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Good news for those who deserve a little treat. This week serves layered sundaes, State Fair elephant ears, and a lilting farewell set by consummate indie-poppers Tennis. For something heartier, catch cool jazz at wine and cheese bar Négociant or a performance by Ural Thomas, the King of Portland Soul. Indulge accordingly.
Monday, August 25
Make a beeline to Cheese & Crack for its POG sundae special
If you have one sweet treat this week, then let it be the POG sundae at Cheese & Crack. For the uninitiated, that’s Passionfruit, Orange, and Guava, AKA one of the best flavor combinations ever created. Layered with toasted coconut, the sundae is a tropical tango on your tastebuds so good it’ll make up for the island vacation you didn’t go on this summer. [Cries in ice cream.] Honestly though, the only thing I wish Cheese & Crack did differently is offer half-size sundaes! Hear my plea, soft serve gods. I appreciate a generous portion size, but sometimes after eating dinner at one of the stellar options along NE 28th I just want a small dessert, y’know? (Cheese & Crack Snack Shop, 22 SE 28th, open daily, $8) JANEY WONG
Oregon State Fair
For those who love their fun on the corny side, the annual Oregon State Fair is now underway! Featuring (of course) stomach-churning rides and elephant ears, you can also expect concerts (the best of which is Cheap Trick on Thursday, August 28), along with such charming rural entertainment as a tractor-driving contest, llamas, goats, pig races, hypnotists, a parrot show(!!), bees, miniature horses, monster trucks, a pie-eating contest, and an Oregon authors petting zoo. Fine, I’m kidding… but they do feature lots of local authors! Ask if you can pet them! (Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St NE, Salem, daily through Sep 1, 10 am–10 pm, $3–$25, more info, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Tuesday, August 26
Tuesday Night Jazz at Négociant
Need an (almost) mid-week pick-me-up? Catch some jazz at Northwest Portland’s Négociant wine and cheese bar. The local duo Pete Krebs and Brent Martens, both long-time fixtures of Portland’s music scene, will perform a two-guitar set. Meanwhile, you’ll drink from Négociant’s robust selection of wines and eat charcuterie, oysters, and/or cheesecake. There’s no cover fee, and reservations aren’t required—just bring your jazz-appreciating self. (Négociant, 655 NW 21st, 6–8 pm, free, more info) TAYLOR GRIGGS
Wednesday, August 27
Bingo with Peachy Springs
Portland’s most famous (and foul-mouthed) (and sassy) bingo caller is undoubtedly the absolutely fabulous drag artist Peachy Springs, whose ball-handling and number-calling has become the stuff of legend. And to ensure Peachy entertains as many people as possible, she’s currently the “bingo caller in residence” for Tomorrow Theater, where you can expect “a cross between RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Price is Right” with tons of jokes, songs, and if the bingo gods are with you(?), a bevy of fabbo PRIZES. (Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, 7 pm, $25, more info, 18+) WSH
Japanese Summer 2
Paired with a solo exhibition by Richmond-based Variety Shop studio owner Josh Stover, Japanese Summer 2 invites fresh interpretations of Japan’s landscapes and objects. True to Nucleus Portland’s signature bright, graphic aesthetic, the show gathers an eclectic mix of confident Japanese and American mark-makers alike; expect renderings of stylized birds, Okinawan ice cream, and kei trucks. I’m excited to scope more abstracted compositions by Ippei Matsui, whose paintings and large-scale fabric works were recently on view at the chic third space Maps. (Nucleus Portland, 2916 NE Alberta B, through Aug 31, free, more info, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Thursday, August 28
Grounded: an art & ecology reading from Variable West
As this Thursday evening cools toward twilight, nonprofit arts platform Variable West will scatter words across the scenic fields of Powellhurst-Gilbert’s Zenger Farm. Sharing work under the wide themes of art and the environment, readers will include Meech Boakye, who was recently profiled for the Mercury‘s May food issue, farmer-artist Jade Novarino, artist and Old Fashioned Garage Gallery curator Jodie Cavalier, and others. Guests will receive an accompanying zine with a contextual essay by writer-photographer Monica Uszerowicz. (Zenger Farm, 11741 SE Foster, 6 pm, free, more info, all ages) LC
Ural Thomas & the Pain / Laura Gibson
Undeniably the King of Portland Soul, Ural Thomas has been bringing the pain since his days playing Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater in the ’60s. But if you think the man’s slowed down in any way shape or form, you’re painfully mistaken—the 86-year-old has been greasing wheels on Rose City soul trains since the formation of his backing band the Pain, and his reentry into the world of live performance. He is one of the true greats that Portland can call its own. Folk favorite Laura Gibson opens the dreamy night under the 500-year-old oak tree on Sauvie Island. (Topaz Farms, 17100 NW Sauvie Island, 6 pm, $20–$25, more info, all ages) NOLAN PARKER
