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Occupy Bagdad: A benefit for Occupy Portland (8-November-2011)

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The People SpeakOccupy Bagdad, a benefit for Occupy Portland, takes place Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne).

The evening begins with a silent auction at 6pm. At 8pm enjoy stand up comedy by Arlo Stone, Auggie Smith, Dwight Slade, Nato Green, and other special guests.

A screening of The People Speak, an award winning documentary based on A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, starts at 10pm.

This film weaves archival footage and interviews with performances by actors and artists such as Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Kerry Washington, Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, Marisa Tomei, Bruce Springsteen, and John Legend.

The performers’ commitment to Howard Zinn’s message makes this a labor of love. “Change doesn’t come from the top, but rather from the bottom,” Damon observes. “Without everyday citizens pushing to make a difference, there would be no America.” It is Damon who reads the Declaration of Independence, surely one of the great protest documents in history.

Advance $10 tickets are available online. Proceeds benefit Occupy Portland.

Weekend Amusements (September 16-18, 2011)

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A mighty fine weekend in Portland: beer, bikes, nature, comedy, belly dancing, Timbers, Serbian Fest, and more!

Ongoing

Swift WatchChapman Vaux’s Swift Watch 2011

Every September thousands of Vaux’s Swifts come to Portland. They spend their days eating lots of bugs. In the late afternoon the Swifts begin flying in a giant undulating swirl in the sky about the school. Around sunset they swirl more tightly, like a ground pepper tornado, and begin disappearing, measure by measure, down the chimney. On the lawn below, hundreds of Portlanders gather on lawn chairs and blankets to stare at the sky, mesmerized. Boos erupt when opportunistic Peregrine falcons occasionally get lucky. The crowd cheers, however, when the predators are thwarted. Meanwhile unruly oblivious children scream and roll down the grassy hill. [more

Friday

Laughter is the Best MedicineLaughter Is The Best Medicine

The second annual Laughter is the Best Medicine, presented by the Vital Life Foundation, takes place Friday, September 16, 2011 at the Alberta Rose Theater (3000 NE Alberta).

Hosted by Dwight Slade, this comedy fundraiser benefits the Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. [more]

Offbeat Belly DanceOffbeat Belly Dance

Every third Friday of the month the Blue Monk (3341 SE Belmont) hosts the Offbeat Belly Dance collective, a club rocking, good timing, genre-defying gang of badass belly dancers.

This Friday, September 16, 2011, is no exception – the Offbeat Belly Dance collectives invites you to Offbeat Belly Dance! Fun! Fabulous! Freeee Show! ZOMG! [more]

Portland TimbersPortland Timbers vs. New England Revolution

A week after a hard fought draw at Philadelphia the Portland Timbers (9-12-6) return to Jeld-Wen Field today to take on the New England Revolution (5-11-12).

Portland is in relatively good form, winning the two matches previous, both at home. With a win today, the Timbers continue their fight for a playoff spot, but they’ll still need good results on the road to get there. [more]

Saturday-Sunday

Serbian Fest 2011Serbian Fest 2011

The fifth annual Serbian Fest (pdf) takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18, 2011 at St. Stephen in Milwaukie (11447 SE 27th).

“The event will offer popular Serbian fare, including chevaps, a ground meat and homemade bread dish; baklava, a nut and honey dessert; palachinke, thin filled pancakes; other desserts; and roast lamb, roast pig and vegetarian dishes.” [more]

VegFestPortland VegFest 2011

Oregon’s largest plant-based food event!
Saturday & Sunday, September 17 & 18
Oregon Convention Center

VegFest celebrates and promotes sustainable, compassionate and healthy food choices and lifestyles. This low-cost, fun and food-filled event welcomes everyone! [more]

Saturday

BikeToBeerFestBikeToBeerFest 2011

The 3rd annual BikeToBeerFest takes place Saturday, September 17, 2011 at Hopworks Urban Brewery (2944 SE Powell) from noon until 10pm.

The fest features the Wanderlust Circus, games and activities for the kids, breakdancers, and plenty of bike-related fun, including the Flatlanders (BMS trick riders), a Huffy Toss Competition, bike builders, and more! [more]

Sunday

Gay Fair in the SquareGay Fair on the Square

Join Portland’s Gay Men’s Choir this Sunday, September 18, 2011 for Gay Fair on the Square, an afternoon of entertainment and information as the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus puts the spotlight on area non-profit organizations serving the LGBT community.

Held at Pioneer Courthouse Square from 12:30pm to 5pm, over 60 LGBT friendly organization will be on hand at this free event, for an afternoon of music, information, and interaction. [more]

Dog Day AfternoonDog Day Afternoon

Beer West Magazine and Amnesia Brewing present Dog Day Afternoon, a benefit for Portland’s Pixie Project, this Sunday, September 18, 2011 at the brewpub (832 N Beech).

“The event is free to the public and all dogs and their owners are welcome (no kids under 21, please!). Events include a raffle and a “coolest dog trick” contest at 4 p.m. during which dogs can show off their best tricks to an audience of judges.” [more]

Man vs Dog 211Man vs Dog: Late-Summer Scarfing Fest

Man vs. Dog, the Original‘s 3rd annual late-summer scarfing fest, takes place Sunday, September 18, 2011 at the restaurant (300 SW 6th).

