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
HUMP—Humpday 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+