Fog and EDM pour out of Barn Radio until 4 am, well past the closing time of most of Portland’s bars and venues. The unassuming storefront straddling Portland’s South Waterfront and Old Town frequently hosts DJs into the night. When ravers come out of the front doors laughing, lighting cigarettes, the heavy bass music accompanies them out onto—a sight that hasn’t been seen on SW 1st in ages. 

As the cost of live music continues to rise for both event producers and attendees, free shows are becoming more and more rare—see the demise of Rontoms Sunday Sessions—Cole Johnson, founder and director of Barn Radio, understands the importance of creating a free, underground space for (electronic) music in the city.

Who's ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland's best concerts and events—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst... if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a small monthly contribution to keep us alive and kickin'!) And oh boy, do we have some fun events coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT!

• Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Shinyribs on July 23 at Aladdin Theater!

Austin-based nine-piece Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn-driven Memphis Soul and a whole lot more. Catch the Southern supergroup LIVE when they return to Portland once more! Get your tickets now or enter to win a free pair!

Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, Wed July 23, 8 pm, $32.18, all ages

• Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Alain Johannes on July 24 at Mission Theater!

The Alain Johannes Band is hitting the Pacific Northwest this July, marking Johannes' first rock tour with a full band in the U.S. since his days with Eleven. The band features drummer Gene Trautmann, also of Queens of the Stone Age. Their set will draw heavily from Johannes' rock catalog, including material from Eleven, his solo work, and collaborations with Mark Lanegan, Chris Cornell, and QOTSA. Get your tickets now or enter to win a free pair!

Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, Thurs July 24, 8 pm, $35-$40.50, all ages

Michael O’Callaghan, a well-known Portland activist who ran for mayor last fall, died on June 18 after he was hit by a MAX train while attempting to bike across the tracks at Southeast Division and 8th Avenue. O’Callaghan was 81 years old, and by all accounts, he squeezed everything out of those years. He was a world traveler, and a dedicated advocate for a range of causes. 

“It's a loss for society to lose someone like Mike,” Jack Estes, O’Callaghan’s brother-in-law, told the Mercury. 

A memorial bike ride and ghost bike installation ceremony in O’Callaghan’s honor will take place on July 11. O’Callaghan’s family will also honor his life with a memorial potluck at Sellwood Park on July 12. 

O’Callaghan and his five siblings grew up on a farm in Tualatin. His sister, Colleen O’Callaghan, told the Mercury it was clear from a young age that her brother had an interesting way of seeing the world. 

“Even in high school, in junior high, he was a unique thinker,” Colleen said. “He traveled around the world to try and glean ideas that would benefit mankind.”

Portland is a summer city with a long fall. So while we don't have much similar to Japan's hanabi festivals—the word translates to "fireworks," and we have literally banned fireworks—Portlanders pretty obviously have distinct summer modes and rainy winter mentalities.

A release from Clinton Street Theater, announcing the line-up for its third annual Hanabi Film Festival, describes one of the event's roots as a way to say “We will start the season of having fun by the river!”—a feeling Portlanders definitely share. 

For a third year, Clinton Street Theater celebrates summer and venerates Japanese cinema with its Hanabi Fest, inviting audiences the chance to watch award-winning classics, forgotten cult favorites, and mind-bending anime on the big screen from August 18-31. That's not that start of river season, but it is a perfect time to take part in another time-honored tradition gaining traction as our summers grow hotter: Beating the heat at the movies.

HELLOOOO BRAINY PANTS! It's time once again to put your brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And here's another summertime edition of classic POP QUIZ questions from the past, where we'll be testing your knowledge on how much YOU know about... local mascots! Monsters! Aaaaaand MAYHEM! (My three favorite "M"s!) 🥰

But first! How did you do on last week's quiz? Ooh-la-la, you've got such a BRAINY brain. And... holy cats! You guys really hate Principal Rooney! But is it because he's a principal, or because the actor who played him, Jeffrey Jones, is a registered sex offender... actually, never mind. I bet I know why. 😒

Anywaaaaaay... READY TO START? Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY!

