Things to Do This Week in Portland, Feb. 17-23

Have the February of your life!

Thursday Feb. 18

Mothers and Sons

[THEATER] Artists Rep's first show of the season is Terrence McNally's Tony-nominated drama about a mother who visits her dead son's former lover after 20 years of silence. Spotlighting how the lives of gay Americans have changed since the 1980s, veteran leads JoAnn Johnson and Michael Mendelson stage the emotional debate. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 241-1278. 7:30 pm. $48.

Pulse

[BEATS AND SOUL] The inaugural edition of Willamette Week's quarterly local music series showcases three acts linked less by genre than by their predilection for soulful invention. Coco Columbia brings jazz chops to left-field R&B, while Rare Diagram stares at the stars, and knockout vocalist Blossom sings to the heavens. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 236-7639. 8:30 pm. $6. 21+.

Saturday Feb. 20

I Love Garbage People

[COMEDY] A stacked lineup of storytellers and standup comics like Nathan Brannon, Adam Pasi, Tristian Spillman and Minority Retort's Debbie Wooten mine their own heartbreak for laughs in a special post-V Day show. The Waypost, 3120 N Williams Ave., 367-3182. 9 pm. $5. 21+.

Coz Ov Moni 2: Fokn Revenge

[PIFF] This is Part 2 of the first Pidgin musical in African movie-making history. Following the controversial Ghanaian rap duo FOKN Bois, the documentary-style whirlwind is part music video, part gangster film, part commentary on homophobia in African media. Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Ave., 223-4515. 11 am. $12.

Monday Feb. 22

Kneebody and Daedelus

[FUTURE JAZZ] Five-piece jazz outfit Kneebody and solo beatmaker Daedelus may not have equal street cred to Kendrick Lamar or Flying Lotus, but they still figure largely in the story of California's burgeoning jazz renaissance. On Kneedelus, the combined group's first record, they present a swirling supernova of sound straight out of the future. Mississippi Studios, 3939 North Mississippi Ave., 288-3895. 9 pm. $12 advance, $14 day of show. 21+.

Tuesday Feb. 23

Oregon Beer Awards

[BEER] The only statewide competition to celebrate Oregon beers, WW's Oregon Beer Awards will announce the best beers in the state as judged by a blind panel of more than 40 beer-industry insiders. Comedian Amy Miller will emcee in one of her last Portland performances, and brewer band Black Lodge—featuring John Harris of Ecliptic and Ron Gansberg of Cascade—will perform. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St., No. 110, 288-3895. 5:30 pm. $15 includes a Bunk slider and a pint of beer. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

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