JEFF DREW
NEWS AN AIRBNB CRACKDOWN? CULTURE ORAL HISTORY OF SUICIDE GIRLS. FOOD SMALLWARES VS. BASIC BRUNCHES. P. 6
P.19
P.25
“I WANT TO MAKE ADULTS CRY.” P. 40
IN OREGON, ANIMALS ARE PEOPLE TOO. MEET THE PROSECUTOR WHO PROTECTS THEM. WWEEK.COM
VOL 41/05 12.03.2014
BY NIGEL JAQUISS PAGE 11
2
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
BRAD ALSTON
FINDINGS
PAGE 23
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM READING THIS WEEK’S PAPER VOL. 41, ISSUE 5.
One Portland B&B claims to have previously been A FLOATING WHOREHOUSE . 4 Harney County, Ore., used to have AN ANNUAL COYOTEKILLING CONTEST until the damned environmentalists complained. 11 If you’re going to interview PROSPECTIVE PORN STARS , Coffee People on Northwest 23rd Avenue is a great place to schedule the meeting. 19 VISIBLY INTOXICATED PERSONS
will not be served at the Holiday Ale Festival. 23
SICHUAN BACON is a thing
now. 25
The punk band White Lung finds the idea of WORRYING ABOUT WHAT PUNKS THINK just as depressing as worrying about radio play. 27
OUR MOST TRAFFICKED STORY ONLINE THIS WEEK:
It’s not a Horse Feathers show until someone says “SHHH.” 37
A flier for a Black Friday dance party featured grills, cocoa butter and basketball jerseys. The dance party was canceled.
If you’ve wanted to PLAY PINGPONG in a well-lit bar and don’t mind paying $8 per halfhour of play, there is a place. 39 E.E. Cummings wrote a Christmas play. The lead characters are SANTA CLAUS AND DEATH . 40 Cary Elwes will not be marrying into THE KRYZA FAMILY. 50
STAFF Editor-in-Chief Mark Zusman EDITORIAL Managing Editor for News Brent Walth Arts & Culture Editor Martin Cizmar Staff Writers Nigel Jaquiss, Aaron Mesh, Beth Slovic Copy Chief Rob Fernas Copy Editors Matt Buckingham, James Yu Stage & Screen Editor Rebecca Jacobson Web & Projects Editor Matthew Korfhage Music Editor Matthew Singer Books Penelope Bass Dance Kaitie Todd
Visual Arts Richard Speer Editorial Interns Gabriella Dunn, Shannon Gormley, James Helmsworth, Miller Resor, Dakota Smith CONTRIBUTORS Nathan Carson, Rachel Graham Cody, Pete Cottell, Jordan Green, Jay Horton, AP Kryza, John Locanthi, Grace Stainback, Mark Stock PRODUCTION Production Manager Dylan Serkin Art Director Kathleen Marie Special Sections Art Director Kristina Morris Graphic Designers Mitch Lillie, Xel Moore Production Intern Daniel Cole
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Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
3
INBOX PORTLAND’S BEST COMEDIANS
All of these comedians are top notch. Great selections [“The Funniest 5,” WW, Nov. 26, 2014]. —“Billy” If you were to program a computer to generate a “Portland dude,” I imagine that this is what the printout would look like [“No. 1 Sean Jordan”]. Chad Hay, via Facebook I didn’t see anything remotely funny in these tweets [“Funny on the Internet”]. Is this what passes for humorous in PDX? —“Jaix Brooks”
SEEDY SALE IN CULLY
Buying this property is, in my opinion, absolutely the best option in this case [“Sugar Shackup,” WW, Nov. 26, 2014]. I have no doubt that we can come together as a community and make that place shine. My hopes are that it will grow into something that serves the existing community, in its current form. —“Adam Lobaugh” Go, Living Cully. This would be a great advance. I will contribute. Thanks for all that you do, including focusing on anti-displacement. —“Kirsten Greene”
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
BITCOIN’S SECURITY MEASURES
“With the machine, we have to comply with antimoney-laundering laws. As a new customer, you have to put in your government ID, or it’ll scan your passport. So that information is put on a secure server. If anybody wanted to use the machine to do devious activity—if they’re a suspected terrorist, if they’re on a watchlist—they’ll be denied.” [“Hotseat: Mike Fors,” WW, Nov. 26, 2014]. OK, so why would a person be denied from using one of these “bitcoin” machines; just because they might be on some arbitrary government watchlist? So-called terrorists, people on watchlists—with proper ID, they can all still use any ATM just fine. —“Vladamir Muhammud”
CORRECTION
Last week’s roundup of comedy showcases (page 15) misstated the starting time of Picture This at Curious Comedy Theater. It begins at 9:30 pm every second Friday. WW regrets the error.
Funny how these known prostitution rings, drug houses, etc., are continually allowed to operate despite all the attention drawn to them.
LEttErs to thE Editor must include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words. Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Fax: (503) 243-1115. Email: mzusman@wweek.com.
i hear that back in the gangster days, Portland was home to a floating whorehouse. Now that weed is legal and taxable, should we bring back this idea and tax it, too? it could be our version of riverboat gambling! —Honest John
separate cities. By plying her trade on the Willamette, Boggs could avoid paying taxes to either. If she caught wind of a raid from one side of the river, she’d find a lonely steamboat captain to tow her to the other, while the cops could say they tried. Eventually, though, the two cities coordinated a joint raid, which Ms. Boggs allegedly fought off with a steam hose from the ship’s boiler. “What could we do?” said the cops, more or less. “You saw; the lady had a hose.” Late that night, though, someone paddled out to the unpowered pleasure barge and cut the anchor rope. Adrift and in peril, Ms. Boggs rowed a dinghy to Albina, where one of those lonely sea captains happily rescued the floating brothel. It’s said that the main structure of the bordello was eventually brought ashore and turned into a house, which is now the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast. I don’t recommend staking your life on the veracity of this claim, but there it is.
I swear, you people will do anything to get out of paying the street fee. It wasn’t in the gangster era (unless you’re thinking of famous 19th-century gangstas Li’l Harelip and MC Tubercular Cough), but rather in the hard-whoring 1880s when area madam Nancy Boggs erected (huh-huh) a two-story tavern/bordello on a sawdust barge. The object of this was not to avoid arrest. Oldtimey cops tolerated brothels as a prime source of city liquor-tax revenue— and many were on the take, whether for cash or other favors. The real point was dodging those taxes. Back then, Portland and East Portland were 4
And when there is a (usually pre-announced) raid, much to everybody’s amazement, there’s no one at home. Hmmmmm. Makes one wonder, doesn’t it? —“dickshooter”
QuEstioNs? Send them to dr.know@wweek.com
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DEVELOPMENT: The Portland density fight reaches the suburbs. 7 POLITICS: The city’s immigration dividing line. 8 COVER STORY: America’s only full-time animal abuse prosecutor. 11
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Portland city officials say they will finally crack down on Airbnb hosts who don’t get safety inspections. WW reported last month that only 4 percent of Airbnb hosts in Portland had bothered to seek a city permit to operate (“Safety Last,” WW, Nov. 5, 2014). Getting a permit requires paying a $180 fee, agreeing to operate under new city rules and passing a safety inspection. Portland Revenue Bureau director Thomas Lannom has drafted an ordinance that would penalize Airbnb and other online rental marketplaces $500 each time they don’t display a host’s city permit number on their website. Mayor Charlie Hales said last month he was content to let Airbnb hosts seek permits at their own pace. Since WW’s story, however, Hales asked for the enforcement ordinance. The City Council will consider it Dec. 18. With the new rule, says City Commissioner Nick Fish, who pushed for the change, “We’re insisting that the booking agents not advertise rogue hosts.” The fallout from Cover Oregon continues. Patty Wentz, spokeswoman for the Oregon Health Authority, which gave birth to the troubled health insurance exchange, is stepping down from her $123,672-a-year job next week. Wentz, a former WW reporter, previously served as spokeswoman for then-Gov. Ted Kulongoski and the Oregon Department of Human Services. She and former OHA director Dr. Bruce Goldberg, whom Gov. John Kitzhaber forced out in March over Cover Oregon, have been central to a massive expansion in the number of Medicaid patients covered by the Oregon Health Plan. “There are nearly 1 million Oregonians in OHP, and now 95 percent of Oregonians have coverage,” Wentz says. “It’s been an honor to be part of the team that made that happen.” This could be a federal bailout on rails. The Washington Post reported Nov. 29 that Clackamas-based United Streetcar has “become an example of dashed Washington ambition” to build mass transit. Five years ago, then-U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood celebrated the first American-made streetcar and launched $500 million in federal funding for streetcar systems. The Post reports United Streetcar has no new orders and has laid off employees. U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) tells the newspaper he wants the feds to order 500 to 1,000 streetcars directly from a handful of companies—including United Streetcar—and sell them at a discount to cities. “You don’t build world-class infrastructure six months at a time,” Blumenauer tells The Post. “It drives me crazy.” We’ve reached the halfway mark—chronologically—in our 2014 Give!Guide campaign. We’re hoping to raise $2.6 million for 136 local nonprofits. So far, G!G has received more than $600,000 in donations—that’s on pace to meet our goal. Learn more and make your gift at giveguide.org. Read more Murmurs and daily scuttlebutt.
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DON’T BE DENSE PORTLAND’S APARTMENT FIGHTS ARE HEADED FOR THE SUBURBS. NEXT STOP: WEST LINN. BY AARON MESH
amesh@wweek.com
Portland’s clash over density from the condos and apartment blocks lining Southeast Division Street and North Williams Avenue is spilling into the suburbs. The next focal point: a stretch of prime Willamette River waterfront in West Linn. Today, a paper mill, a gas station and ramshackle wooden apartments anchor the site, a 30-minute drive south of Portland. West Linn is Portland’s second-wealthiest suburb, trailing only nearby Lake Oswego in income per capita. But its downtown looks forlorn compared to the thriving main street of working-class Oregon City, on the far bluff across the Willamette. “Right now, it’s sort of a wasteland,” says Bob Kirkendall, an architect who lives with his wife, Peggy, less than a mile from West Linn’s waterfront. West Linn has big hopes for the site. Metro, the regional government, gave the city $220,000 to create a master plan for its downtown and the nearby Bolton neighborhood. Arguments over density have been increasing in Forest West Linn agreed to turn those areas into a “town Grove in Washington County and Wilsonville and Damascenter”—meaning the housing density in some of those cus in Clackamas County. In recent years, debates over areas could double to 20 residents per acre. (Metro rec- density and planning have roiled the Clackamas County ommends 40 people per acre.) Board of Commissioners and the Lake Oswego City CounMetro, which is about as popular as Ebola in much of cil, with races for both becoming test votes over support Clackamas County, can’t impose such density for Metro. on cities without their agreement. And Metro “Suburban cities define their own I-5 officials say they are not putting any pressure futures in our region,” says Metro PORTLAND on West Linn to do anything different from spokesman Jim Middaugh. “The places 84 what city officials already want. that don’t want taller buildings don’t 405 But there’s growing opposition to West have to have them. The focus really 205 Linn’s plans from residents who worry that needs to be on how we welcome 600,000 Metro’s planning agenda will turn their leafy new residents and protect our quality of I-5 bedroom communities into condo bunkers life. The alternative is sprawl.” like those that now tower over many Portland The problem is, Portland is making neighborhoods. space for new residents, often by buildWEST LINN 205 “All we heard is that the city got the grant,” ing upward. The suburbs aren’t keeping Peggy Kirkendall says. “And we said, ‘How pace with new housing, and planners say nice.’ Until we read it.” they need to do so without putting more City officials say Metro has enforced no pressure on the urban growth boundary, density requirements on the project, and the plan won’t Metro’s line against development’s spread into open land. wreck existing neighborhoods. An October report by the Oregon Office of Economic “We want to make it so that when you come into Analysis found that the Portland area needs to build West Linn, you know you’ve arrived somewhere,” says 12,000 new housing units a year to keep pace with the risWest Linn community development director Chris Kerr. ing population. Last year, developers built 11,500 units— “There’s always going to be NIMBYism, and there’s always and most of those were part of Portland’s apartment boom, going to be an anti-growth component.” not in the suburbs. The squabble at first might not seem significant outside Metro has said the suburbs need to start absorbing this suburb of 25,992 residents. But it represents the latest much of this housing growth. Its blueprint is called the dispute with the power Metro wields when the cities ring- “2040 Growth Concept,” which labels certain areas— ing Portland decide whether to join in the region’s growth. including the center of West Linn—“town centers,” with
higher densities of shopping, townhouses and apartments. In April 2013, West Linn applied for a $220,000 Metro planning grant, volunteering in its application that the “area is designated as a Metro town center” and “the City Council supports the Metro Council’s established regional development goals and outcomes.” The concept produced with Metro’s money shows a market square surrounded by six-story condo buildings, a terraced park above an underground parking garage, and an 80-room hotel overlooking Willamette Falls. The city doesn’t yet have a developer. West Linn city officials are moving toward a Dec. 15 vote to approve the plan. “People always complain that West Linn doesn’t have a town center,” says City Councilor Jody Carson. “Where’s our downtown? Well, here it is. We’re creating that.” Debate over the plan has been raging in the pages of the West Linn Tidings. A neighborhood association has called for a delay. Peggy Kirkendall has formed a new citizens’ group, West Linn Neighbors, to protest the plan. “There’s a real pattern, especially in the western part of the United States, where we take perfectly livable places and grow them to death,” says David Dodds, a former West Linn mayor. “If you like the character of where you live, then you’re likely to not want to see it changed to something else. Otherwise you wouldn’t have moved there to begin with.” Kerr, the West Linn planner, says skepticism will fade. “That’s the knee-jerk reaction: ‘Over my dead body, I don’t want any more density,’” he says. “We’re really talking about reinvigorating this area into something we can all appreciate.” Willamette Week DECEMBER 10, 2014 wweek.com
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POLITICS
RT LA N
DENV ER
NS
AI RP
OR
INTERSTATE
I5
POR
YE
ON
TLA ND
Y
MARIN E
I84
181ST
205
BARBUR
65+% For
INTERSTATE
POWELL
50-65% Against 65+% Against I5
DIVISION
182ND
50-65% For
STARK
HAWTHORNE
122ND
NAITO
Voting on Measure 88
Major Roads
FOSTER
I5 Clatsop Columbia Tillamook Washington Multnomah
BORDER STORY mresor@wweek.com
We’ve long known East Portland often votes differently from its inner-city neighbors. But the Nov. 4 election highlighted the city’s political divide between voters on either side of Interstate 205. East Portland is the center of the city ’s growing immigrant community. We wondered how East Portland voted on an issue that struck at the heart of the immigration debate, Measure 88. The measure would have allowed people not in the U.S. legally to obtain Oregon driver cards. The Legislature approved the measure in 2013 at the request of Latino groups and the ag industry. But the law never went into effect: Anti-immigration groups challenged the measure by gathering enough petition signatures to 8
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
put the question to Oregon voters on the fall ballot. Statewide, voters crushed the measure 2-to-1, and it failed in 35 of 36 counties. Only Multnomah County passed it, thanks to Portland’s inner neighborhoods, long seen as the most liberal voting bloc in Oregon. But the change in voting patterns crossing from west to east beyond I-205 is stark, as the map above shows. The irony is that this part of Portland is home to a growing number of immigrants. Census figures show 23 percent of East Portland residents were born in another country, most coming from Asia or Latin America, and their arrival has changed the fabric of the area’s neighborhoods and schools (“Miracle on 135th Avenue,” WW, Feb. 13, 2013). So what’s going on here? East Portland has traditionally been more conservative in its voting patterns than the rest of the city. Average household income here also lags about 23 percent behind the city’s as a whole (“The Other Portland,” WW, Oct. 12, 2011). Pacific University political science professor Jim
Polk
Umatilla
Hood River Sherman
Clackamas
Yamhill
BY MILLER RESOR
FOS TER
TACOMA
Portland Boundary
LAST MONTH’S VOTE ON IMMIGRATION SHOWS A DEEP POLITICAL DIVIDE IN PORTLAND.
I84
BURNSIDE
GRAND
I405
I405 CL AY
Legend
Rivers
ND
205
18TH
ELL
INTERSTATE
KILLINGSWORTH
SA
RN CO
T
82ND
I5
S EN EL
LOMBA RD
82ND
OH
IA
H ST
J ST
MB
PO
CO LU
D
LOMBA RD
NEWS
Gilliam
Morrow
Wallowa Union
Wasco
Marion
Lincoln
Baker
Wheeler
Jefferson
Linn
Grant
Benton Crook Lane
Deschutes
Douglas
Coos
Harney Klamath
Curry
Josephine
Malheur
Lake
Jackson
Moore says polling shows voters in lower-income areas often see immigrants as a threat to their jobs. “This group feels most strongly that immigration needs to be stopped or controlled,” Moore says. “In west Portland, immigration is more of a human-rights issue.” Could it be recent immigrants voted against what was billed an immigration-rights issue? Not likely. Only onethird of immigrants in East Portland are U.S. citizens allowed to vote—too few to swing the results. A nother possibility: Longtime East Portlanders haven’t adjusted to the ways in which immigrant communities have transformed their part of the city. “I think it is a pretty divided community on this issue,” says Richard Bixby, director of the East Portland Neighborhood Office, who notes he’s speaking for himself, not the city. “Mostly what I hear quite frankly are cultural differences, the struggle of living among people who have different cultures. Some people really enjoy that and find it invigorating; some people have a harder time with it.”
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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10
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
IN OREGON, ANIMALS ARE PEOPLE, TOO. MEET THE PROSECUTOR WHO PROTECTS THEM.
BY N IGEL JAQU ISS
F
njaquiss@wweek.com
or decades, William Holdner raised cattle west of Portland in Columbia County—as many as 2,000 at a time. But in 2012, he let his cows starve. In a four-month period, records show, Holdner summoned a rendering company to pick up 45 cows from his properties. The crew found bony, emaciated and diseased cows. Most of the cattle were dead when the rendering company arrived. Some had to be shot. The Columbia County district attorney charged Holdner, now 88, with 95 counts of animal cruelty. Across the state, district attorneys have had to face difficult choices when considering animal abuse cases. DAs are elected officials, and they know the public is outraged by cases such as Holdner’s. But animal cruelty cases are difficult and expensive, and they’re often low priorities. Now Holdner and others like him have a new foe in Oregon: a babyfaced prosecutor whose sole job is pursuing animal abusers. His name is Jake Kamins, and his business card—adorned with paw prints—reads: “State of Oregon Animal Cruelty Deputy District Attorney.” Kamins is, according to animal rights groups, one of a kind: the nation’s only prosecutor who spends all his time on animal cruelty cases. He travels the state like the lawmen who patrolled Oregon in frontier days, except he rides the range in a 2002 Prius instead of on a horse. He’s prosecuted cases in 15 counties since taking the job in September 2013. Kamins, 31, won a conviction against Holdner on all counts after a three-week trial. And he’ll be back in Columbia County Circuit Court on Dec. 5 to watch a judge sentence the cattleman. Columbia County District Attorney Steve Atchison says the Holdner case was complicated, as well as resource intensive for an office with just five deputy prosecutors. CONT. on page 13
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regonians of all ages love stories about animals. In 2007, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife seized a pet deer named Snowball from a Molalla couple, who the state said was illegally raising the animal. The wrangling that followed kept lawyers and reporters busy: The Oregonian alone wrote 39 stories about Snowball in 2007 and 2008. Then in 2012, activists abducted 18 rabbits from the Portland Meat Collective, an operation that teaches people how to butcher animals, including bunnies. A group called Rabbit Advocates returned 17 of them, but the fate of the 18th missing rabbit, which had “Roger” tattooed on his ear, transfixed this city for another six days until he too was returned. The advocates turned the purloined rabbits over to the Meat Collective at the Tigard office of a lawyer, Geordie Duckler, who has represented clients accused of
oregon Humane society
“It was a real benefit to have [Kamins] come in and try the case,” Atchison says. “It made a big difference.” That Oregon became the first state with a prosecutor whose only job is to protect animals is no accident. We have the fourth-highest rate of pet ownership in the nation, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. And the Animal Legal Defense Fund ranks Oregon No. 2 for the extent to which its laws protect non-human residents. But Kamins’ hiring also raises ethical questions. Only the state can bring criminal charges, and taxpayers with rare exception bear the cost of bringing the accused to trial. That’s no longer true in Oregon. Ka mins prosecutes ca ses for the state, but his position is being paid for by a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a California advocacy group. The ALDF is an aggressive and sometimes controversial protector of animal rights, frequently making headlines for its tactics. The group has gone to bat for orca whales in the Miami Seaquarium, blasted the Oregon Zoo for selling elephants to traveling shows, defended a ban on fur sales in West Hollywood, Calif., and fought industrial animal raising and slaughtering operations across the country. But few people know the group is also paying for prosecution of crimes against animals in Oregon. The privatization of law enforcement raises important questions: What interest groups should be allowed to fund their own prosecutors? And where should the state draw the line? Protecting animals might have wide public support here, but does it open the door for other advocacy groups—such as those focused on abortion, voting rights or the environment—to fund their own prosecutors as well? “I’m uneasy with somebody buying a prosecutor,” says state Rep. Jeff Barker (D-Aloha), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Barker says he was unaware the ALDF was bankrolling a deputy district attorney until asked by WW. “I don’t want selective prosecution. It doesn’t really matter who it is.”
tHomas teal
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ANIMAL LAWMAN: Deputy District Attorney Jake Kamins (top) prosecuted the owner of a neglected Lhasa apso named Zelda (shown after her rescue) this summer.
animal crimes for more than 25 years. Duckler remembers the scene: lawyers, activists and even police. He recalls a cop, who was a transplant from Chicago, shaking his head at the situation. “The officer said that in Chicago, if somebody called the cops about a bunch of rabbits being stolen, we’d be asking where’s the barbecue?” Duckler says. “Here, there are three sets of law yers involved. That’s crazy.” Duckler, who represents clients across the country, says Oregonians’ love of animals is stronger than he’s seen anywhere else. “One of my clients is Oregon Ferret Shelter,” Duckler says. “I love them, and they are great clients. But how many people even have ferrets? How many are going to abandon them? And how many other states have ferret rescue operations?” State legislators have often reflected the public’s concern. Lawmakers have cr acke d dow n on puppy m i l l s a nd increased the penalties for animal fighting and even once-routine practices like
“jake was a great resource. He brougHt a level of expertise tHat was really beneficial.” —Crook County distriCt attorney daina vitolins letting an untethered dog ride in the back of a pickup truck. In 2011, Oregon’s senior lawmaker, Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), put the weight of his three decades of legislative experience into a successful push for the right of caged hens to have more room to move around. “I’m a softie, and I admit it when it comes to animal welfare,” Courtney told Oregon Public Broadcasting at the time. Two Oregon Supreme Court rulings this year paved the way for more expan-
THE ANIMAL LAWYER
sive prosecutions. In one decision, the court ruled that police do not need search warrants to seize endangered animals. In the second, the court ruled that animals can be considered individual victims, not just property. In Umatilla County, a man had been accused of mistreating 20 horses and goats. The counts of animal neglect were merged into one conviction, however, under the theory that the animals were, in effect, a single unit of property. The Oregon Supreme Court later ruled that each animal can indeed be treated as a separate victim—raising the stakes enormously for defendants. Prosecutors say the public reacts to animal abuse cases like no others. Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis has tried murders and other high-profile cases, but he says nothing resonates with constituents like those cases involving animals. In 1995, Marquis prosecuted Vikki Kittles, a woman who’d kept 115 dogs in an old school bus, rarely allowing them outside. The case, which Marquis won, led to the passage of Oregon’s felony animal abuse law. Even though Oregonians react strongly to animal cases, district attorneys often lack the time and money to pursue them. “When you have to make the list of what you can and can’t do,” Marquis says, “animal abuse is first to go out the window.”
O
ne prosecutor in Oregon, however, fought to make sure animal cases didn’t get overlooked. Scott Heiser was district attorney in Benton County for eight years. During that time, he took animal abuse cases seriously. In 2005, he indicted a man for killing a cat with a bow and arrow. At the time, he told the Corvallis Gazette-Times he put animal cruelty cases on par with child abuse, elder abuse and domestic violence. In 2006, Heiser stepped down as DA to work for the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the group’s Portland office, where he advises prosecutors across the country on animal cases. In 2013, Heiser approached his former colleagues in the Oregon District Attorneys Association with an idea: What if the advocacy group provided $300,000 to fund an animal abuse prosecutor? “We were kind of uncomfortable initially because of who was paying for it,” says Paul Frasier, Coos County district attorney and president of the association. The DAs knew that beyond the basic issue of privatizing a function normally paid for by the public, there would be other challenges: Accepting money from an advocacy group would create a precedent. There are plenty of groups that might want their own prosecutor—how would the DAs decide who else got one? And there was another problem: independence. Who would call the shots as to which cases to pursue and how to prosecute them? Frasier says the DAs association went ahead with the proposal, but under strict guidelines. “The ALDF cannot in any way, shape or form suggest how the cases are handled,” cont. on page 15
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Frasier says. “The prosecutor still has to be selected by the district attorney and has to follow law. The victim cannot control the prosecution.” Jake Kamins, a Multnomah County assistant district attorney who had prosecuted animal cases, jumped at the opportunity to pursue such cases full time. Today, Kamins works from the Portland home he shares with his wife, Jackie, who is also a lawyer, as well as their two children and an 18-year-old tabby cat named Cassie. Kamins says he never imagined he’d end up as the nation’s first full-time animal abuse prosecutor, but he has received a warmer response from prosecutors in the state than he generally does from the family cat. Kamins grew up in northern Virginia. His family owned a dog, and he liked visiting zoos, but he was no more interested in animals than most kids. At Brandeis University near Boston, he majored in politics and theater, spending his free time in a campus improv group. He came west for law school at Lewis & Clark College, and after graduation landed a job at the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office in 2009. Like most young prosecutors, he handled misdemeanor cases, including a few involving animals. In one case, the victim was a pit bull named Caleb, whose owner left him to starve. “Animal abuse cases really strike a chord,” Kamins says. “It’s nice to work on cases that people care about.” Kamins has embraced his one-of-
a-kind role. His Twitter handle is @ AnimalDDA. Even though he’s a city boy often working in rural counties, he says he’s gotten a warm reception. “I thought I was going to get a lot of skepticism from law enforcement,” he says. “I expected eye-rolling, a ‘Doggie DA’ kind of thing. But the response has been welcoming.” He says prosecuting animal cases presents special challenges. The first is obvious: Animals can’t testify against their abusers. And animal cases often don’t involve police. “I am dealing with witnesses who don’t take notes or testify for a living,” Kamins says. “A lot of witnesses work in animal rescue, but they’re not professional investigators.” Kamins says that means more witness preparation and a lot of time spent tracking down photographs, notes and other information that police might normally provide in non-animal prosecutions. Since turning to animal cases full time, Kamins has gone after people who have mistreated rabbits, rats, snakes, dogs, cats, sheep, cows, horses and alpacas. Earlier this year, Kamins won a conviction in Crook County that resulted in 60 days’ jail time for Robert Gruntz, a California man who solicited investments in horses kept at a Powell Butte ranch. But Gruntz failed to feed the horses. “They were eating the wooden fence posts,” says Crook County District Attorney Daina Vitolins, who oversaw Kamins’
THE ANIMAL LAWYER S TaT e o f o r e g o n a n i m a l c r u e lT y D D a
cont.
STARVATION DIET: Jake Kamins convicted Columbia County cattleman William Holdner for failing to feed his herd of Herefords.
work. “It was a horrible situation.” “Jake was a great resource,” Vitolins adds. “He brought a level of expertise that was really beneficial.” Not every case is as dramatic. In July, Kamins came to the rescue of a neglected Lhasa apso named Zelda. An investigator found Zelda in Marion County covered in fleas, suffering from ear and skin infections, overgrown toenails and an untreated eye ailment that left her nearly blind. Kamins charged the owner with second-degree animal neglect. She pleaded guilty, surrendered Zelda and agreed not to own an animal again for five years. (Zelda, who was adopted by another
family, later died of causes unrelated to the mistreatment.) “What you realize in this job is the total reliance of abused animals on a prosecutor,” Kamins says. “They’ve got no way to seek help or communicate with people.”
