Wednesday February 13top

Rabbit Hole

In David Lindsay-Abaire's first serious drama we join Becca (Susannah Mars) and Howie (forcefully portrayed by Duffy Epstein), a middle-aged suburbanite couple, eight months after the death of their 4-year-old son Danny, who ran out in the street after his dog and was mowed down by a teenage driver. Becca is a wreck, and the well-intentioned efforts of her mother (Vana O’Brien) and lowlife sister (Adrienne Flagg) aren’t helping. The playwright's refusal to assign blame for or give meaning to Danny’s death is hard on the audience—where’s the gratification in random tragedy?—but makes for an artistic achievement more satisfying than any morality play. Rabbit Hole is a beautiful, deeply affecting and surprisingly funny work, and director Allen Nause has done it justice in a fine production, bucking the persistent mediocrity that has plagued the company this season. BEN WATERHOUSE. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., 241-1278. 7:30 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes March 23. $20-$47. All ages. Map

8-Bit Disco: 8-Bit Generation, Laromlab, Robotcowboy, E*Rock, B*Retta

[COMPUTER LOVE] Ever wish you had a family tree mapped out for your favorite music genre? Well, if you happen to have a deep-seated love for music that marries computer chips and the Internet, then you're in luck with French film 8-Bit Generation. Serving as a visual and aural map of chip music's history (the genre's songs are constructed primarily using technology from old video-game systems and computers), the short film will be shown this evening accompanied by music to make any computer-loving heart beat even faster. Asterisk-loving DJs E*Rock and B*Retta provide support for out-of-town bit and blip dance acts Robotcowboy and Laromlab. There are enough electronic stimuli here to bring on system overload. NILINA MASON-CAMPBELL. 9 pm. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 239-7639. $5. 21+. Map

Andy Combs (9 pm); Portland Songwriter's Association Showcase (6 pm)

[CREEP FOLK] It may be hard to believe, considering how much fun Andy Combs' recordings—chock full of banjo, foot-stomping and demonic backing vocals—are, but his live shows may actually be more fun! Armed with piano, strings, a more-than-versatile voice and tons of personality, Combs leads his audiences in chant- and stomp-alongs, pitting crowd halves against each other and smiling all the while. His recent video for "The Bloodship" (from last year's The Robot in the Clouds is a fine example of what to expect: It features a Huck Finn-lookin' Combs (who actually resembles a young David Bowie) floating down a river atop (what else?) a raft before arriving at a cryptic dance party of woodland weirdos. Finally, Portland's received a songwriter who gets as much of a kick out of his talent as everyone else does. AMY MCCULLOUGH. 9 pm. Mississippi Pizza, 3552 N Mississippi Ave., 288-3231. Cover. 21+. Map

BULLSEYE GALLERY

Carrie Iverson's print-based glass works.
300 NW 13th Ave., 227-0222., 227-0222. Closes Feb. 16. Map

AUGEN (DESOTO BLDG)

Pablo Picasso's prints and ceramics.
716 NW Davis St., 224-8182. Closes Feb. 26. Map

GUARDINO GALLERY

Chris Haberman's paintings, Jennifer Mercede's works, Mario Robert's works.
2939 NE Alberta St., 281-9048. Closes Feb. 26. Map

OGLE GALLERY

Alexis Mollomo's eerie narrative paintings.
With their Breugel-meets-Henry-Darger style, these domestic narratives offer a thought-provoking take on the creepier aspects of feminism, marriage, and motherhood. 310 NW Broadway., 227-4333. Closes March 30. Map

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY, HOFFMAN HALL

Picasso's Guernica: Preliminary Studies, 42 Facsimile Sketches (Littman Gallery).
These facsimiles of Picasso's preliminary sketches for perhaps his most famous work show the steps he took on the way to creating the painting. 1825 SW Broadway., 725-3000. Closes March 26. Map

GALLERY HOMELAND

Group show curated by Todd Johnson, featuring artists including Timothy Hursley, David Levinthal, and Berthold Steinhilber.
2505 SE 11th Ave., 819-9656. Closes March 2. Map

