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READINGS & TALKS

Khushbu Shah in Conversation with Erin DeJesus Past Event Like List
With her debut cookbook Amrikan: 125 Recipes From the Indian Diaspora, Food & Wine writer and editor Khushbu Shah asks the question: “What is Indian food in America?” She delves into the answer not only with irresistible-sounding recipes that I’m eager to add into my rotation, like saag paneer lasagna, achari paneer pizza, spinach tadka dal with rice, panipuri mojitos, and masala chai Basque cheesecake, but also with images and essays that meditate on the connection between food and identity. As Shah told the New York Times in a 2019 interview, “Food is undeniably intersectional. It’s impossible—it’s irresponsible—to deny it.” JB
Powell’s City of Books (Sun Sept 8) 

Geek Week PDX Remind Like List
The Rose City Comic Con Past Event Like List  brings all the geeks and gamers to Portland annually, and this year the fun continues afterward with Geek Week PDX, a newly organized pop culture festival featuring activations across the city. You can partake in over 300 different events hosted at 100+ nerd-focused small businesses, ranging from film screenings to game tournaments and cosplay parties (one of which is at an ice rink). There are multiple options for celebrating the 50th Anniversary of beloved role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, including a progressive seven-day campaign hosted by TPK Brewing Co. If you prefer a more IRL adventure, the Treasure Quest photo scavenger hunt leads you on an exploration of the city, each quadrant of which the organizers promise will be “transformed into a new mythical realm.” SL
Various locations (Sept 9–15) 

Chelsea Bieker w/ Kimberly King Parsons Remind Like List
If authors like Flannery O’Connor, Shirley Jackson, Alissa Nutting, and Melissa Broder are your literary jam, local author Chelsea Bieker should definitely be on your TBR list. Bieker evoked a unique “California gothic” aesthetic all her own with her 2020 debut novel GODSHOT, an unsettling Ethel Cain-esque story about a young girl trapped in a cult led by a power-hungry pastor, as well as in her 2022 short story collection of tales about down-on-their-luck dreamers Heartbroke. Her highly anticipated novel Madwoman follows Clove, a wife and mother of two whose dark past threatens to upend her idyllic present-day life in Portland. We Were the Universe author Kimberly King Parsons joins Bieker for a conversation about the new work. JB
Powell’s City of Books (Thurs Sept 19) 

Portland Zine Symposium Remind Like List
Don’t forget to bring a tote bag for this celebration of Portland’s unique DIY spirit—you’ll wanna fill it with self-published and handmade goodies from small letterpress shops, independent magazines, cartoonists, and more. The long-running Portland Zine Symposium is a solid way to get to know local zinesters, so pop by the free affair to buy from tablers like Antiquated Future, emi koyama, Secret Room Press, Outlet PDX, Sola Habibi, sound grounds wreckin’ crew, That Deaf Zinester, Molly Lecko Herro, and dozens of others. You’ll find publications on every theme under the sun, from autobiographical comics to disability awareness tomes and pop culture goodies. LC
Portland State University Smith Memorial Student Union (Sept 21–22) 

Amy Tan Remind Like List
In 2020, a lot of us started birding—mass layoffs and an unfamiliar amount of hours to fill tends to encourage people to look skyward, I guess. National treasure Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club) conjures plenty of conversations about spark birds with her latest gorgeous and witty work The Backyard Bird Chronicles. Even if you’ve never identified a single species beyond a parking lot crow, chances are good that you’ll find this book inspiring. My suggestion? Go pick up some binos, then head to this talk with Tan, who’s written five New York Times bestsellers and won the Carl Sandburg Literary Award. LC
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Wed Oct 9) 

