Junction Ave.: A Black Owned Business Pop-Up
Have you been wanting to support Black owned businesses in Portland, but don’t know where to start? First, try harder. Second, here’s some advice: Kick off Black History Month with a visit to Self Enhancement, Inc’s second annual Black owned business pop-up market for a chance to peruse 80 different vendors selling everything from artisanal clothing to locally-made snacks. Bring your kids, dance to live music, and get to know your neighbors. (Sat Feb 1, 2 pm, The Center for Self Enhancement, free) ALEX ZIELINSKI

The I, Anonymous Show
If you love sick secrets, crazy rants, and side-splitting laughs, have we got a show for you! The I, Anonymous Show stars the fabulous Kate Murphy, who selects the wildest, strangest submissions from the beloved Mercury column and reads them live on stage. Joining Kate is a panel of whip-smart comedians—including the oh-so-funny Ben Harkins, Kirsten Kuppenbender, and from the All Fantasy Everything podcast, Sean Jordan!—who dissect these submissions with hilarious precision. If you’re looking for serious fun, the I, Anonymous Show is the place to be! (Thurs Feb 6, 7:30 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $10) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Jai Ho! 10 Year Anniversary Party
DJ Prashant Kakad hasn’t simply turned his monthly party Jai Ho! into one of the hottest dance nights in town thanks to his choice selection of Bollywood and world beat jams; he’s turned it into a nationwide phenomenon with regular events in Seattle, New Orleans, San Diego, and beyond. Tonight, he celebrates the 10th anniversary of injecting Indian culture into Portland’s nightlife with a blowout at Whiskey Bar, complete with a performance from the Jai Ho! Dance Troupe and tunes spun by resident DJ Skee. (Fri Jan 31, 9 pm, The Whiskey Bar, $7-10) ROBERT HAM

Kickin’ It!
This monthly sketch / stand-up / interview / audience game talk show was once Kickin’ It with Shain Brenden, but recently Brenden added a co-host, Jake Silberman, and streamlined the name down to an even more casual Kickin’ It. This month’s show is suitably themed “Budget Cuts,” but the guest list is still a hell of a bargain: Dylan Jenkins and Jeremiah Coughlan! (Fri Jan 31, 9 pm, Kickstand Comedy Space, $10) SUZETTE SMITH

Begonia
Straight outta Manitoba, Canada, Alexa Dirks (AKA Begonia) has made quite an impression here in the states after releasing 2019’s Fear, a collection of R&B-inspired songs that also touch on gospel, jazz, and indie rock—not surprising since it was produced by members of Royal Canoe. Blessed with powerful vocals, Dirks excels on songs like “Beats,” which soars with introspective, clever, and self-aware lyrics; as well as “The Other Side,” a gospel-infused howler that touches on the yearning vagaries of relationships without ever dipping into desperation. Dirks exposes her life and loves through music—and this heartfelt openness is something that’ll keep making Begonia a name to watch out for. (Wed Feb 5, 8:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $10) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Mojo Holler Live
Let us now sing the praises of the bar bands; those valiant players who soundtrack the hangouts and meet cutes at pubs and clubs throughout Portland, but rarely if ever get talked about by the so-called music geeks. A recent favorite is Mojo Holler, the husband-and-wife duo of Missi Hasting and John Baker. The pair work in the rich soil of roots and Americana, writing warm-hearted odes to simple pleasures and deeply felt hurts. And, as all good bar bands should, they’ve got a firm handle on a multitude of cover songs for the folks with a taste for the familiar. (Fri Jan 31, 9 pm, Mock Crest Tavern, free) ROBERT HAM

Party Witch, Purr Purr, DIY Sluts
The newly-minted power duo comprised of Alicia J. Rose (Miss Murgatroid) on accordion, synth, and vocals and Shawna Gore (Captain Vs. Crew) on drums bring their shapeshifting blend of new wave and indie rock out to Kenton for a hometown show. Purr Purr and DIY Sluts round out the Friday-night bill. (Fri Jan 31, 8:30 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club, $5)

Deathlist, Sunbathe, The Ghost Ease, Dragging an Ox Through Water
Come out and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the beloved St. Johns bar and live music scene fixture while taking in sets from a few of the city’s finest indie rock, punk, and experimental folk acts. (Fri Jan 31, 8 pm, The Fixin’ To, free)

Snap! Y2K: ’90s vs. ’00s
The beloved monthly ’90/’00s dance night kicks off 2020 with resident DJ’s Freaky Outty, Colin Jones, and Introcut linking up with special guest DJ Kryptic to pit the biggest hits from each decade against each other, thus leaving all those in attendance the biggest winners of the night. (Fri Jan 31, 9 pm, Holocene, $6-7)