T
echnically, Kamins works under contract with the Benton County District Attorney’s Office, reporting to District Attorney John Haroldson. But Kamins’ job exists only because of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Since its founding in 1979, the ALDF, based in Cotati, Calif., has aggressively conT. on page 16
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cont.
pursued animal rights in courts across the nation. The group has an annual budget of $7.5 million and spends much of it going to court on animals’ behalf. Recently, the ALDF fought foie gras producers on both coasts and sued to gain access to records regarding New York City’s carriage horses. The group fought in an Idaho court to give activists the right to film factory farming techniques. And earlier this year, the ALDF forced the cancellation of a coyote-killing contest in Oregon’s Harney County. Kamins says he’s independent of the ALDF. Although he has visited the ALDF’s Por tla nd of f ice to use the advocacy group’s printer, he works solely under the direction of the elected DA in the county where he’s pursuing a case. “I’ve never had any direction on how to do my work from the ALDF,” Kamins says. “This is a prosecution position, it’s not an advocacy position. I’m not trying to change laws or push the boundaries of existing laws.” Yet the very existence of his position promotes the ALDF’s agenda, and the group has used the prospect of funding prosecutions to raise money from donors. That makes at least one group uneasy. “We have concerns about the policy implications of a private advocacy group funding prosecution,” says Katie Fast, a lobbyist for the Oregon Farm Bureau. “It has the potential to distort the legal process.”
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thomas teal
THE ANIMAL LAWYER
“i’ve never had any direction on how to do my work from the aldf. this is a prosecution position, not an advocacy position.” —Jake kamins
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But the idea of a privately funded prosecutor is so novel that many people in Oregon legislative and legal circles are unaware it exists. “I’ve never heard of something like this before,” says professor Susan Gary, who specia lizes in nonprofits at the University of Oregon School of Law. “It might be a good idea if the group is doing something the government does not have the money to do, but you still have to ask whether the government’s function is being influenced.” Former Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who also served as attorney general and associate justice of the state Supreme Court, is concerned about the precedent the ALDF sets. “Think about what would happen if private debt collectors wanted to fund a position to go after people,” Kulongoski says. Rep. Barker, a retired Portland police detective whose House Judiciary Committee oversees Oregon’s legal system, says he’s troubled by the potential for
ALDF ACE: Scott Heiser followed his 17 years as an Oregon prosecutor— including eight as Benton County district attorney—by working at the Animal Legal Defense Fund, where he pushed for the group to pay for a prosecutor.
blurred lines of accountability. “ We’ll probably have a legislative hearing on this because it’s so unusual,” Barker says. “A prosecutor is supposed to work for the public.” The ALDF’s Scott Heiser says many players are involved in the justice system. District attorneys regularly accept federal grant money targeting gang activity. And he notes that private nonprofits run many of Oregon’s child-abuse assessment centers, gathering evidence that’s often used in criminal trials.
Heiser hopes Kamins’ work will be a model for other jurisdictions. “This is the ideal solution to chronic problems in many states,” Heiser says. “Many DAs are underfunded, and not expert in animal law.” Kamins says he’ll leave it to others to decide whether it’s appropriate for a nonprofit to fund his position. “That’s above my pay grade,” he says. “I’m just focused on my job. I feel like I’m doing a lot of important work for the victims of abuse.”
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SUICIDE IS PANTYLESS An Oral History of Suicide Girls in Portland.
on 23rd, people who’d heard about it. Coffee People and Anna Bannanas.” —Missy
By Matthew Korfhage
“I’m born and raised in Portland. When I was 18 or 19, I started hearing more about [Suicide Girls]. I probably at some point heard about it in WW. I was really excited about the photography aspect of it: sexy but not just about sex.” —Lyxzen, model coordinator/ SG model since 2005
mkorfhage@wweek.com
Suicide Girls seems quaint these days, when naked, tattooed women on the Internet are about as ubiquitous as naked women on the Internet. But in 2001, when founders Selena Mooney (“Missy Suicide”) and Sean Suhl began the alt-pinup website from a small apartment in Northwest Portland, Suicide Girls seemed to many like the staging ground for some sort of revolution in female empowerment. And so by 2005, the sense of betrayal was thick when the site was revealed to be not just a social club for pretty girls with tats but also an often mercenaryseeming business: The site sued former models and other alt-porn sites based on trademarks and non-compete clauses. Suicide Girls, which this week brings its high-gloss burlesque show back to the city that birthed it, is currently a multimedia enterprise based in Los Angeles with glossy picture books, DVDs and licensing contracts. The touring show was choreographed by a New Yorker named Manwe and includes Simpsons-themed opera and bikini-clad girls in monkey masks. But we return to more innocent times, in the voices of people involved. Suhl and Missy came up with the idea in 2001, at Coffee People on Northwest 23rd Avenue: “In 2001, girls with tattoos were not celebrated quite like they are today. I don’t think it could have started anyplace else. I feel like Portland has this unique culture, the most strip clubs, the most bookstores. Going to a strip club in Portland is different from anyplace else in the country. You can meet guys and girls, and it’s not a weird thing.” —Missy “I can’t imagine another city in North America where Suicide Girls could have started. If Suicide Girls came from New York, it would have been too cool. If it came from San Francisco, it would have been too extreme. Los Angeles would be too cynically studied.” —Wil Wheaton, actor and former SG geekculture columnist (2005-06) “Suicide Girls has made Portland the epicenter of cool to its fans. Members often ask if they can visit SGHQ, as it is referred to on the site, not realizing the company is run from a spacious apartment—the top floor of a Victorian building in Northwest Portland.” —WW, March 19, 2003 The initial models were friends of Missy’s, but the site expanded through word of mouth (and through a 2003 WW cover story): “Once the site launched, we’d have meetups where we’d meet girls at Coffee People
culture bas i l c h i l d e rs
pornography
volume 29, issue 20 | march 19, 2003
Portland News and culture WWeek . c o m
“It was the Willamette Week cover story that got me to hook up with them. I’d only been living in Portland for two weeks. I got on the site, and the application form was broken. I looked them up in the phone book. They were doing interviews. I called and she said I’m interviewing in 15 minutes. It was at Coffee People.” —Neon, SG model since 2002 “When I saw what Suicide Girls was doing, I loved the atmosphere; it was pre-selfie. It was that vibe of people controlling their own looks. I thought that was pretty unique.” —Zia McCabe, Dandy Warhols keyboardist; modeled pregnant in 2005 The site includes a social-networking component, in which models interact with fans: “I think when SG started, it was one of the first social-media sites. That gets overlooked a lot. That’s what we spent our time on—on the boards, on the messages. That aspect died out a bit after Myspace, and that’s changed the flavor. The girls coming up now are a new generation. There are no more Gen-X girls.” —Neon “There’s an unnecessary taboo about a site like Suicide Girls. There’s nothing weird or prurient about this. I strongly disagree with the idea that it’s a porn site.” —Wil Wheaton “When I got pregnant, I really wanted to do it. I heard that nobody was allowed to do it pregnant. I wanted to be the pregnant Suicide Girl, and define beauty that way. I only looked on there a couple of times. One of the Suicide Girls told me comments were running wild. People canceled subscriptions and were totally offended. Others were protective of the idea of pregnant still being sexy. There was a big debate.” —Zia McCabe “It’s a new group of girls all the time. Being nude on the Internet, it’s not something that most people aspire to do for their entire life. There are definitely girls who’ve said, ‘I no longer want to be on the site because of my job,’ or personal reasons. But legally we own the photo sets, so we can’t remove those. Anything else I’ll help them remove—blogs, entries.” —Lyxzen
boobs, not bombs The calculated frontal assault of suicidegirls.com. by amy roe
inked: Willamette Week’s 2003 Suicide Girls cover.
news: firessent rogue asecurity page 15 music: Now with even introduced more Malkmus. to page 31 He “Axl Rose, he was us. In 2003, theUPsite groupofficer. of models wasn’t overwhelmingly friendly. He on ahitched: burlesqueVera’s tour.right-hand That version of the man, Sam Adams, makes it official with hubby Greg Eddie. page 85was kind of in his own place. Sebastian Bach tour kept going for four straight years: “On and off, I was on tour for four years. was amazing. He’s like a small child trapped I was working with a burlesque troupe in in a 40-year old body with too much money. Portland—Cherry Tarts. I got on a Grey- I got in a loogey-hocking contest with him hound bus, went all the way to L.A. for the once. The bus driver made us stop—it was tryouts, then got on a bus and went on tour. getting on the windows.” It was totally improvised. We sewed all our —Neon own costumes, we were in a van.” In 2004, Suicide Girls moved to Los —Neon Angeles and partnered with Epitaph “Portland has a wonderful history of bur- Records, book companies and, briefly, lesque and live shows. Our first anniversary Playboy: “It’s so funny that people still bring up was at Dante’s. We took that spirit of classic [Playboy]. They featured some of our conburlesque and put our own twist on it.” tent. Once a week for a month, they put —Missy up a photo set, and that was the extent of “It wasn’t a shiny, polished show. We threw the involvement. It was so nothing. And things at the audience, sometimes they it’s over a decade ago. Everyone’s still threw things back. It was sexy, but in a focused on it.” punk-rock way. Over the years, we threw —Missy a lot of food, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, a lot of booze, beer, vodka, a lot of “I feel, like, super-involved. I’ve dediglitter. We got barred from taking glitter. cated my life to being here and running Apparently it gets into speakers. I had no everything every day. I’ve always loved Portland, and I love to be from there, and idea. We had to switch to larger glitter.” I‘m bummed they’re not more embracing —Neon of me. Portland hasn’t always been as nice The models were also involved in music- to me as it could have been, but I still love video shoots, and were put on tours with it. It’s still home. I visit a couple times a year.” Guns N’ Roses and Courtney Love: “The [music-video shoot] that stands out —Missy to me the most was for the Dwarves. Suicide Girls had worked with them before. I SEE IT: Suicide Girls’ Blackheart Burlesque is at Roseland Theatre, 8 NW wasn’t covered in blood, but a bunch of the 6th Ave., 224-2038, on Wednesday, Dec. other girls were.” 3. 8:15 pm. $25-$100. 18+. —Lyxzen
photos by basil childers
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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Street
Street
plumb dandy a look at the annual stumptown speakeasy. Photos by Anna Jaye Goelln er wweek.com/street
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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FOOD: Brunch at Smallwares. BAR REVIEW: Pingpong and beer. MOVIES: An E.E. Cummings Christmas. END ROLL: Weed, comics.
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SCOOP THE COPS DIDN’T JUST HUG PEOPLE. THROWBACK OUT: A dance party scheduled for Doug Fir Lounge on Nov. 28 was canceled by the venue following an online uproar over the use of racial stereotypes in the artwork used to promote the event. The flier for the show was made to resemble an ad for a Black Friday sale and included images of items considered to be African-American cultural stereotypes, such as cocoa butter, basketball jerseys, speakers and custom grills. Doug Fir initially responded on its Facebook page by explaining the poster was designed by the headliner, Portland’s DJ $ew What, before announcing the event’s cancellation the next morning. “[W]e want to express contrition and regret for the insensitive nature of the imagery and will use this as an opportunity to internally examine all existing and future promotional material,” the club wrote on its website. The show, billed as a “throwback night,” was meant to serve as a benefit for a Doug Fir bartender recovering from a broken leg. ANOTHER STAND: A new comedy venue is opening in the basement of a bike shop. With a soft opening slated for Dec. 8 and a full launch in January, Kickstand Comedy Space will be the downstairs neighbor to Velo Cult, the Hollywood neighborhood bike shop/bar. The four founders—Dylan Reiff, Garrett Palm, Dan Weber and Nick Beaird—envision Kickstand as a hub for standups and improvisers to hone their stuff. The space will seat 45 people and be open until midnight Monday through Thursday, with each night featuring standup, improv or more experimental comedy. “I got really inspired when I was in L.A. taking some classes,” Reiff says. “There were opportunities to get up and play and jam every night of the week there, and it illuminated something that I felt was missing from the Portland scene. We have all these amazing performers, but not a lot of community spaces. We want this to feel like a comedy gym. We want people to have some awesome shows here, but also be able to develop and get better at all forms of comedy.” BERBATI’S BAN: Old Town mainstay Berbati is temporarily closed. Best known as Berbati’s Pan, a once-essential music venue that closed in 2010, the bar is serving a 21-day suspension of its liquor license and faces a $8,745 fine. According to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, the bar reached a settlement on charges that it served alcohol to a minor and that a security staff member misrepresented himself to the OLCC. Berbati’s will be allowed to reopen Dec. 13. FUTURE DRINKING: The team behind See See Motor Coffee plans to start a bar called Charlie Horse Tavern in the space between Robo Taco and Star Bar, at 627 SE Morrison St. Previous occupant Sway Bar closed more than two years ago. >> A barbershop and “gentleman’s hangout” called Throne Traditional Barbershop will have its Dec. 6 grand opening at 917 NW 13th Ave. A $28 haircut includes beer or a shot of whiskey or rum, and owners say patrons can watch sports on three big-screen TVs without getting a haircut. “We’re trying to bring back the whole male-bonding thing,” says co-owner Robert O’Dell. >> Meanwhile, the site of former Unzipped cover model Beau Breedlove’s “French dance cafe,” Vie, will become a sushi restaurant called Yo Sushi. 22
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
HEADOUT BRAD ALSTON
WILLAMETTE WEEK
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK IN ARTS & CULTURE
WEDNESDAY DEC. 3 WHITE LUNG [ANARCHY FROM THE B.C.] With this year’s Deep Fantasy, the Canadian punk band perfected an irresistible trick: transforming a history of harshness—hardcore, no wave, death rock—into addictive anthems that can be quoted in yearbooks and should embarrass musicians who aren’t trying hard enough. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+.
THURSDAY DEC. 4 E.E. CUMMINGS’ SANTA [WEIRD XMAS] E.E. Cummings didn’t just write poems with weird punctuation. He also wrote a few plays, including one in which Santa Claus swaps faces with Death. Liminal Performance Group, known for its immersive, genre-busting style, tackles this dark but oddly heartwarming work. Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 567-8309. 7:30 pm. $15-$25.
FRIDAY DEC. 5 OREGON BREWERIES RELEASE [BEER] Brian Yaeger’s reading of his book on Oregon breweries will be followed by a crawl to Rogue, Deschutes, Fat Head’s and Tugboat breweries. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 800-878-7323. 7:30 pm reading, 9 pm bar crawl.
THAT? WHO’S page to rn u T y 52 to tr e g th in h tc a m rs characte eir th to e v o b a movies.
SATURDAY DEC. 6
CHEER UP, DRUNKY
MAGIC FADES [TUMBLR&B] If R. Kelly spent as much time playing Second Life as he did up in the club, he might have produced the vaporous sex jams present on the Portland duo’s new album, Push Thru. S1, 4148 NE Hancock St. 9:30 pm. $7. 18+.
PRO TIPS FOR SURVIVING 77 BEERS AND MASSIVE CROWDS AT THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY ALE FEST AT PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE.
ARRIVE EARLY, BUT NOT TOO EARLY:
SEXY ELVES ARE WEIRD, LADIES: Especially
Portland’s Holiday Ale Festival always gets packed—17,000-plus attendees will drop in over five days—which means you want to get there before sought-after kegs run out and the lines get huge. Doors open at 11 am if you’re really ambitious. However, this festival is outside, under tents, so it’s best to wait until there’s some extra humanity there to warm you. The perfect time? Around 3 pm, but sip fast. By 5 pm, you want to be headed out.
if you do the gross elf ears. If you’re going to wear leggings, make sure they’re warm. No one wants to hear about how cold you are because you arrived super early wearing skintight leggings and disgusting elf ears.
JUST TAKE THE MAX: Obviously, you don’t want to drive to a beer fest. But you also don’t want a ride, because it’s impossible to park a car within 20 blocks. Biking would be far more pleasant if the square weren’t fully surrounded by slippery train tracks.
USE EVERY TICKET CAREFULLY: Ounce for
GENTLEMEN, NO SANTA GARB: It would be
cool, except for the douchey drunken Santa rampage thing. (It’s still better than elf ears, though.)
ounce, this is the booziest festival of the year, with some one-ticket brews topping 10 percent ABV. Oh, and there are 77 beers total. Make bad picks and you’ll be drunk before you find something you love, trying not to vomit from the sight of those grotesque elf ears.
SUNDAY DEC. 7
DRINK WHAT PRESTON SAYS TO DRINK: Festival
organizer Preston Weesner has a very reliable palate. We asked for his top-five picks—a tough request—which include Bear Republic’s Frozen-themed blend of sour golden ales, Eel River’s Gargantua II breakfast beer, Finnriver Cidery’s blend of barrelaged ciders, Golden Valley’s Tannen Bomb and Widmer’s Frosty the Munchieman porter. MARTIN CIZMAR.
NORTHWEST DANCE PROJECT [DANCE] Don’t expect any Santa hats from Portland’s premier contemporary chamber dance company. This “un-holiday” show is inspired by Mad Men, which should mean ’60s mod, ’70s psychedelia and plenty of saucy, energetic choreography. Vestas, 1417 NW Everett St., 4217434. 4 pm. $39-$50.
TUESDAY DEC. 9 PALLBEARER [EPIC METAL] The Arkansas doom merchants’ debut album was the talk of the underground metal scene in 2012. Recently released followup Foundations of Burden is even better, courtesy of Portland superproducer Billy Anderson and the deep emotional resonance of singer Brett Campbell’s soaring vocals. Hawthorne Theater, 1507 SE César E. Chávez Blvd., 233-7100. 7 pm. $10 advance, $13 day of show. 21+.
GO: Holiday Ale Festival, Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW Sixth Ave., holidayale.com. 11 am-10 pm Wednesday-Saturday, 11 am5 pm Sunday, Dec. 3-7. $35 entry includes 12 beer tickets and a glass. Designated-driver admission $10. “Those who are VISIBLY INTOXICATED will not be served.” Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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FOOD & DRINK Highly recommended. By MATTHEW KORFHAGE. Editor: MARTIN CIZMAR. Email: dish@wweek.com. See page 3 for submission instructions.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4 Holiday Ale Festival
A crowded beerstorm of 77 one-off or rare holiday beers (see page 23). Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave., holidayale.com. Through Dec. 7. $35.
THURSDAY, DEC. 4
REVIEW
GO FISH
JAMES REXROAD
= WW Pick.
A MEAT EATER DIVES DEEP INTO DAVY JONES’ LOCKER.
Japanese Whiskey
A Japanese whiskey tasting with seven hors d’oeuvres, including Yamazaki 12-year paired with yellowtail heaven salad, and Hakushu 12-year paired with chocolate “Grand Teton” mousse. Sinju, 1022 NW Johnson St., 223-6535. 7 pm. $20.
FRIDAY, DEC. 5 Oregon Breweries Book Release
Local beer writer and WW contributor Brian Yaeger will read from his new book, Oregon Breweries, then host a pub crawl to Deschutes, Fat Head’s, Rogue and perhaps Tugboat. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 800-878-7323. 7:30 pm reading, 9 pm pub crawl.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6 NoPo Indoor Farmers Market
The St. Johns community now has a farmers market indoors every Saturday, with winter produce, foraged foods, baked goods, specialty groceries…and bloody marys. Central Hotel, 8608 N Lombard Street, 477-5489. 9 am-2 pm.
Woodstock Wine & Deli Anniversary
The 29th anniversary event will include tastings from 15 wineries and five breweries—including a 9-liter bottle of French Champagne to share. Oysters, caviar, sushi and pulled-pork sliders will also be available for purchase. Woodstock Wine & Deli, 4030 SE Woodstock Ave., 777-2208. 2-6 pm. $16 admission includes tasting glass.
Where to eat this week. 1. Haan Ghin Southwest Park Avenue and Harrison Street (on PSU campus). This cart’s trademark mii gai is a brilliant mash-up of flavor and texture: a sweetsour egg noodle vermicelli with chicken, spiced with chili oil and crisped with fried shallot and chicken skin. Terrific. 2. Zaatar 1037 NW Flanders St., 477-8237, zaatarnw.com. Tony Karam is back in Portland with an excellent new Lebanese spot. The baba ghanoush, especially, has as much smoke as many pork shanks, and the pita is impressive. 3. Chongqinq Huo Guo 8230 SE Harrison St., Suite 315, 971-803-7999. In keeping with its eponymous pepperbathed region of China, this soup spot doesn’t dull its spicy broth for Western palates. Get a half-and-half spicy and mild broth, and go crazy with added ingredients. 4. Buki 2880 SE Division St., 360-931-1541. Think of Buki’s takoyaki as the corn dog of Japan—a savory snack for streetside stalls and festivals—except the spicy, flavorful fried flour balls are filled not with pork but with chewy octopus. 5. Beaverton Sub Station 12448 SW Broadway St., 641-7827, beavertonsubstation.com. We pretty much ignored this sub shop for 33 years in our paper. Big mistake. Its #17 sandwich layers cotto salami, pepperoni and pastrami, and we’ve been dreaming about it ever since.
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This fall, I idiotically pledged to become a fish eater for 31 days. No good reason. I like seafood, I thought, so how hard could it be? But once you’ve told anyone about a resolution—which you will—you’re set up for a fall. What I didn’t factor in was my deep and abiding love of red meat, which explains an Oct. 4 stumble involving a 3-pound, doublecut pork chop at a Denver animal house called Old Major. But the vast majority of my pescatarian October meals remained true to the pledge. And it was a worthwhile adventure; I tried a lot of places and dishes I would otherwise have ignored. Here’s what I learned. MICHAEL C. ZUSMAN. Best seafood restaurant (local) Roe/Block & Tackle, 3113 SE Division St., 232-1566/236-0205, roepdx.rest/blockandtacklepdx.com. This one is easy, in part because in Portland there isn’t much serious competition. The front of the house, Block & Tackle, is a simple but solid fish house. Favorites included a deconstructed Dungeness crab Louie, fried calamari with Thai touches of fish sauce and chilies, and a powerfully delicious grilled mackerel sandwich. But Roe—the tiny, hidden restaurant in the back room—is home to chef Trent Pierce’s dazzling prix fixe, seafood-only processional characterized by clean, delightful flavors and jewel-like presentations. Truly, the closest culinary comparison is New York’s Le Bernardin—which is distinguished by trappings of luxury Portlanders tend to hate. And Roe, at $75 for four courses, is about half the price of Le Bernardin. Best seafood restaurant (out of town) Son of a Gun, 8370 W 3rd St., Los Angeles, 323-782-9033, sonofagunrestaurant.com. In town to see the Ducks clobber UCLA on the gridiron, I dragged a group of tailgate buddies here postgame, where we dove into a seafood-dominant menu offered in a setting as casual as any in Portland. The favorites were plump peel-and-eat shrimp with mustard sauce, and a seared octopus salad. The same people who run this restaurant also operate another popular L.A. spot, Animal, that’s all about red meat. Best New Orleans seafood menu Acadia, 1303 NE Fremont St., 249-5001, creolapdx.com. How did this Fremont Street long-timer escape my attention for so long? Let me issue bounteous praise for chef Adam Higgs’ head-on barbecue shrimp in a sauce redolent of Worcestershire: It’s a seafood version of Chex party mix and
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
SURPRISE CATCH: A soft-shell crab from Acadia, the restaurant that provided the best new finds during a month of fish food.
crazy good, especially when you suck the heads. The cornmeal-coated soft-shell crab with chili relish and chopped pecans wasn’t bad either. Best Russian seafood menu Kachka, 720 SE Grand Ave., 235-0059, kachkapdx.com. The highlight is the seafood board, with special praise for the sliced capitan, which is like sable (cold-smoked black cod) but smokier and melt-on-your-tongue rich, and the cod-liver dip, a potent piscine pleasure potion. While other seafood dishes here have received high praise, the board is best. Best three-bite delight Trifecta, 726 SE 6th Ave., 841-6675, trifectapdx.com. T h e oy st e r b u n , a c o r n m e a l - c o a t e d bivalve resting on brioche, is served with a mess of tangy coleslaw. Munch, munch, munch—gone. Best chippy (cart) The Frying Scotsman, Southwest 9th Avenue and Alder Street, 706-3841, thefryingscotsmanpdx.com. James King ’s downtown cart may not get as much fawning adoration as some others, but he does fried fish and chips better than anyone in town. He is, after all, an authentic frying Scotsman. Go auld school and try the haddock. Best chippy (sit-down) The Tardis Room at the Fish & Chip Shop, 1218 N Killingsworth St., thefishandchipshop.com. The shock of the month came at a North Killingsworth venue ( just west of I-5) serving superb, value-priced cod and chips amid a comical clutter of Doctor Who kitsch. For full effect, go on a Saturday around 9 pm, when the wackos—er, fans—come out of the woodwork to watch the beloved Doctor in new episodes on BBC America.
Best seafood-only Cambodian noodle soup Mekong Bistro, 8200 NE Siskiyou St., 265-8972, mekongbistro.com. On a tip, I trotted out to Northeast 82nd Avenue to one of Portland’s few Cambodian eateries. They had exactly one seafood dish (pretty lame tip), but the subtly curried ground-fish vermicelli noodle soup called nom-bunh-jok was a warming, cold-weather winner. Best lobster roll Maine Street Lobster Co., 8145 SE 82nd Ave. (Cartlandia pod), 770-480-3437, mainestreetlobstercompany.com. When New England isn’t in reach and the lobster jones strikes, head to Cartlandia. Lobsters are flown in frequently (no truth to the rumor they fly first-class), and the smallish rolls are specially made for this bustling cart. You get 3 ounces of sweet meat stuffed into a toasty bun with melted butter. It’s about half the size of the archetype at Neptune Oyster in Boston—but at $10, this goes for about one-third the price. Best seafood in non-seafood restaurants Pok Pok, Ox and Aviary (tie) Pok Pok (3226 SE Division St., 232-1387, pokpokpdx.com) always has several seafood items. Tops on my list are the cha ca “La Vong,” a dilled catfish hot-pot dish Andy Ricker imported from Hanoi, and hoi thawt, fat little mussels enveloped in a cross between a crepe and scrambled eggs. The beef and marrow-muddled clam chowder at Ox (2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 284-3366, oxpdx.com) might make you overlook the pescatarian options, but don’t: The seafood sampler includes 2 ounces each of mussels, shrimp, crab and fish, and you should always order halibut (especially the collar), if available. Meanwhile, at Aviary (1733 NE Alberta St., 287-2400, aviarypdx.com), the kitchen is always trotting out innovative ideas. In October, the seafood dishes included outstanding charred octopus served with hot ricotta pudding and red curry jus, and a delicate tea-smoked black cod amid feather-light fennel, trumpet mushrooms, water spinach, day lilies and yuzu.
FOOD & DRINK C H R I S R YA N P H O T O . C O M
REVIEW
RICE IS NICE: Congee with Chinese sausage, granola, egg and scallion.
#BADBRUNCHES BE LIKE BASIC BRUNCHES DO SELFIES WITH BERRY BASIL MUFFINS, NOT SMALLWARES.
BY M A RT I N C I Z M A R
mcizmar@wweek.com
The brunchlash is here. A few years after the pecancake displaced the vodkatini at the center of young bougiehood, the haters have come out to do what haters do. In August, the world got a book-length manifesto on modern class warfare called The Trouble With Brunch. Gawker’s Adrian Chen—a former WW intern famous for appearing in a tutu and an embarrassing Portland-related T-shirt to win over sources inside Anonymous—has been hollering “fuck brunch!” since 2010, but last month The New York Times joined in, publishing a brunch-themed lecture on the virtues of serious work, raising children, putting on a nice skirt instead of yoga pants and cooling it with the prenoon mimosas. Sure, there is something Unmerican about the idea of gathering for a leisurely meal with friends when you could be tending to a patch of ornamental vegetation, watching sporting events and their attendant advertisements, or just working. But I still like brunch. As a concept, at least, since most brunch food is pretty boring. Starting last month, Smallwares brings Portland a new baddest—bad in the Jacksonian sense—brunch. Here’s how it compares and contrasts with those #BasicBrunches.
plates in Porklandia…. Spice in the form of pink peppercorn didn’t do much for a muffin appearing on the pastry menu, nor did discordant dried chilies do much for the Thai iced tea, so it’s sadly no panacea for the basicness of brunch staples. #BasicBrunches: Ladies and gentlemen, Deerhoof! We’ll also have a little Marnie Stern and the Decemberists’ underambitious early material. #BadBrunches: Jay Z on B-L-A-D-E-S. Missy ’s encouragement toward freak-forwardness.
