Not every week gives you a chance to explore the mysteries of outer space while gorging yourself on corn dogs, but that's what happens when the UFO Fest lands in McMinnville. If you choose to keep your choice in entertainments a little more earthbound (but still a little heady) there's Kikagaku Moya next in line to blow your mind, Nick Jaina doing his acclaimed artist thing, screenings of the filmed-in-Oregon classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a free all-day jam at Holladay Park courtesy of Young Gifted and Black, and a whole lot more—hit the links below and load your plate accordingly
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Nick Jaina, Months, Martha Grover, Sung Yim
Multi-talented Portland artist Nick Jaina has garnered acclaim not only for his evolving musical sphere, but as a noted author and the co-founder of Satellite Ballet and Collective in New York City. His 2016 album Brutal Lives is a collection of compositions arranged for a contemporary dance performance. Filled with ambient noise collages and free-range instrumental meandering, Brutal Lives teems with genre-dusting tracks, like the hip-hop peppered “Telepathic Teleplay,” which fidgets in grandiose piano melodies and finds a rhyme-spitting Jaina worming through a speakeasy indie-pop banger. Similarly, the angsty rocker “Come to My Coast” writhes in open spaces driven by a cavernous drum beat and strange buzzing sounds. The remainder of the record consists of songs written during Jaina’s ambitious 20 Song Game, where he and other composers tried to write and arrange 20 songs in a 12-hour period. This marriage of the meticulous and the spontaneous offers a unique snapshot of one of Portland’s most treasured performers. RYAN J. PRADO
8 pm, Turn! Turn! Turn!
Perséphone
Conductor Carlos Kalmar leads the Oregon Symphony through a performance of Stravinsky's Perséphone, with support from the Portland State Chamber Choir, the Pacific Youth Choir, tenor Paul Groves, and artistic design by Michael Curry (The Walt Disney Company, Cirque du Soleil, the Olympics).
7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $23-150, all ages
EMEL
An evening of anthems from Tunisian singer-songwriter Emel Methlouthi, one of the most well-known artists in the Arab Spring.
7:30 pm, Newmark Theatre, $21-31, all ages
The Know Monthly Arts and Crafts Bazaar
The Know hosts the May installment of its monthly arts and crafts bazaar, featuring an art opening for new works from Anna Vo, new murals by Jennifer Parks and Jazmyne Araya, and music from DJs Mare McCheese and Skelly Skell. Browsing and tabling art and wares is free.
6 pm, The Know
It's Gonna Be Okay!
Barbara Holm's It's Gonna Be Okay is the only local showcase I've seen tout its lack of meanness as a selling point, which in a city KNOWN for its safe-space shows, is next-level when it comes to reclaiming comedy from its reputation as a bastion of obnoxious old white dudes. It's the supportive slumber party of Portland stand-up. MEGAN BURBANK
7:30 pm, EastBurn, free
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
This 1975 adaptation of the novel by Oregonian Ken Kesey was Miloš Forman’s big splash in American mainstream cinema, and won about a bazillion Oscars. Filmed in Salem, it’s an incredibly bleak satire dealing with distribution of power; Forman, an exiled Czech, is preoccupied with the oppression of the individual at the hands of those in control—in this case, the nurses and doctors at an insane asylum. But it’s a comedy, isn’t it? Jack Nicholson mugs it up as a con artist posing as a lunatic to avoid hard time; his skewed mindset and goofball antics inject some life into the other crazies. Sure, it doesn’t end well, but the movie isn’t afraid to entertain even as it asks tough questions. NED LANNAMANN
9:15 pm, Laurelhurst Theater
Boone Howard, Kelli Schaefer, Ghost Frog
As great as his former band the We Shared Milk were, Boone Howard's focus on his more soulful side with his newer, autonomous project seems closer to the songwriter's heart. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $7-10
Tuxedo
Comprised of neo-soul frontman Mayer Hawthorne and seasoned hip-hop producer Jake One, Tuxedo has the great production you'd expect from established LA musicians, touched with '70s funk licks, '80s electro-pop beats, and a disco demi-glace that will keep you coming back for seconds and thirds. ROSE FINN
8;30 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $20-79
Repressed Cinema: The Incredible Two Headed Transplant
This month the Hollywood’s showcase for forgotten underground film features a 16mm screening of 1971’s The Incredible Two Headed Transplant, starring Bruce Dern as a doctor who is benevolent and thoughtf—ha, wait, nevermind, it’s Bruce Dern, he’s playing a fucking nutjob experimenting with head transplantation. Too bad for his son, who gets a murderer’s head grafted onto his body in the name of science. Thanks Bruce Dern! You dick. Also starring Casey Kasem.
7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $9
Chris Fleming
An evening of stand-up and sketch with the comedian best known for his portrayal of suburban alpha mom Gayle Waters-Waters in the hit YouTube web series, Gayle.