Portland Book Festival 2024 Remind Like List
Throngs of book lovers will flock to the Portland Art Museum (and neighboring venues) on November 2 for the Portland Book Festival, which always promises an unmatched lineup of buzzy wordsmiths. Plus, Portland Book Festival Cover to Cover, a week (October 28-November 3) of “neighborhood literary encounters,” will return for its third year, bringing more book-loving vibes to spots across the city. The festival will include discussions with over 80 authors across 10 stages, food truck vendors, and a book fair. Why not stop by to snag a book you’re actually excited to read? LC
Portland Art Museum (Sat Nov 2) 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Carson Ellis with Colin Meloy Remind Like List
Powell’s City of Books (Tues Sept 10)

Charlotte Shane with Lydia Kiesling Remind Like List
Powell’s City of Books (Wed Sept 11)

Connie Chung Remind Like List
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Wed Sept 25)

Hernan Diaz Remind Like List
Powell’s City of Books (Fri Oct 18)

Ta-Nehisi Coates Remind Like List
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Tues Oct 22)

PERFORMANCE

Tim Murray Is ‘Witches!’ Remind Like List
Tim Murray self-describes as being “like a gay Bo Burnham, but painted green, doing drag,” which is the kind of pre-Halloween cheer I didn’t realize I needed. He’ll bring his creepy-crawly comedy hour Witches! to Portland, blending stand-up with original comedy songs about his favorite pop culture crones and enchantresses, from Sabrina to Anjelica Huston. There’s a deeper meaning to the toil and trouble, too—the show is “a tribute to LGBTQIA people and how we discover our magic once we find our coven.” LC
Siren Theater (Thurs Sept 12) 

‘Diné Nishł (i am a sacred being) Or, a Boarding School Play’ Remind Like List
When a group of high schoolers is offered the chance to sing the Navajo national anthem at the 2002 Winter Olympics, they’re understandably stoked, but a teacher throws a wrench in the works with a (false?) accusation. The group forms a plan to save their trip, and what unfolds is an “exuberant, sunny, and just a little bit haunted” comedy that celebrates the lives of young Native women. (We’ve got the brilliant Diné storyteller and playwright Blossom Johnson to thank.) After a run at Hillsboro’s Vault Theater, the production will tour throughout the greater Portland area, with performances at the Native American Youth and Family Center October 4-6 and the PSU Native Student and Community Center October 10-13. LC
The Vault Theater (Sep 20–Oct 13) 

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Remind Like List
A barber who murders people and turns them into pies with the help of his landlady sounds like a pretty gruesome tale, but with the magical touch of Stephen Sondheim, this musical becomes a most amusing story. Originally premiering in 1979 (and winning 8 Tony Awards), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was recently revived on Broadway to rave reviews. Now it returns to Portland Center Stage at the perfect time to bring a little more horror into the haunting season. SL
Portland Center Stage (Sept 29–Nov 3) 

Amélie Remind Like List
Like countless others, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 romantic comedy Amélie captured my heart the first time I watched it. As a young misfit adolescent, I immediately fell for its charming depiction of Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou), a shy, reclusive, daydream-prone waitress in Montmartre, Paris who embarks on a series of random acts of kindness, meeting a colorful cast of characters and a mysterious love interest in the process. The quirky film seems like ideal fodder for a theatrical production, which is why I’m particularly delighted that the Playhouse has chosen to stage the critically acclaimed musical adaptation, featuring music by Daniel Messé, lyrics by Messé and Nathan Tysen, and a book by Craig Lucas. Here’s hoping it instills a little whimsical joy in all its audiences. JB
Portland Playhouse (Oct 2–Nov 10) 

Portland Erotic Ball 2024 Remind Like List
Emmy-nominated comedian and drag queen Sasha Scarlett will host Portland’s sexiest event, which takes over all three levels of Crystal Ballroom for a night of non-stop entertainment and spectacle. Dress (or undress) to impress—there’s over $10,000 of cash and prizes up for grabs in the costume contest. Strut your stuff as you check out burlesque and aerialist performances, a full floor of fetish demonstrations, dance teams, stilt walkers, and more. DJ OG ONE—the official DJ of the Blazers—will keep you grooving all night at the 24th installment of this premier adult party, which just happens to fall on the weekend before Halloween. SL
Crystal Ballroom (Sat Oct 26) 

