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PERFORMANCE
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Canada’s Drag Race season one contestant and unabashed drag clown Jimbo will head to Portland sans bologna to continue her reign as one of the world’s most beloved bizarre queens. Prepare yourself for the weirdest show on earth. LC
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)
FILM
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If you dug The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time in The West, The Thing, Cinema Paradiso, and/or The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, you owe Ennio Morricone your thanks. Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) digs into Morricone’s musical genius in this documentary, which includes interviews with Dario Argento, Quentin Tarantino, and other cinema collaborators. Here’s a little something to pregame with before you watch. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)
COMEDY
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Here’s your chance to cut loose with a comedy icon. John Cleese’s irreverent brand of humor stands strong as the 84-year-old Monty Python frontman returns with more silly stories and observations. LC
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Southwest Portland)
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Check in with the current cast of the classic Emmy-nominated show Whose Line Is It Anyway? on this comedy tour of unpredictable tomfoolery. In true improv style, audience members will shout out suggestions for Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray, who will then create uproarious scenes off the cuff. LC
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)
LIVE MUSIC
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Wheatus’ smash hit “Teenage Dirtbag” is perhaps the most covered song in modern history. From One Direction, to Phoebe Bridgers, to SZA, to the drunk frat boy at your local karaoke bar, everyone has sung this song. Now, frontman Brendan B. Brown will reclaim his one-hit-wonder with an acoustic solo tour. Who knows, you might even leave the concert with knowledge of the band’s othersongs. AV
(Mission Theater, Northwest Portland)
FILM
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Off The Charts is a 2003 documentary that explores the intriguing subculture of the song poem industry. Since the 1940s, hopeful creators have paid for their poems—no matter how terrible they might be—to be made into music. The film follows the lives of both the writers and musicians who participate in this industry, along with the surprising results of the capitalist venture. Director Jamie Meltzer will present the film followed by a live performance of song poems written by Portland locals, performed by some super secret surprise guests. AV
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)
READINGS & TALKS
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If you follow the goings-on in contemporary literature, you’ve probably heard more than a few nods to Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, which was released in 2022 to significant fanfare, including New York Times bestseller status and a lofty 4.18 review ranking on Goodreads. In my opinion, one of the book’s merits is that it might get your non-reader friends to pick it up: The plot follows three friends who begin a video game company together. (This perked up my partner’s ears–try it yourself.) The tome was also the chosen book for the Multnomah County Library’s 2024 Everybody Reads program, which offers free copies of the book available at all Multnomah County Library branches. This culminating talk with the author will double as a celebration of “the power of books to create a stronger community.” LC
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Southwest Portland)
LIVE MUSIC
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PNW rock royalty Sleater-Kinney will stop by their hometown to support their new album Little Rope. The cathartic, post-punk-driven album tackles personal and national grief with nods to the loss of Brownstein’s parents and the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In a statement from the band, Brownstein writes, “We’re always mixing the personal and the political but on this record, despite obviously thinking so much about politics, we were really thinking about the person—ourselves or versions of ourselves or iterations of depression or loneliness—in the middle of the chaos.” NYC indie rock project Palehound will open. AV
(Crystal Ballroom, West End)
COMEDY
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The hottest—and pinkest—comedy show around is Pretty Kitty Glitter Party, established in 2019 by Morgan Lee, Beth Moesche, Dana Murphy, Michael Schoenfelder, Adrien Warner, and Laura Welsh. Reporting that they’re “born to dazzle, purr, and entertain,” it would seem that the group has a lot in common with my cat Spaghetti. They’re a lot more comfortable on a stage than she is, though: Their “delightfully bizarre” sketch comedy show includes glitter, music, and surreal world-building. LC
(Siren Theater, Boise)
FESTIVALS
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This international festival is celebrating its 11th year of spotlighting the best in queer and trans filmmaking with 51 original short queer films on the lineup. Four intriguing blocks of programming allow viewers to watch films within specific themes, including “Queer Fam,” which focuses on families of origin and of choice, “Acting Up,” which centers queer resistance efforts, “Ensemble,” which includes everything from animation to musical flicks, and a West Coast film block. LC (Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)
LIVE MUSIC
