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MONDAY
FILM
Twin Peaks Mondays
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Hosted by "trans femme drag enigma" Violet Hex, this weekly series screens two episodes of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s 1990 creepy, cult-favorite show Twin Peaks every Monday at Black Water Bar, accompanied by themed drag and burlesque performances with a different special guest each time. I don't know about you, but watching talented performers embody the likenesses of Audrey Horne, Laura Palmer, the Log Lady, and other fan favorites sounds like, excuse me, a damn fine time. JB
(Black Water Bar, Irvington)
Portland Film Festival
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The Portland Film Festival (and its elegant grey wolf mascot, Lupe) will continue to celebrate independent cinema with a diverse lineup of films again this year. The fest will introduce an industry strike pass for WGA and SAG-AFTRA union members, and a new Talk-and-Learn film series will preview never-before-seen footage and films, followed by panel discussions with local and visiting experts on Oregon's economy, homelessness, Fentanyl, and more. I'm excited about the Indigenous Voices and Black Stories film blocks and Jailhouse to Milhouse, which tells the story of Pamela Hayden, who voiced the plucky, blue-haired icon Milhouse on The Simpsons. LC
(Various locations)
LIVE MUSIC
Mary Lattimore with Jeremiah Chiu
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Harpist and composer Mary Lattimore, whose twinkly album Silver Ladders sends me (and my cat) into a dreamy reverie on a near-nightly basis, will stop by Portland after the recent release of Goodbye, Hotel Arkada. If you dig gorgeous, homespun compositions à la Joanna Newsom and Colleen, you probably already know and love Lattimore—she's also worked with Thurston Moore, Sharon Van Etten, Jarvis Cocker, Kurt Vile, and the like. Expect this show to feel like a medieval mushroom trip with mystical storytelling and molasses-slow plucking. Lattimore will be joined by electronic composer Jeremiah Chiu. LC
(Polaris Hall, Humboldt)
READINGS & TALKS
Daniel Clowes in Conversation with Eric Reynolds
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Daniel Clowes, the author of Ghost World and Patience and a living legend in the realm of graphic novels, will drop by Portland to celebrate the long-awaited release of Monica, a series of interconnected narratives. Powell's asserts that the volume is "the most complex and personal graphic novel of [Clowes's] distinguished career," so don't miss the chance to hear him dig into the layered comic masterpiece alongside Eric Reynolds, VP and associate publisher of Fantagraphics Books. LC
(Powell's City of Books, Pearl District)
TUESDAY
LIVE MUSIC
Wu-Tang Clan & Nas: NY State Of Mind Tour with De La Soul
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Wu-Tang Clan concluded the most important and innovative period of hip-hop that began with Run-DMC’s 1984 eponymous debut," Stranger senior staff writer Charles Mudede That movement—which includes albums by Eric B. and Rakim, Public Enemy, NWA, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, and Gang Starr—closed in 1997 with Wu-Tang Clan’s "Triumph"/Wu-Tang Forever. After that, hip-hop innovation went either downhill or into the underground. If Wu-Tang Clan had appeared in the first decade of the present millennium, their commercial success would have been that of LA’s Lootpack—mad-innovative but with no mass appeal/appreciation. Wu-Tang Clan represent a moment in hip-hop when black genius was rewarded as much as black stupidity. Those days exist, sadly, only in the past." AV
(Moda Center, Lloyd District)
READINGS & TALKS
Barbara Kingsolver
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If there's such a thing as a household-name author, Barbara Kingsolver might be one example—she's been famous ever since the '98 release of the epistolary novel The Poisonwood Bible. Her latest work, 2022's Demon Copperhead, an angry, compassionate retelling of David Copperfield set in the midst of the Appalachian opioid epidemic, won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It's a bestseller (natch), was named one of the top 10 books of the year by the New York Times and the Washington Post, and serves as a reminder that Kingsolver's talent hasn't diminished one bit. LC
(Keller Auditorium, Downtown)
WEDNESDAY
FILM
Church of Film: Viy—Spirit of Evil
