This might be the biggest weekend of the year thus far in terms of the sheer amount of quality entertainment readily available to drink in; Big as in The Big Float; Big as in Picklefest; Big as in Liv Warfield holding down three straight nights at the Jack London with the NPG Hornz; Big like the Sketch Comedy Festival exploding minds at the Siren; Big like a World Cup Final Block Party; Big like Harefest throwing up the horns in Canby—it's just really, really huge. This mere intro paragraph can't possibly contain all the good stuff; hit the links below and load your plate up accordingly.


Jump to: Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Friday, Jul 13

Liv Warfield
This weekend, Liv Warfield is taking over the Jack London Revue for three nights with NPGHornz, the brass section of her former collaborator and friend Prince’s New Power Generation. Channeling icons like Nina Simone, the self-described “alternative R&B soul with a little rock ’n’ roll” singer’s commanding stage presence and powerful voice make these hometown shows unmissable. CIARA DOLAN
Fri-Sun 9 pm, Jack London Revue, $25

The Portland Sketch Comedy Festival
For the second straight year, the Siren Theater transforms into a sketch comedy mecca for three days, with performances from hilarious sketch acts from all over the country, as well as homegrown sketch genius right here in Portland. Each show is $12, but you can nab yourself an all show pass and get access to every last sketch for $85.
Fri-Sat, Siren Theater, click here for full show schedule and showtimes, $12-85

The Doubleclicks
Angela and Aubrey Webber bring their beloved geek-folk outfit down to Books With Pictures for an intimate all-ages performance.
7 pm, Books With Pictures, $5-10, all ages

Monster Drawing Rally IV
Every year, nearly 100 local artists gather in the Portland Art Museum’s courtyard to donate however many monster drawings they can make in a three-hour span. The drawings are sold as they’re created ($35 a pop!), and the money generates funding for youth art programs. It’s a whole lot of good things in one spot! The bazaar-style atmosphere has DJs and food, but remember, you’re still at a museum: You can watch a piece of art come to life, but please don’t touch the art(ists)! SUZETTE SMITH
6 pm, Portland Art Museum, free, all ages

Wimps, The Ghost Ease, Mope Grooves
Anytime Seattle’s Wimps bring their playful pop-punk stylings to town, you know you’re in for a treat. That goes double for tonight’s show, which serves as a release party for the band’s new Kill Rock Stars-issued full-length, Garbage People. The album is chock-full of the infectious hooks, call-and-response vocals, and crushingly relatable lyrics you’ve come to expect from the trio, so grab yourself a ticket and a tall boy, and fist-pump your frustrations into next week. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-12

Sylvan Esso, Phoebe Bridgers
The summery electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso arrives at the Edgefield lawn at the perfect time of year. The group’s long-awaited sophomore album, last year’s What Now, is an edgier, snappier version of the North Carolina duo’s eponymous debut from 2014, dropping shade on the mainstream music industry with hypnotic beats and sugary hooks by vocalist Amelia Meath. It’s the perfect album for jumping around on a giant lawn to! Get there early to catch Phoebe Bridgers, an LA songwriter with bittersweet vibes. ALEX ZIELINSKI
7 pm, Edgefield, $38.50, all ages

Wye Oak, Madeline Kenney
The magnetic Baltimore, Maryland, duo Wye Oak has spent the past decade making beautifully simple and introspective indie rock. Early records like their guitar-driven 2008 debut If Children and 2009 follow-up The Knot are composed of folksy songs with pensive lyrics, but the band’s synth-heavy new album The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs finds them experimenting more than ever before. With newfound R&B influences, Wye Oak’s latest is electronic, minimalist, and overall dreamy.
8 pm, Revolution Hall, $20, all ages

