- SUCK IT: Pizza Schmizza founder Andre Jehan has taken down a sign that said âSchmizza doesnât suck anymoreâ after complaints from his building. Jehan resumed control of the pizza joint at the Pearl Districtâs tony Gregory building and wanted to announce that the pies were again up to his standards. Unfortunately, the word âsuckâ scandalized his neighbors who claim their bylaws prohibit âoffensiveâ materials. âAt first I thought I would just white out the âSâ and...let people figure it out, but I left the sign up for about 10 days after the warning and figured that was enough,â Jehan says. The Gregoryâs bulletin boards are now decorated with fliers that say âThe only thing that sucks now is your straw....â
- THAT TIME AGAIN: The Portland Institute for Contemporary Art has announced a partial lineup for its 10th annual Time-Based Art Festival. Among the local, national and international performers appearing this year: Mexican theater company Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol, premiering two political docu-dramas; musician Aki Onda, curating a showcase of Japanâs avant-garde sound artists; experimental filmmaker Sam Green, screening his documentary on R. Buckminster Fuller with a live soundtrack from indie-rock bigwigs Yo La Tengo; and, in a solo storytelling performance, Laurie âO Supermanâ Anderson. TBA takes place Sept. 6-16 at various locations.
- MFNW KNOWS DRAMA: MusicfestNWâowned and operated by this very paperâhas finally announced the initial lineup for this yearâs festival, which runs Sept. 5-9. Of special note are the Pioneer Courthouse Square shows: one featuring mash-up mastermind Girl Talk (does the city have any idea what itâs in for?), another headlined by the excellent worldly folk-pop outfit Beirut, and yet a third downtown show with L.A.âs Silversun Pickups. Other headliners include Dinosaur Jr., the Tallest Man on Earth, Passion Pit, Lightning Bolt and Yelawolf. Being in the journalism biz when weâre not in the festival biz, though, itâs the storylines that grab our attention: Will returning sissy-bounce queen Big Freedia finally just move here? Will there be tears of joy during a DJ set from Jonathan Toubin, who was nearly killed in Portland last year when a taxi struck his room at the Jupiter Hotel? Why did Pete Krebs and company choose this year to reintroduce the city to two of their classic bandsâHazel and the Gossamer Wings? Stay tuned, Portland.
- LOG RIDE: Portland is now home to the West Coastâs first indoor bike park. After nine months and eight contractors, the 60,000-square-foot Lumberyard is open for business and will host a launch party all day on June 9. âWe rehabbed an old bowling alley that had been squatted in by non-residents of 82nd Avenue for years,â says employee Joshua Hutchens. âTheyâd extracted some of the plumbing and a lot of the copper.â He wouldnât say how much it cost on the record, but did say âitâs the kind of place you just have to come and see, and wonder how much we spent.â
WWeek 2015