#BasicBrunches: Bacon, fried it in its own fat. #BadBrunches: House-smoked and cured Sichuan bacon: flat, crisp-edged slices of belly coated in an earthy, mouth-numbing Sichuan spice. It has an intoxicating blend of heat and fat and just may be the tastiest of all the little piggy
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#BasicBrunches: We cut some oats with steel and boiled them, then put candied pecans on top. #Bad Br unches: If you’ve done dim sum you’ve encountered congee, the bright white rice porridge boiled until the grains have been all but atomized and topped with a few slices of green onion or boiled egg. Well, this one builds that frame into a supercharged umami jet with egg, spicy Chinese sausage and little bits of savory granola. #BasicBrunches: Here’s a Monte Cristo. It’s French. #BadBrunches: The Monte Cristo is a good design to begin with, but this one has a hard, salty aged Benton’s ham, rich Swiss cheese, and a salty-sweet raspberry kimchee jelly on the side. Challah back, and front, is the bread, and gives a nice buttery warmth.
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#BasicBrunches: Here’s a fruit cup. I cut up some fruit and put it in a cup. #BadBrunches: A fruit salad that fully realizes chef Johanna Ware’s vision for her Beaumont Village restaurant’s playful, inventive “inauthentic Asian” fare. Pineapple, banana, mango and little clementine slices are marinated overnight in a thick gravy of mildly sweet coconut milk and kaffir lime, then get a generous sprinkle of candied cornflakes. It’s an ideal way to begin a meal of shared plates.
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#BasicBrunches: Waffles! #BadBrunches: Actually, this is maybe where things go too far—the curry waffle itself is pleasant but gets soggy in the center thanks to an unpleasant black garlic maple syrup that resembles sugared soy sauce. The yogurtlike squash whip is fun, but ends up turning the whole thing into a brownish mess. #BasicBrunches: Soup for breakfast? #BadBrunches: If you like early-morning pho or bun bo Hue, wait until you get a bowl of Smallwares’ beef meatball ramen. It opens your sinuses with horseradish then fills them up with uber-beefy broth, a drop of freshening lemon and a soft-fried egg. Fuck brunch? Sorry, dawg, I’m ridin’ with this ramen #BrunchLife.
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Sha
www.sha
Shandong www.shandongportland.com
EAT: Smallwares, 4605 NE Fremont St., 971229-0995, smallwarespdx.com. Brunch 11 am3 pm Saturday and Sunday. Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
dec. 3–9 PROFILE
= WW Pick. Highly recommended.
SAMANTHA MARBLE
MUSIC
Prices listed are sometimes for advance ticket sales. At-the-door increases and socalled convenience charges may apply. Event lineups are subject to change after WW’s press deadlines. Editor: MATTHEW SINGER. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR LISTINGS, go to wweek.com/ submitevents and follow submission directions. All shows should be submitted two weeks or more in advance of event. Press kits, CDs and especially vinyl can be sent to Music Desk, WW, 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Please include show or release date information with all physical mailings. Email: msinger@wweek.com. Fax: 243-1115.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3 Nick Delffs, Bud Wilson, the Domestics
[EXILE ON BELMONT STREET] Though beloved local classic-rock truthers the Shaky Hands are, sadly, a thing of the past, singer Nick Delffs is still one of the most creative forces in town, both with his solo project Death Songs and as a backing foil to Luz Elena Mendoza in Tiburones. Tonight’s bill lists him with a solo credit, and hopefully will showcase things both new and old. Bud Wilson of Aan has a similar voice to Delffs, but uses it in more hard-charging, experimental ways with his band, which has spent the fall like any good Portland band—holed up and working out new material for a 2015 release. MICHAEL MANNHEIMER. Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water Ave., 894-9708. 9:30 pm. $5. 21+.
The War on Drugs, Summer Cannibals
[STONED AMERICANA] The bifurcation of the careers of Kurt Vile and Adam Granduciel could’ve gone a lot worse. Vile left the War on Drugs in 2008, but pegging indie rock’s benevolent stoner laureate as the Jeff Tweedy to Granduciel’s Jay Farrar is an unfair assessment. With no apparent animosity dividing two branches of the same classic-rock tree, we’ll concede that no one gives a shit and move on to Lost in the Dream, the War on Drugs’ latest outstanding release. Granduciel’s voice has migrated away from the timbre of his buddy Vile toward the realm of ’80s radio-god territory: Close your eyes and, amid the shimmers of chorus-heavy guitars and smoky organs, you’ll hear Don Henley on Ambien. PETE COTTELL. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 8 pm. Sold out. All ages.
Drew Victor, Old Friend, Ryan Stively, Montclaire
[FOLK FOR ALL] When outsiders think of Pacific Northwest music, usually it’s of the folky coffee-shop variety. While we have more going for us than just that, that stuff is prevalent, as confirmed by Holocene’s roundup of local soft-folk veterans. It’s quite the sampling, comprising the smooth indiefolk of Drew Victor, the noodly art folk of Old Friend, Ryan Stively’s roadtrip-worthy folk rock and Montclaire’s Hawaiian-influenced, beat-heavy folk. SHANNON GORMLEY. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639. 8:30 pm. $6. 21+.
THURSDAY, DEC. 4 Goapele
[SOUL FOR REAL] A favorite of the early 2000s neo-soul underground, Goapele has spent the past decade dropping a string of emotionally stirring, jazz- and electronica-flecked albums, the latest of which is titled Strong as Glass. Doug Fir Lounge, 803 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $23 advance, $25 day of show. 21+.
The Ataris, Ninjas With Syringes, Teenage Kicks, Food Love, Brigadier
[STILL POP PUNK AFTER ALL THESE YEARS] After the reunion tour, after the “[Insert album]: Ten Years Later” think-pieces, where does a band go? If you’re the Ataris, you just go on another tour. Last spring, singer-guitarist Kris Rowe reunited with the lineup that recorded 2003’s So Long Astoria, whose chugging combination of pop punk and emo helped establish the band at a midpoint between the two. Now, Rowe’s back on the
road with the same crew of hired guns that he’s used since 2012—the last year he released material under the Ataris name—on what he’s dubbed the “You Call the Shots Tour,” playing shows where fans get to pick the set list. It’s not the most romantic move artistically, but it is the perfect one to honor notoriously loyal pop-punk fans. JAMES HELMSWORTH. Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th Ave., 233-7100. 7 pm. $15 advance, $18 day of show. 21+.
Beat Connection, Shaprece, Small Skies
[ELECTRO-POP] Beat Connection’s impending sophomore album has been building some hype. The band released its intricate and peppy first album, The Palace Garden, in 2013, and if the two pre-released singles are accurate indicators, the new release will have just as many palatable melodies embellished by strange sounds, only smoother and more world-beat-influenced. If you’d prefer to keep your clean atmospheric music and weird, danceable noises separate, Shaprece’s electro-soul and Small Skies’ wall-of-sound dance pop are on the bill as well. SHANNON GORMLEY. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639. 8:30 pm. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+.
Jane Siberry’s Holiday Hoes & Hosers
[ART FOLK] In her more than threedecade career, Canadian art-folk singer-songwriter Jane Siberry has earned a loyal and passionate following. Those fans even stuck with her through a confusing change of identity, as Siberry chose to rename herself “Issa” (pronounced “EE-sah”) for several years in the late ’00s, after divesting herself of most of her material possessions. She’s back to her given name now, and her fans’ continued devotion has enabled her to crowdsource funds for a forthcoming album. This week, she presents a fournight run of her seasonal show, Holiday Hoes and Hosers, augmented by promised “celebrity guests” and local classical musicians. JEFF ROSENBERG. Secret Society Lounge, 116 NE Russell St., 493-3600. 8 pm. $39. Through Dec. 9. 21+.
FRIDAY, DEC. 5 Lemuria, Into It Over It, Jesus Miranda, Your Rival
[DOWN AND OUT] Buffalo, N.Y., is caked in 7 feet of snow at press time, and winter hasn’t even started yet. Lemuria, a trio from that city, manages to capture the stifling seasonality in its sound, an enticing cross between shoegaze and grunge. Too much of one genre or the other could go painfully wrong, but Lemuria walks the line on its third full-length, The Distance Is So Big. Now 10 years in, Sheena Ozzella and company’s sound almost seems prophetic, considering the recent breakthroughs from kinfolk artists such as Courtney Barnett and Speedy Ortiz. MARK STOCK. Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 6100640. 8:30 pm. $13 advance, $15 day of show. All ages.
Wild Cub, Priory, Super Highway
[SYNTH POP] This year has had no shortage of ’80s-inspired synth pop, and music by Nashville quintet Wild Cub continues the deluge. Formed in 2012, the quintet re-released its debut LP, Youth, earlier this year, and though its sound is nothing new, it is occasionally unexpected. Take the exuberant tropical beats of “Thunder Clatter,” a track that brings to mind a beach-themed high-school dance. Alternatively, there’s the dark new
CONT. on page 30
ADULT ANARCHY WHITE LUNG STAYS PUNK, EVEN AS IT OUTGROWS THE PUNK SCENE. BY cHR IS STA MM
243-2122
As a remedy for frustration, punk rock works well enough. But at this point, the rote formula of shortplus-fast-plus-loud is most effective as a distraction for adolescents or an analgesic for ex-adolescents. And so we wait for rare saviors, those evolutionary mutants that inspire awe. We’re talking reliably good versus truly great here, and although White Lung is not the only active band thrashing around in the latter category, I would wager it is closest to the throne. The trio, which has been without a permanent bass player since last year, formed in 2006 amid a Vancouver, B.C., scene fostered by a DIY venue called the Emergency Room. Its first two albums, 2010’s It’s the Evil and 2012’s Sorry, were released by Deranged Records, home at one point or another to contemporary hardcore standouts like Hoax, Pregnancy Scares and Culo. But with this year’s Deep Fantasy, its first LP for Domino, White Lung has graduated to tonier venues and louder hype. If anyone has a problem with that, they’re keeping quiet. And White Lung isn’t trying to listen, anyway. “I’m sure if I looked hard enough I could find some guy with an anarchy sign tattooed on his face and a dog that he spray-painted green talking shit about us on a message board, but no one’s said anything to my face,” says guitarist Kenneth William, who joined the band in 2008. “Worrying about how the ‘punk scene’ is going to perceive what I’m doing is just as depressing to me as worrying about whether they’ll play a song I’m writing on the radio or not. Who cares?” We can all agree that ignoring the crust-dog contingent is the best course of action, but plenty of people who don’t spray-paint puppies are pretty invested in White Lung at this point. And while William is probably right to give not a single whit about radio circa 2014, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to imagine the band ending up there in the near future, because William and singer Mish Way, along with drummer Anne-Marie Vassiliou, have perfected an
FROm LEFT: White Lung’s Kenneth William, Anne-marie Vassiliou, mish Way and Hether Fortune.
irresistible trick: transforming a history of harshness (hardcore, no wave, death rock, etc.) into addictive anthems that can be quoted in yearbooks and should embarrass musicians who aren’t trying hard enough. Way’s lyrics evoke the dark distillations of Kurt Cobain and PJ Harvey, with disgust and desire melted down into some thick glue that can only escape its maker’s mind via incantations and screams. It is harrowing and captivating stuff, and the force of her vision is matched by William’s virtuosic guitar work, which braids melody and madness in a way that suggests what might have happened if Black Flag’s Greg Ginn had kept practicing guitar instead of honing an asshole persona.
“I’M SURE IF I LOOKED HARD ENOUGH I COULD FIND SOME GUY WITH AN ANARCHY SIGN TATTOOED ON HIS FACE TALKING SHIT ABOUT US ON A MESSAGE BOARD.” —KENNETH WILLIAM The band had to negotiate a few difficult adjustments before it could ascend to its current peak— bass player Grady Mackintosh left on possibly not-so-good terms in 2013, while Way turned the band into a long-distance affair by moving to Los Angeles. But William insists the extra breathing room was just what White Lung needed. “I used to hate going to practice and mindlessly try to throw together songs and argue about bass parts and arrangements,” he says. “Everyone’s better off having some space to make sure they’re happy with what they’re doing before we put it all together.” Now that William calls Montreal home, the three members of White Lung will be separated by thousands of miles when their current tour ends, and with space will come another gift: time. “I have a month booked off in December to start sketching out ideas for our next record,” William says. “We finally have enough time to do this one properly and take our time without deadlines creeping up on us, so I’m excited to start working on it.” SEE IT: White Lung plays Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., with Mormon Crosses, on Wednesday, Dec. 3. 9 pm. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+. Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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VARIOUS ARTISTS
AVERY SUNSHINE
SPOON
JOHNNY CASH
The first ever tribute to Jackson Browne, featuring Don Henley, Ben Harper, Lucinda Williams and more.
R&B diva Avery Sunshine has been an underground sensation, wowing audiences from coast to coast.
Now fleshed out to a five-piece with Alex Fischel, guitarist/keyboardist from frontman Britt Daniel’s side project Divine Fits, Spoon returns after their longest gap with They Want My Soul.
Out Among The Stars is truly a lost, previously unreleased Johnny Cash album. These aren’t alternate takes or different versions of songs that you’ve heard. These are brand new songs to the Cash canon.
TRIBUTE TO JACKSON BROWNE ON SALE $19.99
BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA
LIVE IN AMSTERDAM ON SALE $15.99 2-cd Set
Against the backdrop of the beautiful, historic Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam, the performance wows with scorching soul covers from the duo’s 2011 debut album, Don’t Explain, and 2013 follow-up, Seesaw.
JOHNNY WINTER
THE SUNROOM ON SALE $14.99
JESSE WINCHESTER
A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TROUBLE ON SALE $13.99
The late Southern singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester s final studio CD, written and recorded while he was in remission from the cancer that eventually returned and claimed him in April 2014.
The final recordings of Johnny Winter, Step Back features an amazing list of musical guests, including Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Joe Perry, Brian Setzer and more.
PHOSPHORESCENT DREAM ON SALE $12.99
Dr. John performs the music of Louis Armstrong, a divine mission delivered in a dream from the almighty.
Anderson is reunited with disgraced child prodigy Gerald Bostock, using lyrics written by Gerald based on an old historical manuscript. The manuscript examines key events from throughout British history before going on to offer a number of prophecies for the future.
Ryan Adams’ new album is a self-titled affair and the first to be released on the combined Pax Am/Blue Note imprint. Produced by Adams himself at his own Pax Am Studios in Los Angeles, the new record is the NC-born singer/songwriter’s first full length since 2011’s acclaimed Ashes & Fire.
RYAN ADAMS ON SALE $11.99
GINGER BAKER
BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND
Baker is often credited with revolutionizing rock drumming and influencing countless other rock drummers, but he has always been, first and foremost, a jazz musician.
A sonic catchment basin for various Afro-diasporic strains gospel, rhythmand-blues, the blues as such and various iterations of jazz and vernacular folk idioms that developed indigenously in the surrounding territories.
WHY? ON SALE $11.99
LANDMARKS ON SALE $9.99
OUT AMONG THE STARS ON SALE $10.99
RICHARD THOMPSON
ACOUSTIC CLASSICS ON SALE $10.99
Acoustic Classics serves as a fitting showcase for not only Thompson’s undeniable skills as a virtuoso guitarist, but also as a phenomenal songwriter capable of deftly tapping into a wealth of human emotions.
LINDSEY STIRLING
SHATTER ME ON SALE $10.99
A classically trained violinist, Lindsey has entered a futurist world of electronic big beats and animation.
THE WAR ON DRUGS
LOST IN THE DREAM ON SALE $9.99
Recorded by frontman Adam Granduciel over a period of two years, the album sees the group deliver a fully rounded collection of blue-collar indie rock.
APHEX TWIN
CHRIS SMITHER
ROSEANNE CASH
SHARON VAN ETTEN
A lot of the music in any way is often a lack of communication and leadership to be fallacious rumors of new material for his fannies and his enthusiasm has not diminished hope.
Newly recorded versions of Smither’s best material, recorded in his hometown of New Orleans with an all-star band and special guests including Allen Toussaint and Loudon Wainwright.
The album, created with her longtime collaborator John Leventhal, richly evokes the Southern landscape and examines the indelible impressions it has made on our own collective culture and on Cash herself.
An album of exceptional intimacy, sublime generosity, and immense breadth
SYRO ON SALE $12.99
STILL ON THE LEVEE ON SALE $15.99
FLYING LOTUS
REBECCA KILGORE WITH THE HARRY ALLEN QUARTET
A sonic, visual and metaphysical fusion of technological innovation and technical virtuosity that amounts to a transcendent, mind-expanding plasm that could only exist between our world and another.
In a true win-win situation, Kilgore, in celebrating everything that is masculine, has managed to illustrate the resilience and inner strength of women everywhere.
YOU’RE DEAD ON SALE $11.99
I LIKE MEN ON SALE $8.99
RIVER & THE THREAD ON SALE $11.99
ARE WE THERE ON SALE $9.99
THE BAD PLUS
INEVITABLE WESTERN ON SALE $10.99
Inevitable Western is comprised entirely of originals and continues the band’s committed belief in what The New York Times dubbed ‘avant-garde populism’ — the idea that serious music can be as engaging and accessible as it is forward-thinking and provocative.
JACK WHITE
LAZARETTO ON SALE $10.99
It’s the densest, fullest, craziest, and most indulgent that White has sounded with or without Meg—almost pointedly so, as though he’s trying to shake the minimalism that defined the White Stripes.
EELS
STORM LARGE
BILL FRISELL
THE CRY
The introspective new 13 track album is being described as “an extraordinarily vivid and intimate document of a personal struggle.”
Storm Large puts her trademark spin on classics from the American songbook, with the help of her new band, Le Bonheur.
Guitar in the Space Age! finds guitarist Bill Frisell going back in time to the guitar music of the country, surf, blues, and early rock & roll of the late 1950s through the mid-’60s: the music that initially inspired him.
Rooted in the great things about 50’s and 60’s rock and 70’s power pop and punk.. The CRY! will restore your faith in the future of rock n roll.
THE CAUTIONARY TALES OF MARK OLIVER EVERETT ON SALE $10.99
AGNES OBEL
AVENTINE (DELUXE EDITION) ON SALE $12.99
‘It’s a fascinating collection of remarkable pieces, with rich and intense arrangements supported by Obel’s dazzling voice.’
LE BONHEUR ON SALE $11.99
GUITAR IN THE SPACE AGE ON SALE $11.99
DANGEROUS GAMES US EDITION ON SALE $10.99
BECK
MORNING PHASE ON SALE $11.99
Morning Phase harkens back to the stunning harmonies, song craft and staggering emotional impact of Beck’s most classic ballads, all the while surging forward with undeniable optimism.
ENO/HYDE
ST VINCENT
Taken alongside Someday World, it provides a fascinating insight in to how consistent influences can lead to very different but connected music, and continues to tell the story of two iconic musicians collaborating and exploring together.
American songstress St. Vincent returns to her solo work with a self-titled album following her hugely successful 2012 collaboration with David Byrne.
HIGHLIFE ON SALE $11.99
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SKE-DAT-DE-DAT: SPIRIT OF SATCH ON SALE $13.99
RYAN ADAMS
CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
The former Black Crowes singer leads the band to produce their warmest album to date which harks back to the classic Californian rock sound of the late ‘60s and ‘70s.
DR. JOHN
IAN ANDERSON
HOMO ERRATICUS ON SALE $12.99
STEP BACK ON SALE $13.99
THEY WANT MY SOUL ON SALE $11.99
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
ST VINCENT ON SALE $11.99
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MUSIC
friday–saturday
wave of “Blacktide,” a single that sparkles with blips of bright synth in contrast to singer Keegan DeWitt’s sullen, crackling wail. these pop songs may be big and shimmery, but there’s untamed enthusiasm underneath all the polish. KAItIE toDD. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 8 pm. $17. All ages.
My Brightest Diamond, Rabbit Rabbit
[ARt PoP] Shara Worden is nothing if not theatrical. For nearly a decade, the Detroit musician has run in the same circle as left-field mystic Sufjan Stevens for nearly a decade, infusing his work and that of others with experimental orchestrations and bouts of cabaret pop that are both peculiar and enveloping. Her fourth album under the My Brightest Diamond moniker, This Is My Hand, is her most accessible work yet, built upon intricate production and impressionistic words that find grounding against industrial noise and swinging rhythms. Her intense meticulousness often carries over live, too, with her emotive alto always on high. BRAnDon WIDDER. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $15 advance, $17 day of show. 21+.
Claude VonStroke
[DEEP HoUSE] Winter has come again to oregon, and a jolly, bearded man is returning to bring his annual gift of joy to the children. He’s not Santa, but Dirtybird label co-founder claude VonStroke. old St. claude hasn’t been up to much since he visited Portland last november shortly after releasing acclaimed full-length Urban Animal. “caliFuture,” his only solo single, is an acid-tinged deephouse groover featuring vocals from someone known as “Barry
Drift.” It’s no “Deep throat” or even “Dood,” but it shows claude, despite his rigorous touring schedule and label management duties, is still stroking hard in the studio. MItcH LILLIE. Refuge, 116 SE Yamhill St. 9 pm. $15 advance, $25 day of show.
Kastle, Amtrac
[GARAGE HoUSE] Kastle’s official mix for his current tour is a bit of a shocker. the garage-house producer explores territory as yet uncharted in his recordings: driving disco house (Anthony naples’ “Mad Disrespect), turnt-down R&B originals (“Empty,” by an uncharacteristically bummed-out Janet Jackson) and nods to indiedance crowd-pleasers (Les Sins’ “Bother”). Kastle’s moody garage tracks were best-suited to lounges with ripoff Eames chairs, leaving the bangers to his trouble and Bass-affiliated moniker, B Rich. the dynamic changed with his tour mix and his reworking of Banks’ “Stick,” featuring a bassline so slick and bouncy it could hold its own at any dark bass night—or even pop radio. MItcH LILLIE. The Whiskey Bar, 31 NW 1st Ave., 227-0405. 10 pm. $10. 21+.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6 Phutureprimitive
[BURnERStEP] It takes a certain type of person to keep using the name they adopted at Burning Man, but Phutureprimitive’s producer, a man known only as Rain, is such a person. What’s even more impressive is that the Portland producer’s shimmering dubstep beats have found traction amongst perma-blazed trustafarians who might otherwise bristle at such an
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A n t o I n E R yA n
PREVIEW
Ryan Hemsworth [POST-GIRL-TALK EDM] During Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth’s fantastic early-evening set at this year’s Sasquatch Music Festival, it was hard to distinguish who in the crowd was on drugs and who was just completely lost in the moment. I asked a crew of dancing strangers who the DJ was onstage, and at least half the crowd had no clue. But it wasn’t just the molly speaking—Hemsworth’s music is notoriously hard to pin down, and his set zigzagged from trap reworks of Future’s “Move That Dope” to windswept house to a crazy, sped-up version of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix).” Dude is an electronic chameleon who can never stay in the same lane for more than a few minutes, changing styles and genres faster than you can say “Girl Talk.” On his new seven-song record, Alone for the First Time, Hemsworth takes a stab at creating pop music, working with unknown and handpicked SoundCloud artists to create a bliphappy take on the kind of sappy electro-pop that made Passion Pit that festival money. Hemsworth is better when he stays away from the kitsch: The squelchy instrumental “Blemish” is like his 8-bit version of something from Four Tet’s Rounds, folktronica produced by a kid who grew up in the remix era. It’s certainly not lacking in energy, and predicts great things for a producer sure to be on some new tip in the near future. MICHAEL MANNHEIMER. Branx, 320 SE 2nd Ave., 234-5683. 9 pm Thursday, Dec. 4. $15. 21+. 30
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SATURDAY–SUNDAY PROFILE
coURtESy oF GRoUnD contRoL toURInG
aggressive genre. (Peppering press materials with phrases like “cosmic-fractal-liscious-extra-wompadocious” probably helps warm them up.) this year has seen lots of touring for the producer but just one new track, “Energy Flow,” which is a weird subgenre producer’s equivalent of Mercury in retrograde. MItcH LILLIE. Branx, 320 SE 2nd Ave., 234-5683. 9 pm. $15. 21+.
MUSIC
Cass McCombs and Meat Puppets
[LAKES oF FIRE] Don’t look now, but it’s been 21 years since Kurt cobain decided to use his spotlight on MtV’s seminal Unplugged show to play three songs from a forgotten country-punk band from Arizona. that Meat Puppets were thrust into the spotlight in the middle of the ’90s alt-rock boom, even just for a moment, is still kinda nuts—I surely wasn’t the only 10-year-old kid who made his mom drive him to the local indie record store to hunt down a copy of Meat Puppets II, only to be completely mystified by the bundle of molten psychedelic weirdness contained inside the jewel case. After a brief split, the brothers Kirkwood reunited in 2006, but it’s been a while since they had another partner in crime that fit as well as troubadour cass Mccombs. “county Line,” from 2011, is one of the most heartbreaking songs written this decade, a slow-boiling, desolate ballad that still brings me close to tears three years later. Mccombs’ latest record, 2013’s Big Wheel and Others, mixed Americana tropes with a punchier, brighter sound, one that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Spotify playlist next to the Meat Puppets. Will they collaborate? A boy can dream. MIcHAEL MAnnHEIMER. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $18. 21+.
The Allah-Las, Tashaki Miyaki, Daydream Machine
[PULSInG PoP] However derivative any reverb-doused, backwardgazing rock group is at this late date, a few can pull off a reasonable facsimile of what was going on when all those sly references to lysergic dreaming were actually marking the culture. While Los Angeles’ Allah-Las won’t overwhelm listeners, the band, which has issued two full-lengths, devised a decidedly california approach to rock and pop for its latest, Worship the Sun. there’s slightly less emphasis on garage and even an occasional acoustic guitar, evidenced on the unhurried “nothing to Hide.” It’s during those almost-too-sedate moments that the Allah-Las separate themselves from a crowded field of musty throwbacks. DAVE cAntoR. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave. 9 pm. $10. 21+.