70mm Wonderfulness at the Hollywood Theatre
This weekend, the Hollywood Theatre is showing a pair of ’80s classics in their full 70mm glory. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the one where Indy and his dad (Sean Connery) fight Nazis as they search for a dirty old magic cup. It’s an action-packed delight! The Dark Crystal is the weird, creepy Muppet movie that doesn’t have any actual Muppets in it, about a quest for a shard of magic rock. It scarred the collective childhood of a generation! NED LANNAMANN
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 6 pm; The Dark Crystal: Sat 1 pm, Sun 2 pm; Hollywood Theatre, $12, all ages

Arlo Guthrie
On the heels of his Alice's Restaurant and Running Down The Road anniversary tours, the renowned folk singer/songwriter and activist returns to town for the Portland stop on the "Re:Generation" Tour.
8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $49.50-52, all ages

Trout Steak Revival, Ben Morrison
Denver's Trout Steak Revival bring some finger-pickin' bluegrass goodness through Bunk Bar for the Portland stop on a North American tour. Ben Morrison of The Brothers Comatose rounds out the proceedings.
9:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $17-20

Foxy Lemon, Dad Works Hard, Streetcar Conductors
Foxy Lemon bring their organ-fueled garage rock through the Fixin' To to spearhead a Radio Hot Tub showcase along with support from local up-and-comers Dad Works Hard and Streetcar Conductors.
9 pm, The Fixin' To, $5

Harefest 8
If rock is dead, Canby's prepping a damn decent zombie apocalypse. Head south for Harefest, an annual festival of cover bands (with tributes to Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, Heart, and more), camping, and beer. Canby: Always your best for traveling 20 years into the past. DIRK VANDERHART
5 pm, Pat's Acres Racing Complex, $40-175


Saturday, Jul 14

Picklefest
The Portland Pickles have officially taken the West Coast League by storm. Powered by some unbelievably clutch hitting from fan favorites Zander Clarke and Joey Cooper, the team recently locked up a playoff spot by clinching the West Coast League’s South title for the first half of the 2018 season. To celebrate the occasion, the Pickles are throwing Picklefest, a summer festival with more than 50 beers, all the hot dogs and fried pickles you can eat, and live music from beloved Seattle pop-punk outfit Tacocat, along with Portland’s own Kyle Craft and the Parson Red Heads. A ticket to Picklefest will net you a souvenir pint with a complimentary fill, admission to the pregame concert, entry into a vinyl giveaway, and a right field berm ticket for the night game against the Kelowna Falcons. You’ll also get the chance to spend some quality time partying with Dillon the Pickle, who is undoubtedly the greatest mascot in all of sports. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
3 pm, Walker Stadium, $17, all ages

The Big Float
Portland is a city of rivers, and there’s no better way to enjoy it than by floating in the Willamette to cool off in the summer sun—while listening to live music! Portland’s annual river party the Big Float is back, with Zephr, Portland Perk, B-Side Players, and Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons playing on a barge while you paddle around or bob in a tube. Get there early (7:30 am) to help clean up the river and you’ll get free admission to the festivities. KELLY KENOYER
11 am, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, $5-15

Gift of Gab, Vursatyl, Sleep
The legendary Bay Area MC known for unleashing tongue-twisting rhymes over classic hip-hop beats comes up the coast for an early show at the Paris Theater. Local hip-hop institutions Vursatyl and Sleep round out the proceedings.
5 pm, Paris Theater, $15

BĂ©la Fleck & The Flecktones, David Grisman Trio, The Jerry Douglas Band
Banjo virtuoso BĂ©la Fleck and his long-running jazz-tinged bluegrass outfit jam out at the Oregon Zoo as part of the venue's summer concert series.
6:30 pm, Oregon Zoo, $39.50-99.50, all ages

Judy on Duty Daytime
A special daytime edition of Judy on Duty, celebrating one the local queer community. The vibe is genuinely comfortable and inclusive, so assholes and creeps: Stay away, or you'll have to answer to a lot of angry Judys. CIARA DOLAN
3 pm, White Owl Social Club, $5

Bill Burr
There's been a succession of comedians over the decades who have made their bones on taking the microphone and being a hilarious contrarian. The latest iconoclast to pick up that mantle is Boston's Bill Burr, who kills crowds whenever he plays, whether they want to be killed or not.
7 pm & 10 pm, Keller Auditorium, $45

