Weekends are for celebration, and there's a ton of it to be done this weekend, including a 10th birthday for Blowpony, Lez Stand Up kicking off their Spring Break in silly style, Sir Cupcake throwing a hell of a queer circus, Hedwig tearing down walls with a 35mm revival at the Academy, Alton Brown cooking up delicious food and scintillating science on the same stage, and a Social Justice Social toasting to art and activism while the Northwest's best cider makers get some golden-hued shine. All that, and the Thorns, too. It's a good, busy weekend: Hit the links below and choose your celebrations accordingly.
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Slay
A hip-hop dance party designed specifically for minorities, LGBT, and open-minded people? To that I say: YAS KWEEN! Hosted by Bart Fitzgerald and Blaine Provancha, sounds will be provided by DJ Ronin Roc (resident DJ of Ante Up’s ongoing Tribute Night series) and the established DJ Automation, who curates Killingsworth Dynasty’s Cake PDX community dance party. Queer, trans, people of color, and allies can reserve a “fast pass” (in before 10 pm), and pay a discounted door fee. Sounds like a pretty good deal, especially considering there’s no way this playlist isn’t Beyoncé-heavy. JENNI MOORE
9 pm, Holocene, $10
Lez Stand Up: Spring Break is for Lesbians
One of the most popular comedy nights in Portland, Lez Stand Up, returns for another standing room only show! That was a not-so-subtle hint to get your tickets early for this beloved gig that’s sporting a “Spring Break” theme for the month of March. Along with Lez regulars Kirsten Kuppenbender and Caitlin Weierhauser will be special guests Manny Hall, NYC’s Chelsea Shorte, and Shilpa Joshi who are all intent on busting your gut (with laughter). WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8 pm, Siren Theater, $10
WHY?, Open Mike Eagle
WHY? Because why not? The acclaimed Yoni Wolf-fronted indie band is teaming up with “art” rapper Open Mike Eagle to bring America a healthy dose of much-needed intelligent, hip music. I’d be writing two blurbs if they were performing separately (hop on Spotify and check out WHY?’s chill new album, Moh Lhean, and, if you missed him at Pickathon last summer, listen to Open Mike Eagle’s Hella Personal Film Festival), but they’re doing us all the favor of touring together. See them. DOUG BROWN Read our story on Open Mike Eagle
9 pm, Revolution Hall, $16-18
Kaytranada, NxWorries, Lou Phelps
If you’re reading this, it’s too late—Adidas is hosting a free show at the Memorial Coliseum with Kaytranada, NxWorries, and Lou Phelps, but they’re fresh out of RSVP spots. Those lucky enough to snag tickets will experience the excellent sounds of Haiti-born, Montreal-raised producer Kaytranada, whose debut LP 99.9% was one of the best albums of 2016. With masterfully manipulated samples converging in woozy, surrealist orchestras, its 15 tracks fall somewhere between R&B, acid-washed psychedelia, and dance. They also boast features from some pretty big names, like AlunaGeorge, BadBadNotGood, and Anderson .Paak. His younger brother Lou Phelps will open, along with NxWorries (.Paak and producer Knxwledge). Since both Kaytranada and .Paak will be in the building, chances are pretty good they’ll perform “Glowed Up”—the synthy standout of 99.9%. CIARA DOLAN
7 pm, Rose Quarter Memorial Coliseum, free w/ rsvp
Social Distortion, Jade Jackson
Social Distortion is somehow still packing venues not named House of Blues or the Hard Rock Café, even into the fifth decade of the band's existence. And while whatever relevance they may have now isn't really up for debate, their influence has been far-reaching, in many different corners of the American rock 'n' roll underground. From punkers to country rockers to rockabilly daddies, Social D has meant a lot to a lot of people. RYAN J. PRADO
8 pm, Roseland, $40-130, all ages
Resistance Talks: The Rise of Corporate Rule
Learn about local organizations fighting against financial elites at this discussion with members from Portland Tenants United, People’s Food Co-op, XRAY.FM, and Direct Action Alliance. Divestment, real estate, mainstream media, and the food industry will be covered. Secure tickets ASAP as this event is expect to sell out. Donations benefit Know Your City. EMILLY PRADO
5:30 pm, People's Co-Op, $10
Agnes Obel
There's something about Agnes Obel's songs that makes them feel almost tangible, as if they're sitting right next to you in glorious 3D. You can practically hear the air vibrate around them—they expand and contract like living, breathing beings. Ever since the release of her 2010 breakthrough Philharmonics (which went five times platinum in her native Denmark), Obel has constructed her exquisite avant-pop mostly out of playful piano melodies, uncomplicated guitar parts, dramatic string-section swells, and her own haunting vocals. The results are tastefully ornate, deeply personal, and undeniably catchy. As the genre boundaries of yesteryear continue to blur and disintegrate, Obel will be at the forefront of those exploring the spaces between folk, classical, and pop. BEN SALMON
