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Friday, Oct 5
67th Annual Portland Greek Festival
The 67th annual Portland Greek Festival invites you out to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church to celebrate all things Greek. Experience culture by way of traditional folk dance and musical performances, browse goods from craft and jewelry vendors, and take part in a cooking demonstration with The Art of Greek Cooking author George Papas. Stock up on fine cheeses, olives, olive oil, pastas, herbs and spices, preserves, and nuts from the festival deli, and be sure to save room to indulge in an array of authentic Greek dinners and pastries. (Fri-Sat 10 am, Sun 11 am, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, free, all ages)
Poltergeist LIVE
Theeeeeyâre heeeeeere! The horror-lairious return of last yearâs smash success parody Poltergeist Live! is, of course, a spoof on the â80s film about a little blonde girl getting sucked into her TV set? IDK, I never saw it. But I got the gist from last yearâs production because you donât really need to see the original film to enjoy this ridiculous spoof which includes the Mercuryâs own Editor in Chief, Wm. Steven Humphrey in the castânot as the little girl but as something equally innocent and terrifying! (Fri-Sat 8 pm, Siren Theater, $18-25) SUZETTE SMITH
Shannon & the Clams, Savila, Fantastic Plastic
The 1950s seem like they sucked, but Shannon and the Clams salvage all the good stuff from that strange decade with their modern doo-wop revival. Well, at least the good stuff from the movies. Shiny cars! Milkshakes! Knife fights! The Oakland, California, band plays music thatâs fit for high school gyms and greasy-faced backseat makeouts. Thereâs something sinister about Shannon and the Clamsâ bubblegum-pop, like itâs laced with shards of glass, but thatâs probably what catapults them beyond the swamp of nostalgia that drowns less talented retro bands. (9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $16-18) CIARA DOLAN
Shellac, Buke & Gase
When Shellac toured through Portland a couple years back, the intimacy of their performances made the bandâs cantankerous songs uncomfortable in all the right ways. Led by the famously no-bullshit Steve Albini, Shellac still projects that attitude, and in their third decade of existence, theyâre still capable of leveling full city blocks with their clunky, minimalist onslaught. Shellacâs most recent album, 2014âs Dude Incredible, sounds pissed off, warm, and huge, thanks in no small part to the insistence of the bandâs all-analog recording regimen. Itâs up there with Shellacâs more ballyhooed earlier releases, like 2000âs 1000 Hurts. (9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $18-20) RYAN J. PRADO
Oh Sees, Malaikat Dan Singa, Møtrik
The howling garage rock of Oh Sees (who now perform without the âTheeâ) just keeps getting better and better, and their latest album Smote Reverser is a wild trip into phantasmagoria's vast, lysergic canyons. With dueling drummers and a huge back catalog to plunder, theyâre one of the most ferociously great bands in the country. (9:30 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $22-25, all ages) NED LANNAMANN
The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival
Portland's annual celebration of all things slimy and betentacled, (Extra-tentacled? Tentacular? Weird and gross, let's just roll with that) with special guests including Richard Stanley, Andrew Leman, Wilum H. Pugmire, and Necronomidol. (Hollywood Theatre, click here for a complete schedule)
The Vaccines, Jesse Jo Stark
The Vaccines follow the Arctic Monkeys' complex of modern British fuzz-pop bands that really, really want to be the next Kinks or the Rolling Stones (9 pm, Dante's, $18) CAMERON CROWELL
Guerilla Toss, Sea Moss, Zebu
Guerilla Toss has long been enamored with the danceable strains of no wave and post-punk, taking inspiration from the whacked out disco-skronk visions of James Chance and the sweat-stained grooves of ESG. (9:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $12-14) ROBERT HAM
The Social Stomach, The Vardaman Ensemble, Cosmonox
