School of Rock and PROWUS Present: Best of Portland 6
Once a year, local grownup musicians join local kid musicians onstage for an incredible, heartwarming night that celebrates the best of the Portland music scene. Tonight, School of Rock students will be joined by musicians from acts like Gaytheist, Máscaras, Lithics, Ural Thomas and the Pain, and many others, for a unique show to benefit PROWUS. It’s an incredible amount of fun, and not to be missed if you give a damn about local music and education. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $15-20, all ages
Pillow Fight!
Portland’s improv-comedy scene is getting bigger and better by the second, so if you’ve been avoiding it for some dumb reason, here’s a great show that will set you on the right path: Pillow Fight! It’s an evening of high-larious improv comedy featuring the town’s funniest women, including Siren Theater’s Shelley McClendon, Kirsten Kuppenbender (Lez Stand Up), Katie Nguyen (Mercury Genius of Comedy), Erin Jean O’Regan (Stumptown Improv Fest and Merc contributor), and Janet Scanlon (Portlandia). Pillow Fight! is just the women-driven comedy juggernaut we need at times like this. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8 pm, Siren Theater, $8-12
Huun Huur Tu
Huun Huur Tu put on one of the most breathtaking performances of last summer’s Pickathon—I remember standing on tiptoes outside the packed Lucky Barn trying (and failing) to catch a glimpse of them, but I’ll never forget the sound. The group hails from the Russian republic of Tuva, which borders Mongolia, and they’ve been introducing the region’s indigenous folk to the rest of the world for more than two decades. Huun Huur Tu’s style of throat singing uses circular breathing to produce two or three droning notes at once. It’s gorgeous, hypnotic music that’ll make you reconsider the capabilities of the human voice. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, $25-30
Happy Birthday, Dolly
The Fixin’ To fixes up a birthday party for country music’s sweetest, boldest, and brassiest queen, courtesy of local all-star supergroup Doll Parts (members of Havania Whaal, MELT, and Wampire), Matty Charles & Katie Rose, and Dead Lee. Plus the audience gets in on the fun too with Dolly karaoke on tap.
9 pm, The Fixin’ To, $7
Børns, Charlotte Cardin, Mikki Ekko
Singer/songwriter Børns (AKA Garrett Clark Borns) has one of those beautiful, androgynous voices that are nearly impossible to imitate. In addition to his exquisite vocals, the 26-year-old is known for his vibrant personal style that challenges traditional gender norms. He reminds me of Bowie and other glam rock icons—he’s got long, flowing hair, wears glittery makeup in his music videos, and his masculinity isn’t so fragile that he won’t rock a floral print or bare midriff onstage. If you’ve heard anything from the psychedelic- and synth-pop rocker, it’s probably “Electric Love” or “10,000 Emerald Pools” from Dopamine, his 2015 debut. Børns recently released his highly anticipated follow-up, Blue Madonna, through Interscope Records. Based on his trippy music videos and shimmering new singles like “Sweet Dreams,” “I Don’t Want U Back,” and “God Save Our Young Blood” (featuring Lana Del Rey), I can’t wait to see what his live show has in store. JENNI MOORE
8 pm, Roseland, SOLD OUT (Good Luck on the Resale Sites!)
Tango Alpha Tango, The Parson Red Heads, Fort Atlantic
Nathan Trueb’s knack for capturing the grit of dirty desert blues is infectious and fun, full of clichéd rock ‘n’ roll lyrics about getting high and lusting after women, and comes teeming with an arsenal of back-porch riffs and driving rhythms. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Doug Fir, $10-12
Lewis Black
One of the angriest men in the history of stand-up makes his annual pilgrimage to Portland as part of his “The Joke’s on Us” tour.
8 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $39.50-75
Fertile Ground Kickoff Party
Reece Marshburn and Marianna Thelen provide the music for all the drinking, dancing, mingling and planning sure to take place in Artists Rep’s Alder lobby as 2018’s Fertile Ground Festival begins in earnest.
9:30 pm, Artists Repertory Theatre, free
Jon Dore
Jon Dore’s offbeat, bait-and-switch standup style is thoroughly satisfying, which is why Variety named him one of their 10 comics to watch, and IFC gave him his very own show.
7:30 pm, 10 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $18-32
Chapter Mag‘s Creative Cultivation Dance Party #4
Holocene hosts the fourth installment of Chapter Mag‘s recurring hip-hop and R&B dance party focused on spotlighting PDX music and culture. This time around VNPRT, Grump, Vkiah, and Eric Fury lend their talents to the proceedings.
9 pm, Holocene, $7-10
Don’t forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!