Rotties, Cockeye
Rotties want to party with you, and they're willing to use every tool in the punk-rock playbook to get the job done. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
9 pm, No Fun, $5

Book of Love, The Secret Light
History has been kind to Book of Love. The birth of a new strain of synth-pop has helped connect the band’s best work, like the knock-kneed romance of “I Touch Roses,” the throbbing beauty of “Lullaby,” and the hip-swinging “Hunny Hunny,” to modern artists like Beach House, LCD Soundsystem, and any group that’s released music on the Italians Do It Better label. Seizing on this opportunity, Book of Love’s original members—Ted Ottaviano, Susan Ottaviano (no relation), Jade Lee, and Lauren Roselli Johnson—have been working to cement their heritage with the rerelease of their catalog and a smattering of new songs. To celebrate both the release of a new compilation of their vintage tunes and the 30th anniversary of their second album Lullaby, they’ve been popping up around the country this year, including a stop at the Star Theater on Saturday. Fuck the modern artists trying to breathlessly recapture the sound of the past—go straight to the source. ROBERT HAM 7:30 pm, Star Theater, $20-50

The Intelligence, The Lavender Flu
A pair of Pacific NW-based art-punk and garage rock staples split a co-headlined, Saturday night bill at Mississippi Studios.
10:30 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-12

Whiskey Shivers
The Austin-hailing band bring their uptempo and high-energy blend of bluegrass and folk-rock back through town for an intimate show supporting their 2017 full-length, Some Part of Something.
7:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $18-20

Foster Tasting Tour
Pick up a passport book and indulge in tasty $5 treats from an array of Foster area businesses, including Nayar Taqueria, Jurassic Cart, Bar Maven, La Arepa, and the Portland Mercado. Collect as many stickers as you can and return your passport for a chance to win prizes.
2 pm, Foster Area Business Association, click here for a complete list of participating businesses and offerings, $5

Paul Tobin
Oni Press and Cosmic Monkey Comics host a signing and release party in celebration of Paul Tobin's latest, Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together.
noon, Cosmic Monkey Comics, free

McTuff
Seattle jazz trio McTuff’s organ-centric crew exhibits blistering chops, as heard on their most recent LP, Vol. 3: The Root, where their worldly musical muses traverse impressive realms on scorchers like “A Mendacious One” or the glittering dancehall jam “The Brat.” Those inclined to cut a rug had best be in attendance. RYAN J. PRADO
10 pm, Goodfoot, $10

The Tamed West, Boone Howard, Pool Boys
Portland trio the Tamed West bring their psych-tinged pop and garage rock down to the Doug Fir Lounge to celebrate the release of their self-titled debut. Likeminded locals Boone Howard and Pool Boys round out the bill.
9 pm, Doug Fir, $10-12

Millennial Falcon, Harry Katz & the Pistachios, Mouthbreather, Living Skins, Dwight D
Millennial Falcon’s self-described “space pirate punk” combines the lighthearted elements of ska and the driving energy of punk rock. The Portland band’s latest release, Hikikomori, drips with angst, and songs like “Nazi Punchers” have enough gusto to power a small army. What really sets Millennial Falcon apart is the presence of comic book kitsch—it’s almost like they’re creating superhero soundtracks—but passionate rock ’n’ roll ingenuity prevents it from becoming another throwaway party punk band. DELANEY MOTTER
8 pm, Firkin Tavern, free

Summer Strawberry Beer Fest
Saraveza and the Fruit Beer Festival team up to add one more mini-fest to the city's ever growing roster of delicious showcases for adventurous brewers. Behold! BEERS MADE OUT OF STRAWBERRIES. 15 of 'em, in fact, paired with strawberry food specials.
noon, Saraveza, $10


