“The Shining” At A Drive-In Theater, Desolate Americana and 3 Other Things To Do and See In Portland Today, August 9

Also, a free screening of "Boogie Nights."

By WW Staff

Heather Harpham
Normally you'd expect a memoir about raising a very sick child not to be titled Happiness: A Memoir. But Harpham manages to make the experience universally sympathetic and relatable. The subtitle—The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After—helps explain it bit. This is less a self-help motivation manual and more a portrait of parenthood and friendship between Harpham and her partner Brian. Be sure to buy a box of tissues on your way out; this one's a tear-jerker. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 800-878-7323. 7:30 pm. Free.

(courtesy of New Line Cinema)

Boogie Nights
Paul Thomas Anderson's seminal porn-industry movie is a snapshot of '70s sleezebaggery. You can catch it for free as part of Pix's summer movie series. Pix Pâtisserie, 2225 E Burnside,  pixpatisserie.com. 7 pm. Free.

Monk Parker
Crown of Sparrows, Austin songwriter Monk Parker's sophomore album, sounds like the work of a lonely ghost haunting a rickety old saloon. His hazy Americana calls to mind the likes of M. Ward and Amen Dunes—it's big and sweeping, yet delicate and desolate. Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water Ave., 503-328-2865, bunksandwiches.com. 9:30 pm. $8 advance, $10 day of show. 21+.

Drive-In Movie: The Shining
Catch The Shining in the ideal venue: your car, and as far away from a long hallway as possible. And, since they charge by the carload, don't be afraid to sneak your small friend in the trunk, next to the cooler. Portland Expo Center, 2060 N. Marine Dr., 503-736-5200, expocenter.org/content/pdx-drive-movie-spectacular. $15 per carload of 6 people. All ages.

Golden Retriever, Danielle Ross, Chloe Alexandra, Visible Cloaks, Dolphin Midwives, Ilyas Ahmed (DJ set)
On their new album Rotations, the duo behind Golden Retriever have expanded into a full-chamber ensemble, but remain confined to similar structural parameters. The sound is richer, more textured and moodier, like the score to a dystopian film. Beyond its challenging nature and intense feeling, the album is deeply pressing. Read our full review of Rotations here. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., holocene.org. 8:30 pm. $8. 21+.

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