As June 2018 says goodbye, so does the saucy, spicy deliciousness of Wing Week, but there are more risks waiting to be rewarded at Artists Rep with their annual performance art festival taking the stage and blowing minds once again. Speaking of lifting new voices and shining much-needed spotlights—My People's Market takes over the Rose Quarter with goods, food, music, and an abundance of wonderfulness courtesy of the more than 100 participating POC-owned vendors and entrepreneurs. Plus, you got Ural Thomas getting down, Minority Retort speaking up, Amber Tamblyn reading truths, and Pedalpalooza getting Loud 'n' Lit. That's only a fraction of what's on the menu for this weekend; hit the links below and load your plate accordingly


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Friday, Jun 29

Minority Retort
If you haven’t been making time to laugh and, you know, enjoy life, then a great way to get started is with Minority Retort—Portland’s popular comedy show with a very necessary POC viewpoint. Hosted by Jason Lamb, Julia Ramos, and Neeraj Srinivasan, this very special edition will feature hilarious comics James Barela, Lance Edward, Seattle’s Aisha Faroud, as well as headliner Yedoye Travis who appeared at the Bridgetown Comedy Fest, the Montreal Just for Laughs fest, and opened for W. Kamau Bell. Mark my words; you will like him and this entire show! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8 pm, Siren Theater, $10

2018 Risk/Reward Festival
Risk/Reward is like an appetizer plate of Pacific Northwest performance artists. You’ve got your new dances. You’ve got your audience interaction. You’ve got a looping, interactive sound installation in the lobby this year. It’s so cool! And if anything isn’t, the festival is built around performances of 20 minutes or less. You’re bound to come out of the experience having seen at least one new artist whose work intrigues you, and at pay-what-you-will ticket prices the risk is very low on your part.
Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 5 pm, Artists Repertory Theater

Boytoy, Deathlist
Boytoy plays the kind of smoky rock ’n’ roll that sounds like an impossible dream collaboration between Vivian Girls and the Cramps. The Brooklyn band’s new album Night Leaf is full of fuzzy harmonies, jangly surf guitar riffs, psychedelic organ tones, unexpected bongos, and lyrics about the usual suspects: love, loneliness, desire, and rage. CIARA DOLAN
9:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $12-14

Fire Nuns, S.M. Wolf, Rilla, Tallwomen
Indianapolis-based quintet S.M. Wolf bring their psych-tinged power-pop down to Kelly's for the Portland stop on a tour supporting their new full-length, Bad Ocean. Locals Fire Nuns, Rilla, and Tallwomen round out the proceedings with an array of glam rock, indie pop, and hardcore punk.
9 pm, Kelly's Olympian, $7

Here Lies Man, Blackwater Holylight, The Shivas
Typically, heavy rock ’n’ roll can’t move too far in one direction, lest it lose too much of the heaviness. With their 2017 self-titled debut and recent follow-up You Will Know Nothing, Los Angeles’ Here Lies Man might have accomplished a major Darwinian shift for heavy riffage. Their unique style and press release begs the question, “What if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat?” Weighted, blues-based guitar riffs abound on You Will Know Nothing, but they run over bouncy rhythms and hand drums that feel ceremonious, or even ritualistic. The vocals and their delivery are also repetitive and chant-like. Throw in some trippy keys and other psych elements, and Here Lies Man will have you dropping all your inhibitions and dancing your way into a sweaty religious experience. ARIS HUNTER WALES
8 pm, Star Theater, $12

Wreckless Eric, Scott McCaughey
Emerging from the original Stiff Records roster—a stable that also included Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and Nick Lowe—Wreckless Eric has forged a similarly prolific, if not quite as commercially visible career. His magnum opus is the timeless punk anthem “Whole Wide World,” which was originally released on a Stiff sampler in 1977. Following his exit from Stiff, Eric formed a few bands, the most notable of which, Captains of Industry, released just one album before breaking up. His new record, Construction Time and Demolition, contains the sneering attitude and innate power-pop songcraft that made his earlier work so delightfully vibrant, as he experiments in raucous pop-rock ragers, contemplative garage-rock, and psych dissonance. Opening tonight’s show: the legendary Scott McCaughey of the Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, and the Baseball Project. RYAN J. PRADO
8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!, $12