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Purported to be the first horror film ever made in the Soviet Union, the '67 gothic flick Viy is a retelling of Nikolai Gogol's eerie Ukrainian tale of witches, priests, and demons, blending folk aesthetics and special effects for mysterious impact. Church of Film describes the flick as a great example of the "insurgent national cinemas emerging in the USSR during the '60s," but it's also straight-up creepy fun. LC
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy)
Portland Latin American Film Festival
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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and support Latin cinema in one fell swoop at the Portland Latin American Film Festival, which will return again this year with seven feature flicks that can be enjoyed by Spanish, Portuguese, and English speakers. PDXLAFF continues on October 18 with Vincenta B, which follows a Cuban woman with the ability to see into the future. Films will continue to screen through November 30. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)
LIVE MUSIC
Cypress Hill with the Oregon Symphony
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Not only does 2023 mark the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, but it also marks the 30th anniversary of Cypress Hill's iconic sophomore album Black Sunday. In honor of the album, the rap trio will be joined by the Oregon Symphony for orchestral renditions of the classic stoner bops. While this might not seem like an obvious pairing, imagine the guitar sample on "I Wanna Get High" played pizzicato on a cello. Making sense? Plus, I’m eager to hear which classical instrument will mimic the bubbling sounds on "Hits from the Bong." AV
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks)
THURSDAY
FOOD & DRINK
Portland Fermentation Festival
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Ready to get funky? Portland's annual festival dedicated to all things fermented offers a community space to swap tips and recipes with amateur and professional makers, partake in fermented food and beverage samples, and even a rooftop DJ set. Fermentation School co-founder and author Kirsten Shockey will deliver a special talk and you'll be able to peruse pickled veg, krauts, soy ferments, and lots more. JW
(Ecotrust Building, Pearl District)
LIVE MUSIC
Tool
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The 13-year wait for Fear Inoculum, the latest album by slithery quartet Tool, seemed borderline excessive—an impious gestation period that promised either an abomination or a glorious new evolutionary stage for heavy-lidded prog-metal. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. The album’s 10 tracks stay the course with unusual time signatures, shuddersome production techniques, and touches of sly humor. At the same time, the canvas Tool is using feels much bigger, as they let musical ideas stretch out and grow and allow for grooves that are easier to sink into and get comfortable within. At least until the knives come out. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR ROBERT HAM
(Moda Center, Lloyd District)
FRIDAY
FALL
Pumpkin Lane After Dark
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Pomeroy Farms is adding a new, cozy event this year: Pumpkin Lane After Dark. In this instance, "After Dark" doesn't mean scary, it means an adults only romp around the pumpkin patch with wine and s'mores. Bring your Hinge date, your long-time lover, or your platonic pal for peak fall vibes (hayride included). You can bring the kids to Pumpkin Lane during daylight hours. SL
(Pomeroy Farm, Yacolt)
LIVE MUSIC
Blonde Redhead
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When you’ve got a good thing going, why on earth would you give up the ghost? Old-school New York City avant-rock outfit Blonde Redhead (comprised of Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace) will return with more spacy noise rock on the heels of their recent album release, the first in nearly a decade. (Pitchfork deemed Sit Down for Dinner "their warmest, most welcoming music yet.") LC
(Wonder Ballroom, Eliot)
PERFORMANCE
The Tesla City Stories: Halloween Special
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Calling all ducky shincrackers—dust off your zoot suits and liquid stockings, 'cuz Tesla City Stories is offering up another ultra-unique night out featuring live "radio" drama straight from the '40s-era archives of the fictional Tesla City. Part performance art, part pop archeology, the shindig boasts live sound effects, prizes, and plenty of post-Prohibition era booze. This time, the event will be on (natch) a Halloween theme—expect "freshly resurrected" episodes of the gothic seduction tale The Wraith and the kooky show The Off-Key Life of Viola Harper. It's gonna be a gas. LC