On their recent split cassette with fellow Portland noisemakers Sea Moss, the Social Stomach come close to capturing the pummeling force of their live shows, but thereâs still no better way to experience the duo than in the flesh. As cyborg-like TJ Thompson splits his body and mind between drums and electronics, vocalist Diana Oropeza conducts an exorcism of language, her torrent of words crashing into and arcing above the legible chaos summoned by her bandmate. Itâs not noise. Itâs not punk. Itâs not poetry. Itâs not rock ânâ roll. Itâs not dance music. Itâs all of those things. Itâs none of those things. Itâs something else entirely. Itâs the Social Stomach. (8 pm, Firkin Tavern, free) CHRIS STAMM
O-Vary Funny: A Stand-Up Fundraiser
Stand up to ovarian cancer at this comedic stand up night featuring Alex Falcone AKA Portlandâs Funniest Person (of 2018.) Event also boasts plenty of cocktails and dinner to bootâall in support of the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and SW Washington. (6 pm, Doubletree Hotel, $75) EMILLY PRADO
Saturday, Oct 6
The Descendents
An all-ages affair with the hugely influential pop-punk band out of Manhattan Beach, California, spearheaded by singer Milo Aukerman, guitarist Stephen Egerton, bassist Karl Alvarez, and drummer Bill Stevenson. (8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $29.95-35)
Screaming Females, Kitten Forever, Piss Test
The first few seconds of Screaming Femalesâ absolutely killer new album All at Once announce the New Jersey punk bandâs return with short, controlled bursts of noise from a roaring electric guitar and crashing drums. That chaotic but restrained energy courses through the whole 15-track record, from Marissa Paternosterâs guttural vibrato on âIâll Make You Sorryâ to the blistering opening guitar riff on the ode to abstract painter âAgnes Martinâ to the double drum attack (featuring Brendan Canty of Fugazi) on the anthemic standout âSoft Domination.â (9:30 pm, Mississippi Studios, $15) CIARA DOLAN
Robyn Hitchcock & The Nashville Fabs, Davey Lane
Whether he's with the Egyptians, the Venus 3, or his seminal group the Soft Boys, Robyn Hitchcock has always been one of our finest songwriters. (8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $25, all ages) NED LANNAMANN
Ty Segall, White Fence, The Lavender Flu
Rock ânâ roll titan Ty Segall joins White Fence to play songs from their new collaborative album Joy. Though it seems like the prolific Segall shouldâve already mapped every shadowy corner of the psychedelic garage heâs the unofficial king of, his work with White Fence frontman Tim Presley proves thereâs plenty left to explore. The record plays like the extended jam session of two geniuses bouncing energy off each other, but there are distinct twists and turns: the strangely satisfying 30-second drum breakdown in âBeginning,â the bleary harmonies of âBody Behavior,â and the startlingly simple beauty of closing track âMy Friend.â Segall will return to Portland later this month to play an acoustic show at the Aladdin Theater all on his lonesome. (9 pm, Revolution Hall, $28-30, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
A rare opportunity to catch the debut of Dario Argento on the big screen, with 1970's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, directed by an Argento who was still pretty beholden to Hitchcock and hadn't quite turned himself over to the full-blast vividity of his later rancid madnesses. Many consider this film the birth of Italy's "giallo" movement, and also the proof-of-concept for Brian De Palma's entire career. I can't tell if I'm criticizing or damning this movie right now. 9:30 pm, NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium) BOBBY ROBERTS
The Prids, Sick Wish
The Prids might be one of Portlandâs longest-running bands, having overcome a number of setbacks throughout their two-decade tenure that wouldâve had lesser groups calling it a day. That tenacity carries into the bandâs music, as they continue to defy trends in a city and music scene that continues to change. The Prids occupy a corner of music where heartbreak and sadness exist under the hue of sunlight breaking through gray clouds. (8:30 pm, The Lovecraft, $5) MARK LORE
Club Kai Kai
The latest installment of Holocene's pop-up club series welcomes VH1's Flavor of Love and I Love New York star Tiffany "New York" Pollard (AKA HBIC [Head Bitch In Charge]). Diva Dott, Shitney Houston, Phallus Johnson, Debris, and Shelby Lynn round out the evening's performances, with DJs Princess Dimebag and Chanti Darling on-hand to keep you moving all night long. (9 pm, Holocene, $12-15)
