We’re not claiming to be the bosses of your calendar or anything, but as the purveyors of Do This, Do That, we also kind of are. This week’s suggestions include a smattering of events you’ll need to just trust us on. For instance, you should pencil in Kate Murphy’s uniquely vulnerable and dark comedy set, ride your bike alongside strangers dressed as fleecy sheep, and—even if you’re not Gen X—catch the Breeders at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Plus, Tangerine Dream and Helado Tropical have decidedly different musical approaches, but both remind us that electronica ain’t dead, and the Sunnyside Cat Walk returns.
MONDAY, AUGUST 17
Hanabi Film Festival
In its fourth year, Clinton Street Theater’s Hanabi Film Fest says it’s getting weird at night; though, their idea of late-night seems to be 9 pm. The two-week spree of Japanese cinema boasts an eye-opening assortment of restored cult classics—for instance, the 1983 Palme D’Or winner The Ballad of Narayama—then trots out more obscure offerings, like Studio 4°C’s All You Need Is Kill, an Aeon Flux-esque anime based on the same light novel as Edge of Tomorrow. Taking its name from summer fireworks festivals, the primary pop at Hanabi is the programming: Nearly every film is dynamite, but the opening weekend screening of Poca Pon represents the movie’s North American premiere and everything wraps with a six-episode screening of ’90s cyberpunk series Iria: Zeiram the Animation. (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, various showtimes and ratings, $10 per film, $75 festival pass, $50 late night pass, more info) SUZETTE SMITH
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18
Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology
Now in its fourth year based in Portland, this tech-forward genre-spanning festival highlights independent film and animation complete with VR experiences, an interactive expo, and filmmaker Q&As. Attendees can watch over 170 films from 31 countries, ranging from techy shorts to stop-motion masterpieces, with over 100 filmmakers in attendance. For those looking to escape reality, the Polyphonic Spree’s album Salvage Enterprise soundtracks a VR dome experience at the Kendall Planetarium. Star Wars fans will want to be seated for the documentary Halcyon Daze: The Final Voyages of Disney’s Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. I’m looking forward to the Oregon premiere of Jamie Lee Curtis-produced thriller, Sender, and a 3D presentation of Paul Reubens’ final onscreen performance in The Crown with a Shadow and The Search for Self. Map out your schedule from the festival’s six days of impressive programming. (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), 1945 SE Water, daily through August 23, individual screenings $12, more info, all ages) BRI BREY
The Breeders, Team Dresch
Not every summer concert series is created equally, but this year’s slate of PDX Live events at Pioneer Courthouse Square is jam-packed with acts that make you ask, “Who the hell greenlit this, and how do I hug them?” It’s hard to know what Portland did to deserve a 3,000ish capacity set by the Deal sisters’ legendary alt-rock act the Breeders, but we can’t complain. We guarantee every cool Gen Xer you’ve ever met will be in Portland’s Living Room, ready to belt out “Cannonball” while still basking in the afterglow of having seen Portland’s beloved queer-punk deities Team Dresch kicking off the show. (Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th, 7 pm, $64.31, more info, all ages) HOLLY HAZELWOOD
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19
Helado Tropical
What better way to spend summer’s end than by basking in the sun-soaked sounds of Helado Tropical? And maybe it feels counterintuitive to sit inside a big dark room on a bright Portland evening, but believe me, the soft-to-the-touch workings of Latin-electronic icons Reyna Tropical and Helado Negro will conjure up a gentle breeze, setting free the transitory nature of the duo’s latest collaborative release. Lush in reverb, Helado Tropical thrives in hypnotic beats and tender-hearted vocals that go down smooth like fresh squeezed orange juice. Luckily, we get to live in a world where these two muses have merged; this is one unique pairing you won’t want to miss. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 7 pm, $40.31, more info, all ages) STARLY LOU RIGGS
Chang-rae Lee in Conversation With Willy Vlautin
I recently saw Portland-area author Willy Vlautin interview Ann Patchett and was touched by his authenticity, thoughtful questions, and heartfelt book recommendations. He’s a great conversationalist who brings out the best in his chat partner and is sure to be a great interviewer for Pulitzer Prize finalist Chang-rae Lee. Lee’s forthcoming novel, A Tender Age (out August 11), is an emotional story of American masculinity and family dynamics. Both authors’ latest books (The Left and the Lucky by Vlautin) are raw coming-of-age stories, exploring working-class and immigrant resilience, respectively—so they’ll have plenty to talk about. (Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7 pm, FREE, more info, all ages) BB
Tangerine Dream
Synonymous with pioneering electronic music—specifically the Berlin School style of cosmic ambient composition and exploratory synths—Tangerine Dream has also had a hand in developing everything from avant-garde krautrock, to electronic dance music (EDM), to trance since Edgar Froese founded the group in the late ’60s. Tangerine Dream’s current lineup (Hoshiko Yamane, Thorsten Quaeschning, and Paul Frick) have embarked on some extensive tours over the last few years, but it still feels rare to encounter a band with a legacy like this one. Make it your business to be at the gig. (The Get Down, 680 SE 6th, 8 pm, $66.99, more info, 21+) LINDSAY COSTELLO
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
Kate Murphy Works On an Hour(ish)