Middle Kids, Duncan Fellows
Middle Kids’ brand-new debut LP Lost Friends kind of sounds like Mitski became an honorary Haim sister. Elton John loves it! And for good reason—between throbbing electric guitar riffs, Fleetwood Mac-style layered harmonies, sucker-punch drums, and frontwoman Hannah Joy’s powerhouse voice, which sometimes cracks with the intensity of her emotions, the Australian band is clearly onto something. It’s not necessarily extraordinary, but standout tracks like “On My Knees” show that Lost Friends isn’t your average indie rock debut. CIARA DOLAN
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15

Screeching Weasel, The Mr. T Experience
Helmed for the last 30 years by formidable songwriter Dr. Frank, Berkeley legends the Mr. T Experience are still one of the more overlooked acts of the 1980s and ’90s Bay Area punk explosion. Forged in the bowels of venues like 924 Gilman St. alongside bands like Green Day, Operation Ivy, and Jawbreaker, the Mr. T Experience broke through strictly the local scene with their 1988 sophomore release Night Shift at the Thrill Factory. Their 1992 LP Milk Milk Lemonade remains a bona fide punk classic, and probably the band’s best-known release. Following numerous lineup changes and multiple albums on Lookout! Records, Dr. Frank began writing books, the first and third of which helped outline the band’s most recent record, 2017’s King Dork Approximately: The Album. Chicago punk legends Screeching Weasel (which is now essentially just frontman Ben Weasel) might be the headliners tonight, but the question must be asked: Are you experienced? RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Dante's, $30

The Portland Mercury's Wing Week
This weekend represents your last chance to get in on the saucy, spicy goodness that is 2018's Wing Week! We've teamed up with Jim Beam, Tsingtao, and nearly 30 of Portland’s favorite wing spots for one hell of a deal: six one-of-a-kind chicken wings for only $5! Featuring wings that range from spicy to savory, and taking place at great restaurants and bars all over town, the Portland Mercury’s Wing Week isn’t to be missed.
Various Locations, see our Wing Week calendar for participating venues

IRL Reading Series
Volume three of the IRL Reading Series sets up shop for at ADX for a late June evening of readings from Gary Gamza, Mamie Stevenson, Aubrey Gates King, Katie Nguyen, and Izzy Ferguson.
7 pm, Art Market PDX


Saturday, Jun 30

Belle and Sebastian, Japanese Breakfast
With How to Solve Our Human Problems (Parts 1-3), the Scottish song-confectioners of Belle and Sebastian have delivered three EPs of danceable, huggable pop, expanding their tenderly optimistic worldview across 15 immaculately crafted songs. Get to tonight’s show in time to catch Japanese Breakfast, whose rough edges show a bit more—her latest, Soft Sounds from Another Planet, is pure emotion, delivered exquisitely. NED LANNAMANN
7 pm, Oregon Zoo, $35-95, all ages

My People's Market: Summer Edition
Mercatus’ My People’s Market, a lovechild between Travel Portland and Prosper Portland, is a newly recurring event/storytelling platform that highlights POC-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. The marketplace platform was created in an attempt to “honor the past, celebrate the present, and re-imagine the future,” while helping business owners of color reach the booming tourism industry, and strive for equity in a mostly-white Portland. After a successful event launch in November, My People’s Market returns this Saturday, and the all-day multicultural function is set to be even bigger and better than the first. Hosted by Carlos the Rollerblader and rapper [E]mpress, there will be more than 100 POC-owned vendors on site, an excellent lineup of music (including Blossom, Saeeda Wright, Fountaine and Farnell Newton), and showcases from A Beat Happenin’ and New Expressive Works. In addition to live music and LOTS of food and drink, there will also be a walking tour of the historic Albina district, live mural painting by the Morpheus Youth Project, yoga, short plays, and much more. With an after party put on by YGB (Young Gifted and Black/Brown) at No Vacancy, Saturday’s festivities are sure to be lit. JENNI MOORE
noon, Rose Quarter Commons, free w/ rsvp