Hoptoberfest Block Party
Bridgeport Brewing shuts down the streets for their 2nd annual HoptoberFest Block Party. Enjoy Oktoberfest-inspired beer, music from DJ Ashley Montague, a photo booth, games, and delicious food from an array of vendors. Price of entry includes a BridgePort Brewing stainless steel tumbler and three drink tickets redeemable for 10oz pours of Bridgeport beers. Additional tickets for beer can be purchased at the event for $4 each. (12 pm, Bridgeport Brewpub & Bakery, $13-18)
The Crystal Method
Las Vegas-hailing producer and DJ Scott Kirkland brings his pioneering big beat act back through Portland to take control of the dance floor at 45 East (10 pm, 45 East, $15)
Postwar Radio, Owl Antique
Postwar Radio features scene veterans forming like Voltron and incorporating myriad genres into one bouncy-yet-contemplative indie-rock groove. Owl Antique is Trent Price pursuing his psych-funk muse with the help of Jonas G. (9:30 pm, O'Neill Public House, free)
Tango Alpha Tango, The Stone Foxes
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. (9 pm, Star Theater, $15)
Sunday, Oct 7
Kikagaku Moyo, Weeed
Japanese psychedelic folk-rock band Kikagaku Moyo was one of my top bands to see at this summerâs Pickathon, but even after getting in line early to try to catch their second set at the Galaxy Barn, it was already at capacity and I never got in. But! From what I heard, the five-piece Tokyo outfit puts on a mind-blowing, life-changing show. So itâs a blessing that theyâre bringing their signature blend of psychedelia to Portland this October. Funky bass lines, wah-wah guitar, and sitar drone shine on songs like the seven-minute âDripping Sun,â âTree Smoke,â and âGatherings.â Their music is the perfect soundtrack to a day trip. (8:30 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $15-17) JENNI MOORE
Avi Buffalo, Haunted Summer, Bryson Cone
Avi Buffaloâs music is all shimmering twilight. His guitar solos carry that racing, nearly fumbling excitement of fingers working a bra clasp, and his lushly layered instrumentations are sure to shine. SAM BOVARNICK (9 pm, The Liquor Store, $8)
Nasalrod, Wild Powwers, Bitch'n
Seattle's Wild Powwers bring their guitar-driven rock down the I-5 to celebrate the release of their new Nadine Records-issued full-length, SKIN. Portland music scene stalwarts Nasalrod and Bitch'n round out the proceedings. (8:30 pm, High Water Mark, $7)
Deep Red
DID YOU KNOW: Every time you see a pair of gloved hands murdering someone in this movie, the hands belong to director Dario Argento himself? It's true! Not only did he appreciate the lurid opportunity to mime gruesome murders, but he thought it would save time and money for the production, since then he wouldn't have to teach someone how to murder to his exacting specifcations! RELATED: Dario Argento is a sick fuck. (9:50 pm, Academy Theater, $3-4)
Lindsey Buckingham, J.S. Ondara
Fresh off his dismissal from Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham brings his own show to the Revolution Hall stage for the Portland stop on a North American tour supporting Solo Anthology, which collects works from throughout his solo career. (8 pm, Revolution Hall, $59.50-89.50)
The Protomen, Makeup and Vanity Set, Bit Brigade
The long-running band out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee known for releasing concept albums inspired by the Mega Man series bring their theatrical blend of rock back the the Hawthorne Theatre for a headlining show. (8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $15, all ages)
Rita Wilson, Haley Johnsen
The actress known for her roles in Itâs Complicated, Sleepless in Seattle, The Good Wife, and Girls showcases her singer/songwriter talents when she swings through the Aladdin Theater for the Portland stop on a tour supporting her new self-titled album. (8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $25, all ages)
Candace, Tom Ghoulie, The Rare Forms
Portland trio Candace bring their dream pop, country-tinged shoegaze, and psychedelic rock to Rontoms Sunday Session to cap off a string of dates on the road supporting Blitzen Trapper. (8 pm, Rontoms, free)
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!