SUNDAY, DEC. 7 Vance Joy, Holiday Friends
[SInGER-SonGWRItER] James Keogh, who goes by the stage name Vance Joy, started off playing Metallica covers and writing songs that imitated Bloc Party, but his current brand of music fits in perfectly with the faux-folkies like Mumford and Sons. In that respect, Keogh checks all the right boxes, with handclaps, bright ukelele melodies and shaky-voiced professions of first love, longing separation and being true to yourself. on his debut LP, this year’s Dream Your Life Away, many songs ascend steadily from bare-bones guitar and confessional lyrics to booming, footstomping, string-tinged choruses. It’s entirely and wearily familiar, but with the blessing of taylor Swift— he’s supporting her on the 1989 World tour next year—we’ll probably see a lot more of Mr. Joy. KAItIE toDD. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 8 pm. Sold out. All ages.
cont. on page 33
PEAKING LIGHTS SUNDAY, DEC. 7 Indra Dunis’ touring partners are a bunch of crybabies. They get cranky if they’re in the van too long, never clean up their own messes and sometimes even soil themselves. She puts up with it because they actually are babies—her two sons with husband and Peaking Lights bandmate Aaron Coyes—but to hear her describe it, going on the road with the family doesn’t sound much different from her early days playing in punk bands with a bunch of dudes. “You are in a band with dudes,” she says by phone from her and Coyes’ home in Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood, where they just returned from a European jaunt, as the kids clamor for attention in the background. “They just happen to be much, much younger.” Of course, when you’re married to your main creative partner, domestic life is bound to eventually bleed into your artistic life. For Dunis and Coyes, it happened in the run-up to their latest album, Cosmic Logic. In the past, the duo used to jam its dub-inflected psychedelia into existence, producing at least one record per year. But with Dunis giving birth to their second child, Marlon, just as they started writing again, the process became more complicated. After all, if you’re both in the studio, who’s watching the kids? “It makes your creative time more limited and more precious,” Dunis says. “You never know when you’re going to be interrupted.” Cosmic Logic ultimately took 18 months to complete. The finished product is a tighter, more structured and straight-up funkier effort than the band’s previous releases, owing much to the extra time they were forced to take in putting it together. Peaking Lights has always cast a wider net than many of its indie peers, drawing Afrobeat, reggae and Latin rhythms into its kaleidoscopic swirl, but grooves often took a backseat to atmosphere. This time, instead of using his home-built synthesizers simply for textural noise, Coyes began to employ them as percussive instruments. The result is the group’s most danceable album, with a bubbly Technicolor bounce that’s earned comparisons to the Tom Tom Club—not exactly a common reference point in 2014. Parenthood did more than just stretch out the recording time. For Dunis, who sings and plays drums, it also altered her songwriting. Though she doesn’t sing expressly about being a mother on most of Cosmic Logic, she does address the world her kids will grow up in, often in terms simple enough for her toddlers to understand. Peaking Lights have been criticized for their “nursery-rhymenaive lyrics,” as Pitchfork put it, but the lack of abstraction is often the point. And on songs like “New Grrrls,” in which Dunis struggles with the responsibilities of being a “worker, lover, mother, wife” while name-checking heroes from Kathleen Hanna to Angela Davis to “Mother Earth herself,” the directness is striking. “I feel like a lot of feminist issues that I was pretty concerned with when I was a lot younger have resurfaced for me now that I’m a mom,” Dunis says. “Looking at the role of women in society, we’ve obviously come a long way, but there are also a lot of things that need to change. I wanted to comment on that from my own perspective, and I want people to listen to the lyrics and understand what I’m trying to say, because I think it’s an important issue.” MATTHEW SINGER. A band is like a family, especially when it’s both.
SEE IT: Peaking Lights play Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., with Ancient Heat and Unicorn Domination, on Sunday, Dec. 7. 8 pm. $10. 21+. Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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SUNDAY–TUESDAY
The Barr Brothers, Leif Vollebeck
[ORCHESTRAL FOLK] Born in Montreal, the Barr Brothers is built around siblings Andrew and Brad and their tight grasp on modern folk. As a band, they are a quartet, enriched by the occasional harp or brass line, gentle percussion and tempered vocal harmonies. The four-piece just released Sleeping Operator, the carbon-fiber equivalent to Americana, light but sturdy, thanks to many woven layers. There’s soulfulness as well, suggesting the Barrs spend their free time on the tour bus absorbing old Otis Redding records. They played Pickathon earlier this year and will be festival regulars in no time. MARK STOCK. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. 9 pm. $12 advance, $15 day of show. 21+.
Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola Duo
[JAZZ FUNK] Charlie Hunter can wield his seven- and eight-string guitars in so many settings it’s difficult to keep up with his jazz and funk dispatches during the past 15 years. Working with drummer Scott Amendola on last year’s Pucker finds the duo mining well-worn territory—the pair worked together in the quartet T.J. Kirk previously, as well as issuing an earlier duo record and a few singles. Even if the musical surprises aren’t exactly what they used to be, the project lends itself to Hunter and Amendola improvising through a songbook that includes compositions devised by each player along with material from the Cars, Cole Porter, Hank Williams and others. DAVE CANTOR. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., 288-3895. 6 pm. $20. 21+.
MONDAY, DEC. 8 Cage The Elephant
[ALT-ROCK SHAPE-SHIFTERS] A cynic might think of Cage the Elephant as just another faceless millennial alt-rock band, indistinguishable from the rest of the Foster the Giant Portugal People brat pack microwaving memories of bands with better brand recognition and sacrificing any sense of identity for anonymous ubiquity. And they’d mostly be right, in that, if you held a gun to my head and demanded I pick the singer out of a lineup, well, tell my parents and cat I love them. Musically, though, the group, from appropriately inconspicuous Bowling Green, Ky., isn’t exactly “faceless.” They just wear a lot of masks. First, they tried on the Stones. Then it was a mash-up of ’90s radio staples, from Smashing Pumpkins to Oasis. Now, with third album Melophobia, the band has donned a Technicolor Dreamcoat of pan-generational references: a Beatles melody here, a Pixies riff there, with a garnish of early ’00s garage-rock revivalist fuzz. At first, it seemed as though Cage the Elephant had no idea who it was. Turns out it’s everyone. MATTHEW SINGER. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 4:15 pm. Sold out. All ages.
Denitia and Sene, Neka & Kahlo
[DYNAMIC DUOS] These two groups are opposites in most ways: Denitia and Sene play smooth R&B, while Neka & Kahlo dabble in aggressive hip-hop. The former are serenely moody, while the latter are playfully energetic. Neka & Kahlo are Portlanders, and Denitia and Sene are from Brooklyn, so they’re even geographical opposites. Still, having them on the same bill makes a lot of sense. Both are rising, beat-heavy duos featuring strong female vocals. SHANNON GORMLEY. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639. 8 pm. $8. 21+.
MUSIC
Francisco the Man, Jackson Boone
[ASTRAL INDIE ROCK] The general consensus among West Coast music writers seems to be that Francisco the Man has something going on. The Los Angeles quartet produces a spacey type of indie rock with apparent ease, stretching power riffs this way or that into a gooey, resonating abyss. It’s a sound that resides somewhere between Band of Horses and Deerhunter—not bad for such a young act. It took the band seven years to produce LP Loose Ends, but the wait was not for naught. The fact that frontman Scotty Cantino sounds a little like Perry Farrell when he’s really wailing only strengthens Francisco the Man’s cause. MARK STOCK. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., 288-3895. 9 pm. $10. 21+.
TUESDAY, DEC. 9 Roadkill Ghost Choir, Balto, Neighbor Wave
[AIRY AMERICANA] Florida’s Roadkill Ghost Choir owes as much to Tom Petty’s brand of roots rock as it does the early days of indie giants such as My Morning Jacket and onetime tourmates Band of Horses. The Southern guitars on the band’s outstanding debut and commendable followup, In Tongues, are accompanied by wistful keys and driving percussion, anchored by frontman Andrew Shepard’s languid vocal melodies and Kiffy Myers’ lonesome pedal steel. “Start running,” sings Shepard on the slow-burning “A Blow to the Head,” just before he releases a hair-raising scream. It’s as jarring as it is haunting. BRANDON WIDDER. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 2319663. 9 pm. $10. 21+.
Pallbearer, Solstafir, Mortals
[EPIC METAL] Pallbearer’s debut album was the talk of underground metal back in 2012. This fall, Pallbearer issued its massively anticipated follow-up, Foundations of Burden, which offered a muchimproved sonic palette, compliments of local super-producer Billy Anderson and Portland’s own Type Foundry studio. Overall, it’s nearly an hour of emotional doom metal, ruled over by the soaring vocals of Brett Campbell. Joining this tour is Iceland’s own Solstafir, a longrunning act that has grown from humble metal origins to melodic, symphonic pop territory. Blackened metal trio Mortals opens, and if you miss these ladies, you will be sorry. NATHAN CARSON. Hawthorne Theatre, 3862 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd., 233-7100. 7 pm. $10 advance, $13 at the door. 21+.
Billy Idol, Guster, Spanish Gold
[ARENA PUNK] You’d think that from the royalties he’s raking from stations like KGON still playing “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding” in their regular rotations, Billy Idol wouldn’t need to make any new records. But last month, he released Kings and Queens of the Underground, his first album since 2005. It’s classic Idol, full of tight snares, tasteful synths and riffs courtesy of longtime axeman Steve Stevens, whose skittering leads on Idol’s biggest singles helped make the British singer famous. Even the title nods to the punk-rock affectation Idol’s always dressed up with his arena-sized persona. Nothing on the record quite matches the urgent energy of “Rebel Yell,” but it’s not bad, and he’ll probably play the classics while doing his cool sneer thing, so if you got tickets for this sold-out appearance, you’ll probably get your money’s worth. JAMES HELMSWORTH. Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Ave., 224-2038. 7 pm. Sold out. 21+.
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CLASSICAL, ETC.
CLASSICAL, JAZZ & WORLD Steel House
[JAZZ] Music is full of supergroups that never quite take off. It’s especially hard to judge a new jazz band in advance, interpersonal chemistry being so crucial to improvisatory combustion. That said, Steel House, the new collaboration among a trio of respected bandleaders, looks extremely promising. Venezuelanborn New York pianist and composer Edward Simon is a veteran of Terence Blanchard’s and Bobby Watson’s bands and leads several of his own. The great Brian Blade is jazz’s most in-demand drummer. And bassist Scott Colley is a longtime Herbie Hancock sideman. Blade has performed in the other two members’ respective trios, and they’ve all played together in various contexts. If you compiled the dozens of big names they’ve worked with on literally hundreds of albums, you’d pretty much have a history of the last couple of generations of jazz. It should be fascinating to catch the sparks generated by their new relationship. BRETT CAMPBELL. Jimmy Mak’s, 221 NW 10th Ave., 295-6542. 7 and 9:30 pm Wednesday, Dec. 3. Early show $20 general admission, $25 reserved seating. Late show $18 general admission, $22 reserved seating. Under 21 permitted until 9:30 pm.
FearNoMusic
[LOCALLY SOURCED NEW CLASSICAL] What music do most culturally insecure Portland classical music institutions fear most? Judging by their programs, which are often overwhelmingly devoted to music by long-dead Europeans, it’s music by Portland composers. Fortunately, FearNoMusic has long known there’s nothing scary—and much that’s extremely appealing to 21st-century listeners—in the music of the dean of Portland composers, retired PSU prof Tomas Svoboda, his successor Bonnie Miksch, Lewis and Clark prof Michael Johanson and Reed College’s David Schiff, nationally renowned for jazz-influenced compositions like this program’s piano trio, New York Nocturnes. Even better, FearNoMusic will also play the winning entry in its new program that seeds new Oregon music, by Tylor Neist, whose scores have graced local theater productions. BRETT CAMPBELL. The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave., 222-2031. 8 pm Friday, Dec. 5. $10-$30. All ages.
André Watts
[CLASSICAL PIANO] André Watts needs little introduction. He’s been a piano superstar since he was a teen. His big break came when Leonard Bernstein asked him to sit in for an ailing Glenn Gould on a Liszt piece when Watts was only 16. In the nearly 52 years since, Watts has performed worldwide, and been deservedly lauded. On this visit, he’s performing Edward MacDowell’s Piano Concerto No. 2, an orchestral work inspired by the dialog of Shakespeare’s lead characters Benedick and Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing. Bookending the piano portion are two more modern works. Sibelius’ lean and sparse Symphony No. 4, recalling the hunger and winters from his native Finland, opens the show. The finale is Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Suite, from his Pulitzer-winning ballet score. NATHAN CARSON. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 248-4335. 7:30 pm Saturday, 2 pm Sunday, 8 pm Monday, Dec. 6-8. $22-$99. All ages.
Agnieszka Laska Dancers, Igor Lipinski [LOCAL CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL] Classical music loves its anniversaries, so when the dean of Portland composers reaches his 75th birthday, as former PSU prof Tomas Svoboda does this month, it’s an occasion worth celebrating—even dancing to. The generous birthday present offered by Svoboda’s longtime collaborators, the Agnieszka Laska Dancers, is the
premiere of a choreographic staging of the Paris-born composer’s complete Etudes in Fugue Style, with Polish pianist Igor Lipinski playing all 18 live. The most-performed living Portland composer’s rhythmically charged music can appeal to fans of both Bach (who’ll especially appreciate the counterpoint in these works) and rock. BRETT CAMPBELL. Marylhurst University, 17600 Highway 43, 699-1814. 7 pm Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 6-7. $10-$20. All ages.
Pacifica Quartet
[CLASSICAL] Despite its misleading name—they musicians are from Illinois —the youngish Pacifica Quartet has become one of the most deservedly popular frequent visitors to Friends of Chamber Music shows for its deeply committed, skillful performances.
MUSIC
Along with a Mendelssohn quartet, Monday’s show features two 20thcentury gems: the first quartet of American composer Charles Ives (which puts hymn and gospel tunes through a modern mixer) and Gyorgy Ligeti, whose kaleidoscopic 1953 quartet takes Bartok’s already visionary ideas and goes even further out. Tuesday’s concert includes a rare chamber work by opera composer Puccini, one of Beethoven’s great middle-period quartets, and another 20th-century masterpiece by Dmitri Shostakovich. BRETT CAMPBELL. Lincoln Hall, Portland State University, 1620 SW Park Ave., 725-3307. 7:30 pm Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 8-9. $16-$147. All ages.
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For Billy, everything is easy, stardom inevitable. But just as he and his band reach the brink of success the real struggle begins… Available Exclusively at Music Millennium www.unrealgods.com
ALBUM REVIEWS
MAGIC FADES PUSH THRU (1080P) [TUMBLR&B] Magic Fades’ Mike Grabarek and Jeremy Scott have been in the news lately. Maybe you’ve heard about “health goth,” the Internet meme that may or may not be an in-real-life fashion trend? That started with a Facebook page they created. It has nothing to do with their music—soft-focus sound clouds that are neither goth nor particularly suited for jogging—but it is a reflection of the group’s milieu, where the line separating sincerity and irony is so blurred it’s never clear how serious it’s meant to be taken, or if it even matters. As a drift through the wet dreams of two producers who spend as much time on Tumblr as up in the club, Push Thru, the duo’s second album, makes a convincing argument that it does not. Adorning Auto-Tuned pillow talk with vaporous electronic production, Grabarek and Scott render the lusty fantasies of songs like “Eye 2 Eye” and “Fresh Out the Shower” in textures lush and dreamy enough that questions of authenticity are mostly fogged over. A line about ascending into the clouds and “fucking like angels” isn’t too far off from T-Pain bragging about banging a mermaid on the Lonely Island’s yacht. Delivered against their synthesis of modern club sounds, bits of blog-based micro-genres and a few dollops of retro cheese, though, it’s easier to accept as an homage to R&B grandiosity rather than a total put-on. MATTHEW SINGER. SEE IT: Magic Fades play S1, 4148 NE Hancock St., with Karmelloz, Soul Ipsum and DVST, on Saturday, Dec. 6. 9 pm. $7. 18+.
PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT TO E.S. (VIRTUAL LABEL) [POSTMODERN CELLO] Fusing a bastardized concept of chamber music and contemporary forms has always been a hallmark of the Portland Cello Project. On To E.S., its tribute to the late, beloved, Portland-raised songwriter Elliott Smith, the ensemble occasionally swells to include horns and percussion. Regardless of Smith’s standing in the culture, PCP has been able to imbue his compositions with an otherworldly urgency, occasionally different from what the singer offered. The troupe is most successful when interpreting Smith’s work exclusively in strings—the percussion on “Everything Means Nothing to Me” hedges the homage a bit close to the original while being incapable of capturing Smith’s desperation. Apart from adroitly reimagining six of Smith’s compositions, PCP delves into commissioned pieces for the other half the album. Being unaware of the songwriter’s original work, it might be difficult to notice significant tonal differences between the originals and reworkings, but that’s a compliment to the Portland Cello Project and its players’ ability to take established compositions, maintain those original pieces’ voice and still claim the songs as its own. DAVE CANTOR. SEE IT: The Portland Cello Project Holiday Spectacular is at Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., on Friday-Saturday, Dec. 5-6. 8 pm. $17 advance, $20 day of show. Under 21 permitted with legal guardian. Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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! P U R BATTE
BRIANNE KATHLEEN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 @ 6PM
“Brianne Kathleen is an artist with an amazing set of vocal chords that stand out in the city of Roses...” —Trainwreck’d Society.
GLASS ANIMALS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 @ 1PM
Having already sold out their upcoming ‘December To Remember’ performance at the Crystal Ballroom, the UK’s Glass Animals will make a special appearance at Music Millennium, signing autographs and performing songs from the new album, ‘ZABA’.
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MUSIC CALENDAR
[DEC. 3-9] Alberta Rose Theatre
= ww Pick. Highly recommended. Editor: Mitch Lillie. TO HAVE YOUR EVENT LISTED, send show information at least two weeks in advance on the web at wweek.com/submitevents. Press kits, CDs and especially vinyl can be sent to Music Desk, WW, 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Please include show or release date information with all physical mailings. Email: music@wweek.com. For more listings, check out wweek.com.
3000 NE Alberta St. White Album Christmas
Alhambra Theatre
4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Lemuria, Into It. Over It.
crystal Ballroom
K E N T O N WA LT z
1332 W Burnside Street Wild Cub
dante’s
350 W Burnside St Neon Culpa, Cupcake
doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St. My Brightest Diamond, Rabbit Rabbit
duff’s Garage
2530 NE 82nd Ave Candye Kane Band
edgefield
2126 SW Halsey St. Anita Margarita and the Rattlesnakes
Firkin Tavern
1937 SE 11th Ave. The Hoons, Patrimony
Hawthorne Theatre
1507 SE 39th Ave. The Birthday Massacre, New Years Day, The Red Paintings, When Vanity Kills
Hawthorne Theatre Lounge
1503 SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd. Ian and The Crushers, Avenue Victor Hugo
LaurelThirst Public House
GET UP, STAND UP: Frontman Justin Ringle recognizes that past Horse Feathers shows had a tendency to become sit-down affairs. That’s not a bad thing, per se, but it doesn’t quite jibe with his newfound approach, one he’s been taking with him on the road as he tours behind the excellent So It Is With Us. At the Crystal Ballroom on Nov. 29, with upward of seven players onstage at any given moment, Ringle and company burned through a bevy of new and old material, beginning with “Violently Wild,” the lead single off the band’s recent release, which saw Ringle strutting around the stage with an almost aggressive gait. “It’s not a Horse Feathers show until someone says ‘Shhh,’” joked guitarist-mandolinist Brad Parsons near the end of the set. Nonetheless, even the more reserved cuts managed to feel bigger than they had in the past. The encore performance of “Belly of June” served as a subtle reminder of how changing the familiar can make all the difference live. This time around, only about 50 people on the upper balcony were sitting. BRANDON WIDDER. wed. dec. 3 Al’s den
303 SW 12th Ave. Kory Quinn
Alhambra Theatre
4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Dirty Kid Discount and Railyard Ghost, with Rachel Miles and Shoot Dang!
Andina Restaurant 1314 NW Glisan St, Toshi Onizuka
Bunk Bar
1028 SE Water Ave. Nick Delffs, Bud Wilson, the Domestics
cadigan’s corner Bar 5501 SE 72nd Ave. Danny Hay Davis & The Rat Pack
crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside Street The War on Drugs, Summer Cannibals
dante’s
350 W Burnside St Wanderlust Social
doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St. White Lung, Mormon Crosses
duff’s Garage
2530 NE 82nd Ave Suburban Slims Blues Jam, Arthur Moore’s Harmonica Party
Holocene
1001 SE Morrison St. Old Friend, Drew Victor, Ryan Stively, Montclaire
Jimmy Mak’s
221 NW 10th Ave. Steel House
Kells
112 SW 2nd Ave. Danny O’Hanlon
LaurelThirst Public House 2958 NE Glisan St. Ducky Pig
Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave. Catherine Feeny, The Breaking Yard, Luz Elena Mendoza
white eagle Saloon 836 N Russell St. Michelle Chamuel
wonder Ballroom 128 NE Russell St. Lindsey Stirling
Alberta Street Public House
1036 NE Alberta St. Jenna Ellefson, Amanda Breese
Ash Street Saloon 225 SW Ash St. Root Jack
Branx
320 SE 2nd Ave. Ryan Hemsworth
Bunk Bar
1028 SE Water Ave. Musée Mécanique
crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside Street Kongos
dante’s
350 W Burnside St Dookie Jam: Tony Ozier and the Doo Doo Funk Allstars
doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St. Goapele
duff’s Garage
THuRS. dec. 4 Aladdin Theater
3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. The Best of Rufus Wainwright
Alberta Rose Theatre 3000 NE Alberta St. White Album Christmas
2530 NE 82nd Ave Tough Love Pyle
Hawthorne Theatre
1507 SE 39th Ave. The Ataris, Ninjas with Syringes, Teenage Kicks, Brigadier
Holocene
1001 SE Morrison St. Beat Connection, Shaprece, Small Skies
Jimmy Mak’s
221 NW 10th Ave. Mel Brown B3 Organ Group
LaurelThirst Public House
2958 NE Glisan St. Ryan Joseph Anderson, Jeffrey Martin, Taylor Kingman (9:30 pm); Redray Frazier (6 pm)
Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave. Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, Tezeta Band
The Old church
1422 SW 11th Ave. Heartstrings Duo
The Secret Society
116 NE Russell St. Jane Siberry’s Holiday Hoes & Hosers
The Spare Room
4830 NE 42nd Ave Brett McConnell Lovetet
white eagle Saloon
836 N Russell St. Nails Hide Metal, When We Met, We are Brothers, Chris Baron & Friends
FRi. dec. 5 Aladdin Theater
3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. Portland Cello Project Holiday Spectacular, Ural Thomas and The Pain
2958 NE Glisan St. Baby Gramps (9:30 pm); Tree Frogs (6 pm)
Lincoln Performance Hall 1620 SW Park Ave. Music Forward!
Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave. Shook Twins
Ponderosa Lounge
10350 N Vancouver Way Lace and Lead
Roseland Theater 8 NW 6th Ave. Monophonics with PigWar
Sandy Hut
1430 NE Sandy Blvd. Ultra Goat, Hosmanek, Deep Fried Boogie Band
Star Theater
13 NW 6th Ave. Cooper & The Jam
The Know
2026 NE Alberta St. Paradox, Reactor, Dead Hunt
The Lehrer
8775 SW Canyon Ln. Blues Wonderland A Christmas Special: Tracey Fordice & The 8 Balls, Lloyd Jones, Karen Lovely and Lusy Hammond
The Old church
1422 SW 11th Ave. FearNoMusic
The Secret Society
116 NE Russell St. Jane Siberry’s Holiday Hoes & Hosers
The Tonic Lounge
3100 NE Sandy Blvd. OMC Race Team Benefit Show
white eagle Saloon 836 N Russell St. Garcia Birthday Band, Reverb Brothers
SAT. dec. 6 Aladdin Theater
3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. Portland Cello Project Holiday Spectacular, Ural Thomas and The Pain
Alhambra Theatre
4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Sagittarius Gala VIII
Arlene Schnitzer concert Hall
1037 SW Broadway Andre Watts
Artichoke Music
3130 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Women Songwriters Night: Audra Connolly
crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside Street Glass Animals, Mackintosh Braun
dante’s
350 W Burnside St Eric McFadden’s Birthday Celebration, Delphine De St. Par Suter, Massy Ferguson, Exquisite Corp
doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St. Cass McCombs and Meat Puppets
duff’s Garage
2530 NE 82nd Ave Soul Vaccination
edgefield 2126 SW Halsey St. The Columbians
Hawthorne Theatre Lounge
1503 SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd. Pageantry, Souvenir Driver, Ghost to Falco
Highwater Mark
6800 NE Mlk Jr Blvd The Icarus Line, Zig Zags, Zodiac Death Valley
Kells
112 SW 2nd Ave. Full Schilling
wonder Ballroom 128 NE Russell St. Erotic City
Sun. dec. 7 Al’s den
303 SW 12th Ave. Sean Badders
1332 W Burnside Street Cage The Elephant, Just Lions
dante’s
350 W Burnside St Mark Huff
doug Fir Lounge
Arlene Schnitzer concert Hall
830 E Burnside St. Museum of Love, New Build
crossroads community church
1001 SE Morrison St. Denitia and Sene, Neka & Kahlo
1037 SW Broadway Andre Watts
7708 NE 78th St Handel’s Messiah
crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside Street Vance Joy, Holiday Friends
dante’s
350 W Burnside St RDGLDGRN, Kaneholler & The Young Wild, Three of Clubs Tour
doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St. The Barr Brothers, Leif Vollebeck
duff’s Garage
2530 NE 82nd Ave Rhythym Renegades
Gethsemane Lutheran church 11560 S.E. St. Solid Brass Ensemble Concert
Holocene
1001 SE Morrison St. Intuitive Navigation III: Lunar Phase, Peaking Lights, Ancient Heat, Unicorn Domination, William Jay
LaurelThirst Public House
LaurelThirst Public House
Mississippi Studios
Lincoln Performance Hall
2958 NE Glisan St. Jimmy Boyer, Dan Haley, Pete Krebs, Tim Acott (9:30 pm); Amanda Richards (6 pm)
crystal Ballroom
2958 NE Glisan St. Open Mic (9 pm); Freak Mountain Ramblers (6 pm)
Holocene
Jimmy Mak’s
221 NW 10th Ave. The Dan Balmer Trio
Lincoln Performance Hall 1620 SW Park Ave. Pacifica Quartet
Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave. Francisco the Man, Jackson Boone
The Know
2026 NE Alberta St. Lures, Sister Palace, Golden Hour, Memory Boys
The Secret Society
116 NE Russell St. Yeah Great Fine, Everyone is Dirty, Maggie Mooris
white eagle Saloon 836 N Russell St. Singer Songwriter Showcase, Eric John Kaiser
TueS. dec. 9 Alberta Street Public House
1036 NE Alberta St. Jack Dwyer, Live Album Recording and Listening Show
Arlene Schnitzer concert Hall
1620 SW Park Ave. Portland Wind Symphony
1037 SW Broadway Plu Christmas: Journey of Light
Oregon convention center
Mississippi Studios
crystal Ballroom
Ponderosa Lounge
Reed college
3939 N Mississippi Ave. Hot Buttered Rum
777 NE MLK Jr Blvd The Spinners, Hart Keene, Eric Schwartz 10350 N Vancouver Way Briana Renea
Rock creek Tavern
10000 NW Old Cornelius Pass Rd. Garcia Birthday Band
Sandy Hut
1430 NE Sandy Blvd. Bubble Cats, Daisy Deaths, Jesus Miranda
Star Theater
13 NW 6th Ave. The Allah-Las, Tashaki Miyaki, Daydream Machine
3939 N Mississippi Ave. Iron and Wine, Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola Duo 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd. Choral Concert: Reed Music Department, Fun with Folk Songs
Rontoms
600 E. Burnside St. Rare Monk, the Weather Machine, Big Haunt
Star Theater
13 NW 6th Ave. Ken Meyerson’s Birthday Bash, Lewi Longmire & The Left Coast Roasters and Mexican Gunfight
1332 W Burnside Street Fitz and the Tantrums, Dresses
doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St. Roadkill Ghost Choir
duff’s Garage
2530 NE 82nd Ave Wingtips, Sharskin Revue
Hawthorne Theatre
1507 SE 39th Ave. Pallbearer, Solstafir, Mortals
Jade Lounge
2342 SE Ankeny St. Audio Tattoo
Jimmy Mak’s
The Know
221 NW 10th Ave. Mel Brown Septet
2845 SE Stark St. A Tribute to The Meters
2026 NE Alberta St. Cosmonauts, Mope Groves, Ladywolf
The Know
The Secret Society
1620 SW Park Ave. Pacifica Quartet
white eagle Saloon
8 NW 6th Ave. Billy Idol, Guster andSpanish Gold
The GoodFoot Lounge
2026 NE Alberta St. Rebels & Traitors, Hungry Tiger, Inside Information
The Old church
1422 SW 11th Ave. Christmas Concert
116 NE Russell St. Jane Siberry’s Holiday Hoes & Hosers 836 N Russell St. Bob Frank, Barna Howard
The Secret Society
116 NE Russell St. Jane Siberry’s Holiday Hoes & Hosers
Vie de Boheme
1530 SE 7th Ave. Loveness Wesa and the Bantus Band
white eagle Saloon
836 N Russell St. Ninjas with Syringes, Jake Powell and the Young Lovers, Soul Saturdays with DoveDriver
MOn. dec. 8 Al’s den
Lincoln Performance Hall
Roseland Theater
Star Theater
13 NW 6th Ave. Kina Grannis, Imaginary Future
The Tonic Lounge
303 SW 12th Ave. Sean Badders
3100 NE Sandy Blvd. Author & Punisher, King Parrot, Prizehog, Behalf
Analog cafe & Theater
white eagle Saloon
720 SE Hawthorne Blvd. East Forest, Black Whales
Arlene Schnitzer concert Hall
836 N Russell St. Ancient Eden, The Bass Mints, Brian Odell
1037 SW Broadway Andre Watts
CONT. on page 39 Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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Oregon Dermatology and Research Center
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38
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
DEC. 3–9
MUSIC CALENDAR THOMAS TEAL
BAR REVIEW
Where to drink this week. 1. The Knock Back 2315 NE Alberta St., 284-4090, theknockback.com. The Knock Back has added top-notch bartender Jesse Card in its unlikely transition to fine cocktail bar, with whiskey cocktails using pumpkin, quince or Madeira as mixers. 2. Big Trouble 329 NW Couch St. A kitschy Old Town DJ haunt run, incongruously, as part of Kurt Huffman’s upscale ChefStable empire. But the cocktail list is solid and cheap— perhaps a holdover from Ryan Magarian’s Easy Company—and the $5 Chineseish bites are very serviceable. 3. Lucky Horseshoe Lounge 2524 SE Clinton St., 954-1606. Taking over the space previously occupied by the Workshop Pub, the loosely Western-themed Lucky Horseshoe keeps a neon horseshoe in the window, its bottles in a metal tub on the bar, and its Occidental or Gigantic beers on tap at a cool $4. 4. The Ranger Station 4260 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 894-8455, rangerstationpdx.com. The former Thorne Lounge is now a tiny bluegrass and jazz bar that looks like a Roosevelt-era public works cabin, from picnictable-style wooden benches to slatted lawn chairs. 5. The Big Legrowlski 812 NW Couch St., 206-6481, biglegrowlski.com. Mostly this is an understated little tap nook on the edge of Chinatown. The Chinatown crowd is not the issue—no rich fucks, no fucking strumpets waltzing around—just a black-and-white rendering of the rug that ties the room together and Bowling Nixon in the restroom.