Sunday, Jul 15

Control Yourself: Reunion Edition
Last year, JoAnn Schinderle turned the lights out on Control Yourself, the brilliant stand-up showcase she hosted for years at the Alberta Street Pub. But for one night only, as a special summer gift to Portland comedy lovers, she's bringing it back at the Clinton Street Theater, with stand-up sets from Steph Tolev, Milan Patel, Simon Gibson, Shain Brendan, and Shrista Tyree.
8 pm, Clinton Street Theater, $15

Melissa Etheridge
The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter brings her heartland rock and blues back to the Oregon Zoo for the Portland stop on "The Rock Show" Tour.
7 pm, Oregon Zoo, $39.50-99.50, all ages

World Cup Final Block Party
Another four years, another World Cup, and another joyous international celebration of both the beautiful game of soccer and the festering corruption eating away at the rotten heart of FIFA. Fun! Also regardless, let’s take a sec to acknowledge this for what it actually is: An excellent excuse to get soused at 8 am on a Sunday. ERIK HENRIKSEN
7 am, The Toffee Club, free

Car Seat Headrest, Naked Giants
What do you do to follow up a pair of excellent records that prompted a whole bunch of people to declare you the savior of the dying genre known as indie rock? If you’re Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo, you revisit, reimagine, and re-record a seven-year-old Bandcamp fave. Car Seat Headrest rocketed to relative fame in 2016 after the venerable Matador Records released Teens of Style and Teens of Denial, two documents of Toledo’s undeniable talent at expertly fusing jagged guitars, clever lyrics, memorable melodies, relatable neuroses, and DIY ethos. The guy is still just 25, and he seriously knows what he’s doing. That’s obvious yet again on his latest project, in which he re-recorded his self-released 2011 album Twin Fantasy to capture his original vision, now that he has more money and time to spend. It’s an odd next step, but Toldeo improved the album in every possible way. BEN SALMON
8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $24-28, all ages

Miss Rayon, The Fur Coats, Star Club
A trio of local bands take control of the Doug Fir stage and serve up and evening of shapeshifting dance punk and hazy R&B for you to shake your hips to.
9 pm, Doug Fir, $10

Kina Grannis, Imaginary Future
The singer/songwriter and YouTube star brings her acoustic pop music through the Hawthorne Theatre for the Portland stop on a tour supporting her latest album, In The Waiting.
8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $22.50-25

Indira Valey, Half Shadow, Bohr, Drum Sands
Experimental artist Indira Valey brings her mesmerizing, loop-driven soundscapes out to the cozy North Portland venue to cap off an evening of dynamic music including sounds from Half Shadow and Bohr, and spoken word from Drum Sands.
8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!, $5

S. Carey, H.C. McEntire
Bon Iver drummer S. Carey headlines tonight’s show, but get there early to see Mount Moriah frontwoman H.C. McEntire, who released her stunning solo debut Lionheart via Merge Records earlier this year. With the help of collaborators like riot grrl icon Kathleen Hanna and Americana singer/songwriter Tift Merritt, McEntire’s powerful songs unite the Appalachian folk traditions of the rural North Carolina hollers where she was raised with the punk ethos of her former band Bellafea and modern pop elements (like the electronic beat on “Wild Dogs,” which features backing vocals from Angel Olsen and harp from Mary Lattimore). Her words bridge another kind of canyon: On tracks like opener “A Lamb, A Dove,” she layers Biblical imagery with lyrics that openly discuss queer relationships (“I have found heaven in a woman’s touch/Come to me now, I’ll make you blush”). McEntire is one of the few openly gay women in country music, and throughout Lionheart, she sings lovingly about the Bible Belt, a place that has yet to accept her. These songs swell with mercy, grace, and grit—just listen to “Red Silo” and tell me H.C. McEntire isn’t destined for Lucinda Williams-level greatness, I dare you. CIARA DOLAN
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15

Sama Dams, Aan, Gabriel Delicious
Local indie rock innovators Sama Dams and Aan head up the latest installment of Sunday Sessions with their shapeshifting sounds, with LA-via-Seattle artist Gabriel Delicious in town to round out the proceedings.
8:30 pm, Rontoms, free

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