Oregon Book Award Authors Reading

Imagine what sparks would fly if the newly crowned Miss America were forced to perform onstage with her second and third runners-up. That’s essentially what’s happening here—authors Alison Clement (Twenty Questions), Robert Hill (When All Is Said and Done) and Monica Drake (Clown Girl) all competed for 2007’s Ken Kesey Novel Award, but only one, well, won. They’ll all be reading, in a cage match brought to you by Literary Arts and South Waterfront. No blood, no foul. , 3623 SW River Parkway., 227-2583. 7 pm. Free. Map

Thursday February 14top

The Communist Dracula Pageant

Meet Dracula. No, not that Dracula, though he’s invited as well. We’re talking about the communist Dracula: Nicolae Ceausescu, the former dictator of Romania. Anne Washburn’s new play, running in a workshop production at defunkt theatre, ambitiously attempts to encompass in 95 minutes a sketchy history of the Romanian revolution, nuanced portraits of the dictator and his wife and some dime-store philosophizing about the nature of freedom. It doesn’t quite succeed. The defunkt ensemble has impeccable comedic timing, and the show’s humorous scenes manage to hold the audience’s attention, but the story loses steam during a few scenes that don’t quite make sense to the viewer who comes without prior knowledge of the December Revolution—that is, almost all of us. The show is, nonetheless, worth seeing for Kenichi Hillis’ bizarre, toothy performance as Vlad "The Impaler" Tepes. He steals the show. See review. (Playwright Anne Washburn will lead talkbacks after the show Feb. 8 and 9.) The Back Door Theater, 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 481-2960. 8 pm Thursdays-Sundays. Closes Feb. 16. $10-$15. All ages. Map

Exit the King

A ruler who has run his country into the ground now refuses to let go. Sound familiar? Probably its resonance with our current national leadership crisis prompted Arts Equity to take on Ionesco’s political satire, and it does a fine job playing up the similarities. King Berenger (Rod Harrel) and his court speak with thick Texas accents, and Berenger himself makes apelike facial expressions and frequently lets fly a sinister airy cackle—heh, heh, heh—that will be instantly familiar to anyone with a TV. This spirited production—nimbly directed by Llewellyn Rhoe—successfully straddles the line between tragedy and farce, and it has the advantage of lending itself to contemporary allegory. Unfortunately, the script hasn’t aged well; what may have challenged audiences in 1962 drags in the new millennium. The second act features unforgettable monologues by Berenger and Queen Marguerite (Virginia Belt), and, in general, the performances are solid. However, not all characters speak with the same accent—the maid is French, the guard is German, and the actors step on each others’ lines. JOHN MINERVINI. The Main Street Theater, 606 Main St., Vancouver., 360-695-3770. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes Feb. 16. $10-$24. All ages. Map

Twelfth Night

Too many bored directors, forced by tradition and economics to stage another goddamn Shakespeare, try to shoehorn a perfectly decent comedy into an awkward fancy-dress conceit or inappropriate political statement, but Jane Jones, down from Seattle to direct Portland Center Stage’s production of the mistaken-identity romantic comedy, has the good sense to leave the play alone. This is, without hyperbole, an entirely satisfying production. On the technical side, William Bloodgood’s set is modestly beautiful, Deborah Trout’s costumes are dazzling, Nancy Schertler’s lights are a show in their own right, and Joshua Kohl’s music is just delightful—but the ensemble, made up mostly of Ashland vets, could get along just fine without them. They’re all good, but Brad Bellamy stands out with an inspired take on Feste the fool that lands somewhere between Jack Nicholson and Sancho Panza. If you’re looking for real entertainment, this is it. BEN WATERHOUSE. Gerding Theater, 128 NW 11th Ave., 445-3700. 7:30 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, 2 and 7:30 pm Sundays, noon Thursdays. Alternates with The Beard of Avon. See wweek.com or pcs.org for more details. Closes March 9. $16.50-$61.50. All ages. Map

