THURSDAY, JULY 16

CITY MUSIC—It's the most glorious time of the year: PDX Pop Now! Before the three-day festival kicks off, there is the annual city hall lawn show, a free, all-ages, early evening concert on Sam Adams' grassy doorstep. In classic PPN! fashion, the lineup is diverse: the digital pop spazz of YACHT, the stark folk of Y La Bamba, and the gorgeous textural rock of Point Juncture, WA. EAC

Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th, 5:30-8:30 pm, FREE, all ages

THIS MEANS WAR!—The Marx Brothers' film farce Duck Soup (1933) ranks among the greats of political satire. Golddigger Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) takes leadership of the troubled nation Freedonia to appease his sugar mama, and sends the country to war (to war!). It's so good, Mussolini banned it. This rooftop screening kicks off the weekly Top Down film series. JC

w/Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside; Hotel deLuxe, 729 SW 15th, 8 pm (film at dusk), $8

FRIDAY, JULY 17

EXIT THE WARRIOR—There's only one thing more awesome than lasers, and that's Rush! And you know what's more awesome than a laser light show set to the music of Rush? Nothing! They've taken care of everything, the words you hear, the songs you sing, the pictures that give pleasure to your eyes! NL

Laser Rush at OMSI, 1945 SE Water, Fri-Sat 9:30 pm, $7.50, through July 31

MEATY BEATS—The lean, smooth beats of A-Trak subtly insist that you get off your ass and dance. The steady songs with just enough electro-body and lettuce-spine crunch will keep you on your feet. At this stop on the 10,000 Pound Hamburger Tour, he'll throw out his puppet strings at the classiest upstairs cave in town. WR

w/Theophilus London, Beyonda, Cory O; Rotture 315 SE 3rd, 9 pm, $13-15

SATURDAY, JULY 18

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!—Scottish culture has given the world many gifts: haggis, kilts, Highlander, Groundskeeper Willie. Today, the Portland Highland Games gives us even more: Delight! at bagpiping, drumming, and fiddling competitions! Behold! caber tossing, where giant dudes throw telephone poles! Fear! for your life during the broadsword demonstration! Ooh and ahh! at adorable border collies! Win! a vacation to Scotland. (Possibly.) EH

Mt. Hood Community College, 26000 SE Stark, Gresham, 8 am-5:30 pm, $18, more info at phga.org

NERDCORE METAL—Finally, a band to fill the English lit nerd/metal lover niche that has for so long been vacant. The Metal Shakespeare Company is having a show to celebrate the release of a split 7-inch with the Valkyries, an all-girl butt rock band from Seattle. Best part about Metal Shakespeare? They'll be doing it all in tights. TK

w/Hairspray Blues, Junkface, Miss Meghan; Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash, 9 pm, $6

SUNDAY, JULY 19

BOOK LEARNIN'—We probably don't need to urge you to see hometown heroes the Decemberists and their literate, witty pop, so let's use this space to gush about openers Andrew Bird, a violinist and whistler who composes wonderfully intoxicating songs, and Blind Pilot, who are on the fast track to become as big as the Decemberists in the very near future. Saturday is sold out, so make sure you get tickets to Sunday's show. NL

Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale, 6 pm, $36-39, all ages

BIKE, WALK, SCOOT—If you enjoyed last month's North Portland Parkways, then you'll love it when Parkways hits the Northeast! Over six miles of streets will be closed to cars, allowing bikes, walkers, scooters and skateboards to have free reign! WSH

NE Portland, 9 am-4 pm, FREE, map at portlandonline.com

MONDAY, JULY 20

KER-POW!—The Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival (POW Fest) won't happen again until March, but tonight they're having a benefit screening of the bomb-squad thriller The Hurt Locker. Nerve-wracking and exhilarating, The Hurt Locker is one of the best and most intense films in recent memory—and if that's not enough, the film's badass director, Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, Strange Days), will be on-hand for "an extensive discussion after the film." Do not miss this. EH

Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 6 pm, $12-20, more info at powfest.com

DOOM HOP—Blessed with the Rhymesayers' stamp of approval, the massive Doomtree collective is unforgettable in the live setting. Despite missing their best-known emcee—P.O.S., currently slumming it on the Warped Tour—this large hiphop collective (currently hovering at around nine members) will make for a night of beats and rhymes you won't soon forget. EAC

w/Animal Farm, Quixotic, Doctor Adam; Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th, 9 pm, FREE

TUESDAY, JULY 21

HUMPHumpday doesn't officially open until July 31, but if you're smart you'll get a jump on it at this one-night-only screening. Plus, director Lynn Shelton will be there to introduce her hilarious and charming verité-like film about two straight guys making a porn together. MS

Northwest Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park, 7 pm, $8

BIG GAY WEDDING!—Fast forward to the fantastic future when all Oregonians have the right to wed whatever gender they please! Basic Rights Oregon and the Bus Project help throw a (not quite legal) same-sex wedding at July's version of the monthly Brewhaha political event night. Toast a queer couple while getting the rundown on how Oregon can win marriage equality for real. SM

Backspace,115 NW 5th, 7 pm, FREE, all ages

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22

POWER FORWARD—Lance Allred is the first legally deaf person to play in the NBA. He may also be the first raised in a polygamous compound, or maybe just the first to admit it. (I'm looking at you, Danny Ainge.) Sure, he only scored one basket, but his novel Longshot is about the journey—including an OCD affliction, a prejudiced coach, and le Basketball de France—not the numeration. JC

Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE

DUDE—What Har Mar Superstar has to do with The Big Lebowski evades me, but you don't want to miss Har Mar perform at Lebowski Fest, followed by a screening of the movie. Also, there's a stripper!... I mean, burlesque entertainer. HF

Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 7:30 pm, $20, 21+