NE Block Party: Bring That Beat Back
The Eliot Neighborhood’s block party is sort of putting the rest of you on notice: Bring your block party A-game or don’t bother. This year’s “Bring That Beat Back” celebration, organized in partnership with Open Signal, promises live music performances on porches (and a stage), food carts and beer, art installations, and way too much more to list here. DIRK VANDERHART
Aug 26, 2 pm, Open Signal, free, all ages
Hot August Night
Long ago, on a sweet August eve, in the faraway land of Los Angeles, at the storied Greek Theatre, history was made: Neil Diamond recorded Hot August Night, a motherfucking impeccable live album featuring some of Diamond's finest renditions of classics like “Solitary Man,”“Play Me,”“Shilo,” and “Cracklin' Rosie.” Forty-five fateful years later, Portland's Siren Theater is hosting Hot August Night—a “comedy, spoken word, and musical tribute to the best live concert album ever recorded.” Featuring contributions from author Chelsea Cain, comedy mastermind Shelley McLendon, comedian Kirsten Kuppenbender, and more, there's no better way to bask in the everlasting shine of Diamond. ERIK HENRIKSEN
Aug 25, 8 pm, Siren Theater, $10
Shelley Short, Darren Hanlon
Shelley Short plays a release show for her latest album, Pacific City, which the Portland-based folk singer/songwriter recorded with Peter Broderick at the coast nearly two years ago. Short will be backed by a band rounded out by Cory Gray, Brian Mumford, and Dan Hunt. Australian folk singer/songwriter Darren Hanlon provides support. Read our review of Shelley Short’s new record, Pacific City.
Aug 25, 8 pm, Polaris Hall, $10
Wimps, Máscaras, Blesst Chest
Seattle lo-fi punk trio Wimps make angular yet catchy slacker-rock songs that take a hard look at some of life's more mundane aspects, and then filter them through energetic, fast-paced song structures. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
Aug 26, 8 pm, The Know, $10
Afro-Disiac Festival
An afternoon dance festival headlined by Wamba World Beat, and supported by DJs specializing in Afro-Caribbean sounds like Solo and Margo. With arts, crafts, food, and fashion available for when you're not dancing.
Aug 27, 3 pm, White Owl Social Club, $10
Cardioid, Tango Alpha Tango, No Kind of Rider
Though Lizzy Ellison only left Radiation City to join Unknown Mortal Orchestra drummer/producer Riley Geare as Cardioid last year, they’ve developed the beautifully cohesive sound of a well-seasoned outfit. Each song on the band's debut Parts Dept. contains its own instantly accessible hook, and these poppy melodies are sometimes set against wistful strings. Cardioid’s music is dream rock—a surreal, angst-laden gaze into indie rock’s subconscious. These days they may call LA home, but their first album showcases the melancholy pop rock one might expect from a city that’s often doused in rain and IPAs. ROSE FINN
Aug 27, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $8-10
Sunbathe, Sad Horse
This afternoon sees the first entry in a new XRAY.fm concert series, an all ages showcase of local music as curated by a five year-old girl with some damn good taste, which explains why Sunbathe and Sad Horse are on the same bill. Kids under 12 get in free!
Aug 26, 4 pm, The Fixin' To, $7, all ages
Crate Diggers PDX Record Fair and Afterparty
Thanks to the locally based record-selling website Discogs, the internet has become a terrific place to score used vinyl. But there’s nothing like flexing those fingers to physically sift through the bins—which is why Discogs hosts an excellent annual record fair right here on its Portland turf, and Crate Diggers’ fourth installment should be the best one yet. Crate Diggers is a day- and night-long party with vinyl sellers from near and afar, so there’ll be plenty of treasures to seek both inside the walls of White Owl Social Club and out on the expansive patio. Plus there’s a bevy of DJs for the daytime record fair—including Deena B, Action Slacks, DJ Void, and DJ Roane—and once the sun sets, Crate Diggers turns into a supreme night of well-spun cuts, with DJ sets from Boston’s Soul Clap, Seattle’s Supreme La Rock, and Portland’s own legendary Rev Shines. It’s a great way to celebrate the crate-digging community of Portland, brought to you by a site that’s revolutionized record selling—and Discogs has also created a formidable online database of crucial musical info that grows more comprehensive every minute. (They’ve even added a used book marketplace, too, at the brand-new bookogs.com.) Celebrate music, community, and killer wax at Discogs’ Crate Diggers. NED LANNAMANN
Aug 26, noon, White Owl Social Club, free
Blossom, Wet Dream
Portland-based neo-soul and R&B singer/songwriter Blossom—AKA Keisha Chiddick—has been busy making the rounds in support of her debut full-length, Tease. Her dialed-in live show has established her as a leading voice in the city’s music scene, and while Blossom is more than capable of captivating audiences within a club setting, her jazzy sound is guaranteed to become a catalyst for good vibes when it crosses paths with the cool summer breeze on Rontoms' patio at this week’s Sunday Session. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
Aug 27, 8:30 pm, Rontoms, free
Lower Hawthorne Block Party
As the Hawthorne Street Fair amiably mills and churns to the east, SE 10th between Hawthorne and Clay locks down and turns up, with One Drop Reggae Sound System providing the beats, Ash Woodfired Pizza and Taqueria La Merced providing the food, Upper Left Roasters offering up some cold brew, and Rose City Futsal making some 3v3 footy possible.
Aug 27, 11 am, The Toffee Club, free, all ages
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!