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GO: Tab Benoit w/ Ghalia Volt, Soul of the Swamp Tour
Grammy-nominated singer Tab Benoit built a 30-plus-year career on the foundation of soulful Delta swamp blues, acquiring a devoted legion of fans along the way. After a 13-year hiatus, Benoit is back with his latest album, I Hear Thunder, on his own label, Whiskey Bayou Records. Fans, this is an objectively awesome moment of celebration—this tour ends Benoit’s 13-year sabbatical from recording. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., aladdin-theater.com. 7 pm Wednesday, June 10. $46–$63. All ages.
SEE: Queer Nourish Presents Dyke Drama
Promising 100% organic historic lesbian drama, Dyke Drama is an exploration of the lives, loves, and drama of your dyke ancestors. Happy Pride. Dyke Drama gets into historic sapphic business and revels in vintage mess, leaving no salacious stone unturned and peppering the scenes with a bit of vintage gossip for good measure. It’s June: Be gay or shut up. See you there! Peacock PDX, 1400 SE Morrison St., peacockpdx.com. 7:30 pm Thursday, June 11. $10. 21+.
HEAR: Aquabats Live
Y2K ska heroes-turned-pop-punk rockers-turned-Supershow superstars the Aquabats bring their iconic blue supersuits and hyperpop theatrics to Rev Hall for what promises to be a prototypical Aquabats fandango: superhero antics, choreographed fights, helmets full of good vibes, family-friendly jams that transcend generational tastemaking, meeting at the rare intersection of comedy, performance, and musical brilliance. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St., revolutionhall.com. 6 pm Friday, June 12. $50. All ages.
GO: Foster Summer Soiree
The Foster Summer Soiree brings live entertainment and vendors To Southeast Foster Road between 58th and 72nd avenues, with special activations at many of the businesses housed throughout the corridor. This annual event features live music, performances, sidewalk sales, and all manner of small-biz Summer Soiree-exclusive shopportunities™. Portlanders from all quadrants are invited to gather, shop local, and support Foster Road’s diverse and unique community of talented artists and businesses. Southeast Foster Road and Powell Boulevard, fosterarea.com. Noon Saturday, June 13. Free.
GO: Laurelhurst Park Water Lantern Festival
Now in its ninth year, the Portland Water Lantern Festival is a summer calendar fixture that brings Portlanders together to celebrate light, community, and our stellar park system while luxuriating in one of the city’s most iconic outdoor spaces, Laurelhurst Park. Join the rest of the city for an evening of Portland vibes: food trucks, fun music, family-friendly activities, and thousands of lanterns lighting up the night with love, hope and happiness. Laurelhurst Park, Southeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Stark Street, waterlanternfestival.com. 6 pm Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14. $35.
GO: Blueprint Choirs Presents Music Festival and Gala
Long live Lloyd. Wherever you stand on the historic mall’s tenuous future, it’s undeniably become an incubator and fertile ground for smaller businesses and organizations, including Blueprint, the music-based performing arts nonprofit. Its Music Festival and Gala will be a mall day of entertainment, fun, food, games, raffles, silent auctions, beer and wine, and, of course, over 20 Blueprint ensembles performing throughout the day and evening. Lloyd Center (West End), 900 Lloyd Center, blueprintarts.org. 11:07 am–7:07 pm Saturday, June 13. Free.
SEE: Sunday Scaries
Join host and comedian Andie Main at this early-evening, easygoing, tightly curated comedy show that features only the most esoteric, spooky, weird, and frightfully funny sets. Bonus: The show takes place at the famously haunted McMenamins White Eagle Saloon, so maybe lean in and don’t act shocked when the ghost chorus starts heckling. They can be defeated by your laughter. White Eagle Saloon, 836 N Russell St., mcmenamins.com. 6 pm Sunday, June 14. $16. All ages.
DO: Two-Step Tuesday with Best Intentions
All levels of dancer are welcome to come and learn a bit of two-step alongside a crowd of similarly skilled (or, let’s be honest, unskilled) aspiring dancers for an equal parts clumsy and devastatingly graceful community-building event. This weekly Pickathon-produced dance party will, on this date, feature the honky-tonk outfit Best Intentions, whose sound is deeply rooted in traditional Western swing and rock ’n’ roll. The Showdown Saloon, 1195 SE Powell Blvd., showdownpdx.com. 7 pm Tuesday, June 16. $10. 21+.
