WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26
BOOM—Booze and explosions are always a good pair—until someone loses an appendage. BUT booze and explosions while chaperoned by trained OMSI staff promise to be safer. So leave the kids at home for a night of exploring the science behind combustion, pyrotechnics, fireworks, and other explosive stuff. SHELBY R. KING
OMSI, 1945 SE Water,7 pm, $13
FASHION—The twice-yearly Fade to Light fashion show always buzzes with good energy as local designers show their latest, along with specially crafted video accompaniments that offer an added peek into their inspirations and process. This edition gets extra intrigue with the addition of Louisville's Gunnar Deatherage. MARJORIE SKINNER
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 8 pm, $12-50, all ages
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
DANCE/SWEAT—If you're a brainiac who loves to dance, move that ass right over to Holocene for Chromo Disco—a night of sweaty shaking set to past and future grooves. You'll hear the thunderous beats of psych-disco purveyors Swahili, Pleasure Curses (hot newbies just in from DC), and experimental
new-fangled spins from Mikey Fountaine. (With DJs Lamar and Eric Fury holding it all together.) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 8:30 pm, $6
FILM—The movies at this weekend's Drive-In at Zidell Yards (outside flicks underneath the Ross Island Bridge) are perfect summertime fun. An American Werewolf in London (Friday), Jurassic Park (Saturday), North by Northwest (Sunday), and Pee-wee's Big Adventure (Monday.) But TONIGHT is the best of all, starring the absolutely perfect Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd in Clueless. Do not miss. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Zidell Yards, 3030 SW Moody, gates 7 pm, films start at dusk, $8, all ages
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
Dante's, 350 W Burnside, 8 pm, $25
MUSIC—Led by songwriter/guitarist John Dwyer, San Francisco's Thee Oh Sees play charmingly noisy garage rock with morose—yet bleakly funny—lyrics, a generous amount of reverb, and a certain je ne sais quoi that only comes from using minotaurs in your music videos. With numerous lineup changes and aural shifts, tonight's two show are the latest chapter in Thee Oh Sees' constant evolution. MEGAN BURBANK
w/Psychomagic; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 5 & 9 pm (early show all ages), $15
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
RECORDS—With Oregon's own Discogs co-hosting, Crate Diggers returns for another dope day of digging for buried vinyl treasure in the bins of some the best record dealers in the Northwest. Plus, the afterparty features incredible DJ sets from Doc Martin, Rick Wilhite, and more! NED LANNAMANN
White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th, noon, afterparty 6 pm, FREE
COMEDY—Featuring the distinctive voices of cranky old Tom Scharpling and Super-chunk drummer Jon Wurster at peak weirdo, WFMU's Best Show was so named for a reason. Scharpling and Wurster's radio days may be over, but their comedy partnership is not. Tonight, the delightful duo invades the Doug Fir. It's going to be the best. MEGAN BURBANK
Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 8 pm, $25
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
FAIR—It's the annual Oregon State Fair, so take the kids, eat some fry bread, go on some gut-churning rides, look at some robust animals, and otherwise indulge in all the down-home, family-friendly, end-of-summer gluttony this annual hoedown provides. And this year, in honor of their 150th anniversary, they've added dinosaurs! Discover the Dinosaurs has "moving and replica museum-quality dinosaurs" that probably won't eat your kids. SHELBY R. KING
Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE, Salem, 10 am-10 pm, $8
WIENER RACES—Dogs are the best, and to prove it to any idiots who still don't know that very simple fact, the Mercury proudly presents Dogs' Day of Summer—an event that takes over at the Lucky Lab with WIENER DOG RACES. And then? PUG RACES. The "Wiener Takes All" Dachshund races start at 2 pm, the "Pug o' War" pug races start at 5 pm, and it's free to attend. Today, my friends, is a great day. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Lucky Lab Brew Pub, 915 SW Hawthorne, wiener races 2-4 pm, pug race 5-7 pm, FREE to watch, $15 to enter
MONDAY, AUGUST 31
TCHOTCHKES—You're not wrong for frittering your life away amid the slumping ottomans and chintzy blazers of this city's flea markets, but it's like: Where's the booze at those things? Where are the jams? That's why today's Rock 'n' Roll Flea Market has our ringing endorsement. All the ragged rock items you want, plus those two other things you need. DIRK VANDERHART
Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 6-10 pm, FREE
FILM—You'd have to have a mighty cold heart not to be won over by Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha. That 2012 film gets a sequel of sorts in the new Mistress America, another Noah Baumbach joint that stars the effervescent Gerwig as a free-wheeling New York woman who mentors her new stepsister. Expect whimsy, cats, comedy, and many a relatable moment. COURTNEY FERGUSON
Various theaters, see Movie Times for locations and showtimes
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
MUSIC—Sure, you're headed to Mississippi tonight for the unalloyed strangeness and implacable groove of Baltimore electro-maestro Dan Deacon. But also make sure you're not out on the patio for too much of the R&B-driven dance class put on by Houston DJ duo Wrestlers. DIRK VANDERHART
w/Rap Class; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $3
MUSIC—The sleazebag nose-powder boogie of Eagles of Death Metal doesn't sound like the Eagles or death metal (thank you, Beelzebub!), but the goofy project of Jesse Hughes and studio contributor Josh Homme recently announced that the first EODM album since 2008 will be out in October. Since we can't wait, here's a live show to rock out to. NED LANNAMANN
w/Sinners; Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8:30 pm, $18-20
