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FRIDAY, Nov. 17
Ilana Glazer and Phoebe Robinson
Broad City's IIana and Phoebe from 2 Dope Queens have collaborated before on the podcast Soooo Many White Guys, but standup sets from either are pretty rare. Standup sets from both is a motherfucking miracle. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St., revolutionhall.com. 7:30 pm and 10 pm. Sold out.
Psychic Utopia
Hand2Mouth, one of Portland's most imaginative theater companies, is kicking off its first official season with an interactive play that's part ritual, part "mind experiment" based off of interviews the directors conducted with communes. New Expressive Works, 810 SE Belmont St., hand2mouththeatre.org. 7:30 pm. $25.
Polyrhythmics, Object Heavy
The Polyrhythmics claim to be one of Seattle's finest exports, and their latest album, Caldera, proves it. To write the record, the eight-piece outfit retreated to rural Oregon and sweated out the songs in a marathon recording session under the shadow of Mt. Hood. The result is a bubbling caldron of jazz, funk, Afrobeat and prog rock, with dashes of everything from Booker T and the MGs to Fela Kuti to the brainy noodling of Tortoise. Polyrhythmics dwell less in the ruminating daze of progressive jazz, preferring a livelier, friendlier approach—after all, jazz was born to make bodies move. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 503-248-4700. 8:30 pm. $15. 21+.
Charlie Moses, Golden Retriever, Paper Gates
On her sophomore release, Figurine, Charlie Moses—whose moniker is an homage to her mother's maiden name and what she explains as her "desire to be ambiguous with gender"—takes cues from the likes of Kate Bush, Patti Smith and Eileen Myles. It's a beautifully produced collection of 12 dreamy songs that place her soft, airy voice over graceful violins and delicate guitar melodies. Read our feature on Charlie Moses here. Fixin' To, 8218 N Lombard St., thefixinto.com. 9 pm. 21+.
Jay Pharoah
It's been just over a year since Jay Pharoah got booted from Saturday Night Live. It might be for the best—Pharoah was egregiously under used despite being one of the best impressionists on the show. Now, he has his own sitcom, White Famous, that's produced by Jamie Foxx. But it's his standup more than his sketch work where Pharoah's at his best. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., portland.heliumcomedy.com. 7:30 pm Friday-Sunday, 10 pm Friday-Saturday, Nov. 17-19. $25. 21+.
SATURDAY, Nov. 18
Cherry Festivus
You know what's good? Beer made with cherries. What's better is a lot of it at once. All the big-name local kriek makers will have their beers in here, whether Logsdon, de Garde, pFriem, Culmination or Upright, plus some actual Belgians. Bazi Bierbrasserie, 1522 SE 32nd Ave. $20 for glass and 6 tasters. Starts Saturday.
Urban Thanksgiving
Every year at Thanksgiving, 99W fills with wine-seekers hoping for the new crush. And every year, one of the state's best wine events happens right here in Portland: eleven urban winemakers, and over 30 excellent wines—including a gamay the NYT's Eric Asimov called the best in America—will be yours to taste for a mere $15. SE Wine Collective, 2425 SE 35th Pl., sewinecollective.com. 3-6 pm. $15.
International Cat Show
Hundreds of fancy felines are coming to Portland to compete to be the prettiest kitty in the world. Along with the best-in-show competition, there'll be a petting corral and a performance from Portland's very own cat rapper, Moshow. Portland Expo Center, 2060 N Marine Dr., cfanorthwest.org. 8:30 am-4 pm. $8.
Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles
Fresh off a run at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Luis Alfaro's play is a tense, devastating march through the exuberant highs and devastating lows of life as a Mexican immigrant. Mounted by Portland Center Stage and directed by Juliette Carrillo, Mojada sets Euripides' classic tragedy in the culturally rich sprawl of East L.A. Portland Center Stage, 128 NW 11th Ave., pcs.org. 7:30 pm Tuesday-Sunday, 2 pm Saturday-Sunday through Nov. 26. $25-$72.
SUNDAY, Nov. 19
Coraline
LAIKA's nightmarish masterpiece disguised as a kids' movie screens with Moongirl, a short the Hillsboro studio created pre-Coraline fame. This screening is free with museum admission. NW Film Center, 1219 SW Park Ave., nwfilmcenter.org. 2 pm. $19.99 for admission to the Portland Art Museum and the screening on a first come, first serve basis or $9 for only the screening.
Julia Jacklin
Aussie singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin turned out a quiet masterpiece last year in Don't Let the Kids Win. The record is a triumph of indie-kissed country, highlighted by a voice so pure and trained it's easy to overlook the pain detailed in the lyrics. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 503-231-9663. 7 pm. $12 advance, $14 day of show. 21+
Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig's writer/director debut follows a willful teenager named Christine, who longs to escape her California suburb and who insists that everyone call her Lady Bird. It's hilariously absurd, genuinely insightful and one of the most empathetic depictions of relationships between "difficult" women to ever inhabit multiplex movie theaters. Fox Tower, 846 SW Park Ave., 844-462-7342. Various times. $9.75.
Donald Harrison
For 18 years, Donald Harrison has been the Big Chief of the Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans cultural group, which embraces and advances the city's famously fertile mix African and Native American tribal cultures. The 56-year-old, award-winning alto saxophonist and composer's music amalgamates everything from classic bop and modal jazz, on down to "Nouveau Swing" and traditional NOLA brass bands to funk, soul, symphonic music and anything else he can get his ears on. He's also adding rapping and singing to his performances. Harrison recently summarized his current creative approach as "quantum jazz," which he explains with inscrutable references to quantum physics, but from a listener perspective seems to add up to "anything goes." And yet, in the true New Orleans tradition, he somehow makes all those seemingly disparate elements dance together. Jack London Revue, 529 SW 4th Ave., 503-228-7605. 9 pm Sunday, Nov. 19. $20 advance, $25 day of show. 21+.