(The Old Church, Downtown)
SATURDAY
COMEDY
Bert Kreischer: Tops Off World Tour
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Topless wonder Bert “The Machine” Kreischer will bring us something burning on his Tops Off world tour, which serves as further proof that Rolling Stone's '97 "number one partier in the nation" (yes, that was a thing) is also capable of packing an arena. He'll offer up more of what he delivers best: a blend of anecdotes about family, fatherhood, and his hard-partying era. LC
(Moda Center, Lloyd District)
FILM
Guignolfest
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The scorpion is objectively the scariest critter in the zodiac, and her stingy domain conveniently includes the objectively scariest month, October. Given how hard Portland loves Halloween, there will be a fair number of frightening films on offer—from vaporwave VHS mayhem at Cinemagic to an intriguing haunted video store installation at Movie Madness—but allow me to direct your attention to Guignolfest: a 72-hour filmmaking challenge that traditionally culminates in a raucous gore-splattered screening night at the Clinton Street Theater. It’s impossible to say if there will be any actual scorpions on screen, but expect gallon after gallon of blood-red cornstarch slurry on every available surface and Tom Savini-esque attempts to simulate intestines on a microbudget. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR BEN COLEMAN
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy)
LIVE MUSIC
The 3rd Annual George Harrison Celebration
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Local recording studio SonicbutterPDX will present the third annual George Harrison Celebration concert, honoring the underrated Beatle with an evening of his era-defining tunes played by a who's who of talent from Portland's music scene. The event will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the legendary Concert for Bangladesh and pay tribute to Harrison's landmark post-Beatles triple album.
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)
SUNDAY
COMMUNITY
Knock Out 2023
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Show up for fat liberation (and a fierce, "attitude-infused" runway show) at Knock Out, Portland's preeminent fashion and shopping event highlighting influential plus size clothing designs from the likes of Copper Union, ALIHALLA, Altar, May/Hem, Teggings, and more. This time around, they'll head to Buckman's Melody Event Center, where you'll find independent brands modeled on the runway and a pop-up shop of 20 brands to peruse. (I'm feeling Psychedelic Baddie's tie-dyed creations and Reflective Society's take-no-shit bolo ties.) LC
(The Melody Event Center, Buckman)
LIVE MUSIC
Lil Yachty: The Field Trip Tour
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On his fifth album, Let's Start Here, Lil Yachty trades his bubblegum trap sound for krautrock-inspired synths, electric guitars, and whispery psych-rock vocals. The result is cinematic, delightfully proggy, and reminiscent of Ishmael Butler's mind-bending hip-hop project Shabazz Palaces. It is very exciting to see Butler's spacey, free jazz-inspired sound carry into the mainstream. And, to Yachty and Ish: if you're reading this, we'd love to see a collaboration someday. Lil Yachty will support the album backed by a live band after an opening set from psychedelic soul wiz Nick Hakim. AV
(Crystal Ballroom, West End)
MULTI-DAY
COMMUNITY
Portland Oddities & Curiosities Expo 2023
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Fans of preserved animal specimens, archaic medical devices, and "funeral collectibles" should get their fill of macabre thrills at this creepy convention, which heralds Halloween with a celebration of all things off-kilter. Visitors will find Halloween- and horror-inspired artwork, too, plus antiques, skulls, and bones (natch). Ticket add-ons include taxidermy classes and viewings of a mad clown's "cryptic collection," which boasts "bizarre pieces of agony" like preserved pets, mermaids, and genetically engineered monsters. Have fun! LC
(Oregon Convention Center, Lloyd District, Saturday-Sunday)
EXHIBITS
Staying Alive: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom
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You don't have to go to the zoo—or even leave the east side—to see cool live animals, and no, I don't mean your neighbor's hypoallergenic Labradoodle. Staying Alive: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom examines the self-defense mechanisms of 16 different animals, from armor-like skin to venom and poison. Best part? YOU CAN TOUCH SOME OF THE ANIMALS. The exhibit's promotional materials don't specify exactly which ones, but explain that "the educator in the exhibit will go over which animals can be touched by the public, which cannot, and why." Also, OMSI promises that the exhibit's animals are *not* stressed. (Couldn't be me!) LC
