WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

FASHION—James Woods tweaking his narrow, polyester-swaddled ass off might not seem very fashionable, but trust: There's some serious work going into that powder-blue madness in Martin Scorsese's 1995 crime epic, Casino, and the Mercury's Marjorie Skinner will be on hand to help highlight the fashion bonanza onscreen. BOBBY ROBERTS
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $8

MUSIC—Your midweek introspection could really use a better soundtrack. Mississippi Studios is helping you get started tonight, with a bill featuring three of Portland's best female singer/songwriters. Merc contributor Robin Bacior headlines, and the addition of Sara Jackson-Holman and Johanna Warren make this one unmissable. DIRK VANDERHART
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 8 pm, $5

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13

COMEDY—Whether she's skewering ladymags by advocating for gaining weight as a great way to look younger, or musing about Bitmojis for divorce, comedian Whitney Cummings is a goddamn delight, and the queen of refreshing candor. Tonight, witness her in all of her feminist-informed hilarity, and watch out for sharp edges. MEGAN BURBANK
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Thurs 7:30 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 & 10 pm, $30-38

COMEDY—If you love comedy, don't miss the second annual Stumptown Improv Festival. At this three-day fest, you'll not only see sharp, fast, and hilarious sketch comedy from locals such as the Liberators and Whiskey Tango, but terrific national groups such as LA's JV, NYC's Magnet Theater, and Minneapolis-based improv group the Mess. Bring sutures, because you will bust a gut. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Milagro Theatre, 525 SE Stark, Thurs-Sat, see stumptownimprov.com for times and lineup, $13-16 a show ($80 fest pass)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

MUSIC—If you live in this city and you've never experienced a Ural Thomas & the Pain show, for chrissakes, don't tell anyone! It's far more likely you've yet to catch a show in the gorgeous and relatively new Revolution Hall, and there's no better occasion to give it a whirl, as tonight marks the release of Thomas & the Pain's new 7-inch. MARJORIE SKINNER
w/Nick Waterhouse, Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, Rev Shines; Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 8 pm, $17-20, all ages

FILM—The Portland Expo Center's parking lot is hardly ground zero for fun, but that might change tonight, with Ghostbusters playing on a big screen—drive-in movie style—for anyone in a car or who's gotten there by bike or MAX. Add in a beer garden, food vendors, and a set by Gerle Haggard, and you've got the makings of a pretty great summer night. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Portland Expo Center, 2060 N Marine, 6:30 pm, $5-15

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15

MUSIC—Sun Angle is something of a Portland supergroup, between the crazy-talented Papi Fimbres and XRAY.fm celebrities Charlie Salas Humara and Marius Libman. It's a special combination for a special time, and each Sun Angle show threatens to be its last, so don't let it set sail without saying your goodbyes. MARJORIE SKINNER
w/Summer Cannibals, Blesst Chest; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $10

SOAPBOX DERBY—The PDX Adult Soapbox Derby was the first oh-so-Portland event I went to, and it's still the best Portland thing I've ever attended. Speed, wheels, crazy costumes, and potential crashes are right up my alley. The feats of engineering and impressive levels of creativity from the entrants are a fun way to spend a sweaty August day. SHELBY R. KING
Mt. Tabor Park, SE 60th & Salmon, 10 am-4 pm, FREE, all ages

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16

MUSIC—With her Tommy Petty-esque swagger and cheeky videos, former Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis is living proof that former child stars don't ALWAYS end up totally fucked. Lewis' most recent album, The Voyager, is like listening to ACTUAL rainbows and lollipops, while also being about heartbreak and death. She is magic. MEGAN BURBANK
w/Springtime Carnivore; Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 9 pm, $22-25, all ages

BEERThis might actually be the most Portland thing ever: with all organic beer and organic food, the Organic Brewers Festival probably wins the prize... if only there were backyard chickens. The fest has nearly 60 organic beers and ciders, lots of organic eats, live music, and a kids' zone. Bring your own designated driver to get your drunk ass home. SHELBY R. KING
Overlook Park, NE Fremont & Interstate, Thurs-Sat noon-9 pm, Sun noon-5 pm, FREE (tasting cups $7, tokens $1)

MONDAY, AUGUST 17

COMEDY—Former Portlander and current funny person Mikey Kampmann is coming back to town for a night of comedy with the city's finest. He's got a wackadoodle sense of humor that's off-kilter and weirdo wonderful. Plus you get videos and stand-up from Portland's Funniest Person Amy Miller, Merc contributor Bri Pruett, Paul Schlesinger, and Jason Traeger. Fun! COURTNEY FERGUSON
Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water, 9:30 pm, $5

FILM—In 1988, NWA released Straight Outta Compton. The record promptly changed not just the landscape of music, but the country itself. It seems a ridiculous statement on the face of it, but F. Gary Gray's biopic shows just how influential (and perpetually relevant) the album—and the kids who made it—were. BOBBY ROBERTS
Various theaters, see Film Times for locations and showtimes

TUESDAY, AUGUST 18

BOOKS—If you're looking for something fun, clever, and adventurous to read, look no further than John Scalzi, whose blockbuster-friendly sci-fi novels carry surprising emotional heft. Tonight, he reads from his acclaimed latest, The End of All Things—where, among distant stars, Scalzi finds that human (and alien) nature hasn't changed much at all. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills, Beaverton, 7 pm, FREE

COMEDY—You can trust that longtime Portland stand-up showcase Funny Over Everything is going to be damn good—their track record is pristine. This month's spotlight is on Ryan Singer, an LA comedian who pleases fellow stand-ups and audiences alike with off-the-wall character studies and a joke about his mom, a stripper pole, and Warrant's "Cherry Pie." COURTNEY FERGUSON
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 9:30 pm, $10