THURSDAY, July 6

ANIME--Of course you loved Hayao Miyazaki's fabulous The Princess Mononoke. Now see his 1984 epic film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds, based on his ghostly, knotted manga of the same name. JS

PSU--Cramer Hall, 1721 SW Broadway, Room 53, 6:30 pm, Free

ART--There's more to freight trains than you think--like a whole world of underground art that rides the rails from coast to coast every day. Portland-based photographer "Obscura" tracks tramp and railworker graffiti. KD
3 Sides 2 Every Boxcar: Snapshots from the Other Side of the Tracks, NW 17th and LoveJoy, 248-9231, 6 pm, Free

FRIDAY, July 7

MUSIC--With a new name, new label, and new album, the Amazing Crowns are full of punkabilly piss and vigor--and a bunch of beautiful brand new songs for you to rock to. And, they promise not to be the British sissies they sound like. BHG

EJ's, 2140 NE Sandy Blvd, 10 pm, $8

THEATER--From A Clockwork Orange to Beverly Hills Cop, British actor Steven Berkoff has earned himself a tad bit of controversy. Now, he brings his latest one-man show from England to Portland. In Shakespeare's Villans, Berkoff explores the murky depths of Iago, Macbeth, and Shylock, among others. DKH

Lincoln Performance Hall, at PSU, 1620 SW Park Ave, 725-3307, Fri-Sat 8 pm, $18

SATURDAY, July 8

HAIII-YAH!--Nothing says "hard-core action" like a foot whacking you upside the head! As John Cusack astutely proclaimed in Say Anything..."Kickboxing is the sport of the future!"Experience the future, and some serious chop-socky action at Fight Night 3! WSH

Fight Night 3, The Roseland Theater, 8 NW Sixth Ave, 219-9929, 8 pm, $15-34

NUDE BEACH--Shut up about the heat already and take off your clothes! Sauvie Island nude beach is one of Portland's best kept secrets (oops, not any more)--lots of naked people, lots of sand, and only a very few solicitous men with boners. KD

For directions and a parking permit, ($3.50 per day) stop at the Cracker Barrel Grocer, 15005 NW Sauvie Island Rd (over the Hwy 30 Bridge)

SUNDAY, July 9

UNREAL REEL--Serve no movie before its time: The last film ever directed by self-proclaimed charlatan Orson Welles, F For Fake, is a surreal collage of lies, forgeries and deceptions. BHG

NW Film Center's Guild Theatre, 829 SW Ninth, 7 pm, $6

 

MONDAY, July 10

MUSIC--He's no lady, he's the incurable Lyle Lovett. Full of his ten-gallon folkabilly songs and casual side-saddle talk, Lovett brings his band to town for his customary summer stop-over. PB

Schnitzer Concert Hall, SW Broadway and Main, 8 pm, $34-$49 Tuesday, July 11

MUSIC--Our writer Ted Thieman actually only gave Fontanelle's new album half a star in a previous edition of the Mercury, but it was too hard to cut the star graphic in half. Judge for yourself as they open for The For Carnation and Black Heart Procession. Ted will be on hand for questions/comments. JS

Satyricon, 125 NW Sixth Ave, 243-2380, 9:30 pm, $8

 

WEDNESDAY, July 12

ELECTRONICS--A helicopter whomping, a wine glass tingling, a snowflake descending, a spacely piano plummeting from a 70-foot building. You'll just have to go see Mome Raths to find out if I'm describing their music or quoting their lyrics. JS

Robot Steakhouse, call 288-6857 or e-mail pdxrobotsteakhouse@spacemail.com for info