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FRIDAY, APRIL 26
Meet Bill Willingham
[COMICS] As we told you in this week's paper, the Eisner-winning Willingham was making modern versions of fairy tales since way before Grimm. He kicks off the Stumptown Comics Festival tonight from 5-7 pm at Things from Another World on Northeast Broadway. Stumptown continues all weekend at the Convention Center.
Oregon Garden Brewfest
[BEER] For three days, 125 beverages from 62 breweries will be available at the Willamette Valleyâs biggest beer festival, held in the lush Oregon Garden. Local bands will play two stages, homebrewers will compete, and Women Enjoying Beer will lead tasting lessons. If for some reason youâre not a beer drinker, you can taste ciders, meads or Vitis Ridge wines. Pizza, bratwurst and chicken satay are on the food menu. Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton, 874-8100. Friday and Saturday noon-11 pm, Sunday noon-6 pm, April 26-28. $15 one-day pass, $30 threeday pass, $5 designated drivers. 21+.
Ten Chimneys
[THEATER] Dámaso Rodriguez makes his Portland directorial debut with a comedy about Broadway power couple Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne. The play is set at the coupleâs rural Wisconsin estate in the late â30s, during rehearsals for Chekhovâs The Seagull. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 241-1278. 7:30 pm. $25-$50. one man star wars trilogy [comedy] Canadian actor Charles Ross interprets the original Star Wars trilogy, playing all the roles himself. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., 234-9694. 7 pm (all ages) and 10 pm (21+). $25.
Marnie Stern
[SHREDDIN'] Stern has just released her fourth album for Kill Rock Stars. Building off the template set by her 2007 debut, In Advance of the Broken Armâdubbed âthe yearâs most exciting rock ânâ roll albumâ by The New York Timesâwith the whimsically named The Chronicles of Marnia, the âlady shredderâ has crafted an adorable electrocution. Equal parts playful and complex, the albumâs 10 tracks are perhaps Sternâs best and most complete to date, an appropriate calling card for someone whoâs just as recognized for her dexterous guitar work as her flirtatious nature. SEE IT: Marnie Stern plays Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., with Sisu, on Friday, April 26. 9 pm. $12. 21+.
NoMeansNo, Ford Pier, Dirtclodfight, Bison Bison
[PUNK ] For almost 35 years, NoMeansNo has been part of the punk-rock universe, and in all that time, the Canadian trio has not lost one iota of power or energy. Nor has its keen eye for the absurdity of life been dulledâthis is, after all, the band that named its 2006 album All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt. As powerful as NoMeansNoâs work can be in its recorded form, seeing the band live and taking the full force of the groupâs jazz-influenced, sociopolitical skewering right in the gut is the only way to fly. ROBERT HAM. Hawthorne Theatre, 3862 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 233-7100. 8 pm. $15 advance, $18 day of show. 21+.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27
Rodriguez, Jenny O.
[MUSIC] The story of Sixto Rodriguez is one of the stranger tales in pop music history. As chronicled in last yearâs Oscar-winning Searching for Sugar Man, Rodriguez, whose limited number of fans dubbed him the Latino Bob Dylan for his socially conscious ballads, had his career fizzle out after his records bombed. He dropped out of the scene, but somehow his music went multiplatinum in South Africa, becoming the soundtrack of the anti-apartheid movement. Resurrected half a decade laterâ everyone thought he was dead; he was just in Detroit, which is kind of the sameâRodriguez is finally taking his place in the spotlight. It took a while, but some things are worth the wait. AP KRYZA. Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Ave., 224-2038. 9 pm. Sold out. 21+.
Ghost B.C., Ides of Gemini
[POP METAL] Faux- Satanism isnât a new concept in metal. As far back as Black Sabbath, bands have pretended to run with the devil. At least Swedenâs Ghost B.C. is pretty up-front about the fact that theyâre just fucking around. With a singer who dresses like a demonic pope and âhonorsâ Satan with melodies more sugar-sweet than a lot of power-pop groups, the band is too silly to be genuinely frightening. But faking it is pretty much the entire point. Its whole schtickâincluding its sound, a throwback to â80s British metal, with psychedelic accents, established on 2010âs Opus Eponymous and continued on recent followup Infestissumamâseems like a commentary on the extremism of modern metal. Itâs easy to see where a generation of fans raised on black metalâs flayed-alive screams and bludgeoning attack would find the band weak. At its core, though, Ghost resurrects an idea lost in the stern-faced, evilerthan-thou attitude of todayâs heavy music: Being wicked is meant to be fun. MATTHEW SINGER. Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St., 284- 8686. 9 pm. $18 advance, $20 day of show. All ages.
Eat Mobile
Just a reminder: If you have tickets to WW's food cart fest, it starts at 5:30 pm at OMSI. Damn thing's sold out.