Sheng Wang Remind Like List
Taiwanese-American comic Sheng Wang turns the simplest, everyday things into hilarious observations that can make your most uptight family member laugh. Originally from Houston and now residing in Los Angeles, Wang’s first Netflix special, Sweet & Juicy, was produced and directed by Ali Wong and earned rave reviews. You can expect musings in the vein of wearing glasses to strip clubs, backpacking bachelor parties, shoeless households, toothbrushes, and if you’re lucky, impersonations of plants based on audience suggestions. SL
Keller Auditorium (Sat Nov 16) 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Eugene Mirman: ‘An Evening of Whimsy and Mild Grievances Past Event Like List ’
Aladdin Theater (Sat Sept 7)

John Early: The Album Tour Remind Like List
Revolution Hall (Thurs Sept 12)

Portland Opera to Go’s ‘Shizue: An American Story Remind Like List ’
Brunish Hall (Oct 4–5)

‘Hansel and Gretel Remind Like List ’
Keller Auditorium (Oct 5–12)

Grand Kyiv Ballet: ‘Don Quixote Remind Like List ’
Newmark Theatre (Tues Oct 15)

The Event! Remind Like List
Artists Repertory Theatre (Oct 13–Nov 10)

VISUAL ART

A Fountain of Creativity: Oregon’s 20th Century Artists and the Legacy of Arlene Schnitzer Remind Like List
This two-part exhibition provides a window into the Portland art scene during the beginning and middle of the 20th century, when Arlene Schnitzer’s Fountain Gallery was a major hub of Portland’s downtown arts scene. Even if you don’t recognize artists like Carl Morris, William Givler, and Hilda Morris, you’ve likely seen their work on the walls of the Portland Art Museum, the lobby of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, or anywhere else that prominently displays established local artists. A Fountain of Creativity is an “oh, that guy!” of Pacific Northwest Art, and it’s good to see the artists contextualized. The first installment of this collection is on view now at OHS, though Jan 2, 2025. The second piece will open on Oct 25 and remain on view through May of next year. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR JOE STRECKERT
Oregon Historical Society (Through May 4, 2025) 

Carson Ellis: ‘One Week in January’ Remind Like List
While looking through some old boxes, illustrator and author Carson Ellis discovered several pages of diary entries from 2001, which documented her first week living in Portland. The journals detailed 25-year-old Ellis’s new life in the city, as she moved into a “scrappy but cheap and fabulous” Southeast Portland warehouse, smoked a lot of cigarettes, and hung out with her housemates and fellow artists, including her future husband and Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy. Ellis got a kick out of the old entries, which offer a snapshot of Portland during a time of creative abundance and cheap rent. She painted 30 new pieces of art to go along with the diary entries from 23 years ago, and compiled them into a book, One Week in January: New Paintings for an Old Diary, which will be published by Chronicle on September 10. Ellis’ original paintings are on display at Portland art gallery Nationale from Sept 14-Oct 19. Reception on Sat Sept 14, 2-5 pm. PORTLAND MERCURY NEWS REPORTER TAYLOR GRIGGS
Nationale (Sept 14–Oct 19) 

Ann Hamilton: recent work Remind Like List
Ann Hamilton is, by all accounts, an art star—the Yale-educated textile artist, performer, photographer, and videographer has built her career around site-responsive, tactile, larger-than-life installations since the ‘80s. Not much has been revealed about this recent body of work, but chances are good that it won’t sacrifice any of Hamilton’s signature sensuousness and attention to detail. Hamilton’s last exhibition at Elizabeth Leach, Sense, included prints developed from a striking process of flatbed scanning animal specimens, stones, and fallen leaves, and this collection appears to showcase more of the same. I’ll take it. LC
Elizabeth Leach Gallery (Oct 3–Nov 2) 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

‘Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s Remind Like List ’
Portland Art Museum (Sept 7–Jan 10, 2025)

Timothy Yanick Hunter, ‘Noise / Grain Remind Like List ’
ILY2 (Sept 13–Nov 9)

