Fireworks, the Waterfront Blues Festival and 12 Other Things to Do and See in Portland July 4-10

Where we’ll be catching the blues and digging deep to find something about America worth celebrating this week.

A foolish man with a sparkler. (Jarod Opperman)
By WW Staff

Wednesday, July 4

Oaks Park Fireworks

Independence Day means setting off firecrackers in America, but as we've learned, best leave it to the professionals. Plus, there's a brand-new roller coaster to ride! Oaks Amusement Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, oakspark.com. Gates open at 10 am. $4-$6.

Heartbeat Silent Disco

Celebrate the Fourth of July by silently dancing your ass off on top of the Tilikum Bridge and underneath the glorious, somehow totally legal fireworks. Tilikum Crossing, heartbeatsilentdisco.com. 7 pm. $10. Presale only.

Thursday, July 5

Waterfront Blues Festival

Attention, all sad girls and boys—the Waterfront Blues Festival offers more than just four stages of blues, soul, funk and R&B to sob at. There's food, vendors and riverboat cruises, too! George Thorogood, Beth Hart and the Mavericks headline. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Parkway, waterfrontbluesfest.com. July 4-7. $15-$1,250. All ages.

Evil Dead the Musical

Based on Sam Raimi's campy cult film classic, Evil Dead the Musical promises death, demons, dismemberment—and dance numbers. Careful if you're seated in the "splash zone," though. There will be blood. Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave., funhouselounge.com, 7 pm. Through July 14. $18-$100. 16+.

Friday, July 6

Karma Rivera

IMAGE: Michelle Lepe.

Karma Rivera has released only a few singles, but she's already established herself as one of the boldest voices in Portland hip-hop—see her melodic, antagonistic track "Feel Good." Rivera headlines a lineup of equally individualistic local MCs. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., dougfirlounge.com. 9 pm. $10 advance, $13 day of show. 21+.

Ambition Puff'd

For the first act, enjoy professional actors performing various Shakespeare monologues and scenes. For the second, enjoy professional actors getting stoned out of their minds and attempting to perform Shakespeare. Theatre Vertigo, 2110 SE 10th Ave., theatrevertigo.org. 10:30 pm. $15-$75.

Saturday, July 7

Mic Capes and Drae Slapz

Last fall, MC Mic Capes and producer Drae Slapz released Sheesh, an EP of bangers featuring Cape's boasts about his local clout and breakout ambitions. For now, Capes and Slapz are headlining a rare, free, all-ages show with boundary-pushing up-and-coming hip-hop artists [E]mpress and KayelaJ. Green Noise Records, 720 N Killingsworth St., facebook.com/Greennoiserecords. 5 pm. Free. All ages.

Everybody's Got A Butt

At artist Megan Rolnik's debut solo art show, art supplies will be provided so you can draw your own butt—or draw Jake Gyllenhaal's and claim it as your own. They can't prove anything! PDXchange, 3916 N Mississippi Ave., pdxchange.net. 1 pm. Free.

Sunday, July 8

Steve Martin and Martin Short

(Photo by Joe McNally/Getty Images)

What do Steve Martin and Martin Short have in common besides their first names? Well, they're probably the last two comedians your parents can name. McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 Halsey St., Troutdale, edgefieldconcerts.com. $89. All ages.

Neurosis, Converge

It would be a stretch to call anyone other than Neurosis and Converge "leaders" of post-metal and post-hardcore. Decades into their careers, both bands are still making gnarly music that challenges the stereotypes of their genres. Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Ave., roselandpdx.com. 8 pm. $27.50. All ages.

Monday, July 9

Farnell Newton and the Othership Connection

Shake off your prolonged winter funk with some actual funk courtesy of local groovers Farnell Newton and the Othership Connection. Sellwood Riverfront Park, Southeast Spokane Street and Oaks Parkway. 6:30 pm. Free. All ages.

Selena

Featuring J-Lo's breakout film debut as the titular Queen of Tejano music, the classic biopic screens as part of Ollin, a film series about social justice. Proceeds go to the Latino Network's advocacy programs. Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., hollywoodtheatre.org. 7:30 pm. $9.

Tuesday, July 10

Schaus

Portland's Schaus makes ghostly, ambitious electronic music. For his EP release show, Schaus shares the bill with inimitable avant-garde singer Amenta Abioto and big-hearted dream-pop outfit Small Skies. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., holocene.org. 8:30 pm. $8. 21+.

Leave No Trace

(Scott Green)

Leave No Trace digs deep into the lingering questions raised by an unemployed veteran who lived for years with his 12-year-old daughter in Forest Park. But the true-ish story doesn't give any easy answers—it's a dreamy, nuanced reverie that's dismissive of plot and shy on local color. Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Ave., cinema21.com. Showtimes vary. $8-$10.

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