Stay safe out there, Portland! As always, get tested and stay home if you feel sick—and get your booster while it's hot. Speaking of omicron, we advise checking directly with venues for the latest updates—including health guidelines, postponements, and cancellations—before heading out.

---

Jump to: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Multi-Day

---

MONDAY

FOOD & DRINK

For Esmé Pop-Up Past Event Like List
Welcome 2022 with this pop-up from Luna Contreras and bartender Michelle Ruocco, featuring wood-fired Mexican bar snacks and cocktails.
(Cafe Olli, King)

MUSIC

Cattle Decapitation Past Event Like List
Cali-based metalhead vegetarians Cattle Decapitation are back with their environmentally conscious deathgrind. They will be joined by deathcore heavy-hitters Last Ten Seconds of Life, death metal Texans Creeping Death, Long Island thrashers Extinction A.D., and N.Y. instrumental grindcore duo Pound.
(Hawthorne Theatre, Hawthorne)

Washed Out Past Event Like List
Chillwave jack of all trades Ernest Weatherly Greene Jr., aka Washed Out, will tour in support of his 2020 album Purple Noon. Despite our fervent rejection of Portlandia, we’re willing to bet that he’ll play the show’s theme song “Feel It All Around.”
(Wonder Ballroom, Eliot)

TUESDAY

READINGS & TALKS

Morgan Thomas in Conversation With Kristen Arnett
Past Event Like List The narratives of the queer characters in Morgan Thomas's debut collection of short stories are situated within the violent history of the American south, and almost all of them involve some process of self-discovery. From a trans woman who finds her independence through the purchase of a pregnancy bump to a young genderqueer Virginian who flees their relationship to be with an intersex person from Colonial-era Jamestown, their stories span centuries. Thomas will appear in conversation by Kristen Arnett (With Teeth and Mostly Dead Things).
(Virtual via Powell's Books)

National Geographic Live - Secrets of the Whales
Past Event Like List Nat Geo explorer and photographer Brian Skerry will share his nearly four decades of oceanic expertise, focusing on whales in particular, with curious minds. You'll learn the fascinating ins and outs of whale culture across four different species, including their "hunting techniques, international cuisines, multi-generational childcare systems, singing competitions," and more through Skerry's firsthand stories and spectacular visuals.
(Newmark Theatre, South Park Blocks)

WEDNESDAY

MUSIC

Kane Brown: Blessed & Free Tour Past Event Like List
Kane Brown initially gained a following through social media for his distinctive low register and has since garnered a massive fan base. The Tennessean made the 2021 TIME 100 and has been called "the future of country" by Billboard, which you can hear for yourself on his latest single One Mississippi.
(Moda Center, Lloyd District)

Keola Beamer & Henry Kapono Past Event Like List
Two icons of Hawaiian music come together for a memorable evening of music and hula. Slack key guitar legend Keola Beamer gained notoriety in the '70s for his release, Honolulu City Lights, which soon became the largest selling Hawaiian music recording in history. Take it from Paul Simon, who called Beamer an "exceptional musician, a very good player, and beautiful singer." Similarly, Henry Kapono helped shape the Hawaiian renaissance of the 1970s with his blend of laid-back rock mixed with traditional music of the islands. During their performance, they will be joined by Keola’s wife Moana with some hula dancing.
(Aladdin Theater, Brooklyn)

L.A. Witch with Triptides & Tremours Past Event Like List
Pretend that you're in sunny California for the night with City of Angels-based band L.A. Witch, who will bring psychedelic-infused garage rock. Joining them will be Cali-rockers Triptides and Tremours.
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

Ritual Veil, Physical Wash, Puerta Negra, and DJ onourdeathbed
Past Event Like List Get down to theatrical dance-beat synths with Portland's own Ritual Veil. With their magnetic baritone vocals and dancey pop beats, this duo feels reminiscent of '80s goth legends like Depeche Mode. Also enjoy industrial sounds from Physical Wash, noisy black metal by Puerta Negra from Spain, and more dark tunes from DJ onourdeathbed.
(Holocene, Buckman)

THEATER

Gloria
Past Event Like List A finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's play centers a not-so-ordinary work day for an ambitious group of editorial assistants at a notorious Manhattan magazine, each of whom hopes to achieve literary fame before they turn 30. 
(Profile Theatre, Goose Hollow)

THURSDAY

COMEDY

Janeane Garofalo Past Event Like List
The Wet Hot American Summer star will take over Helium for three nights with her incendiary comedy. A longtime progressive activist, leading voice in alternative comedy, and pillar of New York City's local comedy scene, Garofalo's whip-smart observations are not to be missed. 
(Helium Comedy Club, Hosford-Abernethy)