9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $18
Mára, Thalassa, Nordra, Daniel Menche
This weekend Sige Records, an experimental ambient label based in Vashon, Washington, presents an all-ages showcase featuring artists that appear on its imprint at Leaven Community Center, a space that lends itself to facilitating connection between spiritual communities. Mára, the project of the label’s co-owner Faith Coloccia, captures the essence of dream-pop with gentle harmonizations between voice and piano. Prolific abstract sound musician Daniel Menche will perform as well—his form of aural exposition defies categorization. Densely layered dronescapes cascade into infinity, providing an interactive experience that can be different every time. Menche’s latest release, Sleeper, encourages listeners to tune into the films that play behind our eyes within the province of the mind, a space that even in slumber presents endless opportunities for exploration. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD
8 pm, Leaven Community Center
Sir Cupcake's Queer Circus
A fantastic voyage of a variety show from Jack Stocklynn, showcasing the best of Portland's circus community, including acrobatics by Ari & Ben, DieAna Dae & Box of Clowns, and of course: cupcakes.
8 pm, Echo Theatre, $22
Mope Grooves, Honey Bucket, Marcy's Band, Nick Normal, Super Hit, Toxic Slime Records, Cool Schmool
Mope Grooves plays a slick slice of grimy slacker-rock, boasting endearingly out-of-tune vocals from Stevie Sensitive (formerly of Youthbitch) and mean lead guitars. RYAN J. PRADO
7:30 pm, American Legion Local 134, $6-10
World Water Day Pub Crawl
Base Camp, Coopers Hall, Cyrils at Clay Pigeon, and Portland Roasting all come together for a pub crawl of the Eastside Industrial District to pay tribute to the one ingredient they share in common, the most important ingredient: Water! Proceeds will go towards the Colombia Wastewater Management Project.
5 pm, Various Locations, $20
James Chance & the Contortions
The ingredients that make up James Chance and the Contortions sound like a prototypical '60s garage rock band: a handsome, well-coiffed leader who sings and plays saxophone; cheap keyboards; vampy female vocalists. But filtered through the no wave aesthetic that permeated the New York rock scene in the late '70s/early '80s, the mixture turned into something far funkier and much, much nastier. The feeling of albums like Buy and Off White (both released in 1979) was dangerous, as if the music itself might take human form and mug you on the dancefloor. The now 63-year-old Chance has kept to those same sonic ideals even today as he fronts a new version of the Contortions on a tour in support of 2016's The Flesh Is Weak, which features strains of ska and Afrobeat in the otherwise searing disco-funk-punk blend. ROBERT HAM
9 pm, Star Theater, $15
Kane Strang, Chastity Belt
If indie rock were high school, Chastity Belt would’ve already carved out their space in the weird trophy case made for portraits of Laura Palmer or creepy coaches with fuzzy mustaches who won state in the ’80s. The Seattle band refined their almost formulaic catchiness on 2015’s Time to Go Home. Opening track “Drone” begins with greyscale, noodling guitar backed by down-tempo drums, with guitarist/vocalist Julio Shapiro offering witty-yet-dejected observations like “He was just another man trying to teach me something.” This June they’ll release a third LP, I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone. On its first single, “Different Now,” Shapiro’s observations are less wry and deflated—instead they’re clear and tinged with some genuine sentimentality. Perhaps Chastity Belt has graduated. CAMERON CROWELL
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-12
Cameron Avery, Omar Velasco
Tame Impala bassist Cameron Avery brings his Dean Martin- and Frank Sinatra-inspired solo act to the Holocene stage in support of his debut album, Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams.
7 pm, Holocene, $13-15
Lore Podcast: Live
Host Aaron Mahnke and musical guest Chad Lawson bring the acclaimed non-fiction horror podcast to the stage ahead of an upcoming TV adaptation for the Amazon Video network.
8 pm, Revolution Hall, $35, all ages
VCR TV
Ever watch The Terminator and think "all this suspense and murder is fun, but you know what would be really cool? If this neon bar they're dancing in was a place I could dance in!" Well guess what.
