Willamette Weekend: A City Wide Growler Hunt, “Isle of Dogs” and 10 Other Things to Do and See in Portland, March 30-April 1

A local high-end growler maker will be stashing five of its $100-plus draft-tapped uKegs in each of Portland's five quadrants.

Friday, March 30

Joystick Division
Once a month, Joystick Division takes over an HD projector for Super Mario Kart 8 tourneys, cooperative games like Overcooked and group-play indie games you've probably never heard of. All skill levels welcome. Toffee Club, 1006 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 971-254-9518, toffeeclubpdx.com. 8 pm-1 am. Free. 21+.

Dune
Yes, David Lynch's sci-fi flop is bafflingly bad. But any movie in which Kyle MacLachlan befriends a giant, extraterrestrial sandworm is at least entertaining in an absurd way, and there's a remake from the director of Blade Runner 2049 on the horizon. Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark St., academytheaterpdx.com. 9:25. $4. 

Low Cut Connie
Philly rockers Low Cut Connie make music for the stylishly down-and-out—people with hard-lined faces and nicotine-stained smiles. With their plinking piano parts and snarling guitar riffs, the band's sound is unapologetically, almost optimistically vintage, like Sticky Fingers-era Stones or ZZ Top circa '73. What saves Low Cut Connie from being just a nostalgic novelty is the wit and bite of singer Adam Weiner's songwriting. Last year's Dirty Pictures (Part 1) showcases Weiner's facility with nuanced humor in songs like "Montreal" and "Love Life," which poke fun at the lurid swagger at the heart of rock 'n' roll. The band's ferocious energy will kick you in the teeth in the best way possible. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 503-231-9663. 9 pm. $14 advance, $16 day of show. 21+.

J Names
After years of sporadic hometown shows in between national improv festivals, J Names recently got a regular spot at Curious Comedy. If you're still skeptical of comedy that's not planned ahead of time, there'll also be standup from the likes of Portland's Dylan Jenkins. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 503-477-9477, curiouscomedy.org. 9:30 pm. $10 in advance, $12 day of the show. All ages.

Saturday, March 31

Ed Schrader’s Music Beat

Kachka Seder
Kachka chef Bonnie Morales and food justice activist Hannah Treuhaft will hold a Seder dinner for Passover. Expect Seder-inspired zakuski small plates, matzo soup, smoked brisket, grape booze and Manischewitz fruit jellies. The Nightwood Society, 2218 NE Broadway, 971-236-2267, thenightwoodsociety.com. 5:30 pm. $85.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Live
The CW hit Crazy Ex-Girlfriend pulls off a rare feat—making musical comedy funny. So funny, in fact, that star Rachel Bloom and other cast members can now tour and perform classics like "Heavy Boobs" and "I Love My Daughter (but Not in a Creepy Way)" live. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St., 503-288-3895, revolutionhall.com. 8 pm. Sold out. 21+. Also March 30.

Yaeji
Kathy Yaeji Lee, the New York producer, singer and rapper, is making waves in the world of house music for being completely true to herself. The 24-year-old has earned an enthusiastic following for her icy, soft-spoken voice—which she uses to slide between English and Korean lyrics—and her atmospheric beat collages. "Noonside" and "New York '93" are smooth mergers of house and electro with a dash of R&B, while tracks like "Guap," "Raingurl," and "Drink I'm Sippin On" swagger with confidence. She's one of few artists who has reinvented Drake's "Passionfruit," rendering her version into a textured, Auto-Tuned dance track, complete with the same intense, far-off longing. Her refreshingly relaxed and meditative approach to house has critics and fans anticipating  where she'll take her expansive palette on her debut full-length. Whatever form it takes, past precedent says it'll be as beautiful as it is exhilarating. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 866-777-8932, startheaterportland.com. 9 pm Friday, March 30. $15. 21+.

Ed Schrader's Music Beat, Máscaras, Cool Flowers
After performing solo for three years, Ed Schrader needed a change. In the early days, the Baltimore musician would shred solo, taking stages alone with just a drum to support him. As soon as he met bassist Devlin Rice, Music Beat was born. They tackle rock from many different angles, incorporating elements of moody post-punk, airy indie rock and psychedelic shoegaze. But yet again, a change was sought—for newest album Riddles, Ed Schrader's Music Beat teams up with electro-pop whiz Dan Deacon. Two years in the making, it's an album of nuanced alt-rock that sounds like a journey in itself. It's been over a decade since Schrader was onstage alone, and he and Rice know how to bring the crowd along for their tuneful joy rides. Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water Ave., 503-328-2865. 9:30 pm. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+.

Sunday, April 1

The Three Sisters of Weehawken
The debut play from director Rose Bonomo's theater company is a revisionist take on Chekhov's tale of a trio of siblings who long to escape their provincial home. But instead of rural Russia, it's set in Weehawken, N.J. Siren Theater, 315 NW Davis St., rosieroseproductions.com. 2 pm. $20.

Ukeg Growler Hunt
Local high-tech, high-end growler maker GrowlerWerks will be stashing five of its $100-plus pressurized, draft-tapped uKegs at tap houses in each of the five quadrants. Photos of each bar will be posted on the GrowlerWerks Facebook page beginning at noon sharp. To claim, tell the right bar, "I want my Sunday Funday." See facebook.com/growlerworks at noon.

Marlon Williams, Tiny Ruins
Marlon Williams has deservedly gone from receiving the occasional college-radio play in his native New Zealand to an internationally adored crooner in just a few short years. The folk musician just released his sophomore record, Make Way for Love, a fantastic album that positions the onetime choir boy as one of the best vocalists in contemporary music. With an Orbison-esque delivery set to chilling alt-country sounds, Williams is a romantic in the best and darkest sense. The record even features a duet with his former girlfriend, the equally gifted Kiwi musician Aldous Harding. Quite a couple, indeed, but great singer-songwriters depend on broken hearts. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., 503-288-3895. 8 pm. Sold out. 21+.

Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson's latest star-studded fable follows one boy's journey to recover his abandoned mutt after corrupt, cat-fancying politicos deport all canines to Trash Island. You can read our interview with the Portland based animator who tailored the twee chic-meets-vintage sci-fi aesthetic that fuels Isle of Dogs hereVarious times at Bridgeport, Fox Tower and Hollywood.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.