Well, there went 2019, and the first decade of the 21st century. Feels a little weird, right? Especially since all of last year's problems that were around on December 31 are... mostly still here in 2020. So what do we do? We decide to have some goddamn fun, that's what we do. It's the first weekend of 2020 and there's a whole bunch of great comedy, good music, world-champion ass-kickers, and the Biggest Clothing Swap in the Northwest, and that's just a fraction of what's getting packed into the next 72 hours. Hit the links below and plan accordingly


Jump to: Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Friday, Jan 3

Lavender Country, Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters
Released initially as a private press LP in 1973, Lavender Country was the first gay country album ever, beating out Peter Grudzien’s The Unicorn by a year. The messages in the music sadly still resonate to a modern audience, but they no longer have to be delivered from the shadows. (Fri Jan 3, 8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-12) ROBERT HAM

Jon Dore
One of the best homes for humor in our city, Helium Comedy Club opened its doors a decade ago, and they’re kicking off this anniversary year in the perfect way: with a run of shows headlined by stand up Jon Dore. The Ottawa-born comic is a brilliant tactician onstage, luring you in with a premise that quickly veers sideways or lands on an absurdist—and usually completely filthy—note. And his crowd work is some of the best in the business. Ask for a seat close to the stage. You probably won’t regret it. (Jan 3-5, Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 7:30 pm & 10 pm, Sun 7 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $25-33) ROBERT HAM

Galaxe, Brown Calculus, Lisa Vasquez
Portland-via-Indiana drummer, producer and MC Nick Werth brings his futuristic hip-hop and electronica project to the Doug Fir, and with Brown Calculus and Lisa Vasquez on the bill, you're guaranteed a good night of deep grooves. (Fri Jan 3, 9 pm, Doug Fir, $10-12)

Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven
David Lowery has gotten a lot of mileage out of the Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven double bills, having built up an impressive audience through the annual CampOut festival. The now almost Grateful Dead-esque following is something Camper Van Beethoven fans could never have predicted when the band released its still-brilliant 1985 debut, Telephone Free Landslide Victory. But you can't argue with good songs, and both CVB and Cracker have plenty of them—whether they're digging out the weirdo punk and Middle Eastern influences of early Camper Van Beethoven or the indie rock and Americana of Cracker's '90s run. If you're of a certain age, Lowery & Co. are bound to hit one or more of your pleasure centers. (Fri Jan 3, 8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $25, all ages) MARK LORE

Michael Namkung
Local artist Michael Namkung brings his latest book, Seeing the Invisible, to life at the Alberta Rose Theatre via a night of interactive storytelling, poetry, and live visual art. (Fri Jan 3, 8 pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, $25-40)

Farnell Newton & the Soul of Jazz
Local trumpeter Farnell Newton is one of the Portland jazz scene’s most stalwart musicians, but he’s also revered for being a “dad” to the music scene at large for providing relentless support as a teacher, mentor, and through fluid collaborations with other artists making hip-hop and R&B. If you can catch him on his own, or with his band the Othership Connection, you’ll be sent home with a renewed appreciation for the artform, and the fact that you have so many cheap and casual opportunities to see this guy play. (Fri Jan 3, 7 pm, The 1905, free) JENNI MOORE

Cashmere Cat
Norwegian producer and musician Magnus August Høiberg, better known by the stage name Cashmere Cat, returns to Portland with a blend of experimental pop and R&B in support of his latest album, Princess Catgirl. (Fri Jan 3, 9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $25-28, all ages)

Four Horsemen
Tribute Night and Ante Up PDX join forces once again for another DJ-dealt battle royale, but instead of just your basic head to head, they're presenting a four-way fight between hip-hop all-stars J. Cole, Kanye West, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar. (Let's be real real, tho, it's three pretenders and Kung Fu Kenny, no need to dance around the truth of the matter) (Fri Jan 3, 9 pm, Holocene, $10)


Saturday, Jan 4

Fiesta!
Portland's own Edna Vasquez links up with Hillsboro’s Mariachi Una Voz and the Oregon Symphony to bring a dynamic program of Latin American music, ranging from folk, rock, pop, and R&B, to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. (Jan 4-5, Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $24 & Up)

Rose City Rollers: Double Header Season Opener
The Rose City Rollers rev up their latest season with a roller derby double header at the Hangar, with the Heartless Heathers set to take on Guns N Rollers and the Break Neck Betties squaring off against the High Rollers. Maybe your resolution for 2020 has you on the hunt for new ways to stay active and blow off steam, or perhaps you just made a pact to get out of the house a little more. Whatever your goals might be, a full-slate of hard-hitting action awaits you at Oaks Park tonight. (Sat Jan 4, 6 pm, The Hangar at Oaks Park, $20-26, all ages) CHIPP TERWILLIGER

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
The Off-Broadway musical that became a hit independent film that became a massive Broadway smash returns to Portland in its original recipe form, transforming the Ellyn Bye Studio into a dingy, cozy, troubled-yet-welcoming womb by which the dynamo that is Hedwig will be born and the Origin of Love will be delivered. (Sat Sun Jan 4-5, 2 pm & 7:30 pm, Ellyn Bye Studio at the Armory, $25 & Up, through Feb 23)