Ablaze
From the opening panicked notes of the a cappella musical thriller Ablaze, itâs clear the audience is in for a dark and gripping ride. The musical centers on eight students trapped in the basement of a high school as it burns down, and the aftermath once theyâre found. A sparse and confined set conveys the claustrophobia and despair the characters feel as they tackle the showâs weighty subjects: young love, friendship, suicide, abortion, rape. This is the first time Ablaze has been professionally staged: Local playwright Matthew Zrebski first developed the play for Lincoln High students in 2004, and in 2011 transformed it into a musical at Wilson High. He again directs, and his young cast of 23 is sincere and impressive. One of the highlights is the fire, portrayed by 11 cast members dressed in black, faces painted red and orange. Their unrelenting presence reminds one character of being bullied and another of a ticking clock and the demands of perfectionism. Throughout, the fire lurks, biding its time until it can engulf both characters and audience. KAITIE TODD. Brunish Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 800-273-1530. 7:30 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays through May 5. $30.50, students $20.
[BEER] For three days, 125 beverages from 62 breweries will be available at the Willamette Valleyâs biggest beer festival, held in the lush Oregon Garden. Local bands will play two stages, homebrewers will compete, and Women Enjoying Beer will lead tasting lessons. If for some reason youâre not a beer drinker, you can taste ciders, meads or Vitis Ridge wines. Pizza, bratwurst and chicken satay are on the food menu. Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton, 874-8100. Friday and Saturday noon-11 pm, Sunday noon-6 pm, April 26-28. $15 one-day pass, $30 threeday pass, $5 designated drivers. 21+.
Ten Chimneys
[THEATER] Dámaso Rodriguez makes his Portland directorial debut with a comedy about Broadway power couple Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne. The play is set at the coupleâs rural Wisconsin estate in the late â30s, during rehearsals for Chekhovâs The Seagull. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 241-1278. 7:30 pm. $25-$50. one man star wars trilogy [comedy] Canadian actor Charles Ross interprets the original Star Wars trilogy, playing all the roles himself. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., 234-9694. 7 pm (all ages) and 10 pm (21+). $25.
Marnie Stern
[SHREDDIN'] Stern has just released her fourth album for Kill Rock Stars. Building off the template set by her 2007 debut, In Advance of the Broken Armâdubbed âthe yearâs most exciting rock ânâ roll albumâ by The New York Timesâwith the whimsically named The Chronicles of Marnia, the âlady shredderâ has crafted an adorable electrocution. Equal parts playful and complex, the albumâs 10 tracks are perhaps Sternâs best and most complete to date, an appropriate calling card for someone whoâs just as recognized for her dexterous guitar work as her flirtatious nature. SEE IT: Marnie Stern plays Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., with Sisu, on Friday, April 26. 9 pm. $12. 21+.
NoMeansNo, Ford Pier, Dirtclodfight, Bison Bison
[PUNK ] For almost 35 years, NoMeansNo has been part of the punk-rock universe, and in all that time, the Canadian trio has not lost one iota of power or energy. Nor has its keen eye for the absurdity of life been dulledâthis is, after all, the band that named its 2006 album All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt. As powerful as NoMeansNoâs work can be in its recorded form, seeing the band live and taking the full force of the groupâs jazz-influenced, sociopolitical skewering right in the gut is the only way to fly. ROBERT HAM. Hawthorne Theatre, 3862 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 233-7100. 8 pm. $15 advance, $18 day of show. 21+.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27
Rodriguez, Jenny O.
[MUSIC] The story of Sixto Rodriguez is one of the stranger tales in pop music history. As chronicled in last yearâs Oscar-winning Searching for Sugar Man, Rodriguez, whose limited number of fans dubbed him the Latino Bob Dylan for his socially conscious ballads, had his career fizzle out after his records bombed. He dropped out of the scene, but somehow his music went multiplatinum in South Africa, becoming the soundtrack of the anti-apartheid movement. Resurrected half a decade laterâ everyone thought he was dead; he was just in Detroit, which is kind of the sameâRodriguez is finally taking his place in the spotlight. It took a while, but some things are worth the wait. AP KRYZA. Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Ave., 224-2038. 9 pm. Sold out. 21+.
Ghost B.C., Ides of Gemini
[POP METAL] Faux- Satanism isnât a new concept in metal. As far back as Black Sabbath, bands have pretended to run with the devil. At least Swedenâs Ghost B.C. is pretty up-front about the fact that theyâre just fucking around. With a singer who dresses like a demonic pope and âhonorsâ Satan with melodies more sugar-sweet than a lot of power-pop groups, the band is too silly to be genuinely frightening. But faking it is pretty much the entire point. Its whole schtickâincluding its sound, a throwback to â80s British metal, with psychedelic accents, established on 2010âs Opus Eponymous and continued on recent followup Infestissumamâseems like a commentary on the extremism of modern metal. Itâs easy to see where a generation of fans raised on black metalâs flayed-alive screams and bludgeoning attack would find the band weak. At its core, though, Ghost resurrects an idea lost in the stern-faced, evilerthan-thou attitude of todayâs heavy music: Being wicked is meant to be fun. MATTHEW SINGER. Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St., 284- 8686. 9 pm. $18 advance, $20 day of show. All ages.
Eat Mobile
Just a reminder: If you have tickets to WW's food cart fest, it starts at 5:30 pm at OMSI. Damn thing's sold out.