(OMSI, Central Eastside, Tuesday–Sunday)
FALL & HALLOWEEN
Bella Organic Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze
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Every fall, Bella Organic Farms makes a statement with their corn maze, and this year they're targeting gun violence with "a simple message of love from a simple farmer.” Enjoy a hot cup of apple cider over a game of trivia about the maze, and compete with your family and friends inside the maze to win a Clue-inspired puzzle. Starting October 1, you can hitch a free hayride over to the pumpkin patch to pick out your own gourd for carving, painting, or simply placing on your porch for max autumnal vibes. If you're a thrill seeker, stop by after dark on Fridays and Saturdays to experience their haunted corn maze. SL
(Bella Organic Pumpkin Patch & Winery, Sauvie Island, Monday-Sunday)
The Fear PDX
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The most sprawling haunted house in town hosts eleven frightening attractions—Don't Split Up (featuring saws), The Mansion (a paranormal experience), Smiley's Fun House (clowns), The Harvest (farm), The Forgotten (tombs), Rotten Pulp (toxic pumpkins), Dead End (serial killers at a construction site), Radioactive Rampage (zombies), Hazelwood Hills Asylum (it's in the name), Slasher Shed (an escape room type experience) and last but not least, Chopped (a game where one of your hands is trapped in a small guillotine). Ready to face your worst fears? Enter if you dare. SL
(The Fear PDX, Hazelwood, Wednesday-Sunday)
The MAiZE at the Pumpkin Patch
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Shout "It's corn!!!" while exploring almost two miles of pathways through the famous MAiZE on Sauvie Island. This premier destination for fall enthusiasts pays homage to its quarter century of business with this year's "25 years" design. The maze has two parts: warm up with the "easy" section before tackling the more difficult part, and don't forget your boots—it can get muddy out there. SL
(The Pumpkin Patch, Sauvie Island, Monday-Sunday)
Spirit of Halloweentown
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Unless you've already attended Spirit of Halloweentown, you might not know that aspects of aughts-era flicks Twilight and Halloweentownwere filmed in the charming lil' city of St. Helens, where the historic Old Town area looks like something straight out of, well, a Disney Channel Original Movie. When I visited last year, throngs of families dressed in fishnets and princess costumes lingered in line for churros while a giant pumpkin cackled menacingly in the distance. Later in the evening, I grabbed a beer next to a gargantuan animatronic werewolf in jorts, then attended a parade, where I was decked in the face by a Tootsie Roll hurled from a glowy-eyed black cat float. Listen, Spirit of Halloweentown is awesome, you just have to lean into it. The city transforms into a widespread themed attraction, complete with a ceremonial pumpkin lighting, circus performers, "haunted hot rods," and special guests from Twilight, Hocus Pocus 2, and Halloweentown stopping by on select dates. The parking is surprisingly ample, too. LC
(St. Helens, Saturday-Sunday)
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta 2023
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Nothing says Portland quite like watching costumed characters paddling inside giant hollowed-out gourds in a series of races. Now in its 20th year, this long-standing local tradition is just a part of a fun-filled weekend featuring the 5K Regatta Run, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin golf, live entertainment, children's activities, and a giant vegetable weigh-off at Stickmen Brewery. SL
(Tualatin Commons, Tualatin, Saturday-Sunday)
FILM
Friday the 13th
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The summer camp? Negligent. The killer? Ski-masked. Unless you've been living under a rock far, far away from Camp Crystal Lake for the past 40 years, you already know what film franchise I'm referencing. If you missed the Friday the 13th screening of Friday the 13th, you can still catch screenings this week. Can't get enough? The Hollywood also has screenings of Friday the 13th Part Two, Friday the 13th Part Three, and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter planned. Real Voorhees-heads can unleash their secret weapon (of the knowledge variety) at the Oaks Park roller rink trivia night, too. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Monday & Wednesday)
