We're really almost done with January already? Seems weird that the month coulda sped by that fast, but then you look at what's on deck for the weekend and there's so much good stuff on the menu you'd almost have to be Barry Allen to hit it all. Firstly, do your civic duty and send our illegitimate, ugly, disgusting, demented ambulatory trashbag of a president a very clear message that we don't want him. Then, enjoy yourself some of the best stand-up in the country, some of the best improv in the city, a chance to witness the future of rock and roll before it gets here, and the future of local theater as it vines through the city's stages. It's a very full weekend ahead; hit the links below and load your plate accordingly
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Friday, Jan 19
School of Rock and PROWUS Present: Best of Portland 6
Once a year, local grownup musicians join local kid musicians onstage for an incredible, heartwarming night that celebrates the best of the Portland music scene. Tonight, School of Rock students will be joined by musicians from acts like Gaytheist, MĂĄscaras, Lithics, Ural Thomas and the Pain, and many others, for a unique show to benefit PROWUS. Itâs an incredible amount of fun, and not to be missed if you give a damn about local music and education. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $15-20, all ages
Pillow Fight!
Portlandâs improv-comedy scene is getting bigger and better by the second, so if youâve been avoiding it for some dumb reason, hereâs a great show that will set you on the right path: Pillow Fight! Itâs an evening of high-larious improv comedy featuring the townâs funniest women, including Siren Theaterâs Shelley McClendon, Kirsten Kuppenbender (Lez Stand Up), Katie Nguyen (Mercury Genius of Comedy), Erin Jean OâRegan (Stumptown Improv Fest and Merc contributor), and Janet Scanlon (Portlandia). Pillow Fight! is just the women-driven comedy juggernaut we need at times like this. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8 pm, Siren Theater, $8-12
Huun Huur Tu
Huun Huur Tu put on one of the most breathtaking performances of last summerâs PickathonâI remember standing on tiptoes outside the packed Lucky Barn trying (and failing) to catch a glimpse of them, but Iâll never forget the sound. The group hails from the Russian republic of Tuva, which borders Mongolia, and theyâve been introducing the regionâs indigenous folk to the rest of the world for more than two decades. Huun Huur Tuâs style of throat singing uses circular breathing to produce two or three droning notes at once. Itâs gorgeous, hypnotic music thatâll make you reconsider the capabilities of the human voice. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, $25-30
Happy Birthday, Dolly
The Fixin' To fixes up a birthday party for country music's sweetest, boldest, and brassiest queen, courtesy of local all-star supergroup Doll Parts (members of Havania Whaal, MELT, and Wampire), Matty Charles & Katie Rose, and Dead Lee. Plus the audience gets in on the fun too with Dolly karaoke on tap.
9 pm, The Fixin' To, $7
Børns, Charlotte Cardin, Mikki Ekko
Singer/songwriter Børns (AKA Garrett Clark Borns) has one of those beautiful, androgynous voices that are nearly impossible to imitate. In addition to his exquisite vocals, the 26-year-old is known for his vibrant personal style that challenges traditional gender norms. He reminds me of Bowie and other glam rock iconsâheâs got long, flowing hair, wears glittery makeup in his music videos, and his masculinity isnât so fragile that he wonât rock a floral print or bare midriff onstage. If youâve heard anything from the psychedelic- and synth-pop rocker, itâs probably âElectric Loveâ or â10,000 Emerald Poolsâ from Dopamine, his 2015 debut. Børns recently released his highly anticipated follow-up, Blue Madonna, through Interscope Records. Based on his trippy music videos and shimmering new singles like âSweet Dreams,â âI Donât Want U Back,â and âGod Save Our Young Bloodâ (featuring Lana Del Rey), I canât wait to see what his live show has in store. JENNI MOORE
8 pm, Roseland, SOLD OUT (Good Luck on the Resale Sites!)
Tango Alpha Tango, The Parson Red Heads, Fort Atlantic
Nathan Trueb's knack for capturing the grit of dirty desert blues is infectious and fun, full of clichĂŠd rock 'n' roll lyrics about getting high and lusting after women, and comes teeming with an arsenal of back-porch riffs and driving rhythms. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Doug Fir, $10-12
Lewis Black
One of the angriest men in the history of stand-up makes his annual pilgrimage to Portland as part of his "The Joke's on Us" tour.