8:30 pm, Quarterworld, $3
Luniz, Subcon Savant, A-Ru$$, Lijah
The Paris hosts a night of old school hip-hop and DJing, featuring a live performance from Luniz, the long-running Oakland-based rap duo best known for their 1995 single, "I Got 5 on It."
9 pm, Paris Theater
Fred & Toody, Tallwomen, Aubrey Debauchery
Portland musicians Fred and Toody Cole rocked together for decades in bands like Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows, and the Rats. And while the husband-wife duo have left the rocking in the past, their stripped-down unplugged sets remain unmissable. Catch the legendary pair tonight when they stop by the Tonic Lounge for a headlining set celebrating the venue's grand re-opening.
9 pm, Tonic Lounge, $10
The Bouncing Souls, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Get Dead
New Brunswick's long-running purveyors of pogo-ready punk return to Portland for an all-ages show in support of their 2016 full-length, Simplicity.
8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $23, all ages
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Both the musical tale of a struggling East German Transgender rockstar and a clever retelling of Plato’s Symposium, the 2001 film Hedwig and the Angry Inch never achieved the box office success it deserved, but it lives in the hearts of misfits everywhere, and now on 35mm in a special engagement at the Academy Theater. Put on some makeup and put on the eight-track! MEGAN BURBANK
9:30 pm, Academy Theater
Blowpony: 10 Year Anniversary
For those who proudly label themselves hardcore queer, Blow Pony has been the dance night known for reliable fun and inscrutable hijinks. And now there’s even better reason to celebrate, because Blow Pony is celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a lineup that (as usual) refuses to fuck around: Drag goddess Trixie Mattel, music from Double Duchess, nasty rappin’ from Will Sheridan, dance from Daniel Giròn, various DJs, gay go-gos (gasp for breath) and, trust me, the fun’s just getting started. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8 pm, Bossanova Ballroom
Frankenstein's Comic Book Swap
Get excited: This Saturday, Frankenstein's Comic Book Swap returns to the Eagles Lodge, offering tables and tables of classic comics, weird books and magazines, battered VHS tapes, and rarities and novelties you won't find anywhere else! The vibe is chill and friendly, you're certain to find something you need to have, and it's so cheap—admission's a buck!—that even after picking up a comic or two, you'll still have enough cash for one of the Lodge's famously stiff drinks. ERIK HENRIKSEN
noon, Eagles Lodge (F.O.E. #3256), $1, all ages
My Favorite Murder
Join hosts Karen Kilgariff (Mr. Show, Bridgetown Comedy Festival) and Georgia Hardstark for a live taping of their popular true crime podcast in which they discuss their favorite tales of murder and weigh in on hometown crime stories from friends and fans. Read our article on My Favorite Murder.
STRFKR, Psychic Twin
Portland’s STRFKR (formerly Pyramiddd, formerly Starfucker, still Starfucker) has never made a bad record. The album art is always on point. Their live shows are original and fun. Their music video for “In the End” is an homage to John Waters—it’s about beautiful drag queens pulling off a heist with toy guns and showering a dance club in cash. I don’t know how we ever got it so good with STRFKR’s indie pop. You can dance to it, clean your house to it, take a long walk in the rain and feel morose to it. For some reason I tried to steel myself for the possibility that last year’s Being No One, Going Nowhere might not be as great as its predecessors, but STRFKR continues to deliver all the great synth-pop and tripped-out Alan Watts audio samples we desire. SUZETTE SMITH
9pm, Roseland, $23, all ages
Strand of Oaks, Heather McEntire
Tim Showalter’s art has always been one of complete, transparent, terrifying honesty. Under the name Strand of Oaks, he’s released five albums of painfully soul-searching songs that confront traumatic events like his house burning down, his wife’s infidelity, and a nearly fatal car accident. The music varies from whisper-quiet funeral folk to headspace synth poems to metal-tinged shred rock, although his best work blends these disparate elements into a throaty, fist-pumping brand of heartland rock. With the newest Strand of Oaks album, Hard Love, Showalter’s gift finally seems fully unveiled: He machetes his way through these thickets of pain and extracts something hopeful out of the process, making uplifting music out of heart-wrenching sorrow, and refusing to succumb to anger, hopelessness, or regret. This is difficult and important work, so thank heavens Showalter is so goddamn good at it. Heather McEntire of Mount Moriah opens the show, and she’s no slouch at turning tribulation into testimony, either. NED LANNAMANN
9:30 pm, Dante's, $14
PDX Tequila & Tacos Festival
Now, this isn't the Mercury's Tacos 'n' Tequila festival (which is coming soon, check our Food & Drink calendar for updates), but it is a festival celebrating both tacos and tequila, which definitely go very well together. Whoever put this together definitely knows a good thing when they see it.