‘Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm’ Remind Like List
Portland Art Museum (Sept 14–Jan 19, 2025)

Portland Design Month Remind Like List
Various locations (Sept 25–Oct 26)

FILM

2024 HUMP! Part Two Remind Like List
Dan Savage’s pioneering erotic film fest premiered an all-new lineup of sexy films featuring all genders and orientations at Revolution Hall earlier this year. Since 2005, HUMP! has brought inclusive, creative, and kinky films to the big screen—and since this year’s fest features not one but two feature-length lineups, you can scope out the sex-positive fest yet again for a tantalizing treat. Part two includes a feast of 25 brand-spanking-new feasts for your eyeballs, including “smokin’ hot paranormal encounters, a mind-bending space carnival, spine-tingling ASMR, [and] all the thermal eye candy you can eat.” It’s worth a venture outside of your sex dungeon, but you can still wear the latex catsuit. LC
Cinema 21 (Sept 6–21) 

Mississippi Records Music & Film: ‘The Secret Life of Plants’ with the Cosmic Tones Research Trio Past Event Like List
Record label and North Albina Avenue mainstay Mississippi Records stays true to its jangly, psychedelic aesthetic with periodic screenings of The Secret Life of Plants, one of founder Eric Isaacson’s favorite documentaries. I’ll also sing its praises to anyone who asks—the ‘79 flick begins as a psychedelic meditation on flora and expands to reflect on Earth, space, consciousness, and life itself, with groovy tunes by Stevie Wonder to boot. Smoke a bowl and get thee to the Hollywood for time-lapses of plant growth, space rituals, and paradisiacal interpretive dance. The Cosmic Tones Research Trio—aka Roman Norfleet, Harlan Silverman, and Kenney Realness—will start the show with “unclassifiable” astral jazz and healing tones with a bluesy, gospel flavor. LC 
Hollywood Theatre (Mon Sept 9)

‘Daisies’ with woo-woo: Self-Care Sunday Remind Like List
Once banned in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the gleeful, surrealist Daisies is chock-full of hedonistic splendor, revolving around two young women who shrug off stereotypes in pursuit of debauchery and pleasure. Who says anti-patriarchal antics can’t be fun?! Stop by Tomorrow Theater for the screening of the ‘66 flick, which will be preceded by a “self-care moment” with local wellness experts woo-woo. (They’ll host a Bodyroll session, described as an “all-levels dance practice to heal your inner dancer and enliven the collective spirit,” so come prepared to sweat a little.) LC
Tomorrow Theater (Sun Sept 15) 

16mm Nyback Showdown Remind Like List
If there’s such a thing as a “legend” in the film archivist and historian community, Dennis Nyback was that man—he screened original film programs worldwide while operating Seattle’s Rosebud Movie Palace and Pike St. Cinema, and also renovated Portland’s historic Clinton Street Theater in the ‘90s. This 16mm tribute to a true PNW force of cinematic nature spotlights flicks straight from Nyback’s recently rediscovered archives, which includes “thousands of titles assembled over 40 years of personal curation” and spans 120 years of movie history. Projectionist teams Darkroom Associates and Astral Projections will curate. LC
Clinton Street Theater (Tues Sept 17)

Wyrd War Presents: ‘The Beyond’ and ‘Zombie’ with Fabio Frizzi Remind Like List
Wyrd War’s 10th-anniversary festivities will continue with the ultimate in Halloween pregaming. On September 20, the Hollywood will screen Lucio Fulci’s malevolent meltdown The Beyond, which should put some fear in your heart—chilly composer Fabio Frizzi will perform a live score for the film as you peer into the abyss of hell’s seven gateways, complete with flesh-munching tarantulas, zombies, and demonic dogs. Then, on September 21, he’ll return to perform a live score for similarly terrifying ‘79 Fulci flick Zombie, a gross and graphic tribute to the “walking (and swimming!) dead of Haitian voodoo lore.” Don’t say I didn’t warn you. LC
Hollywood Theatre (Sept 20–21) 

