorporates aspects of Frogz and adds "hippos with insomnia… paradoxical polar bears, acrobatic worms,...and tricky penguins" for a delightful collage of animal-inspired dances that anyone can enjoy. (Imago Theatre, 17 SE 8th, through January 4, $19.50 - $37.50, showtimes and tickets at imagotheatre.com, ages 4 and up) SS
Violet Hex presents Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special: A Queer Celebration
This screening of Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special honors the memory of Paul Reubens, everyone's favorite nasally, bow-tied, high-camp artiste. (It's not all about him, though: Cher, Oprah, Grace Jones, Little Richard, and k.d. lang make appearances.) Pee-wee's shiny postmodern sarcasm and half-toy, half-human, kitschy sincerity were far more influential than we gave him credit for. If you're in need of a little spiked-eggnog cheer, I recommend popping on an ugly sweater and taking this flick for a spin—it's even weirder, and better, than you remember. Local glamour girl Violet Hex will kick off this screening with pre-show drag and spliced-in archival commercials. (PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, 7:30 pm, SOLD OUT, more info, not rated) LC
Matt Dorrien & Friends Wintertide Wassail
In the deepest, darkest depths of despair during the COVID-19 pandemic, I truly believe Portland’s Matt Dorrien saved lives when he dropped his four-song holiday EP, My Christmas Plea, in December 2020. With three original songs and a delightfully understated cover of “White Christmas,” it’s been a staple in my household every year since its release from the last weekend of November to December 25th. Dorrien’s inaugural Wintertide Wassail will feature friends from his label Mama Bird, as well as other cheery Portland artists, including Isabeau Waia'u Walker, Alela Diane, Nick Delffs, and more. To make the yuletide extra gay, it’ll be an all-ages affair—bring the kiddos and introduce them to good holiday music early! (Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth, 8 pm, $26.05, more info, all ages) NP
Also worth it:
Small Fruits Queer Comedy, Kickstand Comedy, more info
Hosted by "dynamic duo" No Sex and the City, whose lackluster love lives must give them a lot of time to practice their improv skills, Small Fruits promises to be fun, gay, and "leave you smitten," which seems ideal. Plus, Small Fruits features a roster of local, "delightfully humble queer improvisers." Humility isn't a trait we typically look for in comedians, but sure, why not?
Saturday, December 20
Mall Rats Holiday Art Market
It's not a super complicated idea. Mall Rats is a collective of local-artist-hustlers who started planning market pop-ups in the Lloyd Center Mall to vend their work without having to deal with consignment or a dedicated storefront. The estimated 40-50 people involved are all professional to semi-professional working creatives, so you'll find some lovely presentable potential presents—certainly lots of terrific art prints and calendars, but also some vintage goods and screen printed wares. Mall Rats: not a complicated concept, but it rules. (Lloyd Center Mall, 2201 Lloyd Center, 11 am-6 pm, FREE, more info at mallratspdx.com, all ages) SS
Jay Som
Melina Duterte, who records music under the name Jay Som, has been busy. Her first proper Jay Som album, Everybody Works, landed on the Best of 2017 lists of media outlets like Pitchfork, NPR, and Stereogum, and she’s opened for the likes of the National and Paramore. After the pandemic thwarted a run of 2020 shows, Duterte spent time learning how to become a home-recording engineer and it's paid off: she won a Grammy Award for her work on boygenius' 2024 The Record. Then, she toured all over the world playing bass with boygenius, and wrote a song for the soundtrack of the 2024 film I Saw The TV Glow—at this point, what can't she do?? I was beyond stoked for her to finally release another explorative indie rock album as Jay Som; Belong came out on October 10 and features guests including Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World and Hayley Williams of Paramore. Catch Jay Som on her Portland stop with support from Seattle-based dream pop artist Sea Lemon. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $32.18, more info, all ages) SL
Also worth it:
Christmas in Space, Hollywood Theatre, more info
Lucasfilm's one-night-only televised Christmas special hit screens one fateful evening in 1978, and the rest is history—the newfound miracle of home videotaping guaranteed that fans could relish The Star Wars Holiday Special for decades to come. (The studio's worst-kept secret includes Jefferson Starship entertaining Imperial stormtroopers and Boba Fett buying dope.)
Synth Library Portland benefit show, The Six, more info
The Six’s final event of the year brings together a showcase of five musical acts, plus live visuals, a raffle, and a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting Synth Library Portland’s efforts to provide low-cost access to electronic music gear and classes.
Charles Stobbs III: Experiment on Yourselves, Society, more info
Society’s newest exhibition opens with an evening reception; expect an interesting range of mediums and technologies, like 35mm slides, Xeroxes, packing tape, and gridded scans of inflatables.
Trans Resource Fair, Idyl Space, more info
You’ll find a name change clinic and skill-sharing resources at this trans-focused fair, which also includes photo ops with trans Santa and a raffle.
Holland Andrews, yuniya edi kwon, and Methods Body, Holocene, more info
Guggenheim fellows Andrews and kwon join local avant-sound creators Methods Body for drony art pop and multi-instrumental improvisation.
Sunday, December 21
Drag Country
Gays, gals, and nonbinary pals, dust off your 'fits from Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour, because this holiday edition of Drag Country is gonna serve some yeehaw realness. The titillating Papa Titty lassos a stacked cast of performers including Diva Debauchery, Dolores General, Jericho Skull, and Roux Barb; featured guests Kloud, Puanani Possé, and Rio Diehl Volt; and headliner Asia Consent, who snatched the Dragula crown on season six. Get ready for these hoes to (cowboy) boots the house down! (The Showdown, 1195 SE Powell, 7 pm, $25.16, more info, 21+) JW
Also worth it:
Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) benefit, Sun Rice, more info
During Sun Rice’s Sunday brunch service, you’ll find Hey Day’s Pokemon-themed desserts and drink specials by Norah, Mestizo, and other taste experts in the restaurant’s event space next door to their N Williams location. Proceeds benefit PIRC’s efforts to assist those affected by ICE raids.
Posada Milagro, El Centro Milagro, more info
Milagro Theatre’s cultural Christmas celebration includes pastorela storytelling, folklorico dance, and crafting, plus yummy tamales for sale.
Meet Asian Santa, Lan Su Chinese Garden, more info
The Chinese Garden has transformed into a “festive winter wonderland,” complete with photo ops with Asian Santa ($5 for groups of six or fewer).
Looking for even more events happening this week? Head on over to EverOut!