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Former Stranger writer Jas Keimig once compared Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara’s captivating vocal range to Sade, noting that her unique voice “skips like a rock over water across different registers.” Diawara will get the crowd on their feet with her futuristic blend of traditional Malian folk, Wassoulou music, R&B grooves, and fuzzed-out electric guitars that blaze through her latest album London Ko. AV
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)
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Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all-female, African-American a cappella ensemble that celebrates the history, experiences, and legacy of Black women through song, dance, and sign language. The Grammy-nominated troupe will present an evening of “music that aspires to make the world a better place,” alongside the local Resonance Ensemble. AV
(Portland Center Stage, Pearl District)
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Twin sister duo the Veronicas found early success with an appearance on the tween sitcom The Sweet Life of Zack & Cody before the JoBros filled the Disney Channel’s sibling act slot (the Jonas Brothers opened for the Veronicas on their 2006 tour, if you can believe it!) Back in those days, it was easy to be cynical about the duo with their pop-punk sound and moody black eyeliner. Nonetheless, their songs still hold up to this day (just listen to their debut single “4ever” to see what I mean). Now, the pair is back on the road to support their new album, Gothic Summer, with support from pop artist Jesse Jo Stark (who also happens to be Cher’s goddaughter). AV
(Aladdin Theater, Brooklyn)
PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE
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DJ/producer/entrepreneurial twin sisters Coco & Breezy began their multifaceted career when they were just teenagers, dancing on tour with His Royal Badness, Prince (no big deal!). Now, they run a fashion-forward eyewear company while traveling the world as a musical duo, paying homage to classic house music—and they look cool as hell doing it. Don’t miss the sisters on their Free Your Soul tour with support from Ménage and Ernest Ryan. AV
(45 East, Central Eastside)
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A considerable number of women, BIPOC, and queer folks have been snubbed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including Tracy Chapman, Dolly Parton, Carole King, Roberta Flack, Karen Carpenter, and Kate Bush. That’s why all-vinyl DJ Action Slacks has created her own version of the award ceremony. This weekend, she will induct Bobbie Gentry, Maxine Brown, Trini Lopez, and others into the “Dance Hall of Flame” with a groovy shindig honoring the underappreciated music icons. AV
(The World Famous Kenton Club, Kenton)
COMEDY
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BFFs and moms Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley have cultivated an online community of two million followers through their comedy web series #IMOMSOHARD, which landed them two sold-out national tours, best-selling books, and several branding deals. The LA-based supermoms still have a few regular-degular duties, however—back home, you might find them at a PTA meeting or in the queue at school drop-off. Their comedy style is a little like Cathy for the 21st century—think swimsuit turmoil and messy rooms. LC
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)
FILM
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The Hollywood’s spring installment of Food and Film serves up a screening of Juzo Itami’s “ramen western.” Tampopo follows a band of milk truck drivers whose pit stop at a roadside noodle shop blossoms into a quest for the perfect noodle recipe. The genre-bending 1985 film is segmented by stirring stories that don’t relate to the main plot, but speak to the emotional power of food. Slurp it up in a new 4K restoration at this screening, then head to the Hollywood’s VIP afterparty at Vivienne Culinary Books’s new Alberta location, where you’ll find wine, sake, and Tampopo-inspired small plates and bowls. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)
COMMUNITY
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After a particularly grueling 2023 season (atmospheric rivers to start and a heatwave to finish), the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm promises to come back better than ever this year for their 40th annual fest. Make sure you snag tickets in advance—they’re only available online. We recommend a weekday visit to beat the crowds and boost your mood—after all, who doesn’t love playing hooky to dance in 40 acres of flowers against the majestic backdrop of Mount Hood? SL
(Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, Woodburn, Monday-Sunday)
FOOD & DRINK
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Your April just got way more delicious: Members of ALIST Consulting, Baon Kainan, Magna Kusina, and Magna Kubo have come together to present the Portland area’s inaugural Filipino Food Month, featuring a collaboration between over 26 small local businesses. Each week, 15 different locations between Beaverton and Troutdale will offer fresh food and drink specials highlighting a different classic Filipino ingredient, complemented by “historical and personal storytelling” online to lend additional cultural context. With participants like GrindWitTryz, Makulit, Shop Halo Halo, Sun Rice, Sugarpine Drive-In, and more, this culinary crawl promises to be as mouthwatering as it is educational. JB
(Various locations, Monday-Sunday)
FILM
