WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

MUSIC—Shooting pleasure levels rocket-high, Colleen Green's new album Sock It to Me dips sparkly mall pop in thick layers of guitar crunch, resulting in something like deep-fried ice cream—crispy, sweet, messy, and both hot and totally cool. Green shares the bill with heart-warmingly degenerate rockers White Fang, who really, really want to party with you. NL
w/Heavy Hawaii, Coma Serfs; Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $8

LECTURE—Washington, DC, is once again trying to take up immigration reform, a feat akin to catching sand through your fingers, made even more difficult in a time of toxically partisan gridlock. Let's have a more productive conversation here. Oregon Humanities' regular Think & Drink happy hour lecture takes up the tangle of changes and what it means to be an American. DCT
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, 6:30 pm, FREE, all ages

THURSDAY, MAY 16

DREAMY MUSIC—Oh happy day! Yo La Tengo want to spend the evening with you. The dreamily venerable trio has gotten you through all sorts of peaks and valleys in their lustrous career—so bring 'em some flowers for all the kick-ass covers they've bestowed upon you, and how about some enthusiastic dancing for all the originals they've written for your ears? CF
Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8:30 pm, $18.50-20, all ages

PODCAST COMEDY—Ever since Tig Notaro's breakout stand-up set last summer, where she worked through her fresh emotions about being diagnosed with cancer, it's become difficult to get a ticket to one of her shows. Tonight's no exception. She's joined by her fellow Professor Blastoff podcasters, the very funny David Huntsberger and Kyle Dunnigan, for a live version of the popular show. CF
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $17.50-20 (beg, borrow, etc., to get those tix!)

FRIDAY, MAY 17

COMEDY—While he's a Tony-nominated actor (most recently for his role on Broadway in Porgy and Bess), author, and comedian, David Alan Grier will always be beloved for his multifaceted characters in the groundbreaking TV show In Living Color—and yes, he's still hilarious. Check out his high-energy, infectious stand-up tonight at the Bagdad. WSH
w/Tristian Spillman; Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne, 9 pm, $25

BIKING!—If you don't already bike to work, you've got your reasons. Put them all aside for Bike to Work Day, the one arbitrary day out of the year when you're REALLY encouraged to give bike commuting a go. Feeling adventurous? Ride to work all week! Like how that feels? Cast off your vehicular chains for good! DVH
Your home to your workplace, whenever you work, FREE

SPACEY SURF MUSIC—One of the most prolific bands of the '90s, Man or Astro-man? is still successfully blurring surf punk with spacey synth to produce an entirely original sound. Their latest release is called Defcon 5... 4... 3... 2... 1, and while still sporting their trademark space surf vibe, they seem to be heavier and goofier (in a good way) than ever. WSH
w/Audacity; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $16-17

SATURDAY, MAY 18

GERMAN FEST—Apparently, Germans celebrate springtime like they're on a commune—by dancing around a maypole. Except they add bratwurst and a biergarten. Obviously. Bring your kids along to Oak Park for the Maifest, and you can also rock out to the local multi-ethnic party band Chervona. They have an accordion player. VA
Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park, 10 am–7 pm, FREE

TRIBUTE—Music archivist Harry Smith—responsible for Folkways' classic Anthology of American Folk Music—was born in Portland almost 90 years ago. Tonight Portland musicians (Ural Thomas, MidLo, W.C. Beck, more) pay homage with covers of songs from Anthology. Need more Smith? On Thursday, there's a screening of his animated films at the Hollywood—along with a séance to speak with Smith's ghost... ooooookay. NL
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, 7 pm, $15-20; screening & séance, Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, Thurs May 16, 7 pm, $10

SUNDAY, MAY 19

MUSIC—Churches are an entirely appropriate place to experience the tears-inducing loveliness of Alela Diane's ever-so-slightly-trance folk, replete with poignant lyrics about family, nature, and lovers. It's the latter that's the focus of the forthcoming About Farewell, due out next month. Here's your chance to preview it in the formerly holy confines of Portland Playhouse. MS
w/Vikesh Kapoor, Barna Howard; Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott, 8 pm, $14-16

FILM—Portland's annual film festival focusing on GLBT-themed documentaries, QDoc is back, with four days of well-curated films. Today's films: Bayou Maharajah, about pianist James Booker; Wildness, about queer artists of color in LA; I Am a Woman Now, about five elderly trans women; and Valentine Road, about the tragic 2008 murder of a middle schooler. EH
Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd, see Film for more info and queerdocfest.org for showtimes, $8-75

MONDAY, MAY 20

FILM—Cinema 21's excellent noir series Return to Noir Ville is back for another year, and today's films are some great ones: the Coen brothers' Texas noir Blood Simple, 1944's Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews flick Laura, and Fritz Lang's 1953 classic The Big Heat. EH
Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, see cinema21.com for showtimes, $6 ($40 for 13-day pass)

THE "HIPHOP"—Two nice men named "Fabulous" and "Pusher Tee" [He means Fabolous and Pusha T. Sigh.—Eds.] will perform an uplifting array of danceable tunes. They also are good at wordplay. AKA "rap," like what you do when you go to your friend's apartment and the door is locked and you hope they didn't fall in the bathtub and die. I'm old! DCT
w/Portland Express, Supanova, & more; Roseland, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, $27, all ages

TUESDAY, MAY 21

BOOKS—Contemporary science-fiction authors don't get much bigger than John Scalzi, and for good reason: His books are exciting, clever, and speed by in a blur of emotion and laser blasts. Tonight he's in town to talk about his latest, The Human Division—and if past readings are any indication, Scalzi will be as engaging and charming as ever. EH
Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills, Beaverton, 7 pm, FREE

ONE-MAN SHOW—Ever since Mike Daisey's whole "lying to everyone" scandal regarding his research of Apple product factories in China, his standing with former devotees has been shaky, and we've heard him speak of little other than justifying himself since, which his new show Journalism does formally. Could he win us back? We're not certain, but we're curious. MS
Tiffany Center, 1410 SW Morrison, 7 pm, $20-45

MUSIC—Enigmatic Pittsburgh oddballs Black Moth Super Rainbow's hushed, synth-led experiments with psychedelic electro-pop are engrossing, sinister, and strangely accessible on their most recent effort Cobra Juicy. If you can fight your way through their die-hard fans to see them at the Hawthorne, there's every chance you'll get an unsettling yet blissful contact high. AR
w/the Hood Internet, Oscillator Bug; Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez, 8 pm, $15-18, all ages