Local comedian Kate Murphy has been refreshingly upfront about her health and personal struggles lately, from hosting a public “divorce-maxxing” yard sale to joking onstage about a cancer scare. Murphy’s stand-up is uniquely vulnerable, dark, and self-deprecating while taking on high-stakes subject matter like mortality. If tragedy breeds comedy, Murphy should have plenty of new material for her latest hour-long special, where she promises to weave together old jokes, crowd work, and the kind of content that should “probably stay with the therapist’s couch.” The Siren Theater is a perfectly intimate setting for Murphy to work out the kinks of the set, which’ll be a little raw, a little unhinged, and definitely hilarious.(Siren Theater, 3913 N Mississippi, 7:30 pm, $15, more info, all ages that can comprehend human frailty and mortality) BRI BREY
Also worth it:
Momo Gordon, Kamp Gallery, more info
Drop by Kamp Gallery in Kerns for a gathering to celebrate the publication of artist Momo Gordon’s illustrative book Desire Paths and its accompanying exhibition of delicate, spiraling drawings.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
Made Bike Show
While Portland’s major greenways like SE Clinton or NE Going are always prime spots for ogling beautiful bikes, real bike nerds shouldn’t miss out on Made—where frame builders, components makers, bag sewists, and accessory peddlers show off their craftsmanship and artistry. Check out Paladin’s mountain bike prototype made in Portland out of aircraft aluminum and a 3D-printed titanium frame from No. 22 Bicycle Company in upstate New York. Pick up a crisp-sounding bell from Osaka’s Crane Bell Co. or snag the perfect titanium water bottle holder from King Cages. It’s never too early to start adding bike gear to your Christmas list. (Zidell Yards, 3121 S Moody, $25 single day or $35 multi-day, more info, all ages) KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON
La Luz
All-femme band La Luz hit the scene in Seattle in 2013, playing a bendy, moody mashup of surf, grunge, and a little doo-wop often described as surf noir. Today, the band calls Los Angeles home, and only frontwoman Shana Cleveland remains from La Luz’s original lineup. Retaining some of their garage-y sensibilities while incorporating psychedelic guitar flair and synths, the band sounds like they’re from outer space. We’ve changed a lot since 2013, and so has La Luz—go hear their shifting sound. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, SOLD OUT, more info, 21+) KCH
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
Sheepapalooza Bike Ride
Calling all nursery rhyme lovers, farm animal enthusiasts, and Sheep Detectives fans—this is your chance to ride your bike dressed as a fluffy sheep or your favorite farm animal, all while led by a bonnet-donning Little Bo Peep. The herd started off small for the inaugural ride last year, but let’s get a big flock going for this year’s ride, yeah? Adding ears to your helmet is very much encouraged, BTW. (Poet’s Beach, 1816 SW River, 3 pm, FREE, more info, all ages) KCH
Drugstore Cowboy
Gus Van Sant’s 1989 film channels old Portland with Dilaudid-fueled black humor and a William S. Burroughs cameo. Drugstore Cowboy tracks the tedious melancholy of constantly seeking a high with your friends, and unfolds across a backdrop of the city in its grubbier, more anonymous state. Nob Hill, Old Town, and the old Seaton Pharmacy at Southeast 60th and Belmont all served as shooting locations; the result feels familiar and a little lost. (Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, 7 pm, $15, more info, R) LC
Volume Bomb Block Party IX
Local punk nonprofit Volume Bomb kicks a lot of ass when it comes to booking jam-packed, community-driven festivals for cheap. The ninth-annual Volume Bomb Block Party is no exception to this ass-kicking rule. This is a five-stage behemoth, taking over Space Room, Bar of the Gods, Quarterworld, and two “trough” stages with over 50 hot, fresh, outstanding bands from around Cascadia. If you’ve been looking to try on something new, this is a dynamite ticket to buy. Yes, Nasalrod are pretty damn excellent, but what about trans-punks Trans Panic, surfer-cowboy acts like One Drink and Other Lies, or shoegaze vibester shredders like Laughing About Nothing? Maybe you don’t know a single name on this year’s lineup; so buy the pass, go see the bands, and wait to discover your next new fav. (Various locations in the vicinity of SE 49th and SE Hawthorne, 2:30 pm, $20-$25, more info, 21+) HH
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
Sunnyside Cat Walk
Get acquainted with Sunnyside’s neighborhood cats on a chill-pace afternoon walk—just be sure not to chase any kitties who don’t want to be pet, and leave the treats at home. Attendees can also bring their own cats, either on leash or in backpacks. DM the organizers on Instagram if you want to add your cat as a stop on the tour. (Sunnyside Piazza, SE 33rd & Yamhill, 5 pm, FREE, more info, all ages) KCH
Spares, Slipper, No Energy
Spares just get better every time I see them, confirming my theory that the best post-hardcore is made by people who know the jagged edges of the genre work better when balanced by bursts of real, actual beauty. Helmed by former Adult Mauling singer Gabriel Mathews, Spares are a quintet that feels like a true labor of genre love, leaving the converted desperate for them to release a full-length follow-up to their self-titled EP. If that doesn’t convince you hardcore kids, this will be the very first show of No Energy, a new group made up of members of defunct hardcore deities Life at These Speeds and PDX hardcore legends Carrion Spring. All for only $10?! You’d be daffy not to go. (Shanghai Tunnel Bar, 211 SW Ankeny, 6 pm, $10, more info, 21+) HH
Also worth it:
Mystery Train, Academy Theater, more info
At a seedy Memphis hotel, strangers’ stories intertwine as the lush musical history of the town makes itself known. Song slingers Joe Strummer, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and Tom Waits all appear in Jim Jarmusch’s ’89 film.
Looking for even more events happening this week? Head on over to EverOut!