BOUNCE TO THIS: Kickstarter users have backed some weird things. Though it’s several steps closer to normal than, say, a $50,000 potato salad or a Zach Braff movie, Pips & Bounce (833 SE Belmont St., 928-4664) is certainly singular. It’s a pingpong bar—this looks precisely what it sounds like it would. Since March 2013, Michael and Eugene Jung have been throwing pingpong parties around Portland under the Pips name, and they’ve now made a home in the Grand Central Building between Southeast Belmont and Morrison streets. Pips is all-ages until 9 pm and very bright, its white bar and wood-paneled back wall lit by pingpong-ball-shaped lights that hang from the ceiling over the seven tables in the main room. On a rainy recent Sunday, it was packed until its 6 pm closing time with a mix of families and couples on dates. The menu boasts three rotating beers—on tap last weekend was an excellent Hazelbock from Seven Brides—as well as a variety of pingpong-themed cocktails. The Pips Pimms—gin, lemon, Pimms, ginger beer and cucumber slices—made for a refreshing courtside sip. For food, the bar offers a variety of sandwiches, mostly in the $8-to-$15 range. At $8 for a half-hour of play time, it’s a pretty steep outing—you could pay for your own table in about a dozen games, and put it somewhere where they don’t play remixes of “The Magnificent Seven” by the Clash at a dull roar. But there’s also a longer wait for getting food and drink delivered to a table set up in your garage. Such are the prices we pay for leisure. JAMES HELMSWORTH.
Refuge PDX
116 SE Yamhill St
Claude VonStroke
The Lovecraft
421 SE Grand Ave. Death Trip & DJ Tobias
WED. DEC. 3 Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade 511 NW Couch St. TRONix
The Lovecraft
421 SE Grand Ave. Event Horizon Industrial Dance Night
The Tonic Lounge
3100 NE Sandy Blvd. House Call Just Say Techno: Ryan Walz, Carlos Baca, David Alexander Gross, Kirk Milhollin
FRI. DEC. 5 Holocene
The Whiskey Bar
511 NW Couch St. Metal Mondays, Metal Kyle and DJ Shreddy Krueger
Gemini Lounge
Moloko Plus
Lola’s Room
The Lovecraft
1332 W Burnside 80s Video Dance Attack
1001 SE Morrison St. Booty Bassment, Maxx Bass, Nathan Detroit, Ryan & Dimitri
3967 N Mississippi Ave. DJ Sahelsounds 421 SE Grand Ave. Event Horizon: DJ Straylight, DJ Backlash, Shadowplay
Moloko Plus
3967 N Mississippi Ave. Weiss Cube, Hans Fricking Lindauer Rhythm and Soul Review
6526 SE Foster Rd. DJ Encrypted
Holocene
Moloko Plus
3967 N Mississippi Ave. DJ Roane
“OPERA: The Ultimate Collection”
“Christmas In New York”
$13.99 CD
$13.99 CD
‘”Reflecting his very first love, Opera – The Ultimate Collection is the definitive collection of Bocelli’s own beloved and favorite operatic selections that have inspired his career over the years. Bocelli explains, “The main objective of this album is to draw people closer to the opera, in particular to the whole opera. So I chose the tracks that are the most engaging the first time you hear them. I hope I have made the right choice and it encourages people to discover more.” -PRNewswire
“A richly collaborative recording, Christmas in New York finds Fleming singing with a relaxed intimacy and freedom distinct from her soaring classical voice. Holiday evergreens and nostalgic favorites are both featured with fresh arrangements, joined by a wish list of guests from jazz, pop and Broadway including Chris Botti, Kurt Elling, Kelli O’Hara, Gregory Porter, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, and Rufus Wainwright. Highlights include “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silver Bells,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Central Park Serenade,” a brand new duet by songwriting legend Diane Warren. Fleming and her album guests have amassed a total of 16 Grammy Awards across multiple categories between them.”
Prices good through 12/31/14
3158 E Burnside, 503 231 8926 • Since 1969
MON. DEC. 8
SAT. DEC. 6
1001 SE Morrison St. Ecstasy: Kingdom, Massacooramaan, DJ Rafael, Coast2C
THURS. DEC. 4
Renee Fleming
3100 NE Sandy Blvd. No Credit: DJ Allan Wilson, DJ Bobby D, Jason Urick, Ra’Sean, Arian Targaryan
Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade
320 SE 2nd Ave. Phutureprimitive, Searching for Beauty Tour
Andrea Bocelli
The Tonic Lounge
31 NW 1st Ave Kastle and Amtrac
Branx
Perfect for the Holidays
The Lovecraft
421 SE Grand Ave. Departures, DJ Waisted and Friends
TUES. DEC. 9 Crush Bar
1400 SE Morrison St. Bi Bar
Holocene
1001 SE Morrison St. Form the Head, Frack, wndfrm, Minigorille
The Lodge Bar & Grill 6605 SE Powell Blvd. DJ Easy Finger
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
39
DEC. 3–9 PREVIEW
= WW Pick. Highly recommended.
SUMI WU
PERFORMANCE
Most prices listed are for advance ticket sales. At-the-door increases and so-called convenience charges may apply, so it’s best to call ahead. Editor: REBECCA JACOBSON. Theater: REBECCA JACOBSON (rjacobson@wweek.com). Dance: KAITIE TODD (dance@wweek.com). TO BE CONSIDERED FOR LISTINGS, submit information at least two weeks in advance to: rjacobson@wweek.com.
THEATER OPENINGS & PREVIEWS A Christmas Carol
Portland Playhouse brings back its adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, which picked up a Drammy last June for best play. It’s a rollicking version of A Christmas Carol that manages to find both novelty and intensity, while remaining kidfriendly (but still fun for adults). Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott St., 488-5822. 7 pm most Wednesdays-Saturdays and 2 and 5 pm most Sundays through Dec. 28. For additional showtimes, see portlandplayhouse.org. $20-$36.
Christmas Child
Jubilee Theatre Company, which runs out of Metropolitan Community Church, presents a musical play about a college student who is surprised to discover she is pregnant. (Also, her name is Mary, so something is definitely up, even if the press release claims her boyfriend is an unsympathetic drag.) At the same time, she befriends a gay professor. So wait, does that make him an angel? Or a wise man? It’s been a while since we’ve read the Bible. Metropolitan Community Church, 2400 NE Broadway, 281-8868. 7 pm FridaySaturday, Dec. 5-6. $10-$13.
Holiday Time
Susannah Mars, who’s as close as Portland comes to a musical-theater legend, teams up with pianist Bill Wells for a holiday cabaret featuring all-new songs. The shows on Wednesday and Thursday are at Wilfs (800 NW 6th Ave.), while Saturday’s is at Classic Pianos (3003 SE Milwaukie Ave.). Multiple venues, susannahmars.com. 7:30 pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, Dec. 3-6. $20.
The Maid’s Tragedy
Northwest Classical Theatre Company stages an early 17th-century tragedy by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher about infidelity, deception, revenge and murder. Which is just what the holiday season needs. Shoebox Theater, 2110 SE 10th Ave., 971-244-3740. 7:30 pm ThursdaysSaturdays and 2 pm Sundays through Jan. 4. $20-$22.
Mary Poppins
Northwest Children’s Theatre presents a musical version of the classic tale, which draws from P.L. Travers’ original stories and the Disney film. NW Neighborhood Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett St., 222-4480. Noon and 4 pm Saturdays-Sundays (and some Mondays and Tuesdays) through Jan. 4. $17-$23.
The Mystery of Irma Vep
The great Leif Norby and Isaac Lamb star in Third Rail Rep’s production of Charles Ludlam’s cross-dressing romp, which satirizes Wuthering Heights, Victorian melodrama, Hitchcock and ‘50s horror movies, among other genres. The play features mummies, werewolves and vampires, and it finds its two actors making a zillion and a half costume changes. If cleanly executed, it should be a campy riot. Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 235-1101. 7:30 pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 pm Sundays through Jan. 10. $24-$47.
No Belles
Fresh off strong reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Portal Theatre presents this original work about women who’ve won a Nobel Prize in the sciences (and about some who didn’t, but maybe should have). The show incorporates sock puppetry,
40
hymns and a ukulele—as all good plays about women in science should. Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton St. 8 pm Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 4-6. $15.
The Peppermint Bear Show: Peppermint Bear and the Toy Elves
It’s another round of kid-friendly breakfast theater in Lake Oswego, with this year’s story involving a con man who tries to turn the elves into life-size toys. Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S State St., Lake Oswego, 6353901. 9 and 11 am Saturdays through Dec. 20. $12.
Playback Theater
Audience members tell stories, which Playback’s actors and musicians improvise on the spot. This month’s theme is “Unexpected Endings.” The show is for ages 16 and up. Hipbone Studio, 1847 E Burnside St., 358-0898. 7:30 pm Saturday, Dec. 6. $15.
Six Characters in Search of an Author
Portland Actors Conservatory launches its 30th-anniversary season with of Luigi Pirandello’s classic absurdist play, adapted here by Steve Moulds. It’s a meta-theatrical ode to the stage, which finds a family busting in on a play rehearsal, looking for someone who can complete the narrative abandoned by their original playwright. Local favorite Todd Van Voris joins the cast of second-year conservatory students. Portland Actors Conservatory, 1436 SW Montgomery St., 274-1717. 7:30 pm ThursdaysSaturdays and 2 pm Sundays through Dec. 21. $5-$25.
Story Swap and Potluck
An evening of free-form storytelling hosted by the Portland Storytellers Guild. McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave., 249-3983. 6:30 pm every first Friday. Free.
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
The teen actors in Oregon Children’s Theatre’s Young Professionals program stage a musical adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, a sendup of the classic fable that asks if the wolf might just be a misunderstood dude. Oregon Children’s Theatre Young Professionals Studio Theatre, 1939 NE Sandy Blvd., 228-9571. 10 am Fridays and 11 am and 2 pm Saturdays-Sundays through Dec. 20. $10-$12.
Wing It For Kids
Clackamas Rep presents a kids’ show, loosely based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, featuring singing, dancing and probably a visit from Santa. Clackamas Community College, Osterman Theatre, 19600 S Molalla Ave., 594-6047. 10:30 am Saturday, Dec. 6. $5 suggested.
NEW REVIEWS 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The answer doesn’t matter much to the main characters in 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, as long as there are eggs, and plenty of them. Set in 1956 in an unnamed town, the comedy— written by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood and presented by Triangle Productions—centers on the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein. As the play begins, the society’s five officers—all selfproclaimed “widows”—are preparing for their annual quiche competition. Amid bold proclamations about never allowing meat to enter a quiche (yep), a nuclear holocaust hits, rendering those in the meeting hall as the last possible hope for humanity. In addition to laments about the paucity of their
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
CONT. on page 41
HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS: Jeff Marchant (left) and Leo Daedalus.
A CUMMINGS CHRISTMAS LIMINAL PERFORMANCE GROUP RUNS WILD WITH E.E. CUMMINGS’ STRANGE LITTLE YULETIDE PLAY. BY R EBECCA JACOB SON
rjacobson@wweek.com
Most of us know E.E. Cummings for his poetry. But in addition to conducting wacky typographical experiments, Cummings was also a playwright. Not a terribly prolific one: He wrote only four plays, and they’re rarely produced (for good reason, in most of the cases). But he found the most success with 1946’s Santa Claus, a brief allegorical play about rejecting commercialism, the redemptive power of a child and a raging mob out for St. Nick’s blood. Ah, Christmas. But it should be sublime fodder for Liminal Performance Group, which is known for some of the more immersive and unexpected theater in town— most recently, a performance installation inspired by the writing of Gertrude Stein and a revelatory production of Our Town that featured closed-circuit video, rhythmic movement and imaginative use of a metronome. Now, in a show called Santa opening Dec. 4, the company tackles Cummings’ strange little play. “It’s weirdly comic and kind of absurdist, but also tragic,” says Liminal co-founder John Berendzen, who came across the play while browsing the shelves at the Multnomah County Library. “I have a hard time putting it in a category.” In its bones, the story is fairly simple: A despondent Santa meets Death, who’s obsessed with science and persuades his formerly jolly pal to become a salesman of nonexistent products called wheelmines. The two end up swapping masks (“Half-Santa half-Death looks like a madman,” Berendzen says), which leads at first to confusion but eventually to a claws-out battle between understanding—love, essentially—and heartless science. It has dark moments, yet it’s shot through with a heartwarming spirit and a wistful sense of nostalgia—Cummings was inspired to write the play after reuniting with his daughter Nancy, whom he hadn’t seen in 20 years. For Liminal, it’s an opportunity to continue
experimenting with how time and space can be manipulated in the theater. As in last year’s Our Town, that means video: There will be projections on the walls of the Back Door Theater, as well as a live video feed and an interactive screen, including during Santa’s sales pitch. To fill out the fairly short play, Berendzen has tucked in several of Cummings’ poems between scenes—one about winter, another about how science has battered the spirit of nature, a third that’s a mildly erotic tease to Santa. A composer, Berendzen has also arranged a few of the poems, which will be sung by alto Carla Grant, and has designed a soundscape that’s Christmassy at times—bells, mostly—and ominous at others. Leo Daedalus, of avant-garde variety show The Late Now, has been cast as Death. With his top hat and bow tie, he’s partially inspired by the tuxedo-wearing Haitian spirits of the dead: Death as an aristocratic bon vivant. He speaks in formal rhythms and, according to Berendzen, comes across as a pretty nice guy. Daedalus calls him “a strange alloy of natural and unnatural.”
“IT’S WEIRDLY COMIC AND KIND OF ABSURDIST, BUT ALSO TRAGIC.” —JOHN BERENDZEN “He has this transcendental gig, but he’s trying to get some things on the side for himself,” says Daedalus, who also played the Stage Manager in Liminal’s Our Town. “I think Death is fascinated by the idea of dying. Human beings are motivated almost above all by our mortality. And if you’re not just immortal but are actually the force of death, you’re going to want different kicks.” Berendzen says the production should be family-friendly—mostly, anyway. “I don’t think it’s going to be objectionable, but I had to put a PG-13 rating on it,” he says. “I don’t want to make kids cry. I want to make adults cry.” SEE IT: Santa is at Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 567-8309, liminalgroup.org. 7:30 pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 3 and 7:30 pm Sundays through Dec. 21 (no show Dec. 13 or at 7:30 pm on Dec. 21). $15-$25.
dec. 3–9
A Christmas Survival Guide
Broadway Rose’s holiday production A Christmas Survival Guide—a “tonguein-cheek revue”—aims to help relieve the stress of the season. Because what better way to alleviate those holiday headaches than with two solid hours of jokey adaptations of Christmas tunes and sentimental treacle? There is no pretense of a plot as the four performers seek advice from a selfhelp book to get through the holidays, then illustrate said advice with rousing musical numbers (of which at least two have been recycled from a previous Broadway Rose Christmas show) and middle-school pageant choreography. The high point comes only when the show become so over-the-top you realize the cast must be in on the joke. Several moments elicit genuine laughs, such as the “Christmas Party Medley,” complete with a drunken hostess, and a Santa Elvis who leeringly asks, “You like fat men with whips?” But then it devolves into a search for “the true meaning of Christmas,” ending on the wince-inducing number “Take a Walk Through Bethlehem.” It’s not the fault of the performers—they bring obvious talent to the stage—but no one comes out a winner shackled to this Polar Express train wreck. If you can make it through the entirety of A Christmas Survival Guide without a single cringe, groan or eye roll, then you are truly imbued with astounding holiday spirit. PENELOPE BASS. Broadway Rose New Stage Theatre, 12850 SW Grant Ave., Tigard, 620-5262. 7:30 pm Wednesdays-Saturdays and 2 pm Saturdays-Sundays through Dec. 21. $30-$41.
A Miracle on 43rd Street
In the green- and red-tinted pantheon of Christmas classics, Miracle on 34th Street is perhaps one of the more poignant tales. Which, of course, makes it fodder for a spoof. Hence A Miracle on 43rd Street: A Holiday Radio Massacre, the second installment in Bag & Baggage’s 1940s radio-themed Christmas shows, again directed by Scott Palmer. The recipe goes a little something like this: Take one beloved Christmas story and add a radio recording studio, a dash of disaster and a heaping helping of slapstick and bam! You’ve got yourself a new kind of holiday hit. As A Miracle on 43rd Street begins, KBNB station manager Winston Whiteside (Gary Strong) has assembled a starstudded cast to perform the tale of Kris Kringle’s magical turn as a Macy’s Santa Claus. Unfortunately, his two leads (Chase Fulton and Clara Hillier) are in the middle of a messy separation, and mob boss Antony Antonini (Luke Armstrong) picks this night to surprise his ex-girlfriend (Jessica Geffen)—who also happens to be Whiteside’s wife—with a rather inopportune visit. Soon, the sound effects engineer (Branden McFarland) is dead of a gunshot wound to the chest and flaming cop Gilroy Gildersleeve (Jeremy Sloan) finds himself trapped in the sound stage. It’s a heartwarming Christmas tale by way of Prairie Home Companion and Weekend at Bernie’s.
Prepare yourself for a lot of corpse gags, sound effects-related humor and bouncing boobs—because nothing says “the birth of Christ” like the kind of cleavage that would accommodate all three wise men. DEBORAH KENNEDY. Venetian Theatre, 253 E Main St., Hillsboro, 693-3953. 7:30 pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 pm Sundays through Dec. 23. Additional performances 7:30 pm MondayTuesday, Dec. 22-23. $22-$32.
ALSO PLAYING As You Like It
You don’t have to give Macbeth a lightsaber, turn Rosencrantz and Guildenstern into Mafiosos or set Twelfth Night at an office party in Tigard to reimagine Shakespeare. Making the Bard accessible is largely a matter of carefully breaking up the language and using blocking to reinforce its meaning. In this production of As You Like It by Post5 Theatre—which recently made the move from a lowslung space in Montavilla to a much larger, converted church in Sellwood— that’s exactly what director Ty Boice does, to fantastic result. The production’s time and place aren’t exact, but a handful of signifiers suggest it isn’t Shakespeare’s. A wrestler wears a luchador mask. The backing musical trio plays Blur’s gender-bending “Girls&Boys,” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ anthemic “Home,” and the Proclaimers’ karaoke standby “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” Characters smoke pot. These elements don’t so much lock the action into an era as they do bridge it from the Bard’s time to ours. But what really makes the show feel fresh is the cast’s thoughtful and nuanced delivery of the language. As Post5’s first production in its new space, no one could have asked for a more auspicious start. JAMES HELMSWORTH. Post5 Theatre, 1666 SE Lambert St., 971-258-8584. 7:30 pm Fridays-Sundays through Dec. 13. $15; Sundays “pay what you can.”
Eh Things: A Clown Show
In Post5 Theatre’s clown show, written and directed by Cassandra Boice, a gaggle of absent-minded clowns sings some tunes and scrounges for cardboard and chocolate. Post5 Theatre, 1666 SE Lambert St., 971-258-8584. 9:30 pm Fridays-Saturdays through Dec. 13. “Pay what you will.”
Noël at Noël
Produced alongside Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit, Artists Rep presents an evening of songs written by the polymathic playwright. There will be six singers, led by local favorite Susannah Mars. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 241-1278. 7:30 pm Mondays, Dec. 1 and 8. $30.
Rudolph: On Stage
Bad Reputation Productions revives its live-stage adaptation of the 1964 stop-motion TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The show pays loving homage to its source material, tugging on deep-seated nostalgia without devolving into schmaltziness—or, crucially, trying for edginess with misguided scatalogical humor. CoHo Theater, 2257 NW Raleigh St., 220-2646. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays through Dec. 20. Kids’ matinees at 2 pm Saturdays, Dec. 6, 13 and 20. $21$24.
The Santaland Diaries
Like Santa Claus and Rudolph, this stage adaptation of David Sedaris’ stint as a Macy’s elf will never die— we’ve lost count of how many times Portland Center Stage has produced the one-man show. For the third year running, Darius Pierce dons the striped leggings as Crumpet. Gerding Theater, 128 NW 11th Ave., 445-3700. 7:30 pm Tuesdays-Sundays and 2 pm Saturdays-Sundays through Dec. 28. $25-$60.
She Loves Me
Lakewood Theatre Company presents the oh-so-sweet 1963 musical about feuding perfumery clerks in ’30s Budapest who don’t realize they’re infatuated pen pals. Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S State St., Lake
Oswego, 635-3901. 7:30 pm ThursdaysSaturdays; 7:30 pm Wednesdays, Nov. 19 and Dec. 10; 7 pm Sundays, Nov. 9, 16, 23; 2 pm Sundays, Nov. 16, 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21. Through Dec. 21. $37.
Twist Your Dickens
In a move of stunningly bad taste, Portland Center Stage brings back this spoof of A Christmas Carol. Though the show boasts a seal of approval from Chicago improv behemoth the Second City, last year’s production left an aftertaste worse than that of spoiled eggnog. Jokes were alternately lazy (foul-mouthed nuns), insulting (“Police Navidad”) and tone-deaf (JFK’s assassination), with the talented cast hamstrung by the abysmal material. Many of those performers are returning this time around, which just makes us weep over the wasted comedic talent. Gerding Theater, 128 NW 11th Ave., 445-3700. 7:30 pm Tuesdays-Sundays, 2 pm SaturdaysSundays and noon Thursdays through Dec. 24. $29-$69.
Am I Right, Ladies?
Another week, another rape joke, another Twitter firestorm. This monthly showcase, produced by Jen Tam, positions itself as a counterbalance to the misogyny and sexism in the world of standup comedy. Tam co-hosts with Barbara Holm, with standup from Kristen Rowan, Lewis Sequeira, Andie Main, Lucia Fasano, Deira Bowie and Manuel Hall, as well as live music from Rebecca Waits. Ford Food and Drink, 2505 SE 11th Ave., 236-3023. 8 pm Saturday, Dec. 6. $5 suggested.
Carly Aquilino
Standup comic Carly Aquilino—easily recognizable by her fire-truck red hair and known for appearing on MTV’s Girl Code—hits the Aladdin for a onenight stand. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., 234-9694. 8 pm Sunday, Dec. 7. $25; $50 VIP.
Control Yourself: A Showcase of Funny
JoAnn Schinderle—a Midwest transplant with a droll, engaging style— hosts a free, twice-monthly standup showcase, followed by an open mic at 10 pm. Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta St., 284-7665. 9 pm every first and third Sunday. Free. 21+.
Doug Loves Movies
Standup comic Doug Benson hosts a live recording—beginning, you might notice, at a very particular time—of his popular podcast. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-643-8669. 4:20 pm Sunday, Dec. 7. $22-$29. 21+.
Entertainment for People: New Shit Show
For each installment of her monthly variety show, mastermind producer B.
CONT. on page 42
PREVIEW JAMEY HAMPTON
favorite savory breakfast dish available in the bomb shelter and triumphant coming-out declarations—“I’ve never even been married!” one character shouts, laughing gleefully—we also get an exuberant and moan-heavy moment from the club’s secretary, Ginny Cadbury. Played by a fully committed Amanda Martin-Tully, the previously meek Ginny dives face—and tongue— first into an entire quiche sitting in the middle of a table, a moment that nods to the fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally.... 5 Lesbians started off as a 10-minute play, and it might have been better suited to a shorter format. The humor feels heavy-handed and repetitive by the end—my halfhearted attempt to count the word “quiche” landed at 25, and that’s only a fraction of its use. Still, it’s not always without charm, mostly due to the cast—Cecily Overman and Erica Jorgensen are especially strong— who bring winking amusement to the script’s many double entendres. KAITIE TODD. Sanctuary at Sandy Plaza, 1785 NE Sandy Blvd., 239-5919. 7:30 pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 pm Sundays through Dec. 20. $15-$35.
PERFORMANCE
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Watching a full-grown adult suck his thumb is a little unsettling. But that’s exactly what you’ll get in Stumptown Stages’ You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, because it features a cast of adults playing kids. It’s a little hard to tell if it feels uncomfortable for that reason, or if it’s because it’s supposed to be a feel-good show even though it’s about how Charlie Brown (Roger Welch) hates his life and how his friends are jerks to him. Still, the musical has been consistently produced for the past 50 years, so maybe not everyone is put off by grown-ups pretending to be cartoon children. And this production, directed by Kirk Mouser, is plenty cartoonish. Linus (Douglas Zimmerman) sucks his thumb and gleefully pulls his blanket over his head, Sally (Darcy Wright) pouts and speaks in baby talk, and Lucy (Donna Sellman-Pilorget) wears such a consistent smile and bulging eyes that her expression looks drawn-on. If that’s your kind of thing, then Stumptown’s version will be perfectly satisfactory. SHANNON GORMLEY. Brunish Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 248-4335. 7:30 pm Thursdays-Fridays; 2 and 7:30 pm Saturdays; and 2 pm Sundays through Dec. 7. $30.75-$50.
COMEDY The 3rd Floor’s War On Christmas
For a few moments after the introductory dance barrage, right when one of Portland’s oldest comedy troupes settles down for a looooong winter’s slapstick, The 3rd Floor’s War on Christmas feels almost winnable. The opening gag is decent, with a rejected Cirque du Soleil applicant named Sabu the Indifferent Clown shrugging expressively as he leaves the stage. But as familiar targets—broad accents, shallow portraits and cringeworthy clichés—pile on one another like so many penis-shaped fruitcakes, we come to envy Sabu’s fate. Oversold with keening desperation, this endless succession of jokeless death marches scarcely bothers to craft a recognizable comic premise. With performance intensity cranked to 11, it instead relies on the unsinkable hilarity of either preverbal fixations (vag waxing, sac flashing, pants pooping) or woefully dated celeb impressions (Suzanne Somers, Mama Cass, Jimmy Stewart). Imagine the very laziest ’70s Christmas variety show clumsily re-created during an open improv session. Teases of whatever prowess once sparked the 3rd Floor’s formidable momentum can be glimpsed whenever the performers borrow fully realized characters from other sources. But while troupe members clearly relish the comparatively fleshed-out personae of the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, they’ve evidently no interest in sharpening their own material or indulging any of the efforts that actual humor requires. War, as they say, is hell. JAY HORTON. Miracle Theatre, 525 SE Stark St., 9081141. 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays through Dec. 20. $15-$18.
beam me up: Laser lights in “Laissez Faire.”