Friday, August 29
Hazel / Umbraphile / Well of Human Kindness
Kicking around Portland in the early ’90s with the likes of Heatmiser and Team Dresch, Hazel concocted an oozing, grungy power-pop not dissimilar to what was popping off in Seattle around the time. Their 1993 debut album Toreador of Love—released on Sub Pop—remains an underappreciated Rosetta Stone of alternative music in the Pacific Northwest. If you’ve been wanting to groove on some Portland music history, but are needing a break from Wipers and the Exploding Hearts, this is the show for you. Portland jazz-pop youngsters Umbraphile are in the middle slot, with the mysterious Well of Human Kindness on opening responsibilities. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark #203, 8 pm, $32.21, more info, all ages) NP
Tennis with Real Estate
After 15 years as a beacon of excellence in the indie pop scene, husband-and-wife duo Tennis is calling it a wrap, and this show is one of your last chances to see them live. The Denver-based pair announced an indefinite hiatus following their seventh and final album, Face Down in the Garden. Their farewell tour reportedly pulls generously from fan-favorite albums like Pollen and Swimmer, so expect a heartfelt (and maybe tearful) send-off that encapsulates the sonic legacy that Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley devoted their 20s and 30s to. Millennial indie rock band Real Estate opens the show with their sun-soaked tracks. (McMenamins Grand Lodge, 3505 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove, 6:30 pm, $53.82–$63.09, more info, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS
Saturday, August 30
Christian Alborz Oldham: Having no talent is not enough
If you missed the debut show at curator Ido Radon’s Society last month, carve out some time to stop by the gallery for Berlin-based artist and ikebana practitioner Christian Alborz Oldham’s Having no talent is not enough, which will fill the space—tucked above Mother Foucault’s on the second floor of a historic SE Grand building—with objects and their echoes. (Promotional materials explain that this is “a show of doubles—bootleg, edition, pair.”) I’m most intrigued by Moon High School, a “200,000-word florilegium” the gallery published for the exhibition. (Society, 711 SE Grand, second floor, Sat 12–5 pm through Nov 15, more info, all ages) LC
Flock Block Party
Staying in town for the long weekend? Don’t worry, the party’s coming to you. Flock Food Hall is throwing a block party with vibey performances by pop singer-songwriter Alana Rich, rapper Swego, R&B artist Rachel Wong, and Blazers DJ O.G.ONE. You can capture the moment at the photo booth, browse vendors, and enjoy free wine from Nest & Vine along with spirit tastings and mocktails. When hunger strikes, grab global bites from Queen Mama’s Kitchen, ZabPinto Thai Kitchen, and HK Bistro. (Flock Food Hall, 917 SW Alder, 6 pm, free, more info) JW
Also worth it:
Albina Music Trust End of Summer Jam, Clyde’s Prime Rib, more info
Sunday, August 31
Bridge City Block Party
In what could easily be the Labor Day weekend dance party you’ve been looking for, Bridge City Block Party brings an outdoor rave to Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square. Featuring a bevy of DJs, including the energetic EDM of Crankdat, dubstep from YDG and Evalution, bass-driven drops from WonkyWilla, and many more surprises, the action will bounce around a 360-degree stage—and even better, partial proceeds will go to Edúcate Ya, which helps Latinx individuals navigate and integrate into American society. Attend with the expectation of an evening filled with deadly bass drops, wild remixes of club bangers, and (of course) good community vibes. (Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SE 6th, 5–10 pm, $80.26, more info, 21+) WSH
Jordan Klepper
For those who love the sharp comedy of The Daily Show’s Jordan Klepper, it would behoove you to see him as soon as possible (for example his appearance at the Aladdin Theater) before you are forced to pay much more to see him later at much bigger venues. Klepper’s keen style is always on brilliant display hosting the Comedy Central show, but his standup reveals a more thoughtful aspect of his personality, as he recounts his travels deep into MAGAland while sharing his heroic attempts to understand why the opposition gets so sucked into Trump’s cruel circus. You may not come away with solid answers, but you will definitely feel entertained, and a wee bit wiser. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 10 pm, $43.73–$62.21, more info, all ages) WSH
Looking for even more events happening this week? Head on over to EverOut!
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Lindsay Costello
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