Whatcha gonna do, brother? Whatcha gonna do when Funch-A-Mania runs wild on you? You should probably enjoy the hell out of it, if you can. There's no shortage of wildness to enjoy this weekend, whether it comes in the form of Funches, the Mississippi Street Fair, the storytelling being shared at BackFence PDX, the improvisational madness of Leviathan, or the sheer what-in-the-everloving-fuck-am-I-watching-ness of the David Lynch retrospective at NW Film. There's a lot to get up to this busy, busy weekend: Hit the links below and load your plate accordingly.
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David Lynch: A Retrospective
A friend once told me he imagined David Lynch as a nice dad whoâd serve you quinoa while discussing the benefits of transcendental meditation. Maybe thatâs a weird way to describe the filmmaker behind such horrors as Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, but I get it. Lynchâs movies arenât comfortable, but the strong emotional engagement they elicit feels like a gift, and so does NW Film Centerâs Lynch retrospective. MEGAN BURBANK
NW Film Center at Whitsell Auditorium, see nwfilm.org for a full list of titles and showtimes
Destructor, Antichrist, Danava
Due to the tragic murder of bassist Dave Holocaust, metal band Destructor originally never made it very far out of Euclid, Ohio. Nearly 30 years later, theyâre playing their first-ever West Coast show tonight, with several new releases since reuniting, and a powerful, relentless sound. Throw in Sweden thrashers Antichrist making their Portland debut and local purveyors of third-eye heaviness Danava, and you have the makings of a loud and righteous night. NED LANNAMANN
9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $16-22
RNB, The Holy Trinity: Rihanna/Nicki/Beyonce
As you know, there are religions and then there are religions. The first types are those which bore you to tears with old-timey, misogynist preachifyingâbut the second? Thatâs when it gets good. Tonight we will celebrate the only religion worth worshipping, the holy trinity of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and BeyoncĂ©âbecause these three strong, independent women are truly great examples to look up to, and who create soul-lifting music with which to waggle your ass to the heavens. RnB, the Holy Trinity is a dance-heavy celebration of these three saviors, with their best hits, features, and collabs spun by DJ Ronin Roc, along with music videos, a dress-up contest, photo booth, and more. Celebrate the queens in the most joyous way possible. It may not be Sunday, but church is definitely in session. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
10 pm, Holocene, $10
Emma Ruth Rundle, Evan Patterson
Emma Ruth Rundle's penchant for swirling, slow-burning epics carries over from her loud post-rock bands Marriages and Red Sparowes into her more subdued solo work. BEN SALMON
7 pm, Revolution Hall, $8-10
Troilus and Cressida
Portland Actors Ensemble kicks off their 48th season, with their first-ever staging of Shakespeare's romantic comedy Troilus and Cressida.
7 pm, Lone Fir Cemetery, free
The Body, Bleak Cities, Ruminant, Naux
Chip King and Lee Buford bring their long-running experimental sludge metal project back to the Know to headline a show benefiting the Portland Peopleâs Outreach Project.
8 pm, The Know, $10
Somber, Laiva, TBI, Dreams
Somber, the up-and-coming Portland-based dark shoegaze outfit featuring of members of Sweeping Exits, celebrate the release of their debut cassette EP, Night Divorce. They'll be joined by Seattle's Laiva, who will be performing tunes off their own debut EP.
9 pm, High Water Mark, $6
Tony Starlight
Just as much a Portland tradition as making the pilgrimage to Powell's while dusting Voodoo crumbs off your fingers, Tony Starlight's been sharing his old-school combo of comedy and crooning for over 20 years. Catch him tonight at Fernhill Park as part of Portland Parks and Recreation's Concerts in the Park series.
6:30 pm, Fernhill Park, free
Lez Stand Up: Karinda Dobbins, Brittani Nichols
I fucking love Lez Stand Up. Not only is it one of the cityâs absolute best queer-friendly comedy showcases, itâs one of the cityâs best comedy shows, full stop. Thereâs a reason the ladies of Lez Stand Up sell out shows without trying: Theyâre really fucking funny, and when they fill a room, having people who arenât straight white dudes on the bill isnât a tokenizing afterthought. Itâs the whole point. Hooray! MEGAN BURBANK
8 pm, Siren Theater, $12
Mississippi Street Fair
It makes sense that one of Portland's busiest streets is also home to one of the city's most boisterous street fairs, and Mississippi Avenue isn't showing any signs of letting up for the 16th iteration of it's annual hootenanny. Browse local products, arts, and crafts, while indulging in tasty treats and refreshing beverages, all in celebration of the people and businesses who inhabit Mississippi Avenue and its nearby neighborhoods.