READINGS & TALKS

2021/2022 Portland Arts & Lectures: Cathy Park Hong
Past Event Like List Best known for the Pulitzer Prize finalist Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning, Cathy Park Hong also lends her wisdom as the poetry editor of The New Republic and aprofessor of creative writing at Rutgers. Don't miss what's sure to be a perspective-shifting lecture from the 2021 TIME 100 honoree and AAPI advocate
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks)

MUSIC

!mindparade, The Fourth Wall, & Yuvees
Past Event Like List !mindparade will bring a kaleidoscope of rock sounds with orchestral elements with synthpop, jazz, and experimental touches. They will be accompanied by Oahu-born indie rock band The Fourth Wall and quirky experimental disco band YUVEES.
(Holocene, Buckman)

FRIDAY

MUSIC

Ghost-Note
Past Event Like List Blossoming out of the ensemble Snarky Puppy, Robert Sput Searight and Nate Werth created Ghost Note to experiment with swirling Afrobeat sounds into hip-hop and psychedelia. The ever-expanding roster shares top-notch musicians with Prince, Erykah Badu, Herbie Hancock, and more. Sarah Clarke and her band will start the night off right with angelic neo-soul sounds.
(Stage 722, Buckman)

Hungry Hungry Hip Hop Past Event Like List
Hungry Hungry Hip-Hop is a monthly showcase dedicated to spotlighting the many flavors and styles in Portland's hip-hop community, including live music, spoken word, and audio/visual art.
(Mississippi Pizza Pub & Atlantis Lounge, Boise)

Shiner Past Event Like List
Spacey alt-rockers Shiner are one of the bands from the '90s that have been revisited by a new audience since their return with their first album in 19 years, Schadenfreude, and subsequent cassette reissues of their classic albums. They will be finally touring on that 2020 album after being pushed back due to the pandemic.
(Doug Fir Lounge, Buckman)

Small Million with M A N E & Hard Yes Past Event Like List
Portland-based indie-pop duo Small Million found themselves evolving into a four-piece over the pandemic, swirling their energetic pop sound with cinematic moods and darkly romantic lyricism inspired by their experience in isolation.
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

Son Volt Past Event Like List
'90s rockers Son Volt, who started this new project after leaving the alt-country group Uncle Tupelo, are back touring on their 10th studio album, Electro Melodier. The new album takes relatable inspiration from the last two years such as isolation and social protest. Frontman Jay Farrar's nephew Jesse Farrar will start off the evening with some mellow acoustic tunes.
(Aladdin Theater, Brooklyn)

SATURDAY

HOLIDAYS

Oregon 2022 Lunar New Year Celebration
Past Event Like List Usher in the year of the tiger at this multicultural Lunar New Year celebration which will bring performances by a Guinness World Record-holding acrobat, award-winning singers, international Wushu champions, and various local groups. You'll also be able to marvel at art exhibits and live portrait drawing, and take part in craft workshops.
(Keller Auditorium, Downtown)

MUSIC

Aminé: The Best Tour Ever Tour Past Event Like List
Aminé, the best rapper Portland has ever produced, kicks off his Best Tour Ever tour with a triumphant hometown arena show a mere 10 minutes from where he grew up. The Benson High School and PSU alum's latest project is his mixtape TwoPointFive. He'll have support from Cochise, AJ Tracey, and 454. Portland Mercury music columnist Jenni Moore will get you hyped in her preview.
(Moda Center, Lloyd District)

Ghost & Volbeat Past Event Like List
Scandinavian metalheads unite! Swedish metal band Ghost are known for their melodic anthems and demon-like stage attire. They’ll be co-headlining with Danish psychobilly-infused metal band Volbeat, who have just released their eighth album Servant of the Mind.
(Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Lloyd District)

NIGHTLIFE

Piano Queen: Saint Syndrome Past Event Like List
Portland's only live-singing piano-playing drag queen Saint Syndrome will bring you an evening filled with classic covers, comedy, and original songs, all with her signature vintage grace and campy elegance.
(Dante's, Old Town-Chinatown)

Tribute Night Presents: Four Horsemen
Past Event Like List Four Horsemen is a dance party paying tribute to the four biggest contemporary male rappers in the game: J. Cole, Kanye, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar. Get down to their greatest hits and remixes all night long with iconic music video projections to set the mood. Choose your fighter for this four-way battle extravaganza.
(Morrison Market, Buckman)

SUNDAY

FOOD & DRINK

Dumpling Week Past Event Like List
The Oregonian/Oregon Live's annual Dumpling Week celebrates comforting, pillowy pockets of goodness in all of their forms with specials from over 30 participating restaurants, from sweet potato dumplings with green curry, herb oil, and crispy shallots at Oma's Hideaway to chicken parm dumplings from Grassa. Print off a passport from the website and set out to try them all.
(Various locations)

