THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
SOUNDTRACKERS—Kaleo La Belle’s new documentary Beyond This Place details his troubled history with his hippie acidhead father, and for tonight’s two special screenings, the composers of the film’s soundtrack will be providing a live score. Since those composers are none other than Sufjan Stevens and Castanets’ Ray Raposa, you know this is gonna be something special indeed. NL
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 & 9:30 pm, $25
NORM—Last time he was in town, Norm Macdonald killed it, and this weekend should be no exception: The best Weekend Update anchor Saturday Night Live ever had and veteran of many an underrated comedy (Dirty Work!) is also one of the smartest, funniest stand-up comedians working today. EH
Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th, Thurs 8 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 & 10 pm, $20-35
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4
LADY FEST—The Siren Nation festival celebrates the fair sex’s contributions to music, art, performance, and film—and who better to headline than the Corin Tucker Band? Their frontwoman’s career clambers over such varied territory as riot grrrl, indie rock stardom, and motherhood. AH
w/Kelli Schaefer, Lemolo, Ximena Sarinana; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 8 pm, $13-15, sirennation.org for complete fest details
HE TALK PRETTY—Famous funny-word writer David Sedaris comes to town with his trademark wit and plenty of hilarious stories tucked in his grouchy pockets. He’ll undoubtedly touch on his newest book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, about talking animals in effed-up real-life situations. And maybe he’ll treat us to a tale about dental care in France among other curiosities. CF
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 8 pm, $39-55, all ages
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5
SWOOPY HAIR—Lovers and Parenthetical Girls share an electro haircut dream stage fit for two, both bands exploring their deeply unique songwriting styles. Lovers is gearing up for a European jaunt, while Parenthetical Girls just released the fourth installment in their truly impressive EP series, Privilege IV: Sympathy for Spastics. SS
Backspace, 115 NW 5th, 8 pm, $7 all ages
DUMP YOUR BANK—Today is Bank Transfer Day—get your rear in gear and your money out of Wells Fargo, BofA, Chase, and other big-bank culprits. Why? Checking account fees, charging for debit cards, $400 billion bailout, CEO bonuses, foreclosure crisis, subprime loans, and overdrafts. DTMFA. SM
Everywhere, all ages
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6
MANIC SUNDAY—The beloved Bangles recently appeared on the Comedy Bang Bang podcast—and they sounded FANTASTIC. Susanna Hoffs & Co. haven’t lost a bit of their harmonious, sugary sounds. While their new songs from Sweetheart of the Sun are lovely, it’s 1986’s Different Light that’ll get your hazy shade of nostalgia walking like an Egyptian. CF
CD signing at Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside, 3 pm, FREE, all ages; w/A Fragile Tomorrow, Roseland, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, $22.50-35, 21+
ALL THE INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE—Genius comedian/know-it-all/Battlestar Galactica doctor John Hodgman is in Portland to share his latest, That Is All—the final book in his exhaustive, indispensable trilogy of complete world knowledge! This reading will be informative and hilarious. Go. Improve yourself for once. EH
Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne, 7 pm, $25 (includes copy of That Is All)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7
KONDABOLU ONE—Come see the Brooklyn hiphop trio Das Racist get down with obscure references and catchy rhymes at Branx tonight. Known for crowd-surfing their own shows and freestyle rapping, the goofy group will undoubtedly show you a good time. AZ
w/Danny Brown, Despot; Branx, 320 SE 2nd, 9 pm, $13-15, all ages
SKIN FLICK—Pedro Almodóvar’s stylish, unsettling The Skin I Live In is a high-concept throwback to the mad scientist flicks of yore: Antonio Banderas plays a deeply disturbed doctor who uses his powers to fulfill his own bizarre, seductive revenge fantasy. By the time it’s over, you may never want to see a naked female body again. AH
Various Theaters, see Film Times pg. TK
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8
DFA—LCD Soundsystem may have hung up their dancing shoes, but James Murphy’s bandmate (and native Portlander) Nancy Whang is keeping the party going tonight with an eclectic DJ set in the spirit of post-punk disco’s origins. Come out to party like it’s 2003! MS
w/Jeffrey Jerusalem; The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie, 9 pm, $10
CHOP SOCKY!—Kung fu ka-razy? Then clear your schedule for tonight’s ultra-rare screening of 1980’s The Victim—one of the greatest chop-socky flicks ever! Co-starring famous actor/choreographer Sammo Hung, the slam-bang finale is an eye-popping martial arts miracle, and this is the only known 35mm print in existence! WSH
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, $7
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
WAVE YOUR FLAG—The particularly super supergroup Wild Flag kicks off a two-night stint at the Doug Fir this evening, but this afternoon they play an all-ages in-store performance at the downtown Jackpot Records. This’ll be the first chance for Portland’s broke and/or underage to catch the sheer rocking power of what’s already one of the city’s best live bands. NL
Jackpot Records, 203 SW 9th, 3 pm, FREE, all ages; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, Wed-Thurs, 9 pm, $12-14, 21+
KONDABOLU TWO—Brooklyn-based comedian Hari Kondabolu is a welcome counterpoint to the fart-jokes comedy scene. His stand-up is nuanced political commentary and it’s so on-point funny it hurts—he’ll hit you with his bag of smarts until you laugh, then cry, then laugh again. Hilarious local genius and blackberry aficionado Ron Funches opens. SM
The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $10-12