Loud 'n' Lit Ride
The month of June is coming to an end, so it’s time to say goodbye to all the wacky bike-related hijinks we know and love. But not before an epic send-off with the Loud ’n’ Lit ride—hundreds of bikers with lit-up gear and loud music, will take to the streets to say “Sayonara, Pedalpalooza!" KELLY KENOYER
9 pm, Irving Park, free

Friends of Noise Presents: Pride All-Ages Concert/Workshop
Time to blast the final night of Pride month into safe space outer space. Nonprofit Friends of Noise partners with show venue S1 to put on this all-ages concert with a bill that is entirely local young queer performers. I’ll go just to see genderqueer, hip-hop star Maarquii do something all-ages appropriate. Also performing is dynamic rapper [E]mpress and poppy garage rock siblings Kids’ Table. Teens take note, Portland Mercury Copy Chief Jennifer Moore teaches a media savvy workshop at 3 pm. SUZETTE SMITH
3 pm, S1, free

Cider Summit Portland
Featuring nearly 200 ciders from producers nationwide, available in 2 oz. tasters from a souvenir glass, with food from Green Zebra Grocery, Dano's Dogs, Full Moon Crepes, Blue Star Donuts, and Cypress Grove Cheese, a dog lounge hosted by DoveLewis and Portland Pet Food Company, and live music in conjunction with the Cascade Blues Association.
12 pm, The Fields, $30-40

The Sidekicks, The Spirit Of The Beehive, Lee Corey Oswald
Steve Ciolek and his Ohio-based band bring their radiant blend of power-pop and indie rock back through town in support of their excellent new Epitaph-issued full-length, Happiness Hours. Philly's Spirit Of The Beehive and likeminded locals Lee Corey Oswald round out the bill.
8:30 pm, Tonic Lounge, $10

The Future of What: Portland Hip-Hop 101
Kill Rock Stars and Mississippi Studios present a special live taping of Portia Sabin's music industry-focused podcast The Future of What. This afternoon's show, focusing on the past, present, and future of Portland's hip-hop scene, will be co-moderated by DJ Klyph (host of Welcome to the Neighborhood and Klyph Notes), and will feature a panel of Portland hip-hop staples and newcomers including O.G.ONE, Vursatyl, Cool Nutz, Karma Rivera, Mic Capes, and Rasheed Jamal.
1 pm, Mississippi Studios, $5

Frog Eyes, Hello Blue Roses
With all that Frog Eyes leader Carey Mercer has been through in the past few years, it’s not surprising that following this run of live dates, he’s likely quitting the music business. In 2013, the Vancouver, BC-based songwriter was diagnosed with throat cancer, a battle he won handily. Sadly, there seems to be diminishing interest in an idiosyncratic band that plays skittish art-pop driven by a singer whose vocals slide from a gentle purr to a squeaking howl as the spirit moves him. All of that comes to bear on Frog Eyes’ final collective statement Violet Psalms, an album that feels like a line in the sand: Either you’re on board with their wiry, unblinking sound and Mercer’s arch looks into his own inner workings and the strange things we humans do as we seek connection and understanding, or you never will be. ROBERT HAM
9:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $12-14

Ural Thomas & the Pain, Jenny Don't & the Spurs
No one's got soul like Ural Thomas, but tonight the local legend brings us something different: "Vibrations" is the first 7-inch single from the Pain's forthcoming LP The Right Time. A buoyant shuffle, the track contains the sort of youthful optimism touted by Thomas, a septuagenarian restrained only by laws of the space-time continuum. Culled from an era when Thomas rubbed elbows with the likes of James Brown, Otis Redding, and Mary Wells, "Vibrations" saw its original release in 1968. Now reimagined by Scott Magee and the Pain, it's a wonder to hear this music carefully produced with a nod to the heyday in which it was conceived. Filling a void left by dearly departed revivalists Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones, the band is set to embark on a national campaign to put Portland's soul music on the map. BOBBY SMITH
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $13-15

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
Few directors were as adept as shooting themselves in the foot as Sam Peckinpah, an astonishingly kinetic filmmaker whose career was often stymied by fights with higher-ups and his own base impulses. Still, when he was on, he was on. 1974’s Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is a work of pure snarling nihilism, following the peerlessly scuzzy Warren Oates on a desperate South of the Border quest that starts off hellishly, and then just keeps spelunking downwards. (By the second act, even the sun looks hungover.) Watch and marvel at The Evil That Men Can Do, self-inflicted and otherwise. ANDREW WRIGHT
9:30 pm, NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium, $8-9

