NEW OPENINGS AND RETURNS

Dirty Pretty
Pink Rabbit owner Collin Nicholas debuted this “whimsical but moody” cocktail bar in the former Bar Dune space on Tuesday. Drawing inspiration from the '70s, the space features details like wooden beaded curtains, earth tones, and custom patterned wallpaper. Executive chef Alex Wong provides Hawaiian-influenced bar snacks like fried saimin (noodle soup) and rabbit confit spring rolls, while beverage director Ben Purvis has created a cocktail menu with spins on screwdrivers and mezcal margaritas.
Buckman
Pickup, dine-in

FRIDAY

FILM

Enter the Dragon in 35mm
Robert Clouse's '73 hit features Bruce Lee, an island fortress, a drug trafficking ring, and a martial arts tournament. Need we say more? This screening of a 35mm uncut print will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the kung fu classic, which was deemed a "savagely murderous and numbing hand-hacker" (the New York Times) and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2004.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $8-$10)

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! If it snows in Portland today I will eat a bug (no larger than an inch and non-poisonous). If Trump is actually arrested in the next week I will eat a bug (could be poisonous, but no more than a tummy ache plz). Now, let's bet on the news!

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Last night, the family and friends of Walter Cole announced the man who created Darcelle XV and owned Darcelle XV Showplace had died of natural causes at age 92. As Darcelle, Cole reigned as the world’s oldest drag queen and laid groundwork for Portland’s drag art scene. For the Mercury, culture writer Andrew Jankowski describes Cole's icon status and some of the many ways Cole helped make the city a more accepting place.

Details of a public memorial will be announced as soon as they are confirmed. All shows at Darcelle XV Showplace will go on as scheduled per Darcelle’s wishes. Please join us and celebrate her legacy and memory, thank you in advance for your continued support. pt. 2 pic.twitter.com/STBCVLRBAX

— Kevin Cook (@PoisonWaters) March 24, 2023

• Oregon legislators have a bill in the works that would protect people seeking reproductive and gender-affirming medical care, as well as doctors providing the services. Read Isabella Garcia's breakdown of House Bill 2002.

• Farm music fest Pickathon announced its lineup for 2023, sustaining its undiminished reputation for curating a bill that even the vinyl-hardened audiences of Portland can appreciate and be surprised by.

Walter Cole, the man behind iconic Portland drag queen Darcelle XV and owner of the landmark namesake drag club Darcelle XV Showplace, has died at the age of 92 from natural causes.

Kevin Cook, Cole’s longtime friend and colleague best known as Poison Waters, announced Cole's passing via his and the club's social media accounts. “We ask for privacy and patience as everyone processes and grieves in their own way and at their own pace,” Cook wrote.

Irish singer-songwriter Hozier's unreal voice will take you to church on his Unreal Unearth tour this fall. Edgefield has added indie folk favorites My Morning Jacket and Gregory Alan Isakov to its summer concert schedule. Plus, the long-awaited Pickathon lineup has been announced, with headliners including Lee Fields, Dehd, and Madison Cunningham. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 24

MUSIC

Bully
Aladdin Theater (Sun Aug 20)

Evil Woman: The American ELO Presents “The Electic Light Orchestra Experience”
Revolution Hall (Sun May 14)

Gregory Alan Isakov
Edgefield (Sun Aug 20)

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 a fun event coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT!

• Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Aly & AJ on April 1 at the Crystal Ballroom!

Aly & AJ's newest single "With Love From" hints at a forthcoming album of haunting introspection and personal recollections. Like a lost diary that has been found, the forthcoming record is rife with organic observations on life's nuances and the meaning behind what makes us who we are. Fitting with the project's lyrical content, the record itself has a rawness that marks the next phase in their current artist renaissance after their acclaimed last album, which was a joyful sunbathed celebration. Enter to win free tix to see this dynamic duo at the Crystal, or purchase your tickets now!

Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Saturday April 1, 8 pm, $37.50-$47.50, all ages

GOOD LUCK, and all winners will be notified by Monday at noon. And check back next week for more FREE TIX from the Mercury!