Create your own user feedback survey

If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND!👋

Hey goth kidz! Enjoy your last day of partly cloudy weather (with a high of 78), because the sun comes rrrrrraging back tomorrow and through the foreseeable future, with highs ranging from 90 to 94. And now? Prepare to rrrrrrrage about today's NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• I'm afraid we need to start with some very troubling news: According to City Administrator Michael Jordan, Portland stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants used for such basic services as providing low-income housing, transportation improvements, and gun violence reduction, unless we follow Trump's racist plan to practically eliminate the city's DEI policies and programs. According to Jordan, "the City currently manages 126 active federal grants totaling $387 million—more than 90% of it invested in housing and transportation. Last year alone, Portland was awarded $98 million in federal grants." This currently puts our city in a very troubling situation, and according to this report from our Courtney Vaughn, the mayor and city council are currently considering all avenues of response, including legal challenges and more. (Question: If an utterly corrupt federal government continues to divest from us, at what point do moral people divest from the federal government?)

Portland City Administrator Michael Jordan said the city is poised to accept several new federal grants, but it won’t actually receive the funds unless it certifies compliance with Trump's recent anti-DEI executive orders. Portland is currently utilizing 126 federal grants totaling $387 million.

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) July 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM

• Very much related: OPB has a deep dive into how Trump's recently passed "Big, Beautiful Bill" could decimate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (AKA SNAP, or food stamps) which feeds one-in-six Oregonians, almost half of whom are seniors, people with disabilities, and children. “The idea that we are going to send hundreds of thousands of people into hunger is a very, very worrying, sad moment for me,” says the executive director of NeighborImpact, Scott Cooper. “We’re trying to do something about it, but there’s only so much you can do.” (Again, if the federal government continues to divest from us, at what point do moral people divest from the federal government?)

• And while we're on the topic of the possible necessity of (at least temporary) federal divestment: "'Big Beautiful Bill' may have killed key funding source for Rose Quarter freeway project." (Who's starting to feel like a frog in a pot of boiling water? 🙋‍♂️)

The city of Portland has steadily tried to resist federal policy directives from the Trump administration, particularly regarding immigration, civil rights, and protections for LGBTQ+ residents—until now. 

On Wednesday, City Administrator Michael Jordan’s office announced a series of “tough decisions” city leaders are facing, as they risk losing hundreds of millions in federal funds if they don’t comply with anti-DEI and equity mandates from the White House. 

For the co-owners of Taqueria Los Puñales, there’s a lot in the name. For starters: It’s not a restaurant, says owner David Madrigal. It’s a taqueria.

“When you go to Mexico, to a taqueria off the street, they have tacos only,” says Madrigal, who grew up working at his family’s place, Taqueria Los Rojos, in Guadalajara. “They don’t offer you chilaquiles, or enchiladas, or tortas, or burritos. It’s a specialty: tacos.”

That was the focus when Madrigal and his partner Brian Aster opened Los Puñales in June of 2020: Serving up a prolific 25-taco lineup of savory braised meats and expertly seasoned veggies, all on fresh-to-order tortillas. 

“It was like, no, we’re not doing another taqueria that does everything,” says Aster. “If you do everything, you stand for nothing.”

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND. Today is set to be the nicest day of the week, weather-wise, and possibly the nicest day for quite a long time. In other words, it's going to be in the low 70s with clouds in the sky. If you're mad at me for thinking a cloudy day constitutes nice weather, fear not. It's going to be sunny and hot for the foreseeable future. 

(One silver lining of July: Slushies. I know, I know, the slushies available during the Summer of Slushies used to cost less than $10. But honestly, it's still a good deal. Sometimes, a slushy at a bar costs, like, $12. Or even $15! Plus, you're supporting local businesses and local journalism by drinking frozen alcoholic beverages. Your support in this regard helps us keep our website nice and clean and not completely filled with ads.) 

Okay. Time for the news.

[This opinion piece is being published to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the death of Deg, one of the victims of the 2022 Normandale Park shooting that left two people dead and another three injured. The mass shooting was carried out by a man who was angry about a peaceful protest happening in his neighborhood. One woman died at the scene and another was paralyzed from a gunshot wound that left her dependent on a ventilator. Last year, she chose to remove her ventilator. Her death was ruled a homicide.—eds.]

The first time I visited Deg in her home was maybe a month before she took a bullet in the neck at Normandale Park. She was living in her parents' in-law apartment while finishing graduate school. I met Deg's parents, but that first time, we didn't get past polite hellos.

Deg had a term paper conundrum. She had a strong draft, but her instructor's feedback was confusing. We puzzled through the assignment and her draft. I was sure she would end up writing something insightful and provocative that I would enjoy reading, whether or not my advice proved useful.

Though I would return to that house again and again, that conversation never advanced. Nobody ever got to read a final version of that paper. 