Ablaze
From the opening panicked notes of the a cappella musical thriller Ablaze, itâs clear the audience is in for a dark and gripping ride. The musical centers on eight students trapped in the basement of a high school as it burns down, and the aftermath once theyâre found. A sparse and confined set conveys the claustrophobia and despair the characters feel as they tackle the showâs weighty subjects: young love, friendship, suicide, abortion, rape. This is the first time Ablaze has been professionally staged: Local playwright Matthew Zrebski first developed the play for Lincoln High students in 2004, and in 2011 transformed it into a musical at Wilson High. He again directs, and his young cast of 23 is sincere and impressive. One of the highlights is the fire, portrayed by 11 cast members dressed in black, faces painted red and orange. Their unrelenting presence reminds one character of being bullied and another of a ticking clock and the demands of perfectionism. Throughout, the fire lurks, biding its time until it can engulf both characters and audience. KAITIE TODD. Brunish Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 800-273-1530. 7:30 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays through May 5. $30.50, students $20.
SUNDAY APRIL 28
Kenji Bunch
[CLASSICAL] One of Brooklynâs best musicians is reversing the brain drain and moving back to his hometown of Portland. To welcome back Kenji Bunch, the Portland Youth Philharmonicâs chamber orchestra, Camerata PYP, will perform his 2011 work, Supermaximum. The Camerata PYP concert, featuring a performance of Kenji Bunchâs Supermaximum, is at the Wieden+Kennedy Building, 224 NW 13th Ave., portlandyouthphil.org, on Sunday, April 28. 4 pm. $15-$223.
Kenji Bunch
[CLASSICAL] One of Brooklynâs best musicians is reversing the brain drain and moving back to his hometown of Portland. To welcome back Kenji Bunch, the Portland Youth Philharmonicâs chamber orchestra, Camerata PYP, will perform his 2011 work, Supermaximum. The Camerata PYP concert, featuring a performance of Kenji Bunchâs Supermaximum, is at the Wieden+Kennedy Building, 224 NW 13th Ave., portlandyouthphil.org, on Sunday, April 28. 4 pm. $15-$223.
Brad Tyer
[BOOKS] Tyer, author of Opportunity, Montana, will be speaking about the flip side of opportunity based on his book about a Montana town that paid the environmental price again and again for other peoples' profits and benefits. Marriott Portland City Center, 550 SW Oak St., 5:30 pm $27 for banquet.
Wires for Salu, Ghost
Feet, Djao, Citymouth and
Bone Mouth, Philip Grass
[ELECTRO-CRYSTAL] Dropping Gems, Portlandâs ambient-electronic label, is branching out with the third Gem Drops, an annual compilation and artist showcase. According to the label, this yearâs comp will cover stylistic territory, including âgritty forest beat, maximalist shuttle launch, underground-lake narrative, late-night loner keyboard, futuristic hip-hop and emo-juke.â For a bunch of artists who have no problem switching between ethereal synths and hard-hitting hip-hop beats, thatâs as good a descriptor as any. The show and album include Gems labelmates DJAO, Citymouth and Ghost Feet. Supporting them are three offlabel but stylistically similar acts: Portland-based Philip Grass, Bostonâs M. Constant, and Wires for Salu, a side project of San Francisco-based producer Devonwho, in its first performance. There are only six tracks on this yearâs comp, but it is the first to be released on 12-inch vinyl. As weâve come to expect from Dropping Gems, though few in number, these gems are golden. MITCH LILLIE. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $5. 21+.
Dawes
[MUSIC] The Los Angeles quartet channels the vintage sound of 1970s Laurel Canyon folk-rock so well that the Google reference on the bandâs most recent release, Stories Donât End, might have you second-guessing your ears. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 9 pm. $22 advance, $24 day of show. All ages.
[ELECTRO-CRYSTAL] Dropping Gems, Portlandâs ambient-electronic label, is branching out with the third Gem Drops, an annual compilation and artist showcase. According to the label, this yearâs comp will cover stylistic territory, including âgritty forest beat, maximalist shuttle launch, underground-lake narrative, late-night loner keyboard, futuristic hip-hop and emo-juke.â For a bunch of artists who have no problem switching between ethereal synths and hard-hitting hip-hop beats, thatâs as good a descriptor as any. The show and album include Gems labelmates DJAO, Citymouth and Ghost Feet. Supporting them are three offlabel but stylistically similar acts: Portland-based Philip Grass, Bostonâs M. Constant, and Wires for Salu, a side project of San Francisco-based producer Devonwho, in its first performance. There are only six tracks on this yearâs comp, but it is the first to be released on 12-inch vinyl. As weâve come to expect from Dropping Gems, though few in number, these gems are golden. MITCH LILLIE. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $5. 21+.
Dawes
[MUSIC] The Los Angeles quartet channels the vintage sound of 1970s Laurel Canyon folk-rock so well that the Google reference on the bandâs most recent release, Stories Donât End, might have you second-guessing your ears. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 9 pm. $22 advance, $24 day of show. All ages.
WWeek 2015