Although many have heard of, enjoyed, and snorfed the trail dust of Pickathon—the best darn little music festival held 16 miles outside of Portland—it's also no shame to be new to the name.

The Happy Valley farm-placed fest has a history of setting new standards for sustainability and creating a unique choose-your-own-adventure experience in a lush natural setting. But, above all, Pickathon has an undiminished reputation for curating a bill that even the vinyl-hardened audiences of Portland can appreciate and be surprised by.

This morning the fest announced its 2023 lineup, to unfold across a four-day weekend this August. And they made a Spotify playlist, so you can immediately start dipping into summer.

HOWDY SMARTY BRITCHES! 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 this week, you'll test your amazing knowledge on such topics as sketchy NIMBYs, a certain beloved/disgraced local figure skater, and is this town big enough for TWO hirsute Blazer mascots? 🤔

But before we continue... HOW DID YOU DO ON THE PREVIOUS QUIZ? Extra super duper good, you guys! 👏 However, I must take issue about your responses to our subjective question about what type of money-making company you'd like to own. While I appreciate your enthusiasm for kicking Nazis in the nuts and policing the police... why do so few of you NOT want a company that clones Ryan Gosling? DO YOU HATE MONEY??

OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! 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!

As states across the nation restrict abortion access and launch legislative attacks on LGBTQ Americans, Oregon legislators are looking to protect people seeking reproductive and gender-affirming medical care, as well as doctors providing the services. House Bill 2002, sponsored by 34 Democratic lawmakers, would strengthen protections for medical providers who offer abortion services, close reproductive service gaps in rural areas of the state, and expand insurance coverage for medically necessary gender-affirming care.

“While there's a lot in the landscape that's changing when it comes to health and gender-affirming care in the rest of the country,” said Cassie Purdy, political director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, “I really think that we can look at this bill as a continuation of what we know Oregon stands for.”

Oregon law protects the right to an abortion, but the shifting national landscape of abortion laws has still impacted the state. In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, Speaker of the House Dan Rayfield convened a workgroup of healthcare professionals, legal experts, and impacted communities to evaluate gaps that exist in abortion access and protections for healthcare providers. The workgroup also tackled issues of access to gender-affirming care for transgender people—a population that’s also seen a rise in attacks on their rights and bodily autonomy in recent years. According to LGBTQ advocacy group Basic Rights Oregon, there are currently over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills in legislatures across the nation, like fining Texas businesses who allow children to watch a drag show or allowing officials in Tennessee to refuse to marry same-sex couples based on religious beliefs.

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! Well, the sun was fun while it lasted, but it looks like we're back to rain and *checks notes* a chance of snow (?!?!?!) through the weekend. The good news is that it's perfect NEWS READIN' weather.

In local news:

• Portland’s planned mass outdoor camps may include rigid-sided sleeping pods—not tents, as originally planned. Mayor Wheeler made the announcement during a Tuesday Q&A on the first planned camp in SE Portland (a second Q&A on the camp is planned for tonight). According to Wheeler, Gov. Tina Kotek has expressed support for the idea, which would be potentially funded through Multnomah County funding—except MultCo leaders have yet to buy into Wheeler’s mass camp idea. Notably, if the camps use sleeping pods instead of tents, Portland may be able to snag some of the $200 million in state emergency funding for homelessness that passed the legislature this week.

Another wrinkle: Courts have said that tents don't count as "shelter" under Martin v Boise — the court ruling that prohibits homeless camping bans unless a city can offer adequate shelter. If Wheeler pivots to sleeping pods, Portland's homeless ban may be more legally sound. https://t.co/0tDImk7y8T

— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) March 23, 2023

• Calling all sustainably minded Oregonians: You may be able to start bringing your own reusable containers to restaurants for to-go orders IF Senate Bill 545 passes the House this session. The bill aims to reduce single-use takeout containers that are inconsistent with Oregon’s goal of diverting 25 percent of plastic waste from the landfill.