Dancing is Divine: A Dance Party Tribute to the Films of John Waters
America's filthiest, kindliest uncle gets the DJ Action Slacks tribute treatment, which means a dance party worthy of the name Divine, highlighting some of the finest soul and rockabilly of the '50s and '60s. Beehives and cha cha heels are very much encouraged, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit SMYRC. (Sat Jan 4, 9 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club, $10)

Jubal Fresh
The comedian, radio host, and television personality known for co-hosting the nationally syndicated radio show “Brooke & Jubal in the Morning" returns to the Aladdin for an all-ages Portland stop on the "Fresh Til Death" Tour. (Sat Jan 4, 8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $25-30, all ages)

Bike Chain Rain: A Birthday Tribute to David Cloud Berman
Legendary zine Chickfactor presents a birthday tribute show to the late singer/songwriter and poet David Berman (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains), with musicians, writers, poets, fans, and friends gathering to play music, read poetry, and share stories about the beloved artist on what should have been his 53rd birthday. Proceeds benefit Moms Demand Action and Write Around PDX. Featuring performance by Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Rebecca Gates, William Tyler, Clay Cole, Franklin Bruno, Oed Ronne, A Certain Smile, and more. (Sat Jan 4, 8 pm, Bunk Bar)

TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, Pete Krebs & The Gossamer Wings
The frontman of the Hill Dogs and his backing band bring their self-described “psychedelic doom boogie” to the stage at Mississippi Studios to kick-start the new year with a headlining show supporting their 2019 Mama Bird Recordings-issued album, Arguably OK. (Sat Jan 4, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $13-15)

Swindler, Lost Ox
Seattle's Swindler fuse jazz, soul, funk, and blues into one big sonic monstrosity live on the Goodfoot stage, with like-minded locals Lost On holding down the local support. (Sat Jan 4, 10 pm, Goodfoot, $8)

BowieVision, SOS
Tribute bands are like chain restaurants. You’re not going to have a transcendent experience by any means, but you won’t be in for any nasty surprises, either. So you could do worse than plan your evening around tonight’s two musical bloomin’ onions: BowieVision and SOS, simulating David Bowie (and his many ch-ch-changes) and the Police, respectively. BowieVision probably aren’t gonna dig out any jams from side two of Heroes but there’s something to be said for any band that can tackle both the fuzzed-out glam of the Ziggy era and the big-beat pop of Let’s Dance. SOS, meanwhile, will provide ersatz Sting yelps and Stewart Copeland drum fills. If this all sounds a little too Red Robin for ya, let’s be fair: It’s the first week of January. (Sat Jan 4, 9 pm, Doug Fir, $20) NED LANNAMANN

Savages: A Prestige Stand-Up Showcase
Portland comedy scene staples Adam Pasi, Amanda Arnold, and Nariko Ott head up this brand-new comedy showcase every first Saturday at the Kickstand space. The line-up is a secret, but you can always count on some top local and national talent to swing through. (Sat Jan 4, 9 pm, Kickstand Comedy Space, $10)


Sunday, Jan 5

The Biggest Clothing Swap in the NW
Fact: Your closet is filled with nice but old stuff you don’t wear anymore. That’s why you should bag up your quality goods, and bring ’em down to the Biggest Clothing Swap in the Northwest. Around a thousand other people will be bringing in their duds too, so you can rummage through and swap three floors worth of gently used clothing and accessories for women, men, non-binary, and plus-size people—with all leftover clothes going to local charities. Plus there will be music, mimosas, AND Bloody Marys? Prepare to look and feel fabulous! (Sun Jan 5, noon, Crystal Ballroom, $8-10 and a bag of clothes, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Sheers, Illegal Son
Lily Breshears brings her soulful blend of experimental pop and R&B to the first 2020 installment of Sunday Sessions at Rontoms. Illegal Son, the newly-minted project of Portland-based artist Denzel Mendoza, rounds out the bill. (Sun Jan 5, 8 pm, Rontoms, free)

Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout
Renowned harmonicist Mark Hummel and his talented backing band aim to (literally) blow the roof off the Alberta Rose Theater with the latest incarnation of Hummel's touring blues extravganza. (Sun Jan 5, 8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $35, all ages)

Motionless in White, Beartooth
Scranton, Pennsylvania's Motionless in White link up with Columbus quintet Beartooth to bring the "Diseased & Disguised" Tour through Portland in an effort to kick-start 2020 with a co-headline bill of gothic industrial metalcore and melodic hardcore. (Sun Jan 5, 7 pm, Roseland, $29.50-33, all ages)

Matilda the Musical
The Northwest Children's Theater presents a staging of the Tony Award-winning Matilda the Musical, based on the beloved children's book by Roald Dahl, adapted by Dennis Kelly, and featuring music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. (Sun Jan 5, noon & 4:30 pm, Northwest Children's Theater & School, $16-27, all ages)

Becoming Magic Mike: An Action Adventure Comedy
DK Reinemer returns to Portland with a new one-man show that sees him sinking into the role of a detective sinking into the role of a stripper, and it takes all of Reinemer's skills and talents as a singer, a dancer, and an improv comedian to bring the tale to life. (Sun Jan 5, 8 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $15)

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