Tales of Ordinary Madness

Stepán Simek directs his own translation of Petr Zelenka’s Czech hit, a crackling comedy full of good old-fashioned American-style dysfunction. Peter (Brian Allard) is a beer-swilling thirtysomething who follows his shut-in and sexual deviant friend Midge’s (an exuberantly goofy Shuhe Hawkins) black-magic advice to lure his girlfriend, Jeanette, back to him. Peter vacillates between midday delusions, watching his neighbors fuck (at their behest) and suffering through visits home, where his excitable mother (Dalene Young) donates blood obsessively and predicts her husband’s (an endearingly meek Michael Chambers) downfall. Dad, meanwhile, plays with beer bubbles and bemoans his old career as a radio mouthpiece for the Party. A truly theatrical act of desperation ties the madness up nicely, and anchoring performances by Young and Chambers provide a jarring few moments of heartbreak in the last act. See review. SAUNDRA SORENSON. The CoHo Theater, 2257 NW Raleigh St., 220-2646. 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes Feb. 23. $20-$23. All ages. Map

The Importance of Being Earnest

Northwest Classical Theatre Company brings an American slapstick sensibility to Oscar Wilde’s oft-performed comedy, keeping it loose and funny until the end of the third act. The women carry the show, with deliciously venomous performances by Kelly Godell (Gwendolyn) and Paige Jones (Lady Bracknell). The men seem to be straining, though, and Tom Walton exhibits a disagreeable habit of closing his eyes while delivering lines. Thematically, the production, directed by Blue Monkey Theater’s John Monteverde, lays heavy emphasis on vanity, a theme reflected in the placement of floor-length mirrors along the set’s back wall. This design has the unfortunate consequence that the actors, whenever they are admiring themselves, are forced to turn their backs on the audience. Also: because Earnest is really only dialogue, costumes come under unusually close scrutiny. In this regard, the women once again fared better, looking tip-top, whereas the men seem to have been dressed out of bins. How can you be a fop if your clothes don’t match, or even fit? Nevertheless, the audience laughed loud and often, and you will too. JOHN MINERVINI. Shoe Box Theater, 2110 SE 10th Ave., 971-244-3740. 7 pm Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 pm Sundays. Closes March 2. $12-$18. All ages. Map

Minibike Winter V

Last winter, I made a point to bike over and witness (no partaking here, I’m too much of a wuss!) the Zoobombers’ inaugural Ben Hurt Chariot Wars—specifically, the “whiplash” portion—and was not disappointed. To summarize, it’s where a long elastic rope is tied to two hand-welded bike-drawn chariots. Riders then mount up and pedal past one another in opposite directions. The first side to be toppled from its steed loses. Why the recap now? Because Part II of the Chariot Wars takes place this week during the ’Bombers' fifth annual Minibike Winter, along with stencil-ins, an Olympic torch ride, a downhill gravity bike competition, a metal-and-lace fashion show, pantsless dance parties and more carnal fun. , , Free. Easy-Difficult.

Amelia, Silk & Olive

[SULTRY POP] Tonight's incarnation of local jazz-pop group Amelia is actually a stripped-down return to its early days as a duo: Sans upright bass and full-kit drums, singer Teisha Helgerson (who also plays brushed drums and guitar) and guitarist Scott Weddle will take the band's sultry pop sound down a notch to folkier, even country-ish levels. This song-centric approach ought to make the most of Weddle's surf- and Djano-tinged six-string expertise, as well as Helgerson's rich, sorrowful voice. It's a change-up perfectly intimate for the V-day occasion, not to mention Mississippi Studios' warm, personal space. Let's just hope "Better Than Sleeping Alone" doesn't make people overanalyze their dates too much. AMY MCCULLOUGH. 8 pm. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., 288-3895. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+. Map