8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $29, all ages
Ryan White
Music critic Ryan White reads from Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way, his in-depth look at Buffett’s humble beginnings, his rise to tropical icon status, and his position as CEO behind the Margaritaville industrial complex.
7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books, free
FUBAR: Thank You for Your Service
The Veterans Resource Center presents this devised piece built from a series of essays written by Portland State University veterans, and performed by the writers themselves.
7 pm, PSU Lincoln Performance Hall, free w/ rsvp
Kikagaku Moyo, Sugar Candy Mountain, Pax
People talk about opening the third eye, but Kikagaku Moyo will open up your third ear. The Japanese psychedelic alchemists forge a dauntlessly exploratory brand of music that will have you traveling through alternate dimensions at light speed. NED LANNAMANN
9 pm, Doug Fir, $12
Heavy Breather
Charlie Salas Humara and Marius Libman discuss topics including hot dogs, blood diseases, theology, erotic fan fiction, pedicures, the Doors, and more. Portland comedians Christian Ricketts and Jason Traeger provide support.
8:30 pm, Holocene, $8
Shannon & the Clams, Eat Skull
Shannon and the Clams are an Americana doo-wop, retro-inspired band from Oakland with a decidedly low-fi, garage-y sound and a twangy guitar, fronted by Shannon Shaw's killer vocals. SHELBY R. KING
9:30 pm, High Water Mark, $17
The Wild Reeds, Blank Range
An evening of harmony-driven twangy country and folk rock from this Los Angeles-hailing trio who return to Mississippi Studios in support of their 2016 album, Best Wishes.
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $13-15
Killer of Sheep
Charles Burnett's gritty 1977 portrait of a Watts ghetto, has a lot to live up to—namely, its own hype. Burnett made Killer of Sheep as a UCLA film student for $10,000, using friends and neighbors as actors and shooting on weekends for over a year. The resulting film has been heralded by the National Society of Film Critics as one of the 100 Essential Films of all time, and was called "one of the most striking debuts in movie history" by GQ. Not only does Killer of Sheep live up to its own mythology, but transcends it as a fascinating, melancholy, and entertaining work of art and social realism. CHAS BOWIE
7:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre
DayDreams: An All Ages Jam
Young Gifted and Black is back with Thursday’s “DayDreams” day party with food, art and good vibes. Put on in collaboration with Deep Underground (DUG) and Friends of Noise, the day will feature performances from emcees like [E]mpress Supernatural, hip-hop vocalist and loop-pedalist Lisa Vasquez, and a set from resident DJ Lamar LeRoy. JENNI MOORE
3 pm, Holladay Park, free, all ages
18th Annual UFO Festival
In 1950, a farmer took a photo of what he claimed was a UFO in the skies of McMinnville, Oregon. These days, the McMenamins Empire takes over the whole goddamn town for their annual McMenamins UFO Festival, which boasts an alien-themed parade (!), an alien-themed pet costume contest (!!), and far-out panels of conspiracy theorists who pontificate on everything alien and paranormal. Fox Mulder would be in heaven; it's super fun for everybody else, too. ERIK HENRIKSEN
May 18-21, see ufofest.com for the full list of events, $20-40, all ages
Russell Howard
An evening with the English comedian, television and radio presenter, and actor, best known for his TV show Russell Howard's Good News .
8 pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, $25-30
Sama Dams, Korgy & Bass
Portland experimental trio Sama Dams explores some exciting musical territory, evolving from the band's math-y origins, infusing polyrhythmic grooves beneath Sam Adams' fragile, soaring croon. RYAN J. PRADO
9 pm, Bunk Bar, $8
Ohmme, Alina Bea, Amenta Abioto
An evening with Ohmme, the Chicago-hailing experimental pop and rock act spearheaded by vocalists and musicians Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart.
8:30 pm, Holocene, $7-8
3 Days in Portland: Night 1
Red Bull Sound Select presents night one of their "3 Days in Portland" mini-fest, featuring sets from Toronto-based jangle-pop all-stars Alvvays, Vancouver-hailing fuzz-pop trio the Courtneys, and local psychedelic dream-pop outfit Candace.
9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $10
Jill Filipovic
Feminist author and journalist Jill Filipovic reads from her new book The H-Spot, which argues that our system's rigged laws and policies need to be re-adapted with women's happiness and fulfillment in mind in order to fully address contentious issues like women's health and equal pay.
7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books, free
Nicole Byer
A weekend of stand-up with the Los Angeles-based comedian and actress who came up in New York City as a student at the Upright Citizens Brigade and went on to produce and star in the scripted MTV comedy series, Loosely Exactly Nicole, as well as make appearances on MTV’s Girl Code, 30 Rock, @Midnight, and Conan.
8 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $16-23
Cascade Sour Flower Fest
Cascade Brewing hosts a weekend dedicated to showcasing and celebrating their newest small batch sour ale blends using floral ingredients. Admission is free, but beer sampling will cost a little somethin' somethin'.
May 18-21, free
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!