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.

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MONDAY

COMEDY

Tinder Live! With Lane Moore Past Event Like List
Comedian and former Cosmo sex & relationships editor Lane Moore returns with her interactive comedy show where audiences will swipe along on a projected Tinder screen. We can't think of a more fitting day to take a glimpse into the best and worst dating profiles in the Rose City. If the audience votes yes on a profile, Moore will message with the profile in real time. Anything can happen in this real-time experiment that provides a hilarious look at the local dating scene.
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

FILM

True Romance Past Event Like List
What's better than true romance on Valentine's Day? True Romance on Valentine's Day! Quentin Tarantino's 1993 cult film tells a classic story of two lovers on the run. The film's all-star cast includes Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, and Gary Oldman.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)

MUSIC

A Pink Martini Valentine Past Event Like List
Whether you're looking for the perfect date night or to be cheered up on this dreaded holiday, Pink Martini has a certain je ne sais quoi that puts everyone in a good mood. Portland's "little orchestra" features over a dozen musicians who perform a multilingual repertoire that seamlessly switches between jazz, classical, pop, and global music sounds. They don't just perform a show, they know how to throw a party.
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks)

Pink & Purple Valentine's Party with Kassa Overall feat. Stas Thee Boss and Omari Jazz
Past Event Like List Throw on your festive pink or purple garb and celebrate the day of love with a non-conforming Valentine's Day celebration. Jazz wizard Kassa Overal, known for his avant-garde and hip-hop-infused sound, will take the stage in support of his latest album, I Think I'm Good. Joining the party is Stas Thee Boss, formerly of THEESatisfaction, who will perform a solo set of her smooth space-age raps. Electronic artist Omari Jazz will join the fun with their chill sample-driven beats. 
(Jack London Revue, Downtown)

Silvana Estrada Past Event Like List
Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada's debut album has already made waves despite being released only three weeks ago. Her stripped-down songs sung in Spanish accompanied by a sparse acoustic guitar evoke classic folk instrumentation similar to Vashti Bunyan while her jazzy vocal style takes inspiration from her idol Billie Holiday. The New York Times wrote of the album, "It is an intimate, austere record, a tender snapshot of a young woman wrestling with the pain of lost love."
(Doug Fir Lounge, Buckman)

TUESDAY

MUSIC

Jazmine Sullivan - The Heaux Tales Tour Past Event Like List
R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan's velvety vocals and poignant lyrics have brought relatable and emotional hits about womanhood since her debut album Fearless in 2008. Her EP Heaux Tales made waves, earning her the 2021 BET Award for Album of the Year and Best New Music on Pitchfork, who writes that she "is in full command of her spectacular voice and totally delivers on an ambitious concept."
(Roseland Theater, Old Town-Chinatown)

The Weather Station Past Event Like List
Toronto's Tamara Lindeman follows in the jazz-folk footsteps of Joni Mitchell and Elyse Weinberg, who both traded Canada for Laurel Canyon. The singer-songwriter floats through vowels and grazes consonants before landing in a lovely thicket of guitar and strings. KATHY FENNESSY
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

We Are Scientists Past Event Like List
The California-based indie/electro-rock duo consisting of guitarist/vocalist Keith Murray and bass guitarist Chris Cain return in support of their 2021 album, Huffy. Their sound has been praised for blending sincerity with humor with The Aquarian noting: "they’re still hilarious, raw, and rousing in every aspect of what they do. It’s quirky, but it symbolizes something bigger than a band who laughs at themselves as well as with themselves."
(Polaris Hall, Humboldt)

READINGS & TALKS

Dana Schwartz in Conversation With Victoria Aveyard
Past Event Like List Journalist, author, and Noble Blood podcaster Dana Schwartz presents her fourth book, Anatomy, A Love Story, a gothic romance/mystery that follows aspiring surgeon Hazel Sinnett and “resurrection man” Jack Currer as they uncover dark secrets in 19th-century Scotland. Schwartz will be joined in conversation by Victoria Aveyard, author the Red Queen series.
(Virtual via Powell's Books)

The Moth: Belonging Past Event Like List
The Moth's promotion of exceptional, diverse storytelling continues with this fresh showcase of live narratives. For this iteration of The Moth, the theme of "Belonging" could be interpreted with a five-minute story about assimilation and alienation, feeling "right at home" or "standing out."
(Holocene, Buckman)

WEDNESDAY

MUSIC

Cate Le Bon Past Event Like List
Welsh musician and producer Cate Le Bon was hailed as "one of the best out there making music now" by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy for her angular, self-assured, art-rock-infused pop songs with lyrics rooted in the surreal. She takes the stage just after the recent release of her album, Pompeii. The night will start out with a never-boring performance by PNW's own Mega Bog whose whimsical tunes have been compared to artists such as Yoko Ono and Laurie Anderson.
(Wonder Ballroom, Eliot)