Eighth Annual Portland Dance Film Fest Remind Like List
Spotlighting films from France, Vietnam, Greece, India, Iran, Japan, and many other countries this year, the Portland Dance Film Festival will return to cultivate more poetic connections with “the language of our bodies.” Three screenings of curated picks include between eight and 10 short films, so you can return for each evening of the multi-day festival and have a completely different experience. Passholders can meet-cute with other dance fanatics at informal after-screening gatherings, too. LC
Tomorrow Theater (Sept 26–28) 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Hanabi Film Fest Remind Like List
Clinton Street Theater (Sept 1–13)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Remind Like List
Hollywood Theatre (Sept 5–12)

The Substance Remind Like List
Cinemagic (Opens Sept 20)

Betty Boop’s Halloween Party Remind Like List
Clinton Street Theater (Sat Oct 26)

LIVE MUSIC

PDX Pop Now! 2024 Past Event Like List
PDX Pop Now! is your annual reminder of the vibrant music scene that exists within our city. The donation-based, all-ages festival is back for its 20th year with a weekend-long schedule of local musicians performing at Portland’s oldest (and largest food) cart hub. Highlights from this year’s lineup include synth-pop quartet Reptaliens, indie rock project Queen Rodeo, dreamy punk trio Public Pleasure, and beloved rockers the Mistons. I am also excited to see the Eugene-based indie rock outfit Growing Pains on the bill, whose 2023 EP Thought I Heard Your Car evokes the swirling harmonies and cathartic buzzing of shoegazers like Lush and Slowdive. AV
Midtown Beer Garden (Sept 7–8) 

Remi Wolf Remind Like List
Remi Wolf is a firecracker, both live onstage and in her recorded music. Her 2020 EP I’m Allergic To Dogs! exploded onto the scene with cheeky lyrics and boppy beats, and her pop dominance has only grown since. Big Ideas, her second full length, was released in July of this year and showcases a broad range of genres and influences in her music, from psych rock to R&B. Her show calls for barefoot dancing in the grass in your brightest threads and chunkiest jewelry. Groovy alt hip-hop artist Lava La Rue opens the show. SL
McMenamins Edgefield (Fri Sept 13) 

ESG Remind Like List
If you’re a man giving me a long-winded speech and I look distracted—my eyes glassy, my foot tapping, my blinks slow—it’s probably because “You Make No Sense” by ESG is booming through the corridors of my brain. The track, which repeats its sassy title on a loop atop a bouncing bassline and interspersed drum fills, embodies the band’s ethos of turning rage into something fun, cathartic, and free. The trailblazing sister-led dance-punk band will dance through Portland for one last party alongside DJ crew Strange Babes and rock ‘n’ roll outfit Dirt Twins. AV
Wonder Ballroom (Sat Sept 14) 

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Remind Like List
I’ll admit it; jazz can feel very intimidating! There are so many subgenres to learn, names to remember, and history that feels gatekept by boomers with hi-fi equipment. However, nothing compares to hearing a skilled jazz ensemble play live. It’s truly transcendental. If you haven’t had the pleasure, Seattle-based ensemble Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio is an excellent place to start. The trio employs Jimmy Smith-style organs, Motown-spiced rhythms, and Jimi Hendrix-hazed guitars for the timeless, feel-good soul-jazz you can dance to. AV
The Get Down (Tues Sept 24) 

Dreamgaze PDX Remind Like List
This year’s inaugural Dreamgaze Festival will seep dreamy sounds through the St. Johns neighborhood for two days of experimental post-punk, shoegaze, and psych-rock tunes. Don’t miss a performance from pioneering shoegaze band the Veldt, whose unique R&B-infused dream pop has led them to tour alongside goth household names like Cocteau Twins, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and Echo & the Bunnymen. If you’re unfamiliar with their music, I recommend you check out their 1994 debut, Afrodisiac, which Pitchfork hailed as one of the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released. Some highlights from the lineup include the Prids, Mint Field, Somesurprises, Dead Leaf Echo, and Citrus Clouds. AV
The Fixin’ To (Sept 28–29) 