FIREWALL (BODYVOX) If you saw Inception a few years back, chances are you marveled at the film’s spinning, zero-gravity hallway scene. BodyVox didn’t stop at admiration—the 17-year-old dance company decided to re-create the effect onstage, by projecting a live video feed behind performers. The goal, according to co-artistic director Jamey Hampton, is to mess with the audience’s perception of what’s right-side up. “We’re filming it, but we’re turning the camera and we’re shooting from multiple angles and from above,” Hampton says. “After a while, you’re looking at it, and you’re also watching the projection, and it messes with your mind about gravity.” That piece, “The Third Floor,” is one of six in BodyVox’s newest evening-length show, Firewall. Choreographed by Hampton and coartistic director Ashley Roland, the works strive to bring down the wall that usually separates performers from the audience. To do so, BodyVox is revealing a bit of the process—like a magician revealing his tricks—behind the technological effects, which range from video projections and lasers to green screens and iPad apps. “We thought rather than do a show where people are like, ‘I don’t know how you did it,’ we’re going to show them,” Hampton says. “They’re going to see us set the camera up, they’re going to see the green screen over here and then the projection over there simultaneously.” Inception wasn’t the only film to inspire one of the numbers. Another piece, “Laissez Faire,” spoofs ’60s spy thrillers. It starts off on a humorously campy foot, with nods to the fancy suits and tinkling, cheesy jazz of early James Bond films. But things turn serious when the future of the couple—modeled after Brangelina in the Mr. & Mrs. Smith remake—becomes uncertain. For the piece, the dancers don laser gloves—accessories more commonly seen at EDM shows—and move through the dark and fog, creating what Hampton calls “spontaneous architecture.” “Firewall is more of an attitude than anything,” he says. “It’s about making a show that feels like it comes from a place of freedom. I don’t think we’ve crammed as many technological ideas simultaneously into one show, ever.” KAITIE TODD.
A dance company reveals the tricks behind the technology.
see it: Firewall is at BodyVox, 1201 NW 17th Ave., 229-0627. 7:30 pm Thursdays through Saturdays, Dec. 4-20, and 2 pm Saturdays, Dec. 13 and 20. $25-$59. Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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PERFORMANCE WILLAMETTE WEEK’S THIRD ANNUAL
DEC. 3–9
Frayn Masters tosses together a salad of comedy, music, film, storytelling and whatever other wacky shit her cadre of performers brings to the stage. Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton St. 8 pm every second Monday through Feb. 9. $8.
Diabolical Experiments
Improv jam show featuring Brody performers and other local improvisers. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 7 pm every Sunday. $5.
Erin Foley
Known for her frank style— her standup act covers birth control, vegan cookbooks and breast implants, which she calls “giant awkward bags of low selfesteem”—Erin Foley hits Portland as part of her “Lady with Pockets” tour. Read an interview with Foley at wweek.com. Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave., 841-6734. 9:30 pm Saturday, Dec. 6. $20. 21+.
Fly-Ass Jokes
Five comics from Portland and beyond perform at this twicemonthly standup showcase, one of the more consistent comedy nights in town. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 9:30 pm every first and third Friday. $8.
Flying Fruitcake
Curious Comedy isn’t kidding with the “flying” thing: In addition to original sketch comedy, improv and musical spoofs, this holiday revue also features aerial displays. Curious Comedy, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 7:30 pm Fridays-Saturdays through Dec. 20. $12-$15.
If you go to enough shows around town, you start to memorize comedians’ sets. Think of this weekly show, hosted by silly duo Adam Pasi and David Mascorro, as an antidote to all that repetition: Comedians start out with a planned set, but halfway through, they have to spin a wheel to determine what comes next—crowd work, one-liners, maybe even a heckle battle. Bar of the Gods, 4801 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 2322037. 9 pm every Sunday. Free. 21+.
Golden Girls Live Christmas Special ’Tis the season for men to don fluffy wigs and oversized glasses to play the four Miami gals for this live stage adaptation of two holiday episodes of the TV show. Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave., 841-6734. 7 pm ThursdaysSaturdays through Dec. 27. $20 general, $40 VIP, $50 two-person table; $140 five-person booth.
Greg Proops
Erudite, suave and outspoken, Greg Proops is a comedic polymath. There’s his standup, of course, and his work on Whose Line is it Anyway?, but Proops also does voice work and produces a podcast called—ever-so-modestly— The Smartest Man in the World. Splitting his focus between such sundry endeavors, though, hasn’t done anything but embolden the entertainer, whose sarcasm-tinged sets examine film, music and politics. Read an interview with Proops at wweek.com. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-6438669. 8 pm Thursday and 7:30 and 10 pm Friday-Saturday, Dec. 4-6. $15-$29. 21+.
REVIEW OWEN CAREY
MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
Funny Humans vs. the Wheel
December 16 5 - 9 p.m. Free Entry
More than 20 local makers of food, drink, craft, and everything in between. Finish (or start) your holiday shopping. Custom cocktails by New Deal Distillery and House Spirits in conjunction with Mississippi Studios RSVP @ http://bit.ly/wwholmark Vendors include:
GHOST AT THE FEAST: Death is entirely a laughing matter. At least, that’s the case in Artists Rep’s production of Blithe Spirit, directed by Christopher Liam Moore. Noël Coward’s 1941 comedy finds well-to-do author Charles (Michael Mendelson) inviting the spacy psychic Madame Arcati (Vana O’Brien) to his home for a séance as research for a novel he’s writing. But the joke’s on him: The séance accidentally summons the spirit of Elvira (Sara Hennessy), Charles’ bratty first wife, who’s been dead for seven years. Charles is the only one who can see or hear her, which leads to a slew of gags wherein his current wife, the stern Ruth (Jill Van Velzer), mistakes his jabs at Elvira for comments directed at her. Most of the humor, though, is faster and more novel. Charles—played with a perfect mix of snark and charm by Mendelson—is as clever as he is cruel. “You’re not the dying sort,” he quips to Ruth. The couple’s flighty maid (Val Landrum) supplies no shortage of humor, whether shrieking the names of visitors or sprinting through the house. Posh accents and a lavish set—marble floors, chandeliers, giant bookcase—all denote that it’s a period piece, but the brisk pacing allows this production to skirt Merchant-Ivory languor. Blink and you’ll miss a bit. JAMES HELMSWORTH. SEE IT: Blithe Spirit is at Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 241-1278. 7:30 pm Wednesdays-Sundays and 2 pm Sundays through Jan. 4. $30-$56.
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dec. 3–9
PERFORMANCE C O u R T E S y O F PA R A L L E L E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Instant Comedy
With a list of audience-suggested topics, several comics compete for the title of comedic champ. The Curious Comedy Playas also perform improv sets. Curious Comedy, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 4779477. 10 pm every first and third Saturday. $5.
Kickstand Comedy Space Soft Launch
In advance of its full launch in January, Kickstand Comedy Space—a new standup and improv venue in the basement of Velo Cult Bike Shop—kicks off two weeks of shows, starting Monday, Dec. 8. In the lineup: a writer’s mic hosted by Dan Weber, long-form improv from teams across the city and standup from the likes of Bri Pruett, Alex Falcone, Curtis Cook and Anthony Lopez. Kickstand Comedy Space, 1969 NE 42nd Ave. For schedule, visit facebook.com/kickstandcomedy.
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Late Night Action with Alex Falcone
Comedian Alex Falcone presents a special installment of his monthly variety show in collaboration with the Portland Art Museum. The show features photographer Holly Andres, Crow Indian artist and archivist Wendy Red Star, Seattle-based comedian Scott Losse, Live Wire!’s Courtenay Hameister and local rock pianist Bryan Free. Backup provided, as ever, by the very funny Bri Pruett. Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., 226-0973. 8 pm Thursday, Dec. 4. $10.
Matt Fulchiron
Known for his quick, sarcastic wit and his appearances on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Tosh.0, Fulchiron hits the Analog as part of Funny Over Everything. Analog Cafe, 720 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 206-7439. 9:30 pm Friday, Dec. 5. $15. 21+.
Random Acts of Comedy
Curious Comedy puts on a freewheeling show that brings together sketch, standup and improv. Curious Comedy, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 477-9477. 9:30 pm Saturdays through Dec. 27. $7-$10.
A Something Kind of Musical
Domeka Parker and Aden Kirschner put on an improvised musical that they promise will boast Broadwaystyle bravado. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 7:30 pm Saturdays through Dec. 27. $9-$12.
Tim Lee
The biologist-turned-standup, who uses PowerPoint as a comedy prop, hits Helium for a one-night gig. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., 888-643-8669. 8 pm Wednesday, Dec. 3. $20-$30. 21+.
Who’s the Ross?
Aaron Ross—perhaps better known as his libidinous alter ego Ed Forman—hosts a late-night talk show, with different comedians and musical guests each week. Dante’s, 350 W Burnside St., 226-6630. 10 pm every Tuesday. $3. 21+.
You Are Here
The Brody ensemble puts on a weekly improv showcase, generally featuring a ton of audience participation. Brody Theater, 16 NW Broadway, 224-2227. 8 pm every Friday. $9-$12.
DANCE A Burlesque Nightmare Before Christmas
Analog Cafe’s annual holiday series salutes the movies of Tim Burton. A pre-show circus kicks things off, featuring aerialists, juggling and other circus acts. Later, dancers— Layne Fawkes, Johnny Nuriel, Alice Faeland, Jasmine Rain and others— take on roles like Jack Skellington, Edward Scissorhands and the Corpse Bride. Analog Cafe, 720 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 7:30 pm Sundays through Dec. 28 . $12. 21+.
IN YOUR EYES: Comedian Erin Foley performs at 9:30 pm Saturday, Dec. 6, at Funhouse Lounge. Read an interview with Foley at wweek.com.
Agnieszka Laska Dancers
The Agnieszka Laska Dancers celebrate the 75th birthday of Tomas Svoboda, one of Portland’s most prominent composers, with a piece called Allegro Con Humore. The modern dance company—which often performs its work to live classical music—choreographs new dances set to the two volumes of Nine Etudes in Fugue Style, played live by Polish-American pianist Igor Lipinski. The company has a long history of creating work to Svoboda’s scores, including Three Etudes on Love (Etudes Nos. 6, 7, 8), a piece that premiered seven years ago. This new work is made specifically for Marylhurst university’s St. Anne’s Chapel. Marylhurst University, 17600 Highway 43, 715-1866. 7 pm Friday-Saturday, Dec. 5-6. $10-$20. All ages.
Burlesque S’il Vous Plait: Shimmy of the Season
Featuring a series of Christmasinspired strip teases, this edition of Zora Phoenix’s monthly burlesque show celebrates the holiday season. This includes Sophie Maltese dancing to Monty Python’s “Christmas in Heaven,” Scarlett Thrustmore’s piece “Stripper Elf on a Shelf,” and Layne Fawkes’ ice queen act that incorporates both live vocals and fan veils. Crush, 1400 SE Morrison St, 235-8150. 9 pm Friday, Dec. 5. $10. 21+.
Burlynomicon
Created by Critical Hit Burlesque, Burlynomicon is burlesque with a dark twist. This month’s show features teasing by Satira Sin, Baby Le’Strange and Fleur De Sel, as well as two out-of-towners. Seattle dancer Maggie McMuffin brings her nerdlesque-heavy acts to the stage, while Tempe, Ariz.-based burlesquer Lola Coquette premieres two new works. The Lovecraft, 421 SE Grand Ave., 971-270-7760. 9 pm, Tuesday Dec. 9. $10. 21+.
Eleven
A handful of choreographers from around the country premiere 11 brand-new works in this show produced by Portland hip-hop mainstay Huy Pham and director/ hip-hop dancer Brittany DeLano. Exploring human emotions—from joy to remorse to playfulness—the movement in Eleven fuses hip-hop, modern dance and classical technique, with new work by locals like
Northwest Dance Project’s Ching Ching Wong and freestyle hip-hop dancer Kiel Moton. The show has interactive elements as well: One of the pieces incorporates a “free hugs” booth, where audience members can get a free and apparently awesome hug from a guy named Josh; while another offers a cookie bar with an assortment of treats from Carmella’s Wines as dancers perform while eating cookies of their own. Headwaters Theatre, 55 NE Farragut St., No. 9, 289-3499. 7 pm Thursday and Saturday and 2 and 7 pm Sunday, Dec. 4-7. $25.
Northwest Dance Project
Don’t expect Santa hats in Northwest Dance Project’s latest performance—instead, it’ll be something more like 1960’s suits and dresses, as the modern dance company channels Mad Men for its annual un-holiday show. In Good Company sees seven company dancers—Samantha Campbell, Elijah Labay, Lindsey McGill, Andrea Parson, Franco Nieto, Viktor usov and Ching Ching Wong—creating new works inspired by Matthew Weiner’s celebrated TV series. The pieces, which will be performed in the atrium of the Vestas Building, incorporate humor and cheerful energy. Vestas, 1417 NW Everett St., 421-7434. 7 pm Friday-Saturday and 4 pm Sunday, Dec. 5-7. $39-$50.
Usually Beauty Fails
Drawing inspiration from La La La La Human Steps and Compagnie Marie Chouinard—both companies known for their inventive and imaginative movement styles—Usually Beauty Fails is a fusion of dance and live rock music created by Quebec choreographer and musician Frédérick Gravel. The Risk/ Reward Festival celebrates the end of the year with a screening of the performance, which features movement ranging from smooth, modern jumps to a brisk pop-and-lock style. Performed by Gravel and six dancers, the piece explores themes of sex and love set to rough, blaring rock music and electronic-tinged indie. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 893-4739. 7:30 pm Friday-Saturday, Dec. 5-6. “Pay what you can.”
For more Performance listings, visit Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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VISUAL ARTS
DEC. 3–9
= WW Pick. Highly recommended. By RICHARD SPEER. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR LISTINGS, submit show information—including opening and closing dates, gallery address and phone number—at least two weeks in advance to: Visual Arts, WW, 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Email: rspeer@wweek.com.
DETAIL, COUNTERFEIT GOLD BRICKS BY EMILY HANNA WYANT
All Play & No Work
A disciplined and savvy artist with a sophisticated sense of humor, Calvin Ross Carl has quietly established himself as one of the Northwest’s most noteworthy visual thinkers. Finessing the lines between conceptual and commercial, knowing wit and sheer visual pleasure, he never condescends to the viewer. In All Play & No Work, he’s joined by Matt Jacobs for a two-person exhibition that challenges our conception of artists as freewheeling bohemians. Dec. 5-31. HQHQ Project Space, 232 SE Oak St.
Elizabeth Malaska: When We Dead Awaken
In her second solo show at Nationale, Elizabeth Malaska makes a spirited feminist critique of men’s domination of the realms of modern and contemporary art. The women who populate her mixed-media paintings often wield machine guns, standing defiantly in rooms filled with iconic modernist furniture. These women are mad as hell, not going to take it anymore, and are storming the boys-club establishment. Watch out for some righteous retribution. Through Dec. 31. Nationale, 3360 SE Division St.
Emily Hanna Wyant: Gotta Make Money to Make Money
Earlier this year, as artist Emily Hanna Wyant tells it, she was pitching her conceptual artwork to local galleries. She kept getting the same polite “no thanks” from gallerist after gallerist. “We love what you do,” they said, “but it’s not work we could sell in a gallery.” So Wyant decided to turn the metaphorical lemon into lemonade, creating a new body of work critiquing the object- and sales-obsessed gallery system. Tongue firmly in cheek, she has churned out dozens upon dozens of faux gold bricks, as if to flip galleries a collective bird. “Here you go,” the installation seems to shout, “a pile of tangible objects with a fixed monetary value—will that do?” This installation, entitled Counterfeit Gold Bricks, is comprised of “gold bullion” made out of spray-painted wood and cement. Other pieces, such as Wu-Tang Clan, continue the anti-materialist riff via imagery drawn from the blingflaunting world of hip-hop music. Through Jan. 16. Nisus Gallery, 8371 N Interstate Ave., Suite 1, 806-1427.
Forbidden Fruit: Chris Antemann at Meissen
In a long-overdue follow-up to her delightful installation at the 2011 Contemporary Northwest Art Awards, Chris Antemann stages a rococo bacchanal in the Portland Art Museum. Her porcelain figures fill a mirrored antechamber, engaging in all manner of languid frivolty. In the sprawling sculpture
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Love Temple, they sit around—and in some cases, crawl on—a lavishly appointed dining table, some of them naked, some clad only in the skimpiest suggestion of diaphanous fabric. Antemann accents the figures’ white skin with delicate golden lines. Although her revelers, with their powdered wigs and rouged cheeks, are a little too onenote in their appearance to sustain the viewer’s attention, perhaps that is on purpose. After all, 24-hour party people, whether in the 18th century or the 21st, begin to all look the same after the ninth or 10th flute of champagne. Through Feb. 8. Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., 226-0973.
Michael Vahrenwald: The People’s Trust
A century ago, when money was money and banks were spelled with a capital “B,” architects built banks with towering columns and statuary to communicate the ideals of stability and tradition. Today, many of the great banks of the last century have closed, their headquarters replaced by cheap shops and restaurants. Photographer Michael Vahrenwald has captured images reflecting this incongruity: staid former bank buildings, their names still chiseled in granite, now inhabited by pawn shops, Payless stores, an El Rancho Mexican restaurant and shops for auto parts, wigs and liquor. The pictures fit firmly into the “ruins-porn” genre, in which photographers fetishize cities such as Detroit, whose once-bustling economies have given way to urban decline. Through Jan. 3. Hap Gallery, 916 NW Flanders St., 444-7101.
Poetic Ghost
Artist Cassandra Straubing and single-monikered fashion designer Babette collaborate in a sprawling exhibition entitled Poetic Ghost. Using cast glass, Straubing creates sculptures in the shape of blouses, a motif she associates with women’s ascent into the workforce at the turn of the last century. It’s fascinating to see folds of soft fabric translated into the cold, hard medium of glass. That Straubing handles the translation so naturally is a testament to her superb technique working with a notoriously prickly material. Babette’s clothing designs are the basis for the sculptures, as well as for pieces that feature fashion sketches on paper. There’s also an interactive element, in which viewers are invited to get up close and personal with chunks of glass and swaths of fabric. On the placard are written two words you don’t often see at a gallery or museum: “Please touch.” Through Dec. 23. Bullseye Gallery, 300 NW 13th Ave., 227-0222.
Sightings
You don’t often see art shows that invite you to lie on the floor, but that’s exactly what Sightings does at Disjecta. Once you’re horizontal on the pillows and AstroTurf, you gaze up at Kevin Cooley’s video installation, Skyward, which is projected onto a screen hung from the ceiling. The video shows the skies above Los Angeles, shot from the perspective of a car driving from downtown L.A. all the way to the Pacific Ocean. There are strangely affecting passages when the car stops and the camera lingers on an insouciant palm tree, a street light, a sudden fluttering of butterflies. Presented alongside Jessica Mallios’ video installation, Tower of the Americas, Sightings is a strong sophomore outing for curator Rachel Adams after her September debut, Intimate Horizons. Through Jan. 4. Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate Ave., 286-9449.
The Lost Secrets of the Bennett-Brackett Portfolios
Artists Jessica Brackett and Tom Richards collaborate in the logorrheically titled show, The Lost Secrets of the Bennett-Brackett Portfolios: Getting to the Roots of a Botanical Mystery. The gallery has been turned into a maze of real and fake plants, punctuated by drawings, sketches, scientific journals and esoteric bric-a-brac, all calculated to confuse and intrigue the viewer. Through Dec. 31. The Faux Museum, 139 NW 2nd Ave.
This Is War! Graphic Arts From the Great War
Here’s a show that will appeal as much to history buffs as art geeks. To commemorate the centenary of the start of World War I, PAM is mounting an admirably even-handed examination of the art and design of both the winners and losers of the “Great War.” The exhibition includes not only the well-known propaganda posters produced to spin the war according to each nation’s interests, but also artwork referencing parents who lost sons, women who lost boyfriends and husbands, and the sufferings of innocent children injured or killed as collateral damage. Woodcuts, etchings, posters and drawings are on view, spanning the output of artists from Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France and Switzerland. It’s a feather in the museum’s cap that this exhibition was culled entirely from its existing collection, with the addition of key pieces promised as gifts by prominent regional collectors. Through Dec. 14. Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., 226-0973.
For more Visual Arts listings, visit
BOOKS
DEC. 3–9
= WW Pick. Highly recommended. By PENELOPE BASS. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR LISTINGS, submit lecture or reading information at least two weeks in advance to: WORDS, WW, 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Email: words@wweek.com. Fax: 243-1115.
THURSDAY, DEC. 4 Tim Lane
Cartoonist and so-called hobo historian Tim Lane (Abandoned Cars) has been touring the country promoting his new book, The Lonesome Go, and collaborating with musicians to record new versions of the old song “Jackie’s Blues.” Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch St., 241-0227. 6-10 pm. Free.
Holiday Open House
Portlandia may have made it famous, but the future of local feminist bookstore In Other Words has been in jeopardy. A successful Indiegogo campaign and the help of volunteers has given the store an extension through next December, and its annual Holiday Open House will offer a chance to celebrate and learn more about the store’s future. In Other Words, 14 NE Killingsworth St., 232-6003. 5-8 pm. Free.
Late Night Library
As part of its Visiting Writers series, local lit organization Late Night Library will host Natalie Diaz and Brynn Saito. Arizona author Diaz is a member of the Mojave and Pima Indian tribes, and will read from her book When My Brother Was an Aztec. Bay Area poet and writer Saito (The Palace of Contemplating Departure) will share her work. Literary Arts Center, 925 SW Washington St., 227-2583. 7 pm. $5.
FRIDAY, DEC. 5 Poetry Press Week
Emulating the glamour, prestige and bizarro factor of high fashion, Poetry Press Week is Portland’s literary equivalent of fashion week (except it’s only two days and there are fewer visible nipples). The presenting poets will unveil new work to be read by models in the style of their choosing. Expect new lines from the likes of Brandi Katherine Herrera, Carl Adamshick, Coleman Stevenson, Jamalieh Haley, James Gendron, Jeff Alessandrelli, Jessalyn Wakefield, John Brehm, Lisa Ciccarello and Natalie Garyet. Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate Ave., 286-9449. 7 pm.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6 Playback Theatre PDX
Taking the popular concept of live storytelling to the next level, Playback Theatre PDX invites members of the audience to tell stories from their lives while improv actors and musicians simultaneously perform the story. Perhaps perfectly suited to the holidays, the theme will be “Unexpected Endings.” Hipbone Studio, 1847 E Burnside St., 3580898. 7:30 pm. $15.
SUNDAY, DEC. 7 Holiday Cheer: A Celebration of Oregon Authors
Take a stand against mass consumerism and terrifying competitive shopping by buying those Christmas gifts locally. The Oregon Historical Society will host 85 local authors for its 47th annual Holiday Cheer literary gathering. Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park Ave., 3065270. 12-4 pm. Free.
Mallory Ortberg
If historic literary characters had cellphones, a lot of misunderstanding could have been easily avoided. “Heads up sweet Romeo: I’m only pretending. LOL.” Imagining other such circumstances, Mallory Ortberg, co-creator of website the Toast, releases her new book, Texts
from Jane Eyre. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 800878-7323. 7:30 pm. Free.
MONDAY, DEC. 8 Shelly Oria
In her new collection of stories, New York 1, Tel Aviv 0, Shelly Oria depicts the dichotomy between an increasingly connected yet largely anonymous global community and our personal need for connection. Oria will be joined by Pauls Toutonghi,
author of Evel Knievel Days. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 800-878-7323. 7:30 pm. Free.
TUESDAY, DEC. 9 WITS Anthology Reading
Teenagers develop high levels of angst. Luckily, the Writers in the Schools program, hosted by Literary Arts, provides a creative outlet for Portland high-school students. Several students will read their work from the resulting anthology, Language Made of Trees. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., 800-878-7323. 7:30 pm. Free.
For more Books listings, visit
REVIEW
PEYTON MARSHALL, GOODHOUSE At first glance, Portland author Peyton Marshall’s Goodhouse (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 336 pages, $26) might seem a little familiar. Much like the Colbert-boosted California, by Edan Lepucki, it’s a dystopian thriller set in rural California by a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Then again, some degree of recognition is necessary in any dystopian He’s a Good, uh, house. Mighty, mighty, just lettin’ it all hang out... fiction. There’d be no Hunger Games without economic inequality and reality TV or 1984 without 40 years of espionage and endless war at the beginning of the last century. The headlines from which Marshall rips Goodhouse, her first novel, are the latest incarceration figures (a quarter of the world’s prisoners call the U.S. home) and the twinned anxieties of sociopathic children and designer babies. In the near future, boys who test positive for genetic markers of criminality are put into “Goodhouses,” prison-school hybrids that supposedly prepare them for the outside world. In actuality, they’re a breeding ground for paranoia and sadism, ruled over by an arcane “demerit” system and vicious “class leaders” who beat the crap out of others with impunity. James Goodhouse—they’re all given the same name, and can lose it with a minimum of demerits at graduation—is a boy in good standing at the facility in Ione, Calif. He was placed there after Christian fundamentalist terrorists called Zeroes burned down his previous school in La Pine, Ore. When he meets Bethany, a rebellious hacker, on a visit to a nearby community, both his standing and faith in the Goodhouse system start to slip. To read Goodhouse is to be buffeted about by two contrasting forces: the nightmare reality that Marshall creates and the skillful suspense with which she spins out the story. For much of the beginning of the book, the former wins. James’ life seems unbearable and only gets worse, making early reading a slog. As the book progresses, however, the prose lights up in direct proportion to Bethany’s increased presence. Her dialogue is some of the most fun to read. “‘All oppression creates a state of war,’” she quips when James first meets her. “That’s a quote. And perhaps it’s not specifically in reference to girls entombed in suburban homes.” James’ relationship with her is a refreshing twist on the halfassed romances in other action-packed stories, where love often takes a backseat to fisticuffs and explosions. Not only is he the damsel in distress, but the book is written in first person from his perspective. This idea of salvation—religious, physical and otherwise—is one of several existential quandaries that Marshall nestles into a thriller format. “What is this supposed to teach me?” James asks before being placed in the Goodhouse analog of solitary confinement. It feels a bit too on-the-nose for a book that could easily be read as an out-and-out critique of the U.S. prison system. Then again, someone’s got to ask. JAMES HELMSWORTH.
206 S.W. MorriSon • 503-796-7739 Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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dec. 3–9 changed. R. MATTHEW KORFHAGE. Laurelhurst.
= WW Pick. Highly recommended. Editor: REBECCA JACOBSON. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR LISTINGS, send screening information at least two weeks in advance to Screen, WW, 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Email: rjacobson@wweek.com. Fax: 243-1115.
OPENING THIS WEEK Antarctica: A Year on Ice
A documentary about the everyday workers who keep Antarctica’s scientific research bases running. Brrr. PG. Living Room Theaters.
The Deep Woods
[ONE DAY ONLY] Red Yarn—a family-friendly folk singer and puppeteer also known as Andy Ferguson— premieres a TV pilot about his adventures with his forest-dwelling friends. Clinton Street Theater. 3:30 and 5 pm Saturday, Dec. 6.
Japanese Currents
The first weekend of the NW Film Center’s impressive series on contemporary Japanese cinema includes a cute romp about a samurai who’s been hired to kill a rival’s cat, a dystopian anime film, a slacker comedy and a documentary about Studio Ghibli. NW Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium. For full listings, see nwfilm.org. Through Dec. 14.
National Gallery
Legendary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman rolls out his 39th documentary, this one a three-hour study of London’s National Gallery and the people and paintings who occupy it. Living Room Theaters.
The Pyramid
A team of American archaeologists travels to Egypt, where they find a lost pyramid. Hang on: How does someone lose a pyramid? Anyway, this one was lost, and then it was found, and now it’s haunted. R. Cedar Hills, Clackamas.