READINGS & TALKS

An Evening with Fran Lebowitz
Past Event Like List Hailed as a “modern day Dorothy Parker,” (New York Times) cultural satirist Fran Lebowitz is known for delivering social commentary with her signature sardonic wit. Her Scorsese-directed docuseries Pretend It's a City was released on Netflix last year. This stimulating evening will be moderated by Live Wire’s Luke Burbank.
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks)

THURSDAY

FILM

The Secret Life of Plants
Past Event Like List This iconic 1979 film begins as a psychedelic meditation on plants and expands to reflect on Earth, space, and consciousness. Featuring groovy tunes by Stevie Wonder, time-lapses of plant growth, mind-bending animations, and more, The Secret Life of Plants is a journey full of surprises.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)

MUSIC

Old Time Relijun and Descending Pharaohs Past Event Like List
Olympia legends Old Time Relijun are getting the band back together for their seventh studio album on K Records, Musicking. The band's sound remains fresh with their rigid new wave pacing, lively performance style, and experimental sensibilities. They will be joined by improvisational experimental rock-jazz-world-fusion trio Descending Pharaohs.
(Holocene, Buckman)

PODCASTS & RADIO

Live Wire: Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, Curtis Cook, and Dessa! Past Event Like List
The first show in Live Wire’s spring season will see host Luke Burbank chat to stand-up comedian and writer of the rebooted series Crank Yankers Curtis Cook, rapper/author/public speaker/podcast host/former record exec Dessa, and humanitarian/mountaineer/Silicon Valley technologist Silvia Vasquez-Lavado.
(Alberta Rose Theatre, Concordia)

READINGS & TALKS

2021/22 Portland Arts & Lectures: Brit Bennett
Past Event Like List New York Times bestselling author Brit Bennett’s two novels, the coming-of-age tale The Mothers and multi-generational family saga The Vanishing Half, have received critical acclaim and been optioned for TV and film adaptations. Last year, Bennett was named to the TIME100 Next List.
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks)

FRIDAY

MUSIC

Dessa Past Event Like List
Dessa's hefty list of accomplishments would be impressive even if they were split between four people. Her career has shapeshifted constantly, from Billboard charting singer/rapper to best-selling author of her memoir My Own Devices to public speaker with an acclaimed TED Talk and host of the popular science podcast Deeply Human. For this performance, she will wear her musician hat and bring her uplifting and upbeat tunes to the stage.
(Aladdin Theater, Brooklyn)

Kyle Dion: SASSY Tour Past Event Like List
Jump into the refreshing pool that is Kyle Dion's musical world. The rising star has carved out a unique career path beginning with his 2019 debut album, SUGA, inspired by classic soul and R&B. On his latest album, SASSY, Dion has reinvented himself taking his radiant falsetto and sharp lyricism to a new direction, focusing on light-hearted party bangers. Cali-based DJ/producer Kooze will start the night off right.
(Holocene, Buckman)

Nile Past Event Like List
Since the release of Nile’s first demo, die-hards have successfully pushed the North Carolina-born Egyptian folklore-inspired band to the top tier of American death-metal bands, cementing them as much more than just a gimmick that happened to work. Nile will be joined by longtime metalheads Incantation.
(Hawthorne Theatre, Hawthorne District)

SATURDAY

BEER/WINE/BOOZE

Zwickelmania® 2022
Past Event Like List Prime your liver for Zwickelmania, the annual event where more than 120 breweries open their doors for your drinking pleasure, with free samples, tastings, meet-the-brewer events, pairings, tours, and beer releases. The first weekend is open throughout the Portland area, while the second is held all over the state.
(Various locations)

VARIETY

The 23rd Annual Portland Clowns Without Borders Show
Past Event Like List Well, this is one event where no one will tell you to quit clowning around. Strap in for an evening of comedy and variety acts that will benefit Clowns Without Borders USA (yes, there is such a thing). The Northwest's most curious artists, such as former BodyVox dancer Alicia Cutaia, aerialists Larke and Bentley, comedy cowboy Leapin’ Louie Lichtenstein, and juggler Rhys Thomas are here to entertain you with their talents. 
(Alberta Rose Theatre, Concordia)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In My Shoes: Walking Tour Storytelling Project
Past Event Like List In honor of Black History Month, Word Is Bond (an organization whose goal is "creating positive relationships between young Black men and law enforcement") presents a storytelling campaign featuring nine walking tours in neighborhoods across Portland designed to highlight the "voices, dreams, and experiences of rising Black men" and the neighborhoods they call home.
(Various locations)