I’m a 44-year-old woman with a history of childhood sexual trauma. I enjoy sex if I’m with a partner I feel very connected to emotionally, but I’ve never had an orgasm. Because of this I tend to rely on pleasing my partner during sex rather than my own arousal. It works OK for me at this point while I try to heal, which is taking forever. (I am in therapy.) I’ve been married for about 12 years. My husband has a high sex drive and has had a hard time with the ways trauma can lower my interest in sex. He has worked hard to try and find ways we can be intimate that don’t involve penetrative sex (including his wearing a cage as a turn-on for him, sharing fantasies, etc.) but his needs have not been met recently as the trauma symptoms have been on top of me.

Recently, we had a major misunderstanding. I thought I was giving him the green light to go to strip clubs/burlesque shows to get his sexual needs met. He thought I was giving him the green light to have an open relationship. We had a huge struggle about this. For now, he has decided to accept my decision that I cannot remain in the marriage if he wants to sleep with other people. It does not feel emotionally safe to me to open the marriage to others. However, I can see that he was much happier when he thought he had the option to pursue others.

What does any of this mean? Is monogamy ethically wrong if one partner would prefer a different arrangement? He is right that I am setting the terms of the relationship, and he has to comply to stay with me, which feels unilateral to him. How do we navigate this in a way that is fair to both partners?

Very Confused Recluse

If your husband walked away from that conversation thinking he had permission to fuck other people — and you walked away thinking you’d only given him the green light to go to strip clubs or burlesque shows — then that conversation wasn’t explicit enough. I suspect you both had your reasons for keeping things vague: your husband may have avoided pushing for clarity because he didn’t want to hear “no,” and you may have hesitated to be clear because you’re not comfortable unilaterally setting the terms… even though that’s what you’re doing, VCR, and need to do for your own mental health.

What does it feel like to hear new music by a cherished artist who has passed away? How do we hold memories of a childhood we barely remember? Who decides how individuals identify and what we call ourselves? Heavy questions on a sunny summer day in July that certainly aren't answered in this week's Mercury Music Picks, but are simply brought to the fore and the clouds pass by overhead. 

There's a lot happening this week through the end of August. You ready? 

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

Good morning, Portland! Summer is in full swing, which means longer days, boozy slushies, and sunburns and bug bites for many of you. Expect a warm, sunny day with a high of 88 degrees and a low of 60. 

We've scoured the newsiest headlines so you don't have to!

In Local News: 

• Governor Tina Kotek lambasted the Oregon Legislature yesterday for failing to pass a sufficient transportation funding package. In a grim media release, the governor warned of “the largest layoff in the history of Oregon state government,” noting the Oregon Department of Transportation has “initiated 483 of an estimated 600 to 700 total layoffs.” Kotek says a second round of layoffs at ODOT is planned for early 2026, unless the Legislature steps to provide some emergency funding.

“Consequences to essential transportation services are imminent across the state,” Kotek warned, noting ODOT will need to cut back on services and essential materials like sand and de-icer, and its response to emergencies could be hampered by the funding cuts. The results certainly aren’t good, but it’s important to remember that ODOT isn’t responsible for every roadway in Oregon. Cities like Portland have their own transportation departments, and even smaller cities usually have some type of road maintenance crew. 

Upon seeing the poster for Sorry, Baby—a shot of the film's protagonist, Agnes, looking into the eyes of a tiny gray kitten—my partner immediately dropped their ironclad no-spoilers protocol and began frantically texting a source who had seen it premiere at Sundance.

Did “Sorry, Baby” apply to the kitten (clearly a baby)? Was misfortune due to befall the kitten?

We live in exhausting times. It does not give away much to tell you that (SPOILER ALERT) the kitten is fine. It is Agnes (Eva Victor, also the film's writer and director) who is not. As Sorry, Baby’s tagline puts it “Something bad happened to Agnes.” Not the kitten.

Initially, things appear to be going great for Agnes. She lives in a cute little white house in a cute little East Coast college town that looks like something out of an L.L. Bean ad. Agnes has a substantial collection of voluminous, expensive-looking sweaters. Despite being a freshly-minted English PhD, she has pulled off the nearly impossible feat of getting hired as a full professor. As one colleague puts it, Agnes is a “lucky bitch.”

And yet, something is very off about Agnes. When Lydie (Naomi Ackie), a friend from college, visits from New York, the cottage is lit with buttery, rom-com glow. When Lydie leaves, everything goes cold. There’s a low ominous tone, like a public alert system for hauntings in progress.