Little Star, Surfer Rosie, Alien Boy
You don’t have to limit your environmental engagement to Earth Day, especially when a slew of very good bands promise to play and donate money to nonprofits on your behalf. Head over to vegan punk bar, Black Water, for a killer, kill-free burger and a great show in support of Bikes for the World, Bikes Not Bombs, Climate Solutions, National Parks Conservation Association, and People for Bikes. EMILLY PRADO
7 pm, Black Water Bar, $8, all ages

Spaceballs
"So, Lone Star! Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
Sat-Sun 2 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $6

David Cross
The award-winning star of Mr. Show and Arrested Development brings his latest stand-up through the Crystal Ballroom for the Portland stop on the "Oh Come On" Tour.
9 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $35-40

Dear Sugar's Summer Party
Dear Sugar Radio's Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond return to the Revolution Hall stage for a summer party featuring special guests, live questions, and music from Portland's own Wonderly.
8 pm, Revolution Hall, $25-28


Sunday, Jul 1

Amber Tamblyn, Lidia Yuknavitch
Actress and writer Amber Tamblyn reads from her debut novel Any Man, which blends poetry, prose, and suspense to explore the harmful ways in which our society perpetuates rape culture. Tamblyn will be joined in conversation by Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Chronology of Water.
7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books, free

Christopher Titus
Not many comedians own the stage the way Christopher Titus does. He doesn't so much do stand-up as he does pace-and-prowl-and-leap-and-whisper-and-shout-and-stand-up, which results in provocative, piercing sets that leave a laceration or two between laughs.
7 pm & 9:15 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $25

Robin Bacior, Old Unconscious, Rare Diagram
Robin Bacior's songs come at you like a Viking ship sliding through a foggy dawn toward the light. Creating movement with her simple yet ballet-like piano, and accentuated by simple orchestral elements, singer/songwriter (and Mercury contributor) Bacior sets the pace in these quieter and fiery moments. Then she draws the listener back with soothing and reassuring vocals. JENI WREN STOTTRUP
8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-12

Fences
Portland Playhouse presents Lou Bellamy's direction of the highly-acclaimed August Wilson play Fences, about a former athlete turned garbage man whose inscrutable ways and near constant disdain put a huge stress on his son and his wife.
2 pm, Portland Playhouse, $4

Legendary Day Party
Who says you can't get a proper club on until the lights go down? Legendary and Valan Primus have assembled a killer lineup of beatsmiths to prove that day parties go just as hard as the nighttime soirees. With sets from Dubblife, Bnick, Deena Bee, PHNM, Pr11me, and Dev From Above.
2 pm, Century, $10

Independence Day
This is a bad movie. It is a bad movie that blew up the box office in the '90s due to a Super Bowl spot that showed a giant laser exploding the White House. It looked pretty goddamned amazing, to be fair. Most of the movie looks amazing. Roland Emmerich, who peaked with Stargate and has since rolled downhill with ever-more expensive flaming heaps of "cinema," spent half his budget blowing up the other half, and it absolutely shows. However: Being bad doesn't preclude being enjoyable, and Independence Day is very much that, too. Will Smith owning his inevitable superstardom. Jeff Goldblum owning his brainy beefcakery. A dog escaping a fireball by jumping into an alley. Bill Pullman's speech. That one guy saluting vigorously in response to Bill Pullman's speech. Randy Quaid, as plane-and-meat enema, as climax. It may be bad, but it's not really the Fourth of July until the Fresh Prince welcomes you to Earth. BOBBY ROBERTS
9:20 pm, Academy Theater, $3-4

Drag Queen Brunch
Liven up your Sunday brunch with an early afternoon cabaret show featuring celebrity tributes, comedy, and glamour served up by some of Portland's premier drag queens. Coffee and brunch buffet is included with admission, but you'll need to bring extra funds for Bloody Marys or mimosas.
10 am, Night Light Lounge, $22

Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!