6 pm, TAO Event Center, $15-35
Delicate Steve
Alex Cameron’s 2016 debut Jumping the Shark landed on many year-end lists, though it was originally self-released for free in 2013. The album’s praise was well-earned, between its subtle synth-pop posturing and Cameron’s carousing lounge singer swagger. But it’s his onstage persona that ultimately endears listeners to his surreal talents. Taking on the identity of a failed entertainer, Cameron’s commitment to the role makes for riveting spectating, specifically on songs with plenty of negative space like “Happy Ending” and “Take Care of Business.” He’s currently touring with the talented guitarist Delicate Steve. Rest assured, this show will be an exposition of extremes. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $12-14
Allied Arts: A Social Justice Social
Art and activism share a rich, thriving history together and this event highlights their combined power. Talented visual artists and performers will come together to raise funds for Social Justice Fund via donated works that will be raffled throughout the evening. Door fee earns you entry, a drink ticket, and a raffle ticket. EMILLY PRADO
7 pm, Lagunitas Brewing Community Room, $12, all ages
Doug Loves Movies
A live episode of the popular podcast where a bearded stoner gets funny friends to read Leonard Maltin books with him on stage.
4:20 pm (hurrr), Helium Comedy Club, $20
Justin Townes Earle
Justin Townes Earle’s the first musician I ever interviewed, and if he was at all impatient taking questions about heroin and his famous dad (Steve) from an introverted 21-year-old with no paid journalism experience, he didn’t let on. His perfectly sad Americana shelves well beside Wilco and Josh Ritter. But JTE’s got a streak of mischief and bottom-of-the-barrel sorrow that lets you know he’s the real deal. MEGAN BURBANK
9 pm, Doug Fir, $14-16
Haters Roast: The Shady Tour
Stars from RuPaul's Drag Race hit the Schnitzer stage for a night of cutting zingers and quips aimed at politics, love, social media, and even one another. Featuring performances by Kim Chi, Jinkx Monsoon, Phi Phi O’Hara, Latrice Royale, Darienne Lake, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, and Acid Betty. Hosted by Ginger Minj.
8 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $22.25-159
Hurry Up, Cool Schmool, Loveboys
Kathy Foster, Westin Glass, and Maggie Vail bring their raw and raucous punk trio Hurry Up up to St. Johns for a Saturday night show at the Fixin' To.
9 pm, The Fixin' To, $5
The Crenshaw, Stray Dog Song
The Crenshaw are a double bass/drums/electronics duo that adeptly ride the sometimes thin line separating jazz fusion and triphop. ROBERT HAM
9 pm, Fremont Theater, $5
The Sklar Brothers
Randy and Jason Sklar have been doing this comedy thing for decades now, getting their start on MTV before MTV became a suckhole of vapidity, and transitioning to a variety of film and TV roles, most recently including a job hosting The United States of America for History Channel, and leading the iTunes charts with their podcast Sklarbro Country.
7:30 pm, 10 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $17-25
The Cider Rite of Spring
Admission includes a glass and eight tasting tickets with which to sample from the Northwest's top cider makers, including Finnriver, Dragon's Head, 2 Towns, Portland Cider Company, Baird & Dewar, and many more. Visit nwcider.com for a full list of participating cideries and vendors.
noon, The Evergreen, $25
Cult Status
Sarah Everett and Mel Heywood host a night of stand-up, storytelling, and pure sacrilege, with performers telling tales of their personal histories in extreme religious environments.
7:30 pm, Siren Theater, $10
Hecklevision: Ghost Rider
An opportunity to turn your phone into a weapon of textual comedic destruction, aimed directly at the (literal) flaming heap that is 2007’s Ghost Rider. Nicolas Cage, such a comic book nut that he took his stage name from Marvel Comics, almost got to play Superman in one of the industry’s longest running production clusterfucks, then named one of his children after Superman, and finally landed a superhero role and it was... this fucking thing. He eats candy out of a martini glass. His head catches fire. He has a really long chain? His archnemesis is the dude from the first Hunger Games with the super-shitty beard. Ghost Rider is a target-rich environment. Fire freely. Fire often. BOBBY ROBERTS
9:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $9
Party at the Armory with Action/Adventure
One of the more adventurous original theater companies in the city throws itself a genre-focused shindig at Portland Center Stage sharing morsels of their innovative storytelling style for a new audience.