MUSIC

Arooj Aftab Past Event Like List
New York-based Pakistani singer-songwriter Arooj Aftab blends traditional Sufi devotional poetry with gentle folk guitar, new age production, and minimal electronic elements that perfectly cradle her ethereal vocals.
(The Old Church, Downtown)

Best Coast Past Event Like List
The indie surf rock duo returns to Portland for their Finally Tomorrow tour in support of their 2020 album, released just before the pandemic. Always Tomorrow shows the band's evolution from California-inspired pop songs to something deeper, touching on newfound sobriety. Still, the band maintains their signature sunny sound. Joining Best Coast is singer-songwriter Rosie Tucker, known for their poignant lyricism and catchy hooks.
(Wonder Ballroom, Eliot)

MAITA Past Event Like List
The day after releasing their latest full-length, I Just Want To Be Wild For You, indie rockers MAITA will play a homecoming show at one of Portland's favorite intimate venues, Mississippi Studios. MAITA, the Portland-based full-band project of singer/songwriter Maria Maita-Keppeler, has already released five stellar singles from the 11-track album, like beautiful, soft and moody project opener “Loneliness,” and the epic “Honey, Have I Lost It All?” According to Maita-Keppeler herself, fans can look forward to seeing the band perform the entire project. Let’s hope they also have time for older cuts from 2020’s acclaimed record Best Wishes, like “Japanese Waitress,” or “Broken Down Boys.” JENNI MOORE
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

Mndsgn with The Rare Pleasures + Omari Jazz Past Event Like List
L.A.-based producer Ringgo Ancheta brings his experimental hip-hop project Mndsgn to town with his band The Rare Pleasures for an evening of shimmering beats and addictive baselines. Portland's own Omari Jazz will support with sci-fi-inspired jazz.
(Holocene, Buckman)

The Wombats Past Event Like List
English indie rockers The Wombats are stopping by just after the release of their acclaimed fifth album, Fix Yourself, Not the World, which was hyped by NME: "Anyone surprised at the trio's continued success clearly hasn't been listening. Pop ambition, indie ideals and sonic experimentation: it's all here."
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)

SUNDAY

COMEDY

Deon Cole Past Event Like List
With acting credits ranging from Black-ish to The Harder They Fall and award-winning co-writing for Conan O'Brien's late night shows, Deon Cole has established himself as a versatile actor, writer, and comedian. Couple that talent with his charisma and unique delivery, and Cole has the stylings of a true comedy Renaissance man.
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)

MUSIC

Flor De Toloache + Mariachi Tradición Past Event Like List
New York-based Mariachi ensemble Flor De Toloache, named after a common love potion ingredient, ebb and flow to as many as 10 members at a time from around the globe. Their latest album, Indestructible, has proven favorable amongst critics, with NPR’s Marisa Arbona-Ruiz saying the album "pushes the boundaries of mariachi music and its instruments through reimagined pop covers, originals, and original collaborations.” Opening up the evening will be Forest Grove High School’s Mariachi Tradición.
(Newmark Theatre, South Park Blocks)

Hand Habits Past Event Like List
You may have seen Hand Habits opening for the likes of Angel Olsen and Kevin Morby. The project of Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Meg Duffy, Hand Habits brings their soulful blend of folk and indie rock back to town for a headlining show in support of their latest album, Fun House. L.A. guitarist Gregory Uhlmann will join with his experimental indie rock.
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

Kaki King
Past Event Like List Brooklyn-based guitarist and composer Kaki King has made a name for herself as one of the greatest living guitar innovators with her percussive style and jazz-inspired melodies. Known for her vibrant live performances and guitar projection mapping, she will take the audience on an audiovisual journey in support of her 2020 album, Modern Yesterdays.
(Winningstad Theatre, South Park Blocks)

MULTI-DAY

SPORTS & RECREATION

Portland Timbers Preseason Tournament
Past Event Like List PTFC gears up for another season by hosting a preseason tournament consisting of three doubleheaders between the Timbers, Minnesota United FC, Real Salt Lake, and Norway's Viking FK. 
(Providence Park, Goose Hollow, Wednesday & Saturday)

FILM

32nd Annual Cascade Festival of African Films
Past Event Like List This local film festival, which shows African films made by African filmmakers and encourages Western viewers to engage authentically with African cultures, will offer a mix of in-person and virtual screenings this year. The program, which lasts for over a month, includes acclaimed films like Ephraim Asili’s The Inheritance, Sundance favorites like Suzannah Mirghani Al-Sit, and many others. 
(Virtual, Monday-Sunday)

Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America Past Event Like List
Civil rights lawyer and ACLU deputy legal director Jeffery Robinson paints a portrait of the United States and its foundation on white supremacy that The Austin Chronicle writes "should be part of the standard curriculum in every school in America." The SXSW Documentary Spotlight Audience Award winner weaves together lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and more to "draw a stark timeline from slavery to modern America."
(Cinema 21, Nob Hill, Monday-Thursday)

FESTIVALS

Chinese New Year 2022 at Lan Su Chinese Garden
Past Event Like List Celebrating the traditional 15-day period of Chinese New Year, Lan Su will welcome the Year of the Tiger with cultural programming, lantern viewing evenings (Feb 3-6 and 10-13), and more. The festivities will be kicked off with a free community event (Tues Feb 1) at the garden's entrance plaza featuring a lion dance performance by Portland Lee's Association Dragon & Lion Dance Team. Garden visitors will also receive a hong bao (lucky red envelope). 
(Lan Su Chinese Garden, Old Town-Chinatown, Monday-Tuesday)

THEATER

Great Gatsby's Daisy Past Event Like List
This interactive reimagining of The Great Gatsby will offer some surprising twists on F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic 1925 novel. Not only will attendees get the chance to party with the likes of Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, Jay Gatsby, and Ms. Daisy Buchanan; they'll also get to explore Buchanan manor, Nick's cottage, the speakeasy club called the Miramar, and of course, Gatsby's mansion.
(The Beaverton Masonic Lodge, Beaverton, Monday-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)

COMEDY

The 6th Annual NW Black Comedy Festival
Past Event Like List The most expansive iteration yet, this year's festival features 11 showcases and two live podcasts with over 60 Black comics from all over the world. Showcases will run the gamut, from "Young Gunz," which brings "newer but polished comics" to the stage to "House of Hyjinx Heavy Hitters," bringing on seasoned headliners.
(Alberta Abbey, King, Thursday-Sunday)

MUSIC

Drive-By Truckers Past Event Like List
Twenty-two years into their country crooning catalog, Athens, Georgia–brewed Drive-By Truckers (the launchpad of now solo artist Jason Isbell) have unspooled yet another delicately developed deluge of disruption filed under their 12th studio album, The Unraveling. Two shimmering exclamations appear back-to-back on the nine-track credo—“Stick it up your ass with your useless thoughts and prayers” (from “Thoughts and Prayers”) and “If Amazon can deliver salvation, I’ll order it on my phone” (“21st Century America”). Joined by Nashville’s neotraditional Kelsey Waldon, the night should carry spitfire twang from open to close. ZACH FRIMMEL
(Wonder Ballroom, Eliot, Thursday-Friday)

PDX Jazz Festival
Past Event Like List Biamp PDX Jazz Festival is back for its 19th annual celebration of Portland Jazz music and culture. This absolutely stacked lineup features a jaw-dropping mix of award-winning masters and the current generation of musicians who are innovating the genre. Highlights include the most-recorded jazz bassist in history Ron Carter, critically-acclaimed contemporary free-jazz master Angel Bat Dawid, performance and free beat-making workshop from psychedelic soul/jazz wizard MNDSGN, Tom Waits' Rain Dogs collaborator/guitarist Marc Ribot, and the Grammy-winning all-female Mariachi group Flor de Toloache.
(Various locations, Thursday-Sunday)

Y La Bamba with Frankie Simone
Past Event Like List Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Luz Elena Mendoza, Y La Bamba's singular fusion of Mexican folk music and dreamy indie-pop has been a city treasure for over a decade. Jump on at least one of these two opportunities to see them with Borinquen musician Frankie Simone.
(Doug Fir Lounge, Buckman, Thursday-Friday)

DANCE

Dracula
Past Event Like List Oregon Ballet Theatre's Dracula is one spooky approach to the month of love. Based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic novel, the story tells of Count Dracula's obsession with the young Svetlana. This bone-chilling, immersive performance is accompanied by Franz Liszt's live score as interpreted by the OBT Orchestra.
(Keller Auditorium, Downtown, Saturday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism Past Event Like List
This traveling exhibit showcases Mexican postwar identity from the early 20th century through the eyes of artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. While Frida Kahlo's surrealist art is an exploration of her personal Mexican identity through painting and fashion, Diego Rivera's political murals chartered conversations of national identity. On view are several works by both artists, as well as a collection of artworks featuring Frida Kahlo, and other Mexican modernist artists.
(Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks, Saturday-Sunday; opening)