Killers of The Flower Moon
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The calendar is inching closer to Oscar season, and with it will come a film that already rivals the chatter of this summer's Barbie and Oppenheimer, if that's even possible. Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which the Guardian described as an "epic of creeping, existential horror about the birth of the American century," follows the true story of quasi-genocidal serial killings that impacted Oklahoma's Osage tribal community in the '20s. The film takes a "show, don't tell" approach to illustrating the epidemic of violence against Native people in the United States. Calling it now: Based on the trailer alone, Killers of the Flower Moon blends Western sensibilities, true crime, and the macabre in an enthralling way that'll land each and every butt in a theater seat. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Thursday-Sunday)
Nowhere
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If you're into moody California rave culture and ‘90s mainstays like Heather Graham, Ryan Phillippe, James Duval, and Christina Applegate, Gregg Araki's Nowhere should be right up your street—the stylish '97 psych-out flick gazes upon them all as they do drugs and laze about Los Angeles. Sounds cool, right? The problem is, an alien is stalking them, which tends to kill the vibe. In the words of one Letterboxd reviewer, "i love movies that make absolutely zero sense no thoughts just vibes and lucifer is so cunt i love her." Unless you've already seen Nowhere, chances are good that you have no idea what that means, and there's only one way to find out. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Monday-Thursday)
Portland Dance Film Festival
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Spotlighting films from the United States, Germany, Poland, China, Taiwan, and many other countries this year, the Portland Dance Film Festival will return to cultivate poetic "conversations between young and old, meditations on this time of heat and smoke, and observ[ations of] a frisky animal herd colliding with otherness." Three screenings of curated picks include between six and ten short films, so you can return for each evening of the multi-day festival and have a completely different experience. Pass holders also receive a discounted rate for the festival's workshop (Choreography for The Camera with Kailee McMurran) and master class (The Fundamentals of Dance Filmmaking with Nadav Heyman). LC
(Dekum Street Theater, Woodlawn, Thursday-Saturday)
Stop Making Sense
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Calling it now: If you've seen Stop Making Sense, it's probably your favorite concert film. It's jangly and arty and all of the other words one might use to describe Talking Heads's catalog, and David wears the suit. Not feeling the Byrne? Listen, I know watching a concert movie for a band you don't listen to sounds like hell, but this one might be an exception. If you haven't seen it yet, anticipate looking back on the experience with a funny fondness later, like a good birthday party or the first time you smoked weed. Jonathan Demme (yes, the guy who went on to make The Silence of the Lambs) recorded all of the concert footage over the course of three days at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in 1983, during the height of the Heads' visionary fame. It's screening in a new restoration, so prep for a "once in a lifetime" experience. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Monday-Thursday)
FOOD & DRINK
Black Lagoon Halloween Bar Pop-Up
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Break out your best goth finery: The "whimsical but moody" cocktail bar Dirty Pretty is hosting Black Lagoon, a ghostly Halloween-themed experience proclaimed "Canada's Best Pop-Up Bar" by Canada's 100 Best in 2022. The experience, dreamed up by bartenders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage in New Orleans in 2019, features dungeon-esque decor and deliciously morbid libations like the "Hellfire Fizz" (Lot 40 Dark Oak Rye Whiskey with carrot, turmeric, fresh lemon, Lustau Amontillado, Greek yogurt, Bitter Queens Caribbean spice bitters, absinthe, and seltzer), the "Book of Blood" (a take on the classic margarita with Montelobos Mezcal, Giffard Pimente D’Espellette, fresh beet, fresh lime juice, miso falernum, and absinthe), and the "Death Rattle" (Lustau Brandy, Lustau Amontillado Sherry, pineapple and lime juice, spiced oat orgeat, saline, and Bitter Queens Caribbean spice bitters).