Shadow Mortons, DJ Hornet Leg

[SUPER GIRL GROUP] I have to say, I write this listing with some reluctance—not because I'm unexcited, but because I foresee so much awesomeness that I'd like to keep it to myself. That, however, just wouldn't be fair, considering the all-star cast of Northwest faves rounding out all-girl power ensemble the Shadow Mortons. The garage-rock threesome of well-known bassist Joanna Bolme (Quasi, the Jicks), drummer extraordinaire Janet Weiss (ex-Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, the Jicks) and underground legend Rebecca Gates (the Spinanes), Shadow Mortons is, in Bolme's words, "our ‘60s girl group that we do every now and then just for fun." Now that I've let the cat out of the bag, I can only hope enough people are busy getting busy (or trying to) to keep this Valentine's-hosted V-day show attendable. AMY MCCULLOUGH. 9 pm. Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny St., 248-1600. Free. All ages. Map

Vagabond Opera + Portland Cello Project V-Day Spectacular

The Portland Cello Project is probably the best example in town of what that terribly termed genre we call "classical music" can mean—and be—in a 21st-century hip metropolitan city: They are sharp, irreverent, inventive and just damn good players. No wonder they swooped up the first-ever Portland Music Award last month for "Most Innovative Achievement in Classical Music." They've got the goods, kids. They're teaming up with Eric Stern's balkan brassy ragtag Vagabond Opera for a knockout V-Day lovefest show at the Wonder, complete with kissing booths, chocolate nummies by Sugarcube and, gulp, a "love clairvoyant." STEPHEN MARC BEAUDOIN. Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St., 284-8686. 7 pm Thursday, Feb. 14. $13-$15. 21+. Map

Toby Barlow

Admittedly, when I first heard about Toby Barlow’s Sharp Teeth, a werewolf thriller written in free verse, I was skeptical. I mean, a book-length poem about lycanthropes running amok in L.A.? But apparently it works. An editor at WW familiar with the book claims the metrical arrangement of the prose fits perfectly with its taut, suspenseful vibe. Critics seem to agree. Come meet the man who might have written a modern Rape of the Lock. Powell's on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 228-4651. 7:30 pm. Free. Map

Whip it Real Good

The Jupiter Hotel is a fine establishment, to be sure, and cleanly to boot. But with the Valentine’s Day event Whipped @ The Jupiter, the cleaning staff might do well to stock up on disinfectant for the morning of the 15th. Whipped, produced by Roxana Hannah, is an alternative to Hallmark cards and teddy-bear bouquet bullshit associated with St. Valentine. The party, open to singles and couples alike, features dinner by John Ricci, formerly a chef at Carlyle, booze and music by DJ Mr. Mumu. And where could a randy couple (or trio, quintet or menagerie) go after a nice romantic evening under the tent of the Jupiter? The hipster hotel has partnered with Spartacus (naughty, naughty) to present Love and Lust packages, available through Valentine’s Day. Packages come with many sexy options, ranging from in-room lingerie and champagne to traditional date-night concert tickets at the adjoining Doug Fir, or intimate fun with a Spartacus Luv Kit. That makes Whipped open for interpretation—you can be whipped by feelings of unending love, or whipped endlessly by your love with a cat o’ nine tails. Just be sure to use whatever protection comes with that love kit, lest you be dealing with a different sort of V.D. next February. Jupiter Hotel, 800 E Burnside St., 230-9200. 6 pm-1 am. All ages. $40. Map

Friday February 15top

The Neutrino Project

Why watch live, unedited improv when you could see a movie, acted and filmed on the fly by the ambitious folks at Curious Productions? Directed by Bob Ladewig, The Neutrino Project is shot at three locations—edited, scored and projected almost live. BEN WATERHOUSE. Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., 281-4215. 9:30 pm Fridays. Closes Feb. 22. $10. All ages. Map

Bark, Hide and Horn; Or, the Whale; Band of Annuals (10 pm); Lindsay Mac, Anna Fritz (7 pm)

[SCIENCE ROCK] Music nerds know the term “math rock” as something like a Rubik’s cube of pseudo-genres—all intricate layers of cascading guitars and tricky time signatures. So how about this one? Local four-piece Bark, Hide and Horn plays ridiculously catchy folk songs that could create a whole new entry in the Music Snobs Dictionary: "science rock." Frontman and songwriter Andy Furgeson has created a whole slew of tunes based on characters picked out from old National Geographic stories, and the band sets his vivid scenes of snails mating to a vibrant background of trumpet, bass, vibraphone and analog synths. The band just finished mastering its first full-length, and tonight’s intimate show should highlight a bevy of new tunes. Try to pay attention while you rock out—you just might learn something. MICHAEL MANNHEIMER. 10 pm. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., 288-3895. $7 advance, $8 day of show. 21+. Map