MULTI-DAY

FOOD & DRINK

Umi Kobe + Portland Yakisoba Project
Past Event Like List Inspired by the entrancing series Midnight Diner, restaurants across Portland, including Expatriate, Oma's Hideaway, Obon Shokudo, and Sunrice at Deadshot, are teaming up with Umi Organic to create the perfect late-night snack and drink combo: Each restaurant will present its unique spin on yakisoba-pan (a milk bun stuffed with yakisoba noodles), paired with a refreshing Kobe-style highball cocktail featuring Umi's Ramen Spirit (which is made from repurposed ramen noodles). You can also find the yakisoba-pan by itself at Oyatsupan and Shizuku, as well as the Umi Ramen Spirit on its own at Zilla Sake.
(Various locations, Monday-Sunday)

FESTIVALS

Fertile Ground Festival 2022 Past Event Like List
Spearheaded by the Portland Area Theatre Alliance (PATA), this arts festival highlights new works in a variety of disciplines, such as dance, puppetry, circus, animation, improv, spoken word, stop-motion animation, musical and devised theatre. A platfrom for cultivation, the 13th iteration of the event will present 38 projects via online programming with select in-person companion events.
(Virtual, Thursday-Sunday)

MUSIC

Built to Spill Past Event Like List
Built to Spill was the band that all my dude friends in junior high said they listened to before they started a band of their own. In that way, maybe Built to Spill are the West Coast's answer to the Velvet Underground. Okay, I'm mostly kidding about that one, but now that I'm thinking about it, 1999's Keep It Like a Secret seems to be the progenitor of so much of modern indie rock's sound, that it's almost like I've seen the band live before. But I haven't. Go and luxuriate in the sounds of flannel, beanies, and earnest angst. JAS KEIMIG
(Wonder Ballroom, Eliot, Saturday-Sunday)

Deep Sea Diver Past Event Like List
Seattle-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jessica Dobson leads the band Deep Sea Diver, which will bring their doo-wop and pop-infused indie rock down to Portland in support of their latest album, Impossible Weight.
(Mississippi Studios, Boise, Saturday-Sunday)

THEATER

Bakersfield Mist Past Event Like List
Maude, a 50-something unemployed bartender living in a trailer park, buys a painting for a few bucks from a thrift store and is convinced it’s a lost masterpiece by Jackson Pollock worth millions. But when world-class art expert Lionel Percy flies over from New York to authenticate the painting, his discovery is bigger than either of them could have imagined. Inspired by true events, this dramedy comes from Stephen Sachs.
(Triangle Productions, Kerns, Thursday-Saturday)

The Great Leap
Past Event Like List Penned by playwright Lauren Yee, this comedic production "traverses history both personal and political." Set in 1989 San Francisco, Manford Lum dominates the basketball courts of Chinatown. Using her father's basketball background as a template, Yee catapults her teenaged protagonist to China for a "friendship" game, resulting in a story with unexpected outcomes.
(Gerding Theater at the Armory, Pearl District, Wednesday-Sunday)

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Past Event Like List The quintessential rock musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a four-time Tony winner that's "part rock concert, part cabaret, and part stand-up comedy routine." The life story of Hedwig Robinson, a genderqueer German singer of a fictional rock and roll band who's "one of the most unique characters to ever hit the stage," will unfold as she searches for love and stardom.
(Portland Center Stage, Pearl District, Wednesday-Sunday)

Thurgood Past Event Like List
Actor Lester Purry and director Lou Bellamy, founder of Penumbra Theatre (the largest African-American theater in the country), return to the Portland Playhouse to tell the story of Thurgood Marshall, the first Black justice to serve on the Supreme Court. The one-man show spans Marshall's 58-year career, from his beginnings as a civil rights lawyer arguing Brown v. Board of Education to his SCOTUS appointment.
(Portland Playhouse, King, Monday-Sunday)

DANCE

SOLO TRIPS: A Dance Evening in Three Episodes Past Event Like List
Local dance artists Lindsay Dreyer and Jordan Kriston head up this performance in collaboration with A-WOL Dance Collective, integrating light installations by Princess Grace Award-winning designer Christopher Annas-Lee and music by local artists Pink Martini and Ryan Wolfe.
(A-WOL Warehouse Space, Eliot, Wednesday-Sunday)

OPERA

Portland Opera presents When the Sun Comes Out Past Event Like List
Leslie Uyeda's poetic chamber opera tells the story of Solana, who falls in love with a woman from her past in a state that oppresses fluid expressions of gender and sexuality. With libretto by Rachel Rose, the production features a quintet of violin, cello, flute, clarinet, and piano.
(Hampton Opera Center, Hosford-Abernethy, Friday and Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

USS Improvise: the Next Generation: the Musical
Past Event Like List See your favorite Star Trek characters in a new, unscripted light as a group of Portland's nerdiest musical comedians riffs on The Next Generation. 
(Funhouse Lounge, Hosford-Abernethy, Thursday-Saturday)