8 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $39.50-75
Fertile Ground Kickoff Party
Reece Marshburn and Marianna Thelen provide the music for all the drinking, dancing, mingling and planning sure to take place in Artists Rep's Alder lobby as 2018's Fertile Ground Festival begins in earnest.
9:30 pm, Artists Repertory Theatre, free
Jon Dore
Jon Dore's offbeat, bait-and-switch standup style is thoroughly satisfying, which is why Variety named him one of their 10 comics to watch, and IFC gave him his very own show.
7:30 pm, 10 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $18-32
Chapter Mag's Creative Cultivation Dance Party #4
Holocene hosts the fourth installment of Chapter Mag's recurring hip-hop and R&B dance party focused on spotlighting PDX music and culture. This time around VNPRT, Grump, Vkiah, and Eric Fury lend their talents to the proceedings.
9 pm, Holocene, $7-10
Saturday, Jan 20
Emily Heller
Are you an adult woman who grew up weird and identifies perhaps a little too strongly with Frasier Crane? Do you wish that it were socially acceptable for women to call themselves confirmed bachelors? Get ready to meet your new imaginary BFF: comedian Emily Heller, who gets it. Her first album, Good For Her, has accompanied me on long car journeys like a true friend, making me chuckle into my drive-thru fries. Sound good? Then get yourself to Hellerâs latest album recording posthaste! MEGAN BURBANK
7:30 pm & 9:30 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $12
Protest a Year of Trump
A year ago, we had no idea precisely how bad things were going to get. Oh, we knew some shit was approaching, but when it arrivedâin the form of torch-bearing white supremacists, hate-inspired murders on public transit, xenophobic immigration policies, attacks on the countryâs health care system, and far moreâwe learned how awful our situation truly was. Back in January 2017, though, Portland just knew something was coming, and it wasnât happy. So on January 20, hours after Donald Trump was sworn in in front of a tepid crowd, this city demonstrated. A peaceful rally in Pioneer Courthouse Square led to clashes with police in the street. Before the night was over, tear gas was choking downtown Portland. Well, here we are a year later, and things havenât gotten better. Itâs time to demonstrate again. A host of local groups are organizing eventsâfrom impeachment demonstrations to standing in solidarity with the #MeToo movementâin order to let the bastards know Portland is still not having it. DIRK VANDERHART
Impeachment Marchâ12:30pm, Terry D. Schrunk Plaza; #MeToo March & SpeakOUTâ2pm, Pioneer Courthouse Square
J20 Party
NXT LVL PDX and She Shreds magazine are hosting an all-day blowout to raise money and supplies for local organizations like Brown Girl Rise, Queer Rock Camp Portland, and Portland Menstrual Society. At noon thereâs an all-ages J20 rally with speakers, a WOC marketplace, workshops, and a raffle. The eveningâs party features a phenomenal lineup of all-WOC musicians and DJs: Los Angeles punk band Fuck U Pay Us, Seattle rapper Guayaba (check out her 2016 debut EP Black Trash/White House, itâs amazing), Portlandâs own SĂĄvila and Blossom, plus DJs Lucha and Mami Miama (Mercury writer Emilly Prado). CIARA DOLAN
7 pm, PICA at Hancock, $15-20
Portland Trail Blazers Vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks might not be in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race like the Trail Blazers are, but they do share a penchant for getting mixed-up in fourth quarter nail-biters this season. The prospect of an exciting finish alone makes this game worth checking out, and with Dirk Nowitzki possibly set to end his legendary two-decade career at the end of the season, catching what could be his final trip to Portland makes attending a no-brainer. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
7 pm, Moda Center, $19-238, all ages
St. Vincent