9 pm, Portland Center Stage, free
2017 Thorns Spring Invitational
After a heartbreaking end to their best regular season on record, the Portland Thorns will be eager to get the preseason stage of their 2017 NWSL campaign up-and-running when they play host to the second annual Spring Invitational at Providence Park. With only three players departing from the club in the offseason, you should expect this year's bunch—led by the likes of Canadian legend Christine Sinclair, United States Women’s National Team linchpins Tobin Heath and Allie Long, and international stars Nadia Nadim and Amandine Henry—to be every bit as fluid and dangerous as 2016’s NWSL Shield-winning side. Sunday’s tournament opening/double-header kicks-off with an afternoon meeting between the Houston Dash and a U-23 Women’s National Team comprised largely of collegiate talent, while the evening match-up will pit the Thorns against a Chicago Red Stars squad captained by one of the league’s most lethal strikers, Christen Press. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
2:30 pm, Providence Park, $8-30, all ages
Death Valley Girls, The Shivas, The Tamed West
Los Angeles’ Death Valley Girls play music that’s so wild, furious, and unholy, the Liquor Store’s basement might just cave in and reveal a fresh portal to hell when they play there this weekend. Last year the freaky four-piece released Glow in the Dark, 10 tracks of rock ’n’ roll that sounds like it’s repeatedly ramming a fork into an electrical outlet. CIARA DOLAN
9 pm, The Liquor Store, $8
Alton Brown: Eat Your Science
The Food Network personality and host of Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen returns to Portland with his brand new live show, Eat Your Science, which promises audiences a blend of live music, multimedia presentations, talk-show hi-jinks, and fun and messy food experimentation.
3 pm, 8 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $39.50-125
Allison Crutchfield & the Fizz, Vagabon, Soar
As Vagabon, Lætitia Tamko plays anthemic but intimate indie rock. Listening to her excellent 2017 debut Infinite Worlds is initially startling, because Tamko sounds wholly possessed by emotion. The way she howls on “Cold Apartment” is viscerally relatable for reasons that are hard to explain. That’s probably why her music is so striking—it’s like a new bold language for navigating our universal experiences. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $12-14
Quartet San Francisco, Alex De Grassi
With its intimate size and kick-ass acoustics, I daresay the Old Church is the best spot in town to catch a bit of chamber music magic, and this gig features one hell of a program performed by virtuosic string players that certainly deserve our attention. The boys of Quartet San Francisco are joined by steel string guitarist Alex de Grassi to bring a brilliant genre-spanning set list to life, touching down in such varied locales as Mongolia, Spain, and Abbey Road. While violins and a cello will definitely be onstage, expect a decisive detour from traditional classical repertoire, replaced instead with Argentinean tango and the jazz melodies of Gershwin and Chick Corea, topped with a generous helping of unexpected sonic joy that just might have those in the congregation saying Amen. BRIAN HORAY
7:30 pm, Old Church, $30-52
Gringo Star, The Hugs
Sure they have a silly band name, but Atlanta's Gringo Star crank out some serious pop songs. MARK LORE
9 pm, Bunk Bar, $8
Holi Hai—5th Annual Color Festival
DJ Prashant, Buchmaster, and DJ Ki provide the sounds for this Bollywood dance party where attendees dress all in white while getting showered with sounds and powder colors.
3 pm, Barrel Room, $8-20
Julie Scelfo
Julie Scelfo presents her latest book, The Women Who Made New York, reveling the untold stories of the extraordinary women who helped make New York City the cultural epicenter of the world.
7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books, free
Red Flag Farewell Show
Portland is losing yet another jewel to the influx of development on the Eastside, but not without one final rager. Send the Red Flag out in style by taking in a night of infectious garage-punk sounds from local trio Sleeptalker and long-running two-piece the Bugs.
8 pm, Red Flag, free
Hungry Hungry Hip-Hop
Not only has the venue been renovated, but so has Hungry Hungry Hip-Hop, with new hosts from the MG Productions collective, and new performances from Fountaine, and a goodbye from former host Dusty Fox.
8:30 pm, Mississippi Pizza & Atlantis Lounge, $5
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!