Club Nitty Gritty
If you’re looking for a dance night that sets the evening on fire, check out Club Nitty Gritty, hosted by the always down for a good time DJ Action Slacks (Shannon Wiberg). She’s been pounding the turntables for years with righteous choices in down-home dirty soul. (Sat Feb 1, 9 pm ,The World Famous Kenton Club, $7) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Down North, Wallace Band
Seattle-based quartet Down North bring their soulful blend of punk-rock and soul (yes, you can blend those two. It works quite welll, in fact) down the I-5 for a raucous set at the Jack London Revue. (Sat Feb 1, 9:15 pm, Jack London Revue, $10)

Daniel Menche, Dead Death, WESKE
Daniel Menche is a name that should be familiar to anyone with an interest in extreme noise and dark ambient. (Sat Feb 1, 8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!, $5)

Blow the Whistle
The latest installment of Holocene’s monthly hip-hop party enlists special guest DJ Supreme La Rock to help bless the dance floor with an array of party jams from the Bay to the South and everywhere in between. (Sat Feb 1, 9 pm, Holocene, $5-10)

Fever Feel, Spoon Benders, Tom Ghoulie
The Calgary-based alternative pop outfit swing through Bunk Bar once again for some glam-inspired, psychedelic folk styles. (Sat Feb 1, 8:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $10)

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 Feb 1, 9 pm, Kickstand Comedy Space, $10)

Wave Action
Wave Action’s simple, down-tempo surf feels like daydreaming about aquamarine beaches while lying in a lukewarm Fred Meyer kiddie pool on a gray, humid Portland summer day. (Sun Feb 2, 8 pm, Rontoms, free) CIARA DOLAN

Robert Gay, Skates, Jordan Hull
Nashville-based singer/songwriter and trumpet player Robert Gay is in town gearing up for a West Coast tour with Josiah Johnson (formerly of The Head and the Heart), but not before stepping out for an intimate solo set at the Waypost, with support from local friends Skates and Jordan Hull. (Sun Feb 2, 8 pm, The Waypost, $5)

Lidia Yuknavitch
The acclaimed Portland author behind the bestselling novels The Book of Joan and The Small Backs of Children returns with Verge, her first collection of short fiction. (Tues Feb 4, 7:30 pm, Powell’s City of Books, free)

Relentless Splendor: Femme-uary
Suki’s plays host to the “Femme-uary” installment of this monthly comedy smorgasbord from Relentless Splendor, featuring a headlining set from Hofstra Law Professor-turned-comedian Liz Glazer, and support from Portland’s own Ben Harkins, Kellie Irwin, and more. Hosted by Riley McCarthy. (Tues Feb 4, 8 pm, Suki’s Bar & Grill, $5)

Dogheart, Norman, Neuma
Dogheart is one of the best-kept secrets in town. Their 2019 album, Yeah No for Sure, is a lovely blend of bummed-out folk-pop and surf-rock that fits in nicely with, oh, the past 30+ years of indie rock. (Wed Feb 5, 8:30 pm, Holocene, $8) BEN SALMON

Frogdom, Bathrobe, Christian Cortez
If you dig smooth indie rock and dream pop sounds, you could do much worse than spend the evening down in the Liquor Store basement taking in live music from the likes of Frogdom, Bathrobe, and Christian Cortez. (Wed Feb 5, 9 pm, The Liquor Store, $7)

Galaxe, DVR
Portland-via-Indiana drummer, producer and MC Nick Werth brings his futuristic hip-hop and electronica project to Bunk for a night guaranteed to fill your head with the best beats. (Thurs Feb 6, 8:30 pm, Bunk Bar, $10)

Basil Strawberry, Sheers, Ancient Pools
This Pabst Extra $5 show is guaranteed to do the opposite of what live shows usually promise: It’ll settle your pulse right down. Get chill and dreamy with the crooning harp melodies of Sheers, or slowly dissolve into the ether of Ancient Pools’ ghostly sweet electro-pop. Basil Strawberry is the electronic singer/songwriter project of Basil Jane Stevens, whose 2019 debut Woman explores gender transition with warm, synthy, punk production and lyrics like “My body is nothing / more significant / than a single drop / or everything at once.” (Thurs Feb 6, 8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $5) SUZETTE SMITH

Forty Feet Tall, Dream Wulf, Wax Statues
Portland quartet Forty Feet Tall rounds out a night of Pacific Northwest indie-rock, post-punk, and psych as part of a cheap and local Thursday-night bill at Holocene. (Thurs Feb 6, 8:30 pm, Holocene, $8)

I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House, Savage Family Band
What better way to recognize 20 years of Dante’s hell-raising than to reunite one of Portland’s most legendary collection of musical hell-raisers, I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House? The Savage Family Band lends their support. (Thurs Feb 6, 9 pm, Dante’s, $10)

There’s even more to do in our Cheap, Free, & Fun calendar, and don’t forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!