STILL SHOWING Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner star in a Disney adaptation of the popular kids’ book. PG. Academy, Mt. Hood, Valley.
Bears
A nature documentary about an Alaskan family of the titular large fuzzy creatures. G. Empirical Theatre at OMSI.
Beyond the Lights
Gina Prince-Blythewood, best known for Love & Basketball, directs a new movie about a pop megastar (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, of Belle) who falls in love with the cop assigned to her detail. PG-13. Eastport, Clackamas.
Big Hero 6
A Shelving wordy cleverness for its own sake, ignoring parental intrusion, and allowing moral lessons to develop organically through a simplified storyline, Big Hero 6 is that rarest thing: an animated children’s adventure designed purely to delight its target audience. Substantial swaths of the picture are devoted to nothing loftier than portraying just how unstoppably cool soaring on the back of your own robot would feel. Based on a Marvel comic about repurposed Japanese mutant-villains, this Disney feature drops all references to a larger Marvel world and scales back the well-worn superhero textures to best serve the needs of a slightly harder-edged kids’ cartoon. Big Hero 6 opens in the mean streets of San Fransokyo, where Tadashi narrowly saves his little brother Hiro from a beating after the 14-year-old prodigy wins fistfuls of cash during back-alley ‘bot fights. The first third of the film concerns itself solely with the orphans’ attempts to land Hiro enrollment at a whiz-bang university. The appeal of superherodom isn’t even suggested until an explosion kills Tadashi, but, upon discovering a nano-tech project has been stolen for shadowy ends, what’s a
boy to do but weaponize his brother’s adorably puffy health care robot and outfit his goofball lab mates as newly minted misfit warriors of science? You’ll believe unadulterated tweener dreams can fly. PG. JAY HORTON. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Mill Plain, Cornelius, Indoor Twin, Oak Grove, Movies on TV, Sandy.
Birdman
B- In Birdman, our protagonist is Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), a washed-up actor who once wore wings as the titular superhero. But in this film, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the real thing with wings is the camera, which soars and swoops through narrow stairwells and bustling Manhattan streets. The effect is that of a single, continuous take. But just as the camera floats along, so too does much else in this self-consciously clever film skate along the surface. Decades ago, Riggan struck gold as a Hollywood superhero, and he’s now trying to rebuild himself by adapting, directing and starring in a Broadway play. It’s of course a winknudge role for Keaton, 63, who wore the Batman suit more than 20 years ago and whose career has wobbled since. The actor works himself into a fidgety lather as he stomps through the theater, bleeding insecurity, selfpity and wounded arrogance. But the screenplay—a committee affair, by Iñárritu and three others—is creaky and self-satisfied. If Birdman’s message is that the theater is the home of high art and Hollywood a place of debased, greed-driven entertainment, Iñárritu doesn’t make a convincing— or even amusingly satirical—argument. R. REBECCA JACOBSON. Cedar Hills, Clackamas, Hollywood Theatre, Lake, Oak Grove, Fox tower, Sandy.
The Book of Life
B- A transcendent flourish of fourcolor splendor and kinetic verve, new animated feature The Book of Life arrives overstuffed with artisanal delights, including the world’s grandest piñata. But, while the picaresque drollery will surely draw crowds, the film is still hollow, disposable and a shameless waste of candy. PG. JAY HORTON. Academy, Laurelhurst.
The Boxtrolls
C+ Last summer, Portland animation house Laika turned heads with a trailer full of same-sex couples materializing and evaporating next to a rosy-cheeked toddler. “Families come in all shapes and sizes,” the narrator crooned. The resulting feature film, The Boxtrolls does away with any of these loving gay parents—actually, it does away with most loving humans, full stop. It also takes a surprisingly long time to get to this message about family, which gets muddled in a narrative that encompasses class envy, political corruption and (of course) how it’s what’s on the inside that counts. As in Laika’s previous two efforts—the fantastical Coraline and playfully supernatural ParaNorman—The Boxtrolls boasts a scrupulously crafted world. But its overstuffed screenplay lacks humor, and it could use a great deal more fun. PG. REBECCA JACOBSON. Academy, Empirical Theatre at OMSI, Kennedy School, Laurelhurst, Mission, Mt. Hood, The Joy, Valley.
Boyhood
A Boyhood took 12 years, in film as
in life. For 12 years, director Richard Linklater shot the movie for a few weeks each summer as both the main character, a boy named Mason, and the actor, Ellar Coltrane, came of age, from 6 to 18. The epic undertaking has resulted in one of the most honest and absorbing representations of growing up ever put to film: all the tedium, all the wonder. As in life, the moments pass naturally, effortlessly, but in their accumulation we see—with all the suddenness of epiphany—that we have
Citizenfour
B History happens in real time in
Citizenfour, a behind-closed-doors account of Edward Snowden’s decision to reveal the dizzying extent of U.S. government surveillance programs. Much of Laura Poitras’ documentary consists of long interviews with Snowden in the Hong Kong hotel room where he was holed up in June 2013, divulging everything he knew to Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald. The result is a portrait of the whistle-blower as neither hero nor traitor. Citizenfour’s ground-level vibe and Poitras’ necessary cloak-and-dagger tactics make the documentary like a ’70s paranoia thriller with real-world consequences. R. MICHAEL NORDINE. Living Room Theaters.
Dear White People
out Force Majeure is a disaster movie after all, only with casualties emotional rather than physical. Many have seen the film as a commentary on gender roles, but even setting Mars/Venus debates aside, Force Majeure is an incisive exploration of shame and cowardice. R. REBECCA JACOBSON. Living Room Theaters.
Fury
C Brad Pitt makes an inglorious return to Nazi-killing movies in Fury, David Ayer’s would-be epic about tank warfare in the waning days of World War II. Ayer sets up Fury as a gritty depiction of the Nazis’ “total war” period, when all civilians were ordered to aid in their country’s desperate efforts—which would be more effective if the director didn’t use these atrocities as little more than action-movie set pieces. R. MICHAEL NORDINE. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Movies on TV.
A- When Justin Simien began work
on Dear White People, early drafts of the screenplay included an over-thetop college party featuring white students in blackface. At some point, though, he ruled it too outlandish and slashed it from the film. Then came the Compton Cookout at the University of California, San Diego, in 2010. The invitation promised chicken, watermelon and purple drank. Students showed up in heavy gold chains, oversized T-shirts and, yes, blackface. Simien quickly revived the party in Dear White People, and it’s one of many pieces that makes this college-set race satire so smart, gutsy and relevant. R. REBECCA JACOBSON. Cinema 21.
Gone Girl
B+ Gone Girl might be David Fincher’s
battiest work. The director has taken a lurid suspense yarn—the wildly popular novel by Gillian Flynn—and emerged with a film that deftly straddles the line between brilliant and stupid. It’s a media satire and a meditation on a volatile marriage that masquerades as the kind of plop you’d find Ashley Judd starring in back in the ’90s. It’s mesmerizing. The film centers on Nick and Amy Dunne (Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike), a couple whose relationship is dying, though who’s to blame is a matter of debate. Amy’s disappearance sparks a national media circus, but what starts as a procedural mystery goes bonkers after a midfilm twist that transforms the tale into perhaps the most expensive, well-acted Lifetime movie ever. R. AP KRYZA. Clackamas, Forest, Fox Tower, Movies on TV.
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REVIEW DAW N J O N E S
MOVIES
Dumb and Dumber To
B Twenty years after Dumb & Dumber entrenched the Farrelly brothers as keepers of a frat house of filmic offense, the directors return to their first heroes for the sequel just about nobody demanded. As if there were any doubt, Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) remain resolutely unchanged. By means of a long-mislaid postcard, Harry finds out he has a daughter, and, as happens, he needs a kidney while Lloyd wants to bone her. What results is a fusillade of absurdist puns and scatological taunts amid a Lifetime picture about two mildly disabled friends on an amiable, misguided quest. It all should feel tragic—few things age more poorly than the charms of an arrested boyhood—but the film takes pains to resist portraying Harry and Lloyd as sympathetic characters. Moreover, as filmmakers famously steeped in the comedy of ugliness, the brothers take special delight in the increasingly desiccated visage of Carrey, aging into a cross between Ruth Gordon and a gnarled bedpost. PG-13. JAY HORTON. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Mill Plain, Cornelius, Oak Grove, Movies on TV, Sandy.
The Equalizer
C Antoine Fuqua’s revenge thriller The Equalizer could easily have been downright awful. Instead, it’s merely mediocre, which is testament to the immutable charisma of Denzel Washington: Few others could have made such ultraviolent silliness even halfway engaging. R. MICHAEL NORDINE. Forest, Laurelhurst, Movies on TV.
Force Majeure
A- The family of four lies on the bed,
limbs intertwined. They’re Swedish. So of course they’re gorgeous—they look ripped from a Hanna Andersson catalog, down to their matching thermal underwear. But not all is so serene on this ski vacation in the French Alps, which unfolds with chilly menace, and a welcome shot of caustic humor, in Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure. On the second day of the trip, during lunch at an outdoor cafe, an avalanche comes rumbling down the mountain. Tomas (Johannes Bah Kuhnke) insists it’s a controlled slide. But when it doesn’t seem to stop, he grabs his iPhone and darts away, leaving his wife, Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli), to shield the kids and scream after him. Turns out Tomas was right, and once the cloud of snow clears, the family resumes their meal. And turns
FRONTIER SPIRIT: Hilary Swank and Tommy Lee Jones.
THE HOMESMAN Mary Bee Cuddy is an eligible bachelorette, and not just for the 1850s. She owns land in the Nebraska Territory, has a fine singing voice and can fry up a delicious chicken dinner. But, as cruelly noted by a man she proposes to in the opening minutes of Tommy Lee Jones’ The Homesman, this frontier woman is also “too bossy and too damn plain.” So Mary (Hilary Swank) remains single. When her town needs an intrepid volunteer to transport three mentally ill women to Iowa and none of the men step forward, she takes on the task with little hesitation. Brief, impressionistic flashbacks shed light on how these three women, who weren’t always in such a condition, became unhinged. Their traumas are all related to the loss of children, and none of their husbands is equipped—or all that willing—to help see them through their current troubled times. “People like to talk about death and taxes,” Mary says, “but when it comes to crazy they hush up.” It’s no wonder the childless Mary volunteered for this dangerous mission, and her maternal gestures aren’t surprising. She’s what you might call a good Christian woman, and when she tries to process the harsh world through her particular moral prism, the cognitive dissonance is often too much to bear. This comes largely thanks to George Briggs (Jones), a miscreant whom Mary finds in a noose after he’s angered the wrong people. When she offers to free him on the condition that he help her, he immediately accepts. His gruffness plays well off her resolute morality; it’s a familiar dynamic, but one that Jones and Swank enliven considerably. As a director, Jones captures stark and disturbing moments with a matterof-factness that’s neither overstated nor flippantly casual. It’s no revelation that this was a dangerous time and place, and Jones doesn’t treat it as such. Instead, he finds great beauty in the wide-open landscapes and vast blue skies that play host to such atrocities. Gone Girl has inspired much debate over its particular brand of feminism and the twists and turns of its narrative, but the more lowkey Homesman outshines that pulpy thriller in both aspects. It proves there’s still more to explore within the well-trod Western genre, and what it finds is as strange as it is dolorous. MICHAEL NORDINE. Wigging out in the Wild West.
B+
SEE IT: The Homesman is rated R. It opens Friday at Fox Tower. Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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Guardians of the Galaxy
A- A strangely wonderful, thor-
oughly enjoyable sci-fi romp. PG-13. JAY HORTON. Laurelhurst, Academy.
Horrible Bosses 2
B Three years after a trio of professionals conspired to murder their employers, Horrible Bosses 2 finds the B-list wolfpack (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day) again nudged toward criminal vengeance upon rather more marketable costars. This go-round, Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine play father-and-son catalog magnates out to steal the boys’ new invention—a shampooand soap-dispensing showerhead— through altogether legal and fairly logical machinations. But, as soon as the 1-percenters threaten to ship manufacturing jobs overseas, our heroes are begging Jamie Foxx for felonious pro tips. Where the original blanketed any satirical edge beneath formulaic conventions and indulgent star turns, new director Sean Anders’ unrepentant hackiness dispels any semblance of narrative construct. Instead, he throws all his energies behind his leads’ banter-driven interplay, which works undeserved miracles. Lord only knows what the three could make of a decent script and competent direction. R. JAY HORTON. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Mill Plain, Cornelius, Oak Grove, Movies on TV, Sandy, St. Johns.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
It’s time to support Portland, Portland!
Give!Guide is HeRe! giveguide.org
B- When last we met Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), the bow-wielding heroine was being rescued from the eponymous death match and thrust into the role of reluctant revolutionary. Now, in the first half of The Hunger Games’ concluding installment—thanks for making that standard practice, Harry Potter—Katniss’ outlying District 12 has been reduced to ashen rubble. The surviving insurrectionists gather in a drab underground bunker where their president (Julianne Moore) tries to enlist an unwitting Katniss into their noble cause. The Games are conspicuous in their absence. The latent cruelty of that tournament is responsible for nearly all of the franchise’s most indelible moments: That feeling of lambs going to slaughter is both exhilarating and tragic, and shorn of this, the new film has no real hook. PG-13. MICHAEL NORDINE. Bagdad, Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Mill Plain, Cornelius, Moreland, Oak Grove, Movies on TV, Roseway, Sandy, St. Johns Cinemas.
John Wick
A- John Wick treads familiar ground:
A retired hit man (Keanu Reeves) is roped back into the life. But this is the rare film that excels as much for what it puts on display as for what it holds back. It oozes style, yet avoids showy slow-mo and CGI. It’s birthed from cliché, yet populated with unpredictable characters. And it’s bloody terrific. R. AP KRYZA. Eastport, Clackamas, Movies on TV.
The Judge
D+ Having reluctantly flown home to rural Indiana to attend his mother’s funeral, high-powered lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) forced to confront his estranged father (Robert Duvall), the gavelwielding patriarch of the title whose every utterance makes Hank feel inadequate and unloved. Watching Iron Man work out his daddy issues for well over two hours proves painful for everyone involved, especially viewers, so drawn-out and overwrought is every torturous detail. R. MICHAEL NORDINE. Academy, Laurelhurst, Valley.
Laggies
B- Laggies is one of those comingof-age stories in which the person who’s growing up should have done so 10 years ago. The woman-child in question is Megan (Keira Knightley), an unemployed 20-something who reacts to her longtime boyfriend’s marriage proposal as any sane person would: by freaking out, partying deep into the night with some teenagers she meets outside a liquor store and making up a bogus story to her would-be fiance. She
then crashes with one of these teenagers (Chloë Grace Moretz) in order to clear her head when she’s supposed to be at a self-actualization seminar—and then ends up falling for the girl’s father (Sam Rockwell). As patently ludicrous as all this is, it’s also a clever means of imbuing the film with humor and sweetness. Lynn Shelton has a fondness for her flawed characters where others would be content to mock them, which is a rarer quality than it should be. And though the slowmoving tortoise in the backyard is a little on the nose as far as spirit animals go, it does provide an apt enough metaphor for Megan’s incremental progress: better late than never. R. MICHAEL NORDINE. Laurelhurst.
The Maze Runner
Because there just aren’t enough film adaptations of dystopian young-adult novels out there, here’s another one, about—as you might have gleaned from its title—kids trapped in a maze. PG-13. Kennedy School, Mt. Hood, Valley.
Nightcrawler
B+ With eyes bulging from his
gaunt skull like a Chihuahua trapped in an industrial vise, Jake Gyllenhaal is an unnervingly strange sight to behold when he walks onto the screen in Nightcrawler. And that’s before his character, Lou Bloom, even opens his mouth. Once Lou starts chattering, what emerges is one of the slimiest, most disarming sociopaths to hit theaters in some time. R. AP KRYZA. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Fox Tower, Movies on TV.
REVIEW R A D I u S -T W C
MOVIES
Interstellar
C+ Christopher Nolan is Hollywood’s most masterful huckster: a blockbuster auteur who uses incredible sleight of hand to elevate into art what other directors would leave as garbage. He is the king of making you think his films are smarter than they actually are. So it makes perfect sense that Nolan takes us to another galaxy with Interstellar. In space, nobody can hear you scream, “Wait, that doesn’t make sense... but holy shit, did you see that?!” Whenever something seems really out there, somebody finds a whiteboard and draws a bunch of squiggly marks. Bam! Equation! Now look at this wormhole! The plot finds former pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) raising his kids and crops on a blighted Earth. He’s enlisted by a speechifying Michael Caine to captain a space expedition to prevent the extinction of mankind. At nearly three hours, Interstellar could easily chop an hour off its runtime and remain an exhilarating piece of escapism. Instead, Nolan overcomplicates things with indecipherable equations and endless exposition. PG-13. AP KRYZA. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, CineMagic, Mill Plain, Cornelius, Hollywood Theatre, Oak Grove, Fox Tower, Movies on TV, Sandy.
BUILT TO SPILL: In contrast to its name, The Great Invisible opens with something very much visible: ribbons of coppercolored oil floating in the otherwise shockingly blue Gulf of Mexico, like an exquisite modernist painting. Director Margaret Brown’s investigative look into the human costs of 2010’s Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill is at times heavy-handed—it abounds with cartoonishly villainous depictions of cigar-smoking oil executives—but mostly stays true to the affecting tone set by the opening shots. There have been other films detailing the environmental horrors of the disaster, but The Great Invisible stands apart for its haunting look at the lives of the oil-rig workers, both before and after the accident. The film even includes home-video footage from the rig mere days before the explosion. Brown also profiles rural seafood processors and fishermen, shining a light on the myriad cultural and class barriers these workers face in receiving proper restitution. But the true “invisible” of the film’s title seems to be the psychological and emotional costs paid by former rig engineers and roustabouts once proud to be making a middle-class living. In one particularly disquieting scene, a former engineer’s wife displays Rubbermaid storage tubs containing the clothes her husband was wearing the day he escaped the exploding rig. She explains he had planned to commit suicide amid the artifacts: “He feels this stuff defines him.” KAT MERCK. A SEE IT: The Great Invisible is rated PG-13. It opens Friday at Cinema 21.
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Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
Ouija
A supernatural thriller about...you guessed it. PG-13. Movies on TV.
Penguins of Madagascar
The besuited birds are back, trying to prevent an evil octopus from taking over the world. Sorry, WW was too hung over to make the Saturday-morning screening. PG. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Mill Plain, Cornelius, Oak Grove, Movies on TV, Sandy, St. Johns Cinemas.
Pride
B+ Politics make strange bed-
fellows. That was certainly true of gay activists and mineworkers, who formed an unlikely alliance during a British labor strike 30 years ago. Their story is dramatized in Pride, Matthew Warchus’ unabashedly crowd-pleasing but not overly saccharine film. It’s 1984, and gay activists in London realize they share a trifecta of enemies with their working-class brethren: the police, the right-wing tabloids and her majesty of supreme ghastliness, Margaret Thatcher. What is there to do, then, but run through the pride parade, clanging buckets and collecting money for the unions? Though Pride hits the expected beats—the soundtrack swells and a little old lady asks if all lesbians are vegetarians—it’s so ebullient that it just feels shrewish to resist. R. REBECCA JACOBSON. Living Room Theaters.
Rosewater
B Rosewater is a torture film in which suffering is beside the point. Gael García Bernal plays unjustly imprisoned Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, and his performance is by turns affecting, subtle and hilarious, if also often glib. Bahari, of course, is the very real Newsweek reporter who was kept for 118 days in solitary confinement in Iran after filming a riot in the wake of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s spurious re-election in 2009. It’s been adapted to film by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart, who brings the same jaunty momentum, schoolboy wit and self-congratulatory sincerity that make his comedy news program popular. For a film about a long stint in solitary, it moves swiftly, with very little silence. Even Bahari’s alone time is beset by colloquies with the specter of his dead father, and the Iranian interrogations are manic comedy amid the menace. As a TV host, Stewart smirks happily at the hypocrisy of the world, in the optimistic belief that we must merely expose stupidity to destroy it. Rosewater likewise brims with the journalistic piety that information is the most dangerous weapon in the world. It is a naive and somewhat smug dream, but an infectious one. R. MATTHEW KORFHAGE. Fox Tower.
The Skeleton Twins
C Some twins can finish each other’s sentences, or guess what number the other is imagining with to-the-decimal-point accuracy. In The Skeleton Twins, Maggie and Milo’s sibling ESP manifests in simultaneous suicide attempts. Despite living on different coasts and having had no contact in 10 years, the twins, played by Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, try to take their own lives at practically the same moment. Neither succeeds, but the incident brings them back under the same roof, in the town in upstate New York where they grew up. If this sounds like typical Sundance-baiting indie stuff, well, it is. But if there’s one thing writerdirector Craig Johnson gets right, it’s the casting. As former Saturday Night Live castmates, Hader and Wiig come with built-in brothersister chemistry. One can only imagine how insufferable it would be with anyone else. R. MATTHEW SINGER. Living Room Theaters.
MOVIES
St. Vincent
B- Freshman director Theodore
Melfi is a very lucky man. Under most circumstances, St. Vincent, would be blasted for its contrived, overwrought plot. Does the world really need another story about a mean old bastard who finds redemption and purpose thanks to a kid? But luckily for Melfi, that crusty bastard is played by Bill Murray, who takes what could have been a geriatric riff on About a Boy and turns it into a showcase of his ever-evolving comedic prowess. PG-13. AP KRYZA. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Lake, Fox Tower, Movies on TV.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
From Studio Ghibli cofounder Isao Takahata comes a hand-drawn adaptation of a 10th-century Japanese folk tale about a girl who emerges from a stalk of bamboo. PG. Academy, Laurelhurst.
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The Theory of Everything
B- A brief history of Stephen Hawking’s 30-year marriage to Jane Wilde, The Theory of Everything fits a tad too snugly into the biopic tradition. Anyone who’s seen Errol Morris’ expressionistic 1992 documentary on Hawking knows a conventional approach isn’t ideal for the ALSafflicted genius—which isn’t to say James Marsh’s new film doesn’t succeed on its own more modest terms. Here, Hawking’s contributions to the fields of physics and cosmology take a backseat to the story of his and Wilde’s courtship, marriage and eventual divorce. But Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones do a superb job bringing Hawking and Wilde to life. PG-13. MICHAEL NORDINE. Cedar Hills, Eastport, Clackamas, Fox Tower.
The Way He Looks
B+ Forget the love triangle. The
Way He Looks gives us the love rhombus. Giovana loves Leonardo but Leonardo loves Gabriel and Gabriel loves Belle and Sebastian. The film, from Brazilian writerdirector Daniel Ribeiro, tells the story of Leonardo, a sensitive, classical-music-loving blind boy growing up in São Paulo. Giovana is his best friend and, in the words of the school bullies, his guide dog. Gabriel is the cute new boy who changes everything, and not just because he prefers Belle and Sebastian to Bach. The Way He Looks unfolds with the subtle and pleasing pace of a young-adult novel. Characters suffer, but only with the pangs of disappointed affection. In the end, they get what they want. And the bullies get what they deserve. DEBORAH KENNEDY. Living Room Theaters.
Whiplash
B+ Whiplash clefts music from
dance, love and spirituality. What’s left is muscle, red and raw, beating faster and faster against a drum. That’s how Damien Chazelle’s beautiful but troubling film begins: 19-year-old Andrew (Miles Teller) is practicing jazz drumming in a dark room of a New York conservatory. Conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) happens upon him and invites him to join the school’s top band. A battle of egos and tempos ensues, as Andrew must decide how much of himself and his sanity he’s willing to give to music. Teller gives a close-to-the-chest performance. Teller gives a close-tothe-chest performance. Though he spends most of the movie looking like a dog with its tail between its legs, he occasionally flies into a solipsistic rage. Simmons is certainly horrifying, but you’ve heard these hardass lines before. And here’s where Whiplash is troubling: It views the abusive instructor as a necessary evil for creating great art. It’s certainly an affecting film, but taking it as anything more than a portrait of a single studentteacher relationship would be a mistake. R. JAMES HELMSWORTH. Fox Tower.
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
49
AP FILM STUDIES COURTESY OF MGM
MOVIES
LIES DO NOT BECOME US: Cary Elwes, 27 years ago.
TRUE LOVE CARY ELWES ON THE PRINCESS BRIDE AND DRINKING WITH ANDRÉ. BY A P KRYZA
apkryza@wweek.com
Presumably due to a bout with being “nearly dead” or interference by the Dread Pirate Roberts, actor Cary Elwes has postponed his Portland visit this week to Dec. 17—making us all, like so many lovelorn princesses, wait to gaze upon his dreamy visage. Elwes’ new book, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride, recounts his time as farm boy Westley, from his chemistry with Robin “Buttercup” Wright to epic nights drinking with André the Giant. If you can’t wait two weeks to see the 52-yearold Elwes—or don’t want to drive out to Powell’s The Princess Books at Cedar Hills Crossing—The Bride continues at the Kiggins Theatre through Thursday, Dec. 4. For my part, I jumped at the chance to chat with the dashing Brit. WW: You spend a lot of time paralyzed in the movie. Was this a relaxing experience? Cary Elwes: Well, I only laid down in Miracle Max’s hovel. When I was mostly dead, André carried around a rubber dummy. Rob [Reiner] and I were both sent off the set because we were laughing too much. So André never actually carried you? He had a bad back. If you look at the film, he’s literally carrying me with one arm. He didn’t complain, but he was actually in a lot of pain. Did you remain friends after the film? I miss him to this day. He was a wonderful man. He’d give you the shirt off his back. It’d be enough for five people, but he’d give it to you. Did you ever go out drinking together? André’s kind of a legend among boozers. Oh yeah. I went out to a New York screening with him, and I sipped a beer at each bar that we hopped to. I noticed there was someone following us, and I thought it was a fan, but after the fifth bar, I said, “André, I think somebody’s following us.” I pointed out this guy I’d seen at the last five bars, and he said, “Don’t worry about 50
Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
him, boss.” He called everybody “boss.” It turns out, one time, André slipped in New York getting into a car and knocked over a patron. The NYPD had sent a policeman to follow him every time he went out drinking. And so André would buy this guy drinks once he found out he was there. This is a question from my sister: Will you marry her? [Laughs heartily.] Tell her I appreciate the offer! But she’s really pretty! That’s very kind. But I’m already married. ALSO SHOWING: With A Cosmic and Earthly History of Recorded Music, Mississippi Records takes on the supereasy-sounding task of summing up “the entire history of recorded music from the time of the first star in the universe being born all the way to the dark ages of the 1990s.” If Herb Alpert’s glossed over, I’m demanding a refund. Hollywood Theatre. 7:30 pm Wednesday, Dec. 3. The Hollywood’s Critics’ Choice series kicks off with the Merc Merc’s Erik Henriksen, who presents Guillermo del Toro’s gorgeously fucked-up vampire film Cronos. Hollywood Theatre. 7:30 pm Thursday, Dec. 4. Speaking of gorgeously fucked-up vampire movies, the David Bowie-Susan Sarandon classic The Hunger is the perfect dessert to Cronos. Hollywood Theatre. 9:30 pm Friday, Dec. 5. Alain Resnais’ Hiroshima Mon Amour Amour—a classic, kinda boring meditation on war and the romance between a French actress and a Japanese architect—gets a digital restoration. Cinema 21. Opens Friday, Dec. 5. High on the list of greatest Christmas traditions is watching Chevy Chase freak out over the jelly-ofthe-month club in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where’s the Tylenol? Laurelhurst Theater. Dec. 5-11. Jesus might get all the attention, but his neighbor went to space, and Monty Python’s Life of Brian is here to tell his tale, helping us all to look on the bright side of life. Academy Theater. Dec. 5-11. 5th Avenue Cinema ends its year with Andy and Lana Wachowski’s psychedelic Speed Racer because…Jesus, I really have no idea. Because pot? 5th Avenue Cinema. 7 and 9:30 pm FridaySaturday and 3 pm Sunday, Dec. 5-7. In anticipation of John Waters’ Christmas show at the Aladdin on Monday, the Clinton Street goes full camp with Hairspray. The one with Divine, not John Travolta in a fat suit. Clinton Street Theater. 7 pm Friday and Sunday, 9 pm Saturday, Dec. 5-7. One of the most gonzo kung fu flicks of all time, Master of the Flying Guillotine is a nonstop orgy of eye-popping fights and head-chopping weirdness. Hollywood Theatre. 7:30 pm Tuesday, Dec. 9.