(Dirty Pretty, Buckman, Monday-Sunday)
"You're Dead to Me" Halloween Pop-Up Bar
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Rogue Ales and Spirits is the mastermind behind this spine-chilling Halloween pop-up at Dead Guy Bar, featuring 13 petrifying potables like "The Cujo" (a riff on the classic New York Sour with Dead Guy Whiskey Cabernet Cask), "The Basic Dude" (a pumpkin spice take on the White Russian with Bayfront Vodka, coffee liqueur, and pumpkin spice cream), and the "Hell Fire" (smoky mezcal, grapefruit, and Rogue Farmhouse Absinthe). To eat, there's a food menu of sinister specials like the Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired "Oogie Boogie Burger," featuring guacamole, bacon, a black bun, and creepy olive eyes. JB
(Dead Guy Bar (Rogue Hall), South Park Blocks, Monday-Sunday)
PERFORMANCE
Fright Night: A Halloween Circus
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If your ideal Halloween celebration includes an aerial circus act, well, you're in luck: this evening of impressive flips and spins will return to Lincoln Performance Hall for its 11th year to pay tribute to classic horror movies. Set within a long-gone video rental spot, Night Flight Aerial’s Fright Night: A Halloween Circus follows a store employee as he battles contorting demigorgons, possessed dolls, and blood-soaked prom queens on aerial silks. LC
(PSU Lincoln Performance Hall, Southwest Portland, Friday-Sunday)
HAIR
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If you're in search of a genre-defining musical, look no further than HAIR, which served to radicalize a whole generation when it hit Broadway in 1968. It's got drugs, nudity, free love, and notes of psychedelia, but beyond all the far-out energy, its songs also became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War movement. This fresh production serves as a reminder that history repeats itself, and we can still use art as a force for change. What could be groovier than that? LC
(Portland Center Stage, Pearl District, Wednesday–Sunday)
Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical
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If Danny DeVito's '96 fantastical comedy Matilda is one of your core childhood memories (or maybe you're slightly more old school and prefer the '88 Roald Dahl book—I'll go to bat for either), levitate yourself over to Portland Playhouse for this musical adaptation. You know the story already: a big-brained, precocious misfit who's stuck with an anti-intellectual family and a straight-up psychotic principal, Miss Trunchbull, learns to navigate the mess with her teacher, Miss Honey, and a certain magical ability on her side. I'm hoping to see chalk fly through the air. LC
(Portland Playhouse, King, Wednesday–Sunday)
Tails of Terror Live Show
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Hop on a broomstick and head for the Chapel! At the Tails of Terror live show, which will return by popular demand for its second year, host Eerie Webbs will spin scary yarns while live (or living dead?) band the Grave Robbers plays spine-chilling faves by AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Styx, Eurythmics, and more. LC
(Chapel Theater, Milwaukie, Friday-Saturday)
Young Frankenstein
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Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen"), grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, inherits some frankly creepy real estate in Transylvania, where he meets the hunchbacked Igor and finds himself filling the shoes of his weirdo scientist predecessor. You guessed it—this production is a musical rendition of Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein, adapted by the creators of Broadway hit The Producers. Frankie's monster escapes again in this one, but it unleashes more hilarity than terror, so if you're looking for something on the tamer side of the scare spectrum this October, you've found your night out. LC
(Winningstad Theatre, South Park Blocks, Thursday–Sunday)
SHOPPING
Rose City Vintage Market
Past Event
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Some of the West Coast's finest vintage dealers will hawk their wares at this market that will fill the Expo Center with antique, midcentury, and Americana treasures. Even if you're somehow unable to find something to your liking from the vast selection of decor, fashion, accessories, and other collectibles, a trip to the market should make for a satisfying game of "I spy." LC
(Portland Expo Center, North Portland, Saturday-Sunday)
VISUAL ART
Allie Hankins and Hannah Krafcik: By My Own Hand, Part 3: THE ACHE
Past Event
