[March 19th, 2008] Purim (Hebrew) n. Jewish feast commemorating the deliverance of the Jews from extirpation at the hands of the evil, three-cornered-hat-wearing Persian Prime Minister Haman, by Esther, a smokin’ number who went undercover in King Ahasuerus’ harem and convinced her royal sugar daddy to let her people hit back. They did, killing 800 ancient anti-Semites. Celebrated on 14 Adar (a.k.a. March) with costumes, noise-makers, plays and hamantashen, triangular pastries filled with poppy seeds, chocolate or fruit preserves. Also known as Jewish Halloween.

Purim Some Sugar on Me (English) n. Dance party at Someday Lounge, sponsored by Heeb magazine, Willamette Week and Young Jews on the Come Up (youngjews.com), a shadowy group of self-described “creative types, worker bees...scholars, jokers and lovers” who will someday run Portland. Celebrated with music by Colt Vista, DJs H.R. Paperstacks, Hanukkah Miracle and Half a Shekel and hamantashen by Kenny and Zuke’s.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 19

[DRINK] PORTLAND TAP PROJECT

Seventy PDX restaurants give you the chance to spend $1 on ordinary H2O—through March 22 the cash goes to UNICEF’s efforts to get clean water to people who desperately need it. Find PDX restaurants at tapproject.org/cities/portland.

THURSDAY MARCH 20

[WORDS] SMALLPRESSAPALOOZA

Fifteen of PDX’s best-known independently published authors speed-read from their writings. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 228-0540. 5 pm. Free.

FRIDAY MARCH 21

[SCREEN] PARANOID PARK

Our own Gus Van Sant takes on our own skateboard-kid culture—and the movie gets a one-week run in our own arthouse. Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Ave., 223-4515. March 21-27. $4-$8. See pages 27 and 49.

[MUSIC] GRAND ARCHIVES

The post-Band of Horses debut by Mat Brooke is dreamy, catchy and only occasionally downtrodden. Dante’s, 1 SW 3rd Ave., 226-6630. 9:30 pm. $10. 21+.

[MUSIC] BORN RUFFIANS, CADENCE WEAPON, NURSES

Cadence Weapon applies his visceral rhymes about pop culture and sex to beats inspired by French house music. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639. 9 pm. $10. 21+.

SATURDAY MARCH 22

[MUSIC] KAKI KING

In Kaki King’s hands a guitar becomes a snarling, grumpy beast that sounds amazing and looks unbelievable at the same time. Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $14. 21+. Also at Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside St., 231-8926. 3:30 pm. Free. All ages.

SUNDAY MARCH 23

[CIRCUS] CIRCUS CONTRAPTION

Our homegrown circus hosts Seattle’s musical madmen from Circus Contraption and 10-piece brass band Orkestar Zirkonium. Hippodrome, 315 SE 3rd Ave., brownpapertickets.com. 8 pm. $10, $15 at the door.

MONDAY MARCH 24

[MUSIC] JENS LEKMAN

It’s really quite absurd how lovable this Swedish dreamboat is. He combines soaring, over-the-top pop orchestrations with lyrics about finger amputation, walks on the beach and your best friend Lisa. Berbati’s Pan, 231 SW Ankeny St., 248-4579. 9:30 pm. $12. 21+. Also see Here Comes Your Fan.