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In sophomore director Rose Glass’s queer melodrama Love Lies Bleeding, Kristen Stewart plays Lou, a chain-smoking dirtbag dyke and gym manager who splits her time between unclogging toilets, fending off the unwanted advances of her overzealous admirer Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov), worrying about her sister Beth (Jena Malone), reheating frozen dinners in a drab apartment, and masturbating on a faded couch in full view of her cat. When she meets ambitious muscle mommy Jackie (Katy O’Brian), who’s passing through town on her way to a bodybuilding competition in Las Vegas, the star-crossed sapphic lovers immediately fall into a spiral of toxic U-haul infatuation. Glass, who directed the 2019 psychological horror flick Saint Maud, brings a startlingly singular and stylish vision to life. She’s cited David Cronenberg’s Crash and Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls as influences for Love Lies Bleeding, and the carnal obsession of those films shines through in her work. The result is a seedy, sexy, high-octane ride that holds its own amongst the erotic thriller canon. JB
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Monday-Thursday)
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When presented with the opportunity to see a film by director Andrei Tarkovsky in a movie house, you should take it. In this case, a new 4K restoration by Italian national film school Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia provides a great opportunity to see Tarkovsky’s first film made outside of the Soviet Union. Nostalghia isn’t his boldest work, but it’s the one where you perhaps get the best feeling of the director’s self, as he uses his signature dream sequences and long takes to wrestle with the alienated feeling of leaving Russia—shortly after Nostalghia‘s release he vowed he would never return. PORTLAND MERCURY ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR SUZETTE SMITH
(Cinema 21, Nob Hill, Monday-Tuesday)
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New German Cinema pioneer Wim Wenders, who directed Wings of Desire and a mysterious terrain of canyons and neon in Paris, Texas, is known for his deliciously “slow” cinema and emphasis on desolation. Interestingly, this film (which was shortlisted for Best International Feature at this year’s Oscars) feels a little more lighthearted, but I suspect that I will still come away feeling somehow devastated. Perfect Days follows a Tokyo toilet scrubber, Hirayama, whose days are filled with contentment, cassette tapes, books, and photos of trees. May we all be so blessed. LC
(Cinema 21, Nob Hill, Monday-Thursday)
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If you count yourself among the ever-expanding subset of movie-goers whose ideal flick features Tilda Swinton and a side of surreal quirk, then Julio Torres’s Problemista (an A24 film, obviously) has your back. The film follows a Salvadoran toy designer in NYC whose work visa runs out as he works as an assistant for an art-world weirdo. Expect something freaky and wonderful that also grapples with the broken US immigration system. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Monday-Thursday)
VISUAL ART
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Artist-poet Kristen Diederich will present new paintings in her first solo exhibition with after/time, They Said No Dancing, which emphasizes “time passing in bright color and impasto forms.” If you’re a fan (like me!) of Diederich’s complex visual compositions, you’re in luck: A concurrent exhibition at The Old Church will showcase another suite of her paintings, plus a public poetry reading with Surprise, Surprise: A Grab Bag of Portland Poets on April 24. LC
(after/time Gallery, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday-Saturday)
VISUAL ART
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Founded in 2023 by Portland video artist and writer Sarah Rushford, the time-based arts alliance Outer Voice aims to provide “space, community, support, and opportunity to local time-based artists” and to “foster community dialogue around time-based art.” For this group exhibition, the 2023-24 season of Outer Voice participants (Claire Barrera, Roland Dahwen, Erin Boberg Doughton, Rubén García Marrufo, Sarah Rushford, Ash Stone, and Qi You) will present multidisciplinary works. On April 6 at 6 pm, the artists will also share a program of performances and video works. LC
(Oregon Contemporary, Kenton, Friday-Sunday; closing)
FILM
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Ryuichi Sakamoto, Oscar-winning composer, unparalleled style icon, and one of the three melodic geniuses behind the Tokyo electronic outfit Yellow Magic Orchestra, passed away last year after a battle with cancer. (Chances are good that you’ve heard YMO’s arty electro-pop tunes, but if not, throw this on before continuing.) Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus is Sakamoto’s swan song—as a parting gift in 2022, he curated, sequenced, and performed a piano concert that “wordlessly narrates his life through his wide-ranging oeuvre.” You’ll hear selections from his pop icon days in YMO, his scores created for Bernardo Bertolucci, and his reflective final album. LC
(Cinema 21, Nob Hill, Saturday-Sunday)
PERFORMANCE
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Frog and Toad have been experiencing a bit of a resurgence lately, perhaps due to the duo’s thoughtful, life-on-slow-mode nature, which seems more and more appealing every day. If you haven’t seen an image of Frog riding a bicycle with a caption like “Stop normalizing the grind and start normalizing this,” well, you’re less online than the rest of us. This production of A Year with Frog & Toad translates Arnold Lobel’s characters for the stage—expect plenty of swimming, kites, and gardening set to a jazzy score. I’m not crying, you’re crying! LC
(The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts, Downtown Portland, Saturday-Sunday)
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