“Some of them deprive themselves of nutritious sustenance before taking their marks. Some of them use water as a lubricant to make these little torpedoes slippery enough to go down faster. Some of them simply break them in two and simultaneously inhale both halves like shameless sword-swallowing ducks.” [more]

And for even more weekend events and activities, check out the Dave Knows Calendar, and visit Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Oregon Events at OregonLive.com.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine (16-September-2011)

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Laughter is the Best MedicineThe second annual Laughter is the Best Medicine, presented by the Vital Life Foundation, takes place Friday, September 16, 2011 at the Alberta Rose Theater (3000 NE Alberta).

Hosted by Dwight Slade, this comedy fundraiser benefits the Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Comedians performing include Ron Funches, Ian Karmel, Stacey Hallal, Gabe Dinger, and Anthony Lopez. Videos of seniors telling jokes (see the video below for a sample) are a highlight of the program.

In addition there will be a special musical performance by They’re Heading West.

Oh, and there’s beer and wine, food, a raffle and a silent auction!

Tickets are only $10. Doors open at 6pm, show begins at 7pm. 21 and over only!

Entertainment For People (27-April-2011)

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Entertainment For People 2011The latest Entertainment for People extravaganza takes place Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at the The Woods (6637 SE Milwaukie) – Formerly Whilhelm Funeral Home and Crematory.

Brought to you by the people behind Back Fence PDX Entertainment for People is a variety show featuring comedy, poetry, music, film, cupcakes and more!

The lineup:

Beth Lisick

New York Times best-selling author, sketch comedy performer and BACK FENCE PDX favorite, Lisick will host your pants off and do some performing of her own. Check out the awesome NY Times review she received for her performance in the indie movie EVERYTHING STRANGE and NEW. Did we mention she has great hair? It’s true.

The Aces: Shelly McLendon and Michael Fetters

Shelley and Michael will premiere as THE ACES for the first time at E4P. Their particular brand of comedy can be described as The Who meets Peaches and Herb. And…They’re the tallest sketch comedy group in America. This is where you’ve seen them together: ROAD HOUSE: The Play!, SWEAT, and in a little short film called TIME BIKE. You’ve seen MICHAEL in THE 3rd FLOOR, THE AUTEUR, and Pioneer Middle School’s adaptation of ARSENIC and OLD LACE. You’ve seen SHELLEY in The LIBERATOR’S and EASTLAND ACADEMY, and she had one line in PORTLANDIA. When they first met, they didn’t think either one of them liked each other. Michael and Shelley.

Blind Bartimaeus

The music of this good lookin’ Portland-based blues band is biblically dark, sexy, and soulful. Bring a towel to dry off after they play. Check them out HERE!

John Breen

Breen will be interviewed by Lisick—then debut the trailer for his feature film, The Last Garden. An unromantic comedy about a penniless, reclusive painter struggling to create his masterpiece. As a director Breen’s short films have screened at festivals in New York, San Francisco and Portland, and he has two feature films in development. His film and TV acting credits include Wendy and Lucy, starring Michelle Williams; Rid of Me, and The Auteur, directed by James Westby; Untraceable, starring Diane Lane; Todd Freeman’s Cell Count; Leverage; and several appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Riley Michael Parker and Colleen Elizabeth Rowley

Riley and Colleen will perform a hot as poke piece from Parker’s Western oeuvre. Scripture from a town built on murder; from a place where men eat the hair of the dead to keep their own bodies above ground; where the women are as loose with a gun as they are with their… Well, you know. RILEY is a bathtub filled with raw meat and human teeth, but also fruit and yogurt. Can you imagine the smell in the summer? Christ… Just unbearable. COLLEEN is a gun that shoots broken glass instead of bullets, and she has no safety, and the trigger is so sensitive that even thinking about firing sets her ablaze, BAM, POW, KA-BOOM.

B. Frayn Masters

Masters’ll be performing some kind of new and ridiculous thing. You may recognize the name as she is one of the co-hosts and founders of Back Fence PDX and as the other female member of the all-girl comedy duo EASTLAND ACADEMY. Recently, B. Frayn has graced stages with readings from her work in McSweeney’s, Hobart, and as Cherry Daniels in GGW magazine. She will be premiering her brand new webisodic series, Desiree’s Days, soon.

Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $12 online/$15 at the door – Visit EntertainmentForPeople.com for more information.

Watch The Waiting List on DVD

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The Waiting ListThe Waiting List, local filmmaker Mike Vogel‘s first feature film, is now available on DVD.

Mike goes for the hard sell:

For those of you either hit hard by the craptastic economy or who are hesitant to drop $10 on a movie you’ve never seen by a director you’ve never heard of, I do have a plan to livestream the entire movie in March for free on Ustream or some site like that. And eventually I hope to have it available in other ways besides fragile physical discs that are dying off as a medium.

But until then, please go buy a copy of The Waiting List for yourself. Or buy one as a baby shower gift for that first time parent. Or that stay-at-home dad. That working mom. That couple trying to get their kid into preschool. This movie was made for parents and now I hope it will be seen by parents.

Mike made the film for less than $1500 over three weekends at an elementary school where his brother teaches first grade. The story is based on an actual experience he had waiting overnight to get his daughter into a preschool, and it stars local actors Jayme S. Hall, Audrey Walker, Bryce Flint-Somerville, Amanda Englund, Teresa Decher, and Mercedes Rose.

The Portland premiere of The Waiting List took place last Thursday night at the Hollywood Theatre. Heather and I enjoyed the film immensely (and not just because she won a copy of said DVD during a post-screening raffle!). The film is a funny, sarcastic, profanity-laced, vodka-fueled tea party.

Order your own copy here!.