Portland Jazz Festival: SF Jazz Collective

[JAZZ] The Frisco-based nonprofit SF Jazz is like the Lincoln Center of the West Coast, with a stated mission to advance new forms of jazz and celebrate all the diverse places it's already been. The SF Jazz Collective is the organization’s bread-and-butter project, bringing together eight top-notch jazz masters each year to tour internationally as emissaries of jazz education, exhibition and preservation. It's led by one of the more dynamic young jazz musicians to emerge during the ’90s, saxophonist Joshua Redman. In addition to playing new compositions from the octet's members (who include tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, Eric Harland on drums, and Grammy winner Robin Eubanks on trombone), the Collective's performance will pay tribute to legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter. LANCE KRAMER. 9:30 pm. Newmark Theatre, Portland Center for the Performing Arts, 1111 SW Broadway., 248-4335. $36.75-$62.25. All ages. Also see music feature, coming soon. Map

Cover Your Hearts: Charmparticles, Climber, Oh Darling, Curious Jones, Dr. Theopolis, Tango Alpha Tango, Castle, Jonah, UHF, Derby (9 pm); Dusty York Trio (5 pm)

[SOFT ROCK OF THE ’80S] Yeah, you read that genre correctly. Tonight, some of Portland's best shoegaze (Charmparticles), power-pop (Derby) and Radiohead-eque (Climber, Jonah) groups take the stage to pay tribute to their favorite ’80s ballads. Ah, the ’80s, when any songwriting blunder could be cleaned up quick with a dab of Casio or a few dooks on the ol' cowbell. My guess is that more than a few skeletons will exit their closets this evening. While it makes sense that popsters like Derby and Jonah would have a few guilty ’80s soft-rock pleasures (I really want to hear one of ’em do Rod Stewart's "Forever Young," or maybe Bryan Adams' "I Do It for You" (recorded in 1991, but everybody knows the ’80s didn't end until 1992), but what is Dr. Theopolis going to pick? So long as it's by Eddie Money, I'm game. CASEY JARMAN. 9 pm. Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Ave., 248-1030. $7 advance, $8 day of show. 21+. Map

Portland Jazz Festival: Ornette Coleman (7:30 pm)

[JAZZ] See music feature. 7:30 pm. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway., 248-4335. $28-$75. All ages. Map

The Balancing Act: Making Art and Making Money

To paraphrase that famous philosophical query, if dance happens in an empty hall, does it really exist? With the hope that you’ll never have to ask, the Regional Arts and Culture Council is offering a professional development workshop by Carolyn Campbell and Bob Sterry, who provide tools and advice to increase artists’ visibility, profitability and ultimately, self-sustainability. HEATHER WISNER. New Columbia Community Education Center, 4625 N Trenton St., 823-5111. 9 am Friday, Feb. 15. $25. All ages. Map

Saturday February 16top

Rachel Taylor Brown, Ali Ippolito, Ali Wesley (10 pm); Lila Nelson, Phil O'Sullivan (7 pm)

[CARNIVAL FOLK] Three of Portland's more recognizable, unique female voices take the small stage tonight, and it should be quite a treat. Rachel Taylor Brown gets in the sandbox Brian Wilson-style, playing with percussion and creepy ambient noise while she sings the overdubbed choruses of her rock operettas—her voice more akin to Superchunk's Mac McCaughan than any female vocalists that come to mind. Of the two Alis, Ippolito is the one whose sound is like an adventurous Parisian musical sung by Portishead's Beth Gibbons, and Wesley is the one spinning understated, down-to-earth folk-pop that can't help remind a bit of her bandmate, Scott Garred (the man behind Portland's Super XX Man). A common thread here is that none of these women rely on predictable/sappy love songs to round out their repertoires. Thank goodness! CASEY JARMAN. 10 pm. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., 288-3895. $7 advance, $8 day of show. 21+. Map