Is your garbage filled with food-stained takeout containers? Some Oregon lawmakers want to change that. 

A new bill would allow customers to bring their own reusable containers to restaurants for takeout orders and to-go food. Senate Bill 545, introduced by Senator Janeen Sollman, a Democrat from Hillsboro, aims to reduce landfill waste and cut back on single-use plastic and other non-recyclable containers. The bill already passed the Senate with bipartisan support and now needs approval from the House of Representatives. If approved and signed into law, the bill would update Oregon’s health regulations to allow restaurants to fill customer-owned containers with food. Currently, the state prohibits the practice due to potential cross-contamination.

It’s officially spring, music nerds! This month is shaping up to be pretty nice in terms of weather and the local music climate. There’s some quality stuff here, from an empowering new single and video from Joseph, an unofficial Latin music night, and a one-year anniversary for the Get Down. Let’s get into it.

MUST-SEE: 

Can’t miss upcoming events.              

The Get Down One-Year Anniversary

We love to see Portland’s independently owned music venues win whenever possible. If you're in the mood to move your body, head to the Get Down on Saturday, April 8, when the relatively new music venue is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a concert starring electronic music duo BoomBox. Originally founded by producer Zion Rock Godchaux, BoomBox now comprises his brother Kinsman MacKay. The evening will showcase the indulgent grooves of the Muscle Shoals-based brothers, who play an eclectic and euphonious mix of house, soul, funk, rock, and blues. Considering the many changes to Portland’s small business landscape since 2020, the fact that the Get Down is still rocking a year later is worth celebrating. (The Get Down, 615 SE Alder, Sat April 8, 9 pm, $25, tickets here, 21+) 

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! Yippee-ki-yay, mothereffers, it's gonna be another sunny, relatively warm (62 degrees) day, which I hope you'll enjoy before showers and a possible thunderstorm rolls in tonight. And now, let's read some yippee-ki-NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• It should be noted that our current City Auditor Simone Rede does NOT mess around, and has released a new report on how well Portland cops are doing at collecting data in regards to their attempts to control gun violence by pulling people over in traffic stops. While the police have shown improvement by starting to note the race of the people they're stopping, they still aren't documenting whether or not the effort is producing any measurable result, or if civil rights are being protected. (Unsurprisingly, our union-fearful mayor is rushing to the cops' defense.) Our Isabella Garcia has the deets.

The Portland Police Bureau still doesn’t track enough data to evaluate whether its gun violence intervention tactics are effective at measurably reducing gun violence, a follow-up report from the city auditor found. https://t.co/hFJ9PM1OSq

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 21, 2023

• State lawmakers have passed a $200 million housing and homelessness package that's designed to assist renters (to keep them from becoming homeless), as well as build more shelters and housing across Oregon. Lots of this money will start being distributed into communities this week, and is a big win for Gov. Kotek and the Dems. Aaaaaand right on cue, here comes wet blanket Mayor Wheeler to complain that this state money won't be available for his mass internment camp scheme, because his idea of hundreds of tents crammed in together doesn't jibe with the governor's plan for "structurally sound" and safe shelters. (Interesting... it's almost like being intentionally cruel doesn't inspire great partnerships.)

• In other "poor judgement from Mayor Wheeler" news: As you know, the mayor is absolutely befuddled as to why some houseless people don't want to move into his guarded mass tent internment camps that could be legitimately unsafe or traumatizing for the homeless, their families, or pets. So his new plan is to get former houseless people to convince the currently houseless to go to the camps... or face getting citations? Because if there's one thing everyone trusts, it's a narc. 🙄

When she’s not touring the world with the Decemberists, collaborating with an array of local musicians, or writing and recording her own solo works, Jenny Conlee teaches piano—mostly via Zoom.

So she was fully prepared, when asked during an interview, to explain the seven ancient Greek musical scales—or modes—that form the foundation of about half of her new album Tides: Pieces for Accordion and Piano, which also happens to come out on Friday via Jealous Butcher Records.