Dan Savage’s HUMP! Film Festival
Look, you’re a sex-positive person. That’s why if you haven’t attended the annual HUMP! film festival, you are really missing out! Created and curated by sex advice columnist Dan Savage, HUMP! features five-minute homemade porn flicks from the Northwest and elsewhere that run the gamut of sexual expression: gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, transgender, kink, and crazy stuff you never thought existed! (Need specific examples? Check out our HUMP! feature story!) It’s sexy, hot, and often weirdly sweet and hilarious. And the crowd gets CRAZY! Plus audience members get to vote for who wins $15,000 in prizes! Categories include Best Humor, Best Kink, Best Sex, and the highly coveted Best in Show—which combines everything! Trust me, it’s the funniest and sexiest show of the year. BUT HERE’S THE THING: Almost every show sells out quick, so if you want to get in on the sexy, smart fun, get your tickets now at portlandmercury.com/hump! You will not be sorry! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Nov 3-11, click here for specific showtimes, $25
Mic Capes, Drae Slapz, Rasheed Jamal, Fountaine, Karma Rivera, Romeo Akil
In support of Capes and producer Drae Slapz’ late-summer release Sheesh, behold Capes’ first headliner show at the Roseland. Expect all the regular “slapz” like “Five Finger Discount,” and “No More,” and also newer cuts off the EP like “Well Known,” and “Passion Froot.” And of course, Capes has tagged a slew of local talent to back-up the bill, including Rasheed Jamal, Fountaine, Karma Rivera, and a young R&B singer by the name of Romeo Akil. JENNI MOORE
8 pm, Peter’s Room at the Roseland, $10, all ages
John Hodgman, Matt Fraction
John Hodgman—hilarious writer, insightful podcaster, and all-around charmer—is in town to talk about his new memoir, Vacationland, which boasts stamps of approval from literary heavyweights like Sarah Vowell, Michael Chabon, and Neil Gaiman! And it gets even better: Hodgman will be in conversation with Matt Fraction, the Portland comic book writer behind some of the smartest, coolest, and funniest comics of the past decade, including Sex Criminals, Hawkeye, and Casanova. Seeing either of these guys would be reason enough to leave the house; seeing them together is… well, get to Powell’s already. ERIK HENRIKSEN
7:30 pm, Powell’s City of Books, free
Dreckig, Amenta Abioto, Brown Calculus
Tonight the percussion-driven dance/krautrock/cumbia project Dreckig celebrates the release of its sophomore album, Space in Time/Time in Space, with some of Portland’s most visionary artists. Brown Calculus is Brown Alice (co-founder of the Y.G.B. art collective) and Brown Calvin, two intergalactic spirits convening on this plane to embody their message of unity through jazz. They recently dropped a video for their single “Self Care,” a dreamy reminder to love and care for yourself and those around you—a much-needed message in this time of communal stress. Amenta Abioto weaves soulful stories of the African diaspora through her experimentation with loops, syncopated rhythms, and manipulations of her voice. Abioto infuses her live performances with a raw power that draws the audience into her transcendental, genre-hopping aural world. Make sure to catch this impressive lineup of some of Portland’s most imaginative artists of color. DANIELA SERNA
9 pm, Bunk Bar, $7
Delicate Steve, The Blank Tapes
Delicate Steve’s 2012 breakthrough Positive Force is shimmery modern instrumental music that favors fun over austerity. Brimming with funky, dreamy guitar mutations, Steve’s compositions take nebulous forms, regurgitating traditional rock ’n’ roll into psychedelic funhouse scores with a malleability that’s provided him opportunities to collaborate with Lee Ranaldo, Built to Spill, Sigur Ros, and Mac Demarco. Steve’s new record, aptly titled This Is Steve, trades in the ambient aesthetics of his previous releases for riff-heavy tunes, as heard on the trashy punk heave of “Cartoon Rock” and the bizarro hip-hop approximation of the quirky “Swimming.” It’s a magical kind of performance art that should be seen live to truly comprehend. Lucky for you, Steve’s coming to Portland tonight to coax you out of your comfort zone. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15
Slow Jam: R&B Dance Party
Tribute Night and DJ Ronin Roc fuel your Friday night with nothing but R&B hits, remixes, and rarities. Take advantage of a free photo booth while grooving to timeless classics from TLC, newer stuff from The Weeknd, and everything in between.
9 pm, Holocene, $10-12
Princess Mononoke
The word “genius” gets batted around with regard to filmmakers with a numbing, reductive frequency. But if Hayao Miyazaki doesn’t qualify for that title, who does? Since making his directorial debut with 1979’s The Castle of Cagliostro, Miyazaki has blazed his own distinct trail, blending atomic-clock action timing with an awe-inspiring, hand-rendered sense of the infinite. Mononoke isn’t just one more example of that balance, it’s maybe the best. ANDREW WRIGHT
7 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $7-9
Jessica Dennison + Jones, The Morals, Alternative Milk
Local folk-rock and pop duo Jessica Dennison + Jones head down to Kelly’s Olympian for a hometown headlining show benefitting environmental justice organization OPAL.
9 pm, Kelly’s Olympian, $5
The Front Bottoms, Basement, Bad Bad Hats
Since 2007, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based rock quartet the Front Bottoms have been bouncing around the country with a youthful, energetic live show that has triumphantly delivered the band’s affecting and exuberant blend of folk, punk, and experimental rock to a fervent fanbase. Tonight they return to Portland to headline the Crystal in support of their latest full-length, Going Grey.
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $23.50-29
Habib Koité
The Mali-based pop singer/songwriter, guitarist, and member of the West African supergroup Bamada, returns to Portland for a headlining show at the Star Theater.
9 pm, Star Theater, $25
Pancakes & Booze
Another year, another emerging artist showcase that entices audiences with the promise of free pancakes and alcohol while you peruse the new works on display.
7 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $10
Don’t forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!