10 am, free, all ages
Ron Funches: Funch-A-Mania
Since leaving Portland for Los Angeles in 2012, itâs been impossible not to root for Ron Funches as he navigates his way through the world of show business. Armed with a huge smile and a warmth that could melt even the most jaded of audiences, Funches used his role as a cast member in Kroll Show, along with an array of @midnight and Conan appearances, to establish himself as a force on the national scale just as easily as he rose through the ranks here in town. Even with his newly-minted star status, Funches isnât one to shy away from the nerdier aspects of his persona that made him so easy to love in the first place. In an interview with Rolling Stoneâs gaming site Glixel, he describes himself as a walking Nintendo Switch commercial, so expect no shortage of opportunities to geek-out with the comedian when his WWE-inspired âFunch-A-Maniaâ tour swings through Revolution Hall tonight. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
7:30 pm, Revolution Hall, $25, all ages
Nite Jewel, Geneva Jacuzzi, Harriet Brown
These days, electronic artisans are blessed with terabytes of music history in their brains, so the key to survival within this flooded market is how you mold all of this knowledge into a fresh and invigorating voice. On last year's Liquid Cool, Nite Jewel's snowy melodies out-frosted her own coldly futuristic beats. The mix of â80s teen-beat nostalgia and wintry sensuality is sultry enough to soundtrack 5 am post-party comedowns but efficiently glitterized to energize thriving basement rave-ups as well. The emotional accessibility of her songwriting and lo-fi sonic ethics continue with 2017âs Real High, effectively transporting listeners to a claustrophobically saccharine wonderland where the Cocteau Twins and New Edition exist on the same thought wave. Nite Jewel's nostalgia brings me back to the days when I would daydream to a worn-out cassette of The Immaculate Collection, losing myself inside its bubbly, soulful genius. CHRIS SUTTON
9 pm, Doug Fir, $14-16
BackFence PDX: Russian Roulette
In a town brimming with storytelling events, the Backfence PDX: Russian Roulette show ups the excitement by providing a funny topic at random (public nudity, terrifying animals, brush with death, etc.) for their hilarious lineup of guests who get five minutes to tell their true tale. Included tonight are master storytellers Courtenay âIâm also a Mercury columnist!â Hameister, Shannon Balcom Graves, Chris Williams, Jay Flewelling, and more! See if you can handle the truth! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
7:30 pm, Curious Comedy Theater, $16-20
Skull Diver, The Secret Ceremony, Young Hunter
Hot off the heels of the release of their new full-length Chemical Tomb, Portland-based trio Skull Diver headline the High Water Mark with their brooding blend of psych-pop and rock.
8:30 pm, High Water Mark, $6
Jump Jack Sound Machine
Put on your deodorant and get your bum to Mississippi Studiosâtonight is Jump Jack Sound Machine, Portlandâs newest dance party founded by Natasha Kmeto and Chanticleer Tru of Chanti Darling. Itâs powered entirely by sweat and revolves around the orbit of disco balls, so be prepared to surrender yourself to the groove. CIARA DOLAN
10 pm, Mississippi Studios, $5
Leviathan
When the greatest Portland improvisers come together to make you laugh your pants off, what better name to give it than Leviathan? Donât miss the uproarious hijinx of local comedy masters Shelley McLendon, Dylan Reiff, Jed Arkley, Kara Moore and others, including special guests Richard and Rebecca Sohn from Second City and the Annoyance Theater for an evening of what will surely end up being a wet, sloppy puddle of improvisational magic. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
8 pm, Siren Theater, $5
Carolyn Main
Local artist, comedian, and Merc contributor Carolyn Main created the cover for the first installment of the newest Rick and Morty comic miniseries, Pocket Like You Stole It. To celebrate, she's going to be signing copies at Cosmic Monkey Comics.
noon, Cosmic Monkey Comics, free
Bead Faire
10 am, Oregon Convention Center, $7
Solomon Georgio
Look, Iâm just going to say it: Iâm sick of listening to white-straight-guy comedians tell jokes about Tinder and beards. That truly doesnât interest me. You know who does? Solomon Georgio, whose comedy isnât just inventiveâitâs smart, gregarious, and consistently great. Need a preview? Check out his political quips ânâ barbs on Twitter; theyâre some of the best things in that godforsaken cesspool. MEGAN BURBANK
7 pm, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $10-15
PDX Pop Now! Compilation Release Party
The PDX Pop Now! compilation is an annual reminder that we live in one of the best cities for music in the country. Tonight's all-ages celebration features sets by great local bands Small Skies, A Certain Smile, Fire Nuns, and your ticket price includes a copy of the double-disc comp! NED LANNAMANN
8 pm, Holocene, $8-10
Playboi Carti, Young Nudy, Pierre Bourne
Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti dropped his self-titled debut mixtape in April, and just a few months later, the 20-year-old appeared on XXLâs Freshman Class cover. Listen to âMagnoliaâ and youâll understand why so many are hooked. The dark, spiraling bass line, eerie flute melody, and Cartiâs simple but hypnotically repetitive verses sound like a haunted carousel you canât exit. The track even begins and ends with someone yelling, âYo Pierre, you wanna come out here?â heightening the circular surrealism. CIARA DOLAN
8 pm, Roseland, $26, all ages
Hustle & Drone, Earth World, Mothertapes
When you get a chance to hear Portland electro-pop trio Hustle & Drone show off their latest adventures in dance, you should probably take it. That goes double when it's free.
8:30 pm, Rontoms, free
Pickin' on Sundays: Pretty Gritty
Would you like to spend your Sunday afternoons on a sunny patio, drinking refreshing drinks and listening to great live music? The Doug Firâs summer series Pickinâ on Sundays allows you to do just that, offering no-cover daytime shows and smooth livinâ each Sunday to help you wind down your weekend. Tonight the weekly series kicks off with a set from Pretty Gritty. NED LANNAMANN
3 pm, Doug Fir, free
Santoros, Kulululu, The Verner Pantons
Los Angeles' Santoros incorporate organ tones and harmonies over twangy guitar riffs to make the weirdest and catchiest SoCal sunshine punk. CIARA DOLAN
9 pm, The Liquor Store, $7
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!
