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Friday, Nov 30

Mississippi Records 15th Anniversary: Part One
For the first night of Mississippi Records’ 15th anniversary celebration, the beloved Portland label/record store is bringing the Space Lady down to Earth. Always with her winged Viking helmet and Casio keyboard in tow, the Space Lady plays echoing, synth-forward covers of classic rock hits like Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” and Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild,” along with a few of her own spellbinding originals. Tonight she’ll perform while celestial images are projected behind her on the Hollywood Theatre’s big screen. (8 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $10) CIARA DOLAN

Echo & the Bunnymen, Enation
These days, Echo and the Bunnymen is pretty much just Ian McCulloch and original guitarist Will Sergeant (plus some new guys). In October the Liverpool post-punk band released The Stars, the Oceans, and the Moon, a collection of songs from their back-catalogue transformed by “strings and things.” “I’m not doing this for anyone else,” McCulloch said in a press release. “I’m doing it as it’s important to me to make the songs better. I have to do it.” Ian’s gotta do what Ian’s gotta do, but I’m sticking with the originals—it’s pretty hard to improve “Lips Like Sugar,” even when you’ve got “strings and things” at your disposal. (8 pm, Revolution Hall, $60) CIARA DOLAN

Zion I, Libretto, Rich Hunter, DJ Blind Bartimaeus
Oakland-hailing hip-hop crew Zion I have been at it for over two decades. Catch up them tonight when they hit the Star Theater stage in support of their latest release, The Tonite Show with Zion I . (9 pm, Star Theater, $15)

The Feminist Forward Comedy Show
Another night of feminist stand-up from some of the city's very best, including Sonia Ruiz, Erin Dougherty, Sarah B, Nat Jacobs, Danni Cannon, Mel Heywood, and more! (7 pm, Siren Theater, $8)

Cat Hoch, Black Ferns, Jackson Boone
Portland music scene staples Cat Hoch and Jackson Boone bring their shapeshifting pop, rock, and folk sounds through the Fixin' To for a hometown show featuring support from Seattle-hailing alt rock trio Black Ferns. (9 pm, The Fixin' To, $7)

Eve 6, Somme, Party Nails
The Southern California alternative rock band who brought you radio pop gems like "Inside Out" and "Here's to the Night" return to Dante's to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut. (9 pm, Dante's, $25)

J Names
A collection of all the improv talent in Portland that begins with the letter J. Amazingly, there's a ton of it. This special edition of the show will be ASL interpreted for the live audience and the live stream, and will also feature a performance by up-and-coming troupe Bad Girlz. (9:30 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $10-15)

Mary Gauthier, Anna Tivel
Everything about Mary Gauthier is astonishing. The openly gay Nashville songwriter got her first major label record deal at age 42. Her raw folk songs often address the addiction, abandonment, houselessness, and complete emotional devastation she experienced in her younger years. Gauthier wrote her newest album, Rifles and Rosary Beads, as part of the Songwriting with Soldiers program, which pairs wounded veterans with songwriters who help put their experiences to music. It’s a gutting chronicle of physical and emotional trauma, survivor’s guilt, and America’s systemic failures to adequately care for its soldiers once they return home from war. Tonight, she’ll be joined by Portland singer/songwriter Anna Tivel, whose powerful new single “Fenceline” (from her forthcoming LP The Question) addresses our country’s inhumane treatment of immigrants with a story of a harrowing border crossing. (9 pm, Doug Fir, $25-28) CIARA DOLAN

Cop Out: Beyond Black, White & Blue
August Wilson Red Door Project presents Cop Out: Beyond Black, White & Blue, a new theater experience based on interviews with law enforcement, directed by Kevin Jones and co-directed by Damaris Webb and Phil Johnson, with monologues from Shepsu Aakhu, J. Nicole Brooks, Bonnie Ratner, Harrison Rivers, Andrea Stolowitz, and Ben Watkins. (Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm, Self Enhancement, $20)

Jackson Galaxy: Total Cat Mojo Live
The renowned Cat behaviorist and host of My Cat from Hell brings the "Total Cat Mojo Live" Tour through the Crystal Ballroom to help solve all of your feline problems. (7 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $43.50 and up)

Uniform, The Body, Author & Punisher, Street Sects
The latest entry in the Body’s shapeshifting discography finds Portland’s grim soothsayers teaming with the industrial punks of Uniform to draft yet another map of hell. With song titles lifted from revered works about WWII (“Come and See”), self-mutilation (“In My Skin”), and parricide (“We Have Always Lived in the Castle”), the seven churning tracks on Mental Wounds Not Healing evoke a post-everything nightmare of unholy grafts and infinite grief. Melting guitars, agonized howls, and throbbing drum machines cohere into a soundtrack for the worst possible version of the future, and like the best works of horror, it strafes our relative comfort with startling visions of what should not be. (9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $12-14) CHRIS STAMM