For more than a decade, Annie ClarkâAKA 23rd century guitar goddess St. Vincentâhas stood at the forefront of avant-pop and -rock, her profile rising steadily all the while. Clarkâs first five records (including her 2012 collaboration with likeminded oddball David Byrne) synthesize serrated guitars, fuzzy electronics, right-angled rhythms, and her unique sense for melody and drama in songs that are both busily arranged and tightly wound. No one makes wiry, animatronic funk-pop feel more approachable than Clark. Her latest album, Masseduction, is every bit as strange as Clarkâs previous work, but catchier and less guardedâand thatâs a good thing. Most importantly, itâs reflective of an artist with outsized skills, incredible vision, and restless creativity. BEN SALMON
8 pm, Keller Auditorium, $35-55
Sallie Ford
Last year, Portlandâs own Sallie Ford released her second solo album, Soul Sick, since parting ways with her band the Sound Outside in 2013. The retro-rock songwriterâs latest fuses all the elements that made her earlier work so popular: earnest lyrics about seasonal depression and loneliness, doo-wop harmonies, warm organ tones, and Fordâs powerful, Winehouse-esque voice. Soul Sick is a record I overlooked in 2017, but thankfully, songs like âFailureâ and âUnravelingâ go great with Januaryâs grey skies. Fordâs lived in Portland for more than 10 years now, but this hometown show at Mississippi is still a bright spot on this monthâs calendar. CIARA DOLAN
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15-17
Delgani String Quartet
Opening night of the inaugural Spontaneous Combustion New Music Festival brings Eugene's Delgani String Quartet to the Old Church stage, where they'll be performing works by Lou Harrison, GyĂśrgy Ligeti, and Benjamin Krause.
7:30 pm, The Old Church, $20
Plastic Weather, Star Club, Nick Normal, Lost Nerves
Portlandâs premiere âdeath discoâ band Plastic Weather is finally unveiling its self-titled debut EP, a four-song testament to the power of synth-pop. Add a dash of post-punk, a sprinkle of dark distortion, and a smidge of glam rock, and youâve got the â80s-inspired goth dance party of your dreamsâthe perfect spooky soundtrack for the afterlife, when weâre all ghosts partying together. Noelle Magia channels Kate Pierson of the B-52âs with her dissonant, reverb-heavy vocals against thick synth and thrashing drums. Plastic Weatherâs love of the bizarre is obvious, but itâs oddly inviting, carving out a space and sound for those of us on the fringes of traditional hyper-masculine punk. DELANEY MOTTER
7 pm, Black Water Bar, $6, all ages
Lithics, Abronia, The Woolen Men, Mr. Wrong
This cityâs been feeling pretty crowded lately, but fret notâthe second installment of Get Outta Town is here to remind you that there are escape routes. The idea behind the concert series is to take local bands out of the metropolis to perform at a destination within an hour of central Portland. The first Get Outta Town was headlined by Divers at a farmhouse in Estacada, and this second excursion is at the rustic Skyline Tavern. Itâs technically within Portland city limits, but anyone whoâs bellied up to the roadhouse bar knows it feels like youâre out in the sticks. Enjoy its intimate confines with heavy hitters Mr. Wrong, Woolen Men, Abronia, and Lithics. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Skyline Tavern, $5-10
Rock 'n' Roll High School
Roger Corman, notorious schlock-schlepper, wanted to go back to his teen movie roots at the tail end of the 1970s. First he was gonna make Disco High, but the genre was already dead. Then he tried to lock down Cheap Trick and Todd Rundgren, butâamazinglyâthey decided against getting underpaid by Roger Corman for two weeks of making disposable cash-in cinematic garbage. You know who didn't say no? The Ramones! And with the help of Clint Howard, P.J. Soles and one motherfucker of an explosion (which was probably half of the film's $200,000 budget), Rock 'n' Roll High School was born. Revel in its idiocy. BOBBY ROBERTS
8 pm, Revolution Hall, free
Mcmenamins Wassail Cider Fest
Oh, you thought the wassailing ended with the holidays, huh? Wrong. Wassail it up in McMenamin's style, with a daylong celebration of music, merriment, and over 35 different ciders. Admission is free, commemorative glass and drink tokens available on site.
2 pm, Cornelius Pass Roadhouse, free
Bit O' Soul Dance Party
An all vinyl night dedicated to unearthing the best soul 45s in existence and giving them the dancefloor shine they deserve.