A Tribute to Billie Holiday: Liv Warfield (8 & 10 pm)

[JAZZ STANDARDS] Local soulstress Liv Warfield will tackle Billie Holiday tonight, and it's an interesting concept. Holiday, of course, is widely considered to be the greatest jazz singer of all time. In fact, it's kind of blasphemous—in the roots-conscious world of jazz—to suggest anything else. Warfield is often mentioned as the top voice in Portland R&B, and her style employs enough improvisation and vocal gymnastics to make her a prime candidate for taking on some jazz standards. But whether the sultry Warfield can channel a world-weary, deeply emotive Billie Holiday remains to be seen. You'll have two chances to find out tonight at Jimmy Mak's. CASEY JARMAN. 8 & 10 pm. Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th Ave., 295-6542. $15 ($25 for both performances). 21+. Map

Portland Jazz Festival: Tim Berne

[JAZZ] The “legend” goes that Syracuse native Tim Berne bought his first sax on a whim, back when he was a student at Lewis & Clark in the ’70s. Now a seasoned and prolific avant-garde saxophonist and composer, Berne draws on influences that range from Julius Hemphill to Sam & Dave to the Kronos Quartet. He also has a distinct knack for doing something rare in the world of jazz—creating an altogether new sound. A fervently independent musician whose improvisations and free-jazz stylings follow anything but a traditional structure, he’s continued to push new boundaries and definitions of jazz on more than two-dozen albums since the early ’80s, many recorded on his own labels. LANCE KRAMER. 11 pm. Winningstad Theatre, Portland Center for Performing Arts, 1111 SW Broadway., 248-4335. $20 advance, $25 day of show. All ages. Also see music feature, coming soon. Map

Portland Jazz Festival: The Bad Plus (2 pm)

[JAZZ FUSION] With a bevy of influences and a penchant for split-time experimentation, the Bad Plus drifts seamlessly across the jazz spectrum, from dizzying, rapid-clip explorations to deep grooves to Latin jazz—often in the same song. Ethan Iverson displays a bravado on the ivories, seemingly intent on hitting every key possible (particularly on a strange, classical-style rendition of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man”). And drummer David King could well be considered a calculated psychopath due to the furious fills he blasts throughout the trio’s infectious compositions. Seldom is "experimental” jazz as pleasurable as this. AP KRYZA. 2 pm. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. $26-$46. All ages. Also see music feature, coming soon. Map

Artsy and Fartsy

Local funnyman Aaron Ross (comedy troupes Kick the Squirrel and Renob Control) has honed an ability to mesh high-concept ideas with lowbrow humor—a refined combo of artsy and fartsy, if you will. Last year, he tackled several characters for his one-man show Al Gore Memorial High School, an audience-participation experiment in improv and insanity. Now, like so many sketch performers before him, Ross has based an entire show on one character: the bizarre, slightly perverted Ed Forman. For The Ed Forman Show, With ME, ED FORMAN! Ross transplants his bad-wigged self-help guru—based on a real author whose works Ross discovered in a bargain bin—to a ’70s-style talk show, complete with a monologue, house band Thuggage, a sidekick and guest performers. Throughout the show Ross takes to the audience for volunteers, making the majority of the performance off the cuff. People are singled out for participation in such discomforting situations as drinking contests and an “In Bed with Ed” interview. That spontaneity makes each of Ross’ shows unique—it’s hard to guess how people will react to being the butt of a joke. Some unsuspecting victims flee with embarrassment, others steal the show. But Ross is a good enough showman to roll with the punches either way, making for a comedic and musical experience tailored to the audience. AudioCinema, 226 SE Madison St., 750-5363. 8 pm. See Performance listings for more. All ages. $8. Map