DEC. 5–11
MOVIES
COURTESY OF MGM
AND MADNESS Sat-Tue 07:00 2014 PROJECT VIEWFINDER SCREENING Wed 05:30 UZUMASA LIMELIGHT Wed 08:00
St. Johns Theater
8203 N Ivanhoe St., 503-249-7474-6 HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 12:45, 03:30, 06:15, 09:00
Academy Theater
UNDEAD AHEAD: The Hunger plays at 9:30 pm Friday, Dec. 5, at the Hollywood Theatre.
Empirical Theatre at OMSI
Bagdad Theater
3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-249-7474 THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 12:00, 03:15, 07:00, 10:30
Clinton Street Theater
2522 SE Clinton St., 503-238-8899 HAIRSPRAY Fri-Sat-Sun 07:00 THE DEEP WOODS TV PILOT DEBUT Sat 03:30, 05:00 AMERICAN COURTESANS Sat 07:00 THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Sat 11:59 EL MAR, MI ALMA Tue 07:00
Laurelhurst Theatre & Pub
2735 E Burnside St., 503-232-5511 NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 09:15 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 07:00, 09:30 THE BOXTROLLS Fri-Sat-Sun 01:30, 03:45 BOYHOOD Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 06:00 THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA Fri-Sat-Sun-MonTue-Wed 08:50 LAGGIES Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 06:40 THE JUDGE Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 06:15 THE EQUALIZER Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 09:00 THE BOOK OF LIFE SatSun 01:40
Mission Theater and Pub
1624 NW Glisan St., 503-249-7474-5 THE BOXTROLLS Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 04:30 NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 07:00 LOVE ACTUALLY Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 09:30
Moreland Theatre
6712 SE Milwaukie Ave., 503-236-5257 THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 05:30, 08:15
Roseway Theatre
7229 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-282-2898 THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 01:30, 04:45, 08:00
St. Johns Cinemas
8704 N Lombard St., 503-286-1768 PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 05:30, 07:45 THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed
04:30, 07:15
CineMagic Theatre
2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-231-7919 INTERSTELLAR Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 05:00, 08:30
Kiggins Theatre
1011 Main St., 360-816-0352 THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue 04:30, 07:15 STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL SCREENING Fri 07:30
Century 16 Eastport Plaza
4040 SE 82nd Ave. ST. VINCENT Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:00, 01:35, 07:35 BIG HERO 6 Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:05, 12:50, 01:45, 04:40, 06:15, 07:30, 10:20 BIG HERO 6 3D Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 03:35, 09:10 INTERSTELLAR Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:00, 02:40, 06:20, 10:00 DUMB AND DUMBER TO Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:15, 02:05, 04:55, 07:50, 10:30 BEYOND THE LIGHTS Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-TueWed 09:55 THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 Fri-Sat-Sun-MonTue-Wed 11:30, 12:30, 01:30, 02:45, 03:45, 04:45, 06:05, 06:55, 08:00, 09:15, 10:05 PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:25, 12:15, 02:00, 02:50, 04:30, 05:15, 07:05, 07:45, 09:40, 10:15 PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR 3D FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 01:00, 03:30, 06:05, 08:30 HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:30, 12:55, 02:15, 03:40, 05:00, 06:30, 07:45, 09:20, 10:25 FURY Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 04:15, 10:10 NIGHTCRAWLER Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:05, 02:00, 04:50, 07:40, 10:30 JOHN WICK Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 11:10, 01:55, 04:35, 07:10 THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 12:40, 03:50, 07:00, 10:00 TCM PRESENTS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL / CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT Sun 02:00, 07:00
Kennedy School Theater
5736 NE 33rd Ave., 503-249-7474-4 THE BOXTROLLS FriSat-Sun-Mon-Wed 05:30 THE MAZE RUNNER Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon 02:30 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Fri-Sat-Sun-MonTue-Wed 02:30, 08:00
1945 SE Water Ave., 503-797-4000 WALKING WITH DINOSAURS 3D Fri-SatSun 11:00, 03:30 WILD OCEAN Fri-Sat-Sun 02:30 BEARS Fri-Sat-Sun 01:00 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Fri-Sat-Sun 06:30 D-DAY: NORMANDY 1944 Fri-Sun 12:00 FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES FriSat-Sun 10:00 GREAT WHITE SHARK Fri 05:30 THE POLAR EXPRESS Fri-Sat-Sun 04:30 THE BOXTROLLS Sat 04:30
5th Avenue Cinema
510 SW Hall St., 503-725-3551 SPEED RACER Fri-Sat 07:00, 09:30 Sun 03:00 FANNY AND ALEXANDER Fri-Sat 06:00
Hollywood Theatre
4122 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-281-4215 INTERSTELLAR FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 09:15 BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 06:45 THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER Fri 07:00 THE HUNGER Fri 09:30 AWAKE: THE LIFE OF YOGANANDA Sat-Sun 02:30, 04:45 GONE WITH THE WIND Sat-Sun 02:00 THE FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL Sat-Sun 07:00 GETTING TO KNOW YOUTUBE Mon 07:30 MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE Tue 07:30 CHRISTMAS IN SPACE Wed 07:30
Regal Fox Tower Stadium 10
846 SW Park Ave. THE HOMESMAN FriSat-Sun 11:30, 02:15, 05:00, 07:00, 09:45 ROSEWATER Fri-Sat-Sun 11:55, 02:25, 04:45, 07:10, 09:30 INTERSTELLAR Fri-Sat-Sun 12:00, 02:30, 03:50, 07:40, 09:10 THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING Fri-Sat-Sun 11:45, 01:00, 03:40, 06:20, 07:20, 10:00 NIGHTCRAWLER Fri-Sat-Sun 01:15, 04:00, 07:15, 09:50 ST. VINCENT Fri-Sat-Sun 11:40, 02:00, 04:30, 06:50, 09:20 BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) Fri-Sat-Sun 11:30, 02:10, 04:50, 07:30, 10:10 WHIPLASH Fri-SatSun 11:50, 02:20, 04:40, 06:40, 09:15 GONE GIRL Fri-Sat-Sun 12:10, 03:20, 06:30, 09:40
NW Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium
1219 SW Park Ave., 503-221-1156 NEKO ZAMURAI Fri-Sun 04:30 FUKU-CHAN OF FUKUFUKU FLATS Sat-Sun 07:00 PATEMA INVERTED Sat-Mon 07:00 THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS
7818 SE Stark St., 503-252-0500 THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA Fri-Sat-Sun-MonTue-Wed 04:15, 09:10 THE BOOK OF LIFE Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 02:15 ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 04:45 THE JUDGE Fri-SunMon-Tue-Wed 01:50, 06:35 THE BOXTROLLS Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 04:30, 07:05 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 01:40, 06:50, 09:20 MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 09:30
Century Clackamas Town Center and XD
12000 SE 82nd Ave. ST. VINCENT Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 09:00 GONE GIRL Fri-Sat-Sun-MonTue-Wed 10:20 BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 05:15 BIG HERO 6 Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 10:55, 11:40, 01:35, 04:20, 05:10, 07:05, 09:50, 10:30 BIG HERO 6 3D Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 02:25, 07:50 INTERSTELLAR Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:30, 03:15, 07:00, 10:10 DUMB AND DUMBER TO Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:00, 01:50, 04:30, 07:25, 10:40 BEYOND THE LIGHTS FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 10:55 THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:15, 11:45, 12:20, 01:00, 02:20, 03:20, 04:00, 05:50, 06:20, 07:00, 08:05, 08:55, 09:30, 10:00 PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 10:50, 12:30, 01:20, 03:00, 03:50, 05:30, 06:30, 07:55, 10:20 PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR 3D FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 11:35, 02:10, 04:35, 07:10, 09:40 HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 10:50, 11:45, 01:30, 02:25, 04:10, 05:05, 06:50, 07:45, 09:30, 10:25 FURY Fri-SatSun-Mon-Tue-Wed 01:10, 10:25 NIGHTCRAWLER Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 10:55, 01:40, 04:30, 07:25, 10:15 SAVING CHRISTMAS Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 10:45 JOHN WICK FriSat-Sun-Mon-Tue-Wed 02:50 THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 10:50, 01:45, 04:40, 07:35, 10:30 THE PYRAMID Fri-Sat-Sun-MonTue-Wed 10:50, 01:10, 03:30, 05:50, 08:10, 10:35 CHAAR SAHIBZAADE Fri-Sat-SunMon-Tue-Wed 10:45, 04:15, 09:45 CHAAR SAHIBZAADE 3D Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon-TueWed 01:30, 07:00 UFC 181: HENDRICKS VS. LAWLER II Sat 07:00 TCM PRESENTS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL / CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT Sun-Wed 02:00, 07:00 THE VATICAN MUSEUMS 3D Wed 07:00
SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CALL THEATERS OR VISIT WWEEK.COM/MOVIETIMES FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FRIDAY-THURSDAY, DEC. 5-11, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED
Hunger Games: The Mockingjay, Part 1 XD (PG-13) 10:45AM 1:40PM 4:35PM 7:30PM 10:25PM John Wick (R) 2:50PM Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas (PG) 10:45AM 5:00PM 10:35PM Interstellar (PG-13) 11:30AM 3:15PM 7:00PM 10:10PM Theory Of Everything, The (PG-13) 10:50AM 1:45PM 4:40PM 7:35PM 10:30PM Pyramid, The (R) 10:50AM 1:10PM 3:30PM 5:50PM 8:10PM 10:35PM St. Vincent (PG-13) 9:00PM Penguins Of Madagascar, The (PG) 10:50AM 12:30PM 1:20PM 3:00PM 3:50PM 5:30PM 6:30PM 7:55PM 10:20PM Nightcrawler (R) 10:55AM 1:40PM 4:30PM 7:25PM 10:15PM Penguins Of Madagascar, The 3D (PG) 11:35AM 2:10PM 4:35PM 7:10PM 9:40PM
Horrible Bosses 2 (R) 10:50AM 11:45AM 1:30PM 2:25PM 4:10PM 5:05PM 6:50PM 7:45PM 9:30PM 10:25PM Big Hero 6 (PG) 10:55AM 11:40AM 1:35PM 4:20PM 5:10PM 7:05PM 9:50PM 10:30PM Birdman (R) 5:15PM Big Hero 6 3D (PG) 2:25PM 7:50PM Hunger Games: The Mockingjay, Part 1 (PG-13) 11:15AM 11:45AM 12:20PM 1:00PM 2:20PM 3:20PM 4:00PM 5:50PM 6:20PM 7:00PM 8:05PM 8:55PM 9:30PM 10:00PM Beyond The Lights (PG-13) 10:55AM Fury (R) 1:10PM 4:15PM 7:20PM 10:25PM Gone Girl (R) 1:45PM 7:15PM Dumb And Dumber To (PG-13) 11:00AM 1:50PM 4:30PM 7:25PM 10:40PM Chaar Sahibzaade (PVS) 3D (NR) 1:30PM 7:00PM Chaar Sahibzaade (PVS) (NR) 10:45AM 4:15PM 9:45PM
Nightcrawler (R) 10:35PM
Horrible Bosses 2 (R) 10:50AM 12:00PM 1:30PM 2:40PM 4:10PM 5:20PM 6:50PM 8:00PM 9:30PM 10:35PM Big Hero 6 (PG) 10:50AM 1:30PM 2:40PM 4:10PM 6:50PM 8:00PM 9:30PM Big Hero 6 3D (PG) 12:00PM 5:20PM Hunger Games: The Mockingjay, Part 1 (PG-13) 10:50AM 11:30AM 12:15PM 1:00PM 1:45PM 2:30PM 3:15PM 4:00PM 4:45PM 5:30PM 7:00PM 7:40PM 8:30PM 10:00PM 10:35PM Birdman (R) 11:00AM 1:50PM 4:40PM 7:30PM Fury (R) 6:30PM 9:40PM Dumb And Dumber To (PG-13) 11:20AM 2:00PM 4:40PM 7:20PM 10:00PM Chakkaligintha (Cinegalaxy) (NR) 9:00PM
Interstellar (PG-13) 10:50AM 2:30PM 6:05PM 9:50PM Theory Of Everything, The (PG-13) 10:50AM 1:45PM 4:40PM 7:35PM 10:30PM Penguins Of Madagascar, The 3D (PG) 12:40PM 3:10PM 5:40PM 8:10PM 10:35PM St. Vincent (PG-13) 10:20PM Pyramid, The (R) 10:50AM 1:10PM 3:30PM 5:50PM 8:10PM 10:30PM Penguins Of Madagascar, The (PG) 11:00AM 11:50AM 1:30PM 2:20PM 4:00PM 4:50PM 6:30PM 7:20PM 10:15PM John Wick (R) 11:10AM 1:55PM 4:35PM 7:10PM Interstellar (PG-13) 11:00AM 2:40PM 6:20PM 10:00PM Theory Of Everything, The (PG-13) 12:40PM 3:50PM 7:00PM 10:00PM Nightcrawler (R) 11:05AM 2:00PM 4:50PM 7:40PM 10:30PM St. Vincent (PG-13) 11:00AM 1:35PM 7:35PM Penguins Of Madagascar, The (PG) 11:25AM 12:15PM 2:00PM 2:50PM 4:30PM 5:15PM 7:05PM 7:45PM 9:40PM 10:15PM Penguins Of Madagascar, The 3D (PG) 1:00PM 3:30PM 6:05PM 8:30PM Big Hero 6 3D (PG) 3:35PM 9:10PM
Beyond The Lights (PG-13) 9:55PM Hunger Games: The Mockingjay, Part 1 (PG-13) 11:30AM 12:30PM 1:30PM 2:45PM 3:45PM 4:45PM 6:05PM 6:55PM 8:00PM 9:15PM 10:05PM Big Hero 6 (PG) 11:05AM 12:50PM 1:45PM 4:40PM 6:15PM 7:30PM 10:20PM Horrible Bosses 2 (R) 11:30AM 12:55PM 2:15PM 3:40PM 5:00PM 6:30PM 7:45PM 9:20PM 10:25PM Fury (R) 4:15PM 10:10PM Dumb And Dumber To (PG-13) 11:15AM 2:05PM 4:55PM 7:50PM 10:30PM
FRIDAY Willamette Week DECEMBER 3, 2014 wweek.com
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END ROLL
STRAIN REVIEW: CHEMDAWG If you’re a fan of heady strains, chances are Chemdawg is a vital part of your medicine cabinet. It’s a supercharged, sativa-dominant hybrid of unknown origins—an online legend traces the lineage to a Grateful Dead show in 1991, but it’s possibly apocryphal. You can expect an instant mental rush and body high. However impressive Chemdawg’s consistently uplifting effects may be, they fall in the shadow of its famous scent. The sharp citrus smell fills the room, slightly earthy to make for a Diesel-like aroma. You’ll recognize the same pungent scent in Chemdawg’s varied, legendary descendants, from OG Kush to Original Diesel. The flavor has a similarly refreshing tang, with floral notes that render the taste sweeter. My last batch of Chemdawg, provided by Nelson & Co. Organics, and available at Pure Green on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, had bright green leaves and was densely packed, fluffy and powdery to the touch, with sparkling kief. Dark clumps of fine hairs spread across each bud like an earnest adolescent with good beard genes. Nelson uses guano and compost teas, assuring no bottled nutrients are part of the growing process. Though they take their methods seriously, patients’ attentions have been focused elsewhere as of late.
15 1
2
14 3
It’s become a numbers game in the medicinal cannabis community. With the past year’s new rules fully established, patients are now accustomed to knowing the lab results of each nug. There’s a trend of shopping by the percentages; pushing aside smell, taste, and nuanced effects for the exclusive consideration of THC content. A previous batch of this Chemdawg flew off the shelves when it tested closer to 29 percent THC, while this 24 percent batch has been less popular. Patients should think twice when seeking product just for the THC content, because some labs are capitalizing on this shift and producing better results for additional fees. For higher-tolerance smokers, this strain would be ideal for attending a lecture or town hall debate—newbies might think someone slipped them an Adderall. I experienced a lengthy buzz of mental stimulation, but wasn’t too mired in spiraling trains of thought to appreciate my cat chasing his own tail for 10 minutes. At 24 percent THC, it’s still very potent, and it isn’t hard with the cerebral high to sincerely focus all your energies on the craftsmanship of South Park. Treat Chemdawg like a shot of espresso: effective when you need it, but too much will leave your heart and inner dialogue racing at uncomfortable speeds. MARY ROMANO.
13
4 12 5
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8 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12 13. 14. 15.
grinch sTole chrisTmas! / 13. The year wiThouT a sanTa claus / 14. The nighTmare Before chrisTmas / 15. how The chrisTmas! / 10. elf / 11. naTional lampoon’s chrisTmas vacaTion / 12. iT’s a wonderful life / 7. ernesT saves chrisTmas / 8. rudolph The red-nosed reindeer / 9. how The grinch sTole red-nosed reindeer / 3. Bad sanTa / 4. die hard / 5. mickey’s chrisTmas carol / 6. home alone ANSWER KEY, full color on page 23:
1. The nighTmare Before chrisTmas / 2. rudolph The
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For more information on John Callahan’s memorial, see ffojohncallahan.tumblr.com.
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LEGAL NOTICES ESTATE OF BETTY JEAN SANFORD NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS CASE NUMBER: 14PB02169 Notice: The Circuit Court of the State of Oregon, for the County of Multnomah, has appointed the undersigned as Personal Representative of the Estate of Betty Jean Sanford, deceased. All persons having claims against said estate are required to present the same, with proper vouchers to the Personal Representative at 11732 NE Stanton St., Portland OR 97220 within four months from the date of first publication of this notice as stated below, or they may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by this proceeding may obtain additional information from the records of the court, the Personal Representative, or the Attorney for the Personal Representative. Dated and first published November 26th, 2014. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Dennis Heisler 11732 NE Stanton St., Portland, OR 97220 ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Maret Thatcher Smith 312 NW 10th Ave #200 B 971-284-7129 maret@thatchersmithlaw.com OSB # 105103
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is now accepting registrations for its next conference, July 13 - 17, 2015. The course is held in the exquisite town of Oceanside, Oregon. There will be five experienced authors (YA, MG, nonfiction, picture book, poetry), two children’s book editors (from major NY houses), and one children’s book agent. A number of our students have been published. We’d like you to be the next. Please go to www.occbww.com for much more information. Or contact us at authilus@teleport.com
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CHATLINES
JONESIN’
by Matt Jones
Sorry, Wrong Letter–sounds like something else is happening.
REAL PEOPLE REAL DESIRE REAL FUN
recourse 56 Union issue 58 Way for Mario to exit 59 Going down the street with your podmates (originally with a J)? 64 Hired a litigator 65 Actress Hathaway 66 Ease 67 Butterworth or Doubtfire 68 Demand 69 1936 Olympics great
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Across 1 “Gone With the Wind” star 6 Festival 10 Exclamation from Emeril 13 Group featuring Mr. T 14 Soothing plant 15 “Victory is mine!” 17 Guy in the crow’s nest (originally with an I)? 19 “Looking for a New Love” singer Watley 20 Unanticipated problems
21 Folds under pressure 23 A number of years 26 Canon model named for a goddess 27 “Hand that Netflix list over here, will ya?” (originally with a Y)? 28 Tune from “The Sound of Music” 30 Burr-Hamilton battle 31 On 32 Feng ___ 34 Savanna antelope 39 Had shoppers
wait too long to get oolong?(originally with a B)? 42 Word before drum or guitar 43 Loving 44 Utah vacation spot 45 Cornbread cake 47 Friendly words from Francois 49 “Way to ace that IQ test!” (originally with a G)? 53 Skedaddle 54 “Down for the count” number 55 Courtroom loser’s
Down 1 Fill-up fluid 2 Took in a T-bone 3 Arthur who played Maude 4 Bad guys break them 5 Rapper on the 2014 album “Shady XV” 6 Vampire’s weapons 7 They can be pale 8 Apple letters 9 “Baywatch” event 10 Old movie theater name 11 Heard the alarm clock 12 Data-sending device 16 Wall St. institution 18 One who practices wu-wei 22 “The Queen” star Mirren 23 First U.S. vice president 24 Bothered 25 Become eaten away 27 Cozy cover
29 Blunted fencing weapon 30 Dog the Bounty Hunter’s first name 33 Company with its HQ in Pittsburgh 35 Rely (on) 36 G-sharp’s equivalent 37 “Pick someone else!” 38 Bathtub part 40 First letter, to Aristotle 41 “Zip Drive” maker that merged with Lenovo 46 Crankcase component 48 Verdi opera based on a Shakespeare play 49 Blathers 50 Drug in a den 51 ___ Peninsula (part of Michigan) 52 Mary Louise Parker show 53 Chattered away 56 Wax counterpart 57 Throw off, as results 60 Compass pt. 61 Suffix with Manhattan 62 Palindromic woman 63 Driving device last week’s answers
©2014 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle #JONZ704.
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Magic Garden, born in 1968 as a lesbian club, raised on stiff drinks and sexy good times to become Portland's Indie Rock Strip Club, will cease existence on New Year's Day 2015. It will be remembered as a loving enclave of dimly lit good times, beautiful, natural dancers and good cheap food. Magic Garden is survived by thousands of people who've staggered out with a smile on their faces.
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Week of December 4
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The National Science Foundation estimates that we each think at least 12,000 thoughts per day. The vast majority of them, however, are reruns of impressions that have passed through our minds many times before. But I am pleased to report that in the coming weeks, you Aries folks are primed to be far less repetitive than normal. You have the potential to churn out a profusion of original ideas, fresh perceptions, novel fantasies, and pertinent questions. Take full advantage of this opportunity. Brainstorm like a genius. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I enjoy getting spam emails with outrageous declarations that are at odds with common sense. “Eating salads makes you sick” is one of my favorites, along with “Water is worse for you than vodka” and “Smoking is healthier than exercising.” Why do I love reading these laughable claims? Well, they remind me that every day I am barraged by nonsense and delusion from the news media, the Internet, politicians, celebrities, and a host of fanatics. “Smoking is healthier than exercising” is just a more extreme and obvious lie than many others that are better disguised. The moral of the story for you in the coming week: Be alert for exaggerations that clue you in to what’s going on discreetly below the surface. Watch carefully for glitches in the Matrix. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Every one of us, including me, has blind spots about the arts of intimacy and collaboration. Every one of us suffers from unconscious habits that interfere with our ability to get and give the love we want. What are your bind spots and unconscious habits, Gemini. Ha! Trick question! They wouldn’t be blind spots and unconscious habits if you already knew about them. That’s the bad news. The good news is that in the next six weeks you can catch glimpses of these blocks, and make a good start toward reducing their power to distort your relationships. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Now and then, it is in fact possible to fix malfunctioning machines by giving them a few swift kicks or authoritative whacks. This strategy is called “percussive maintenance.” In the coming days, you might be inclined to use it a lot. That’s probably OK. I suspect it’ll work even better than it usually does. There will be problems, though, if you adopt a similar approach as you try to correct glitches that are more psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual in nature. For those, I recommend sensitivity and finesse. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What feelings or subjects have you been wanting to talk about, but have not yet been able to? Are there messages you are aching to convey to certain people, but can’t summon the courage to be as candid as you need to be? Can you think of any secrets you’ve been keeping for reasons that used to be good but aren’t good any more? The time has come to relieve at least some of that tension, Leo. I suggest you smash your excuses, break down barriers, and let the revelations flow. If you do, you will unleash unforeseen blessings. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 1662, Dutch painter Rembrandt finished The Oath of Claudius Civilis. It was 18 feet by 18 feet, the largest painting he ever made. For a short time, it hung on a wall in Amsterdam’s Town Hall. But local burgomasters soon decided it was offensive, and returned it to the artist to be reworked. Rembrandt ultimately chopped off three-fourths of the original. What’s left is now hanging in a Stockholm museum, and the rest has been lost. Art critic Svetlana Alpers wishes the entire painting still existed, but nevertheless raves about the remaining portion, calling it “a magnificent fragment.” I urge you to think like Alpers. It’s time to celebrate your own magnificent fragments. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You now have a special talent for connecting things that have never been connected. You also have a magic touch at uniting things that should be united but can’t manage to do so under their own power. In fact, I’m inclined to believe that in the next three weeks you will be unusually lucky and adept at forging links, brokering truces, building bridges, and getting opposites to attract. I won’t be surprised if you’re able to compare apples and oranges in ways that make good sense and calm everyone down.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1989, Amy Tan birthed her first novel, The Joy Luck Club. Her next, The Kitchen God’s Wife, came out in 1991. Both were bestsellers. Within a few years, the student study guide publisher CliffsNotes did with them what it has done with many masterpieces of world literature: produced condensed summaries for use by students too lazy to read all of the originals. “In spite of my initial shock,” Tan said, “I admit that I am perversely honored to be in CliffsNotes.” It was a sign of success to get the same treatment as superstar authors like Shakespeare and James Joyce. The CliffsNotes approach is currently an operative metaphor in your life, Scorpio. Try to find it in your heart to be honored, even if it’s perversely so. For the most part, trimming and shortening and compressing will be beneficial. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): With both symbolic and practical actions, Sagittarius-born Pope Francis has tried to reframe the message of the Catholic Church. He’s having public showers installed for the homeless in Vatican City. He has made moves to dismantle the Church’s bigotry toward gays. He regularly criticizes growing economic inequality, and keeps reminding politicians that there can be no peace and justice unless they take care of poor and marginalized people. He even invited iconic punk poet Patti Smith to perform at the Vatican Christmas Concert. You now have extra power to exert this kind of initiative in your own sphere, Sagittarius. Be proactive as you push for constructive transformations that will benefit all.
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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The limpet is an aquatic snail. When it’s scared, it escapes at a rate approaching two inches per hour. If you get flustered in the coming week, Capricorn, I suggest you flee at a speed no faster than the limpet’s. I’m making a little joke here. The truth is, if you do get into a situation that provokes anxiety, I don’t think you should leave the scene at all. Why? There are two possibilities. First, you may be under the influence of mistaken ideas or habitual responses that are causing you to be nervous about something there’s no need to be nervous about. Or second, if you are indeed in an authentic bind, you really do need to deal with it, not run away. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Science-fiction novelist Philip K. Dick has been one of my favorite authors since I discovered his work years ago. I love how he reconfigured my mind with his metaphysical riffs about politics and his prophetic questions about what’s real and what’s not. Recently I discovered he once lived in a house that’s a few blocks from where I now live. While he was there, he wrote two of his best books. I went to the place and found it was unoccupied. That night I slept in a sleeping bag on the back porch, hoping to soak up inspiration. It worked! Afterwards, I had amazing creative breakthroughs for days. I recommend a comparable ritual for you, Aquarius. Go in quest of greatness that you want to rub off on you. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you enjoy telling people what to do? Are you always scheming to increase your influence over everyone whose life you touch? If you are a typical Pisces, the answer to those questions is no. The kind of power you are interested in is power over yourself. You mostly want to be the boss of you. Right now is a favorable time to intensify your efforts to succeed in this glorious cause. I suggest you make aggressive plans to increase your control over your own destiny.
Homework What gifts do you want for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule, and the winter solstice? Write to Buddha Claus at uaregod@comcast.net.
check out Rob Brezsny’s Expanded Weekly Audio Horoscopes & Daily Text Message Horoscopes
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503-384-WEED (9333) www.mmcsclinic.com 4911 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland Mon-Sat 9-6
503 235 1035
Book your next event in our fully-equipped Music Room! PA system, a digital projector, seating for 75 people, and pizza! The Pizza Pub is available for daytime events. Smaller parties may be booked in the evenings in our bar, the Atlantis Lounge
Call or email Dan at 503-360-7247, booking@mississippipizza.com
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Mississippi Pizza Pub, 3231 N. Mississippi Avenue (near Fremont), Portland
Pizza Delivery
Until 4AM!
www.hammyspizza.com