Empress Of Remind Like List
I became enamored of the Honduran American songwriter, musician, and producer Lorely Rodriguez, better known by her stage name Empress Of, after seeing her open for Carly Rae Jepsen in 2023. Rodriguez took her stage name from the Empress tarot card, representing the divine feminine, and it’s not hard to see why—she channeled pure sensuality and power as she commanded the audience’s attention, gyrating to sexy bangers like “Save Me” and “Wild Girl.” On her latest release, the bilingual album For Your Consideration, she deftly plays with power dynamics within love, sex, and the entertainment industry and has fun doing it. The “Jolene” tribute “Lorelei” casts her as a home-wrecking femme fatale, while the single “Femenine” expresses her desire for a subservient man: “Sabes que yo soy tu daddy,” she purrs. JB
Wonder Ballroom (Thurs Oct 3) 

André 3000: New Blue Sun Live In Concert Remind Like List
In November of last year, André 3000 surprised fans with his first new music in 17 years—but it wasn’t what we anticipated. The OutKast rapper released a full-length album entirely of flute music. New Blue Sun is an odyssey of spiritual jazz and electronic ambient sounds that could perfectly soundtrack an Octavia Butler novel. Featuring instruments like mycelial electronics, plants, shakuhachi, and sintir, the album is equal parts acoustic and electronic with multiple types of flutes played by André himself. Joined on stage by album collaborators Carlos Niño, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau, and Deantoni Parks, the ensemble will present an immersive concert that enchants audiences with improvisation “sensory grandeur.” AV
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Mon Oct 14) 

Nada Surf Remind Like List
Nada Surf has been a band for over 30 years, which means fans of all ages have been drawn to their music at different points in their career. My coworker remembers their 1996 debut hit “Popular,” which catapulted them to alt rock popularity; I fell in love with their fifth full-length Lucky in high school. Now, the group known for bittersweet anthems is set to release their next album in September, with currently released singles hinting at an era of reflection, musing on the human experience with notes of love, grief, doubt, and hope, told through soaring harmonies and strong instrumentation. Up-and-coming New Zealand indie rock trio Office Dog opens the show.
Wonder Ballroom (Wed Oct 16) SL

Third Angle New Music Presents: Dracula Remind Like List
​​Summon the spirit of Béla Lugosi on the eve of Halloween with an immersive viewing of the 1931 film Dracula. Philip Glass Ensemble music director Michael Riesman will lead the Third Angle New Music ensemble in a performance of Glass’ hypnotic original score for a string quartet and two grand pianos. AV
Patricia Reser Center for the Arts (Wed Oct 30) 

Katie Gavin
Remind Like List As a devoted stan of the queer indie pop icons, Gayotic podcasters, and self-proclaimed “greatest band in the world” MUNA, I’ve enjoyed watching member Katie Gavin step into her own solo project on the side. She cites Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, and Sarah McLachlan as influences on her debut album What a Relief, which was largely written on acoustic guitar over the course of seven years, and their raw honesty shines through on nostalgic ‘90s-tinged singles like “Aftertaste” (a sweet, woozy ode to the vulnerability of a nascent crush) and “Casual Drug Use” (a compassionate affirmation in the face of substance abuse issues, penned in the wake of a breakup in 2016). A dollar from each ticket will go toward the organization Critical Resistance’s mission to dismantle the prison-industrial complex. JB
Wonder Ballroom (Wed Nov 20) 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Mitski Remind Like List
Moda Center (Sat Sept 21)

Childish Gambino: The New World Tour Remind Like List
Moda Center (Tues Sept 24)

‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ in Concert Remind Like List
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Sept 28–29)

Clairo Remind Like List
McMenamins Edgefield (Wed Oct 9)

Killer Mike with the Oregon Symphony Remind Like List
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Thurs Oct 17)

Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat Remind Like List
Moda Center (Tues Oct 22)