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"The dancers’ gradual creeping motions feel unnatural, like expressions in reverse. Their movements are almost recognizable, but not quite, and I sense a logical disruption. It’s as though I’m watching a dream begin." I was deeply moved by Hannah Krafcik and Emily Jones's performance apogee at the 2021 Time-Based Arts Festival, so I'm excited to see Krafcik partner with local dance heroine Allie Hankins for the third installment of her five-part performance series, By My Own Hand. Part-video exhibition, part-publication, and part-art-making workshop series, THE ACHE will take shape with contributions from local artists dee bustos, Muffie Delgado-Connelly, Midori Hirose, and Ralph Pugay. The installment looks closely at "creative acts of self-determination," inspired by Hankins's desire to create more crossover between "artistic field-based microcosms." LC
(PICA, Eliot, Thursday-Sunday; opening)
Amanda Ross-Ho: ICE TIME
Past Event
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I was lucky enough to catch Los Angeles-based artist and one-time competitive figure skater Amanda Ross-Ho's performance at the Lloyd Center ice rink on Converge 45's opening weekend. The performance, which felt inextricably linked to the legacy of a certain infamous Olympian who learned to skate at Lloyd, saw Ross-Ho skate in a meditative figure eight formation. Her solo exhibition ICE TIME expands on this meditation with a further developed sense of repetition and muscle memory. LC
(ILY2, Pearl District, Wednesday–Saturday)
Amjad Faur: A Spell for Letting Go
Past Event
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Amjad Faur's precise, elaborately assembled photographs are created with a large-format camera, subverting the immediacy of iPhone snapshots and digital manipulation in favor of unedited, deliberate looking. (Each of his images can take weeks or months to create.) As a descendant of Scottish American and Palestinian heritage, Faur investigates his dual identities through varying, and sometimes unexpected themes: Renaissance paintings, Middle Eastern geo-political conflicts, "objects of armor and violence," fantasy art, Victorian Spiritualism, and more. Viewing his photographs as a form of spell-casting, Faur leans into the complexity of the process; the images seen in A Spell for Letting Go include traditional chainmail woven by the artist. LC
(PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Slabtown, Tuesday–Saturday)
Portland TextileX Month
Past Event
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Exploring a "mixed identities" theme this year, Portland TextileX Month (PTXM) is back to examine everything from myths and rituals to migration and resistance through diverse textile exhibitions and workshops. We're tied up in knots about Salvadoran American textile artist Orquidia Violeta's Guardian Spirit Series, Well Well Projects' Emotions of Home, Carnation Contemporary's Wild Peninsula: Color & Sound in North Portland, and costume designer Fuschia Lin's mask-making workshop, but you can find a full list of the month's events here. LC
(Various locations, Monday-Sunday)
Richard Mosse: Occidental
Past Event
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Celebrated photographer Richard Mosse will display a series of photographs documenting oil spills from an abandoned pipeline in the Kichwa Indigenous Territory in the forested area of northwest Peru. The poignant images depict the devastating effects of human development on Indigenous lands and communities. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR ASHLEY GIFFORD
(Blue Sky Gallery, Pearl District, Wednesday–Sunday; closing)
The Rose
Past Event
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If you'd asked me to name some subversive feminist acts before reading about The Rose, "collaging" wouldn't have topped my list. But curator Justine Kurland's new group exhibition (housed in lumber room's airy space) has effectively changed my mind—collage is badass, representing all things transformative and revitalizing. So get into it! A lush garden of artists featured in The Rose seems to agree with me. The show features over 40 creators, including local recognizables like Jessica Jackson Hutchins and Bean Gilsdorf alongside major art stars Ruth Asawa, Wendy Red Star, and Francesca Woodman. LC
(lumber room, Pearl District, Friday-Saturday)
Wild Peninsula: Color and Sound in North Portland
Past Event
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If you've ever bopped around St. Johns, you may have noticed the neighborhood's plentiful "edge-of-wild spaces." Longtime residents Carolyn Hazel Drake, Michael Brooks, and Eric Jordan have taken note of them, too, finding resonance with the peninsula's landscape and exploring areas like the Baltimore Woods, Chimney Park, Smith & Bybee Wetlands, the Columbia Slough, and the St. Johns Prairie on daily walks. In Wild Peninsula: Color and Sound in North Portland, the trio reflects on the "strange interplay of nature, industry, preservation, disuse, and restoration" in the area through woven tapestries, soundscapes, and hand-appliqued textiles. LC
(Carnation Contemporary, Kenton, Saturday-Sunday)