Jarboe, Father Murphy, Abronia, Erin Jane Laroue
Prolific artist and singer/songwriter (and former Swans collaborator) Jarboe La Salle Devereaux brings her powerful blend of shapeshifting art rock and psych folk back to Portland to head up a night experimental music at the Tonic Lounge. Italy's Father Murphy and Portland's own Abronia and Erin Jane Laroue round out the proceedings. (8:30 pm, Tonic Lounge, $15-18)

Saturday, Dec 1

Live Wire! Studio Session
Dan Savage never runs out of opinions when it comes to sex and LGBTQ issues, so his upcoming appearance on Live Wire! shouldn’t disappoint. Savage will be joined by other guests: Ethio American singer-songwriter Meklit, comedy duo Frangela, and writer Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall. The live event is sold out, but limited tickets might be available at the door. You can also listen on OPB Saturday at 3 pm, or find the Live Wire podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, et cetera. (noon, Alberta Street Pub, $20-35) BLAIR STENVICK

A John Waters Christmas
The crown prince of perversion, John Waters, returns to Portland with his one-of-a-kind one-man show, A John Waters Christmas. Those who are faint of heart beware: The famed director of Female Trouble will regale the audience with all sorts of triggering, holiday-bashing rants that includes questioning the sexuality of Santa’s reindeers, unsafe toys to give your child, and the most pressing question, “Is it wrong to steal purses from cars in graveyard parking lots on Christmas Eve while mourners leave flowers?” Prepare for an evening of hilarious blasphemy. (8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $37-115, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Neko Case, Destroyer
Recorded while her house was literally burning down on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, “Bad Luck”—the standout track from Neko Case’s new album, Hell-On—showcases the grit and humor that continues to make her music so great. “It’s not as bad as I thought it’d be,” Case sings over one of the record’s many buoyant pop melodies, “But it’s still pretty bad luck.” (8 pm, Roseland, $39.50-56, all ages) CIARA DOLAN

The Holiday Ale Festival
For the 23rd straight year, Pioneer Courthouse Square gets tented, heated, and filled with over 50 specialty winter ales from some of the best brewers in the country. Come down spread some holiday cheer while indulging in an array of delicious Belgians, barleywines, stouts, and sours you won't find at the supermarket, and capitalize on the opportunity to talk to the geniuses responsible for making all these delicious suds, too. (11 am, Pioneer Courthouse Square, $35)

The Chocolate Watchband, The Pynnacles, The Reverberations, DJ Major Sean
Wielding one of the more ferocious sounds of the West Coast’s garage rock scene in the 1960s, the Chocolate Watchband played freaky tunes like “Are You Gonna Be There (At the Love-In)” and “I’m Not Like Everybody Else.” Tonight the Nuggets-enshrined legends rip the top off the Mission with a reunited lineup that includes original members alongside young guns, plus a groovy liquid light show! (8 pm, Mission Theater, $25) NED LANNAMANN

Boink, Nasalrod, Sea Moss
The local experimental punk outfit comprised of members of Dreckig, Havania Whaal, The Wild Body, and Bitch'n head up a hometown show in support of their Nadine Records-issued debut, Something Colorful for Sure. Fellow Portland experimental scene staples Nasalrod and Sea Moss round out the proceedings. (8 pm, Bunk Bar, $8)

Portland ScanFair 2018
When it comes to holidays, the Scandinavians don't screw around. Check out ScanFair, a Nordic Christmas fair that includes dance and entertainment, arts and crafts, delish Scandinavian food, a Pippi Longstocking kids area, a pickled herring and meatball eating contest (!!), and even a visit from jolly old Joulupukki (the Finnish Santa Claus). (Sat-Sun 10am, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, $10, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

How to Dress Well
How to Dress Well, the strange project of Brooklyn's Tom Krell, records washed-out, blurry pop songs that echo with R&B's yearning, often delivered in keening falsetto. The music is lumpy, elusive, broken-sounding, and—more often than not—staggeringly gorgeous. (9 pm, Doug Fir, $15) NED LANNAMANN

Sugar Town Sno-Ball
We adore the semi-regular queer dance night, Sugar Town, which spins the most foot-stompingest classic soul. What could be better? The Sugar Town Sno-Ball: a semi-formal (or dress-to-impress) holiday party crammed with '50s and '60s R&B and '70s soul, all spun by DJ Action Slacks with special guest DJs and Miss McCoy reading tarot cards! Ho-ho hit the floor! (8 pm, The Spare Room, $10) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Owen, Fred Thomas
Fred Thomas should be indie rock royalty by now. If the DIY lifer’s years at the helm of pop darlings Saturday Looks Good to Me and City Center weren't enough, he's done stints in a dozen other bands, produced countless albums, and—with his recently released Aftering—completed a stunning trilogy of lyric-driven solo records. Together, the albums could be looked at as a sociological study in not wanting what everyone else wants, or perhaps a philosophical treatise on why we have nostalgia for things that weren't especially great. At the very least, the albums are Thomas' memoirs of an adulthood spent staring out the windows of tour vans, hiding in the corners of basement shows, and taking it all in. (9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $18-20) JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON

Ciderfest
East Burn hosts a holiday cider celebration that doubles as a benefit for Toys for Tots. A collection of the region's most progressive cideries will be on hand representing their products until the cider runs dry. The $10 admission will net you 5 tasting tickets to get your sampling journey started right out the gate. (4 pm, EastBurn, $10, all ages)

Social Justice Art Auction & Fundraiser
Don't Shoot Portland and the Pacific Northwest College of Art host a special fundraiser event and art auction to help gather funds for planned projects and programs in the coming year. (6 pm, PNCA)

Rose City Rollers: Who's Jam is it Anyway
The Rose City Rollers host a special fundraiser event at the Hangar, giving audience members the chance to donate money in order to tweak the rules, change the game, and upset the rhythm of the bout. (7 pm, The Hangar at Oaks Park, $15-20, all ages)

Sunday, Dec 2

David Gborie
The Old Town Comedy Show presents a headlining set from beloved Los Angeles-based comedian and writer David Gborie, known locally for his regular appearances on Ian Karmel's All Fantasy Everything podcast and for his excellent sets at Minority Retort, the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and Pickathon. (7:30 pm, Siren Theater, $15)

Skating Polly, Potty Mouth
The three siblings in Skating Polly were born to rock like it’s 1993, never mind the fact that they’re all in their teens and early 20s. Formed when they were just nine and 14 years old, respectively, sisters Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse knew from the beginning that their home state of Oklahoma didn’t quite match up with their buzzy, sweet ’n’ sour alt-rock sound. So the whole family moved to Tacoma in 2015, and brother Kurtis has since joined on drums. After a few albums of impressive Veruca Salt- and Bikini Kill-worship, Skating Polly’s new record The Make It All Show finds the trio rocking out with a bit more restraint. (7:30 pm, Mission Theater, $10-12, all ages) BEN SALMON

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Boy that kooky candy maker sure does maim and kill a lot of kids, doesn't he? But you know what they always say: You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and you can't create an everlasting gobstopper without, uhh... (checks notes) drowning a child in chocolate, or burning a child alive, or transforming a child into a giant bladder to be rolled into the torture chambers beneath your factory manned by the enslaved race you employ as wage-free labor. Enjoy your boat ride to hell, you rubes. (Academy Theater, see Movie Times for showtimes, $3-4, all ages) BOBBY ROBERTS

Sumo + Sake
Helium invites you to come out and learn about the history, rules, and culture of Sumo with a special one-day presentation including a Q&A session and live matches featuring champions of the sport. Ticket packages range from show only general admission all the way up to full packages including sake, a lunch/dinner buffet, and a live meet and greet. (3:45 pm & 7 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $45-250)

Pale Waves, Kailee Morgue, The Candescents
The music offered by Manchester, England’s Pale Waves are drops of pop-goth goodness that will relieve your pining for ye olden days of the Cure, while providing salve for your various emotional heartaches. Influences such as the Cranberries, Cocteau Twins, and New Order are easily identified—particularly on songs like “Kiss” and “Eighteen”—but their sound owes just as much to the ’80s pop of Prince and Madonna (and maybe some of the brilliance of Taylor Swift?). Their newest record, My Mind Makes Noises, hits all the sweet spots of pop lust while digging deep at the heartstrings with clear-eyed, laser-focused lyrics. (BTW, keep an eye on frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie—her sweet, harrowing vocals and Robert Smith vibe make her a potential breakout star.) (8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $14-16, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Troop Beverly Heels
Qurb Magazine and Peaches Christ Productions present a drag stage show parody of Shelley Long '80s cult classic, Troop Beverly Hills, with RuPaul's Drag Race star Trixie Mattel heading up a talented cast in a one-night engagement at the Aladdin Theater. (7 pm, Aladdin Theater, $30, all ages)

Youth Market PDX: Night Market
Supporting young people is hip any time of the year. Stop by the inaugural edition of a pop-up series hosted by Marrow PDX featuring Portland metro makers between the ages of 10 and 24. (6 pm, The Village Ballroom, free) EMILLY PRADO

Jim Brickman
The highly-acclaimed performer brings his 22nd annual holiday tour to Portland for an evening of yuletide cheer in the form of carols, standards, and new works aimed at removing the madness of the holiday season and replacing it with comfort and joy. (3 pm, Newmark Theatre, $30-75, all ages)

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