Sunday February 17top

Sinferno Cabaret: The Wet Spots, Dagger of the Mind

[SEXY CAMP] Acts surrounding Dante's Sinferno Cabaret often seem chosen at random—deliciously so; nothing better than watching a folk act first realize the audience didn't exactly leave Beaverton to hear music—but those whimsically lewd Wet Spots neatly split the difference. The Canadian duo's high camp is more clever and theatrical than sexy, but, honestly, one could say the same for Sinferno. Dagger of the Mind's so-called "bardcore," meanwhile, presents Shakespearean scenes over iambic pentagrams of metal. Live, vocals properly strained, one'd be hard pressed to tell Coriolanus from Klingon, but the riff's (full of sound and fury) the thing. They rock not wisely but too well. JAY HORTON. 9 pm. Dante's, 1 SW 3rd Ave., 226-6630. $7. 21+. Map

Portland Jazz Festival: Cecil Taylor, Rob Scheps & Glenn Moore Duo (2 pm)

[JAZZ] See music feature. 2 pm. Marriott-Waterfront, 1401 SW Naito Parkway., 226-7600. $37-$54. All ages. Map

Pianist Jon Kimura Parker in recital

Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker once toured the most remote parts of the Canadian Arctic with a group of classical musicians, jamming out in shows ranging from Beethoven and Brahms to Alanis Morissette. Yikes. He's one hell of a player, and Portland Piano International offers him in a two-night engagement—the intriguing program includes the Schumann Carnaval, the Parker one-piano arrangement of the Stravinsky Rite of Spring, and Canadian composer Alexina Louie's newish work, Scenes from a Jade Terrace, which Parker commissioned in 1988. STEPHEN MARC BEAUDOIN. Newmark Theatre, Portland Center for the Performing Arts, 1111 SW Broadway., 248-4335. 7:30 pm Sunday-Monday, Feb. 17-18. $13-$42. All ages. Map

Monday February 18top

St. Vincent, Foreign Born

[EXPERIMENTAL POP] Pixie-haired songstress Annie Clark may look all delicate and cute, but just wait till you hear her play the guitar. Girl has got an edge to her—something the dirty and distorted solos she plays on “Now, Now” and “Jesus Saves, I Spend” make painfully clear. Though her elaborate pop compositions bear traces of Kate Bush’s intensity and Feist’s ear for melody, the songs on debut album Marry Me aren’t quite so easy to pin down. Clark has played with Sufjan Stevens, the Polyphonic Spree and, most impressively (at least to my hipster ears), Glenn Branca’s 100 Guitar Orchestra. The album shows why she’s so highly coveted, jumping from guitar blowouts to introspective, almost soulful piano pieces. So don’t even think about popping the question St. Vincent's album title elicits—that was so last year, dude. MICHAEL MANNHEIMER. 9 pm. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., 231-9663. $12. 21+. Map

Tuesday February 19top

ECHO River Guide Schools

So what if summer’s over four months away—any guide school that films its own YouTube spoof of the intro to The Office (go to blog.echotrips.com to see it) is OK in my book and deserves an early mention. ECHO, based out of Hood River, teaches river rats how to raft professionally or recreationally through multi-day camping trips along southern Oregon’s Rogue River and Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River. In addition to covering technical know-how, like how to read water and maneuver an oar boat, they provide tips on river cooking and camping (a few trips even consist of yoga, wine and live bluegrass!). Still, the best reason to spend your life savings in eight days or less might just be for their river guacamole. River Guide Schools, 116 Oak St. Suite #1, Hood River., 800-652-3246. Trips begin May 17 and run through Sept. 25. $585-$1,995. Easy-Difficult.

BULLSEYE GALLERY

Cobi Cockburn's glass works.
300 NW 13th Ave., 227-0222., 227-0222. Closes April 5. Map

The Hidden Meaning of Fairy Tales

Ever think about stories told at bedtime when you were a kid? How some of them seemed so cruel, so impossibly wonderful, or just so…true? Join historian Curtis Yehnert to explore the deep-rooted wishes and needs expressed in fairy tales, from the Brothers Grimm to present-day efforts in Hollywood. Freud would have had a field day with this one. Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center (Hillsboro), 527 E Main St., Hillsboro., 615-3485. 7 pm. Free. Map