9 pm, Bit House Saloon
Tahirah Memory
Until a year ago, vocalist Tahirah Memory was on a relatively small radar, keeping to the edges of the often overlooked Portland soul jazz scene, known more for her famous Grammy-winning father (Thara Memory) than for her own music. This changed following a fateful meeting with Portland musician Jarrod Lawson. Memory calls to mind artists such as Jill Scott and early Emily King, while keeping to a more classic-jazz backbeat, accented by lush vocal harmonies. While Portland may never really be ready for jazz, Ms. Memory is continuing proof that something special is going on here. JENI WREN STOTTRUP
9 pm, Jack London Revue, $15
Sunday, Jan 21
Yung Lean, Thaiboy Digital
Swedish rapper Yung Leanâs oozy, warped beats and Auto-Tuned vocals evoke an anxious comfort, like getting sleep paralysis, freaking out for a second, and then resigning to ride the wave of a waking dream. On 2017âs Stranger, Lean proves heâs more than a sad boy meme. The production is accented with lush keyboards, and his lyrics imagine a world that, while dreary and filled with heartbreak, is also full of friends and beautiful vistas in the distance (âRed Bottom Skyâ and âAgonyâ). CAMERON CROWELL
8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $20-25, all ages
The Boxtrolls
While there are still slightly grotesque, strangely alluring creatures at the heart of Laikaâs The Boxtrolls, this time theyâre the heroes, unlike the undead of ParaNorman or the Other Parents of Coraline. While the elaborate set pieces get bigger and bigger as the film moves along (including a dazzling, dizzying dance sequence), the story gets muddled. Laika animators in attendance. ROBERT HAM
2 pm, NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium, $6-9, all ages
Rose City Classic Dog Show
Iâve wondered how closely actual dog shows resemble Christopher Guest's Best in Show (and now I wonder how annoyed dog-show people are when Best in Show gets brought upâprobably a lot). So letâs find out together this week at the five-day event hosted by the Dog Fanciers Association of Oregon (thatâs a real name), the Tualatin Kennel Club, and others. Itâs one of the biggest and best dog shows out there, apparently, (itâs 70 years old!) with canine competitors and judges coming in from around the country. There are so many breeds, so many events, and so much stuff going on so check out rosecityclassic.org for the details. DOUG BROWN
7:30 am, Portland Expo Center, $10-30, all ages
Fertile Ground Festival
Get ready for SO MUCH THEATER, because Portlandâs annual festival of new performance, Fertile Ground, is here! Fertile Ground is delightfully uncurated, which means it can be insane. More importantly, itâs one of Portlandâs most accessible and affordable arts festivals. Donât know where to start? I recommend Portland Experimental Theatre Ensembleâs new production of Uncle Vanya; Rosa Red, Laura Christina Dunnâs play about socialist activist and philosopher Rosa Luxemburg; and sex-positive performance from Eleanor OâBrien. MEGAN BURBANK
Various Locations, For a list of participants, venues, and showtimes, click here
Psychomagic, Aan, Numb.er
Named after filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowskyâs book about shamanic psychotherapy, Psychomagic has been making trippy psych-rock for years. But the Portland bandâs new EP, Pop Occultism, sounds less like the 13th Floor Elevators and more like the Blade Runner soundtrackâthereâs lots of synth, and not much wah-wah whammy bar action. In a 2014 interview with Eleven PDX, Psychomagic said, âWe are dancing space hippies, with lots of sea witches, guard dogs, astral projection, meatballs, sĂŠances during performance...â I canât say I know what that means, but head over to Black Water if youâd like to find out. ISABEL LYNDON
8 pm, Black Water Bar, $7, all ages
My Life in Dementia
Dr. Demento returns to Reed College for his annual series of lectures on the history of music. Tonight's subject: Himself.
8 pm, Reed College, $5
The Grand Style Orchestra, Brian Mumford, Dan Sasaki, Nick Bindeman
The Grand Style Orchestra cram their way back into Turn! Turn! Turn! to bring you an evening of easy-going jazz music, with special guests Brian Mumford, Dan Sasaki, and Nick Bindeman lending their talents to the proceedings.
8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!
