Skip to main content
The Sparks Brothers
At first glance, the cult rock band Sparks seems a bizarre subject to receive the epic rockumentary treatment. Ron and Russell Mael’s long-tenured art pop group has released 24 and counting chart-nudging albums that have flirted with relevance during the glam and disco periods before retreating toward a decidedly niche appeal in the past few decades. Nevertheless, The Sparks Brothers wrings ecstatic appreciation from a murderers’ row of commenters, ranging from obvious acolytes to friendly faces perhaps just passing by the studio that day. At its best, Edgar Wright’s passion project plays out like a star-studded listening party thrown by a manic superfan. Screening at Bridgeport, Cinema 21 and VOD.
Outdoor Yoga at the Hoyt Arboretum
The mainstreaming of yoga has given rise to all kinds of gimmicks—goat yoga! Chicken yoga! Death metal yoga!—but stretching and contorting among the redwoods and cherry trees of the Hoyt Arboretum sounds legitimately lovely, even if the only pose you know is “downward dog” because you heard it as a punchline in a Vince Vaughn movie or something. Instructor Brynna Hurwitz will lead a class every Thursday through the summer. Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 SW Fairview Blvd., 503-865-8733, hoytarboretum.org/learn/classes. 11:15 am-12:15 pm every Thursday in summer. $8 per class.
The Muppet Movie
In Kermit the Frog’s universally beloved first feature film and origin story, our little green friend embarks on a cross-country road trip to Hollywood in search of stardom. Along the way, he meets a variety of fellow Muppets, including his love Miss Piggy, along with an evil frog-legs restaurateur and Steve Martin as a short-shorts-wearing waiter. NW Film Center’s Drive-In at OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave. 8:45 pm Thursday, July 8. $40 per car, $50 for trucks, vans, and SUVs, $60 for premium.
Help and Spoon Benders
For anyone who’s missed rowdy, sweaty shows, this is an ideal doubleheader. Though Kenton Club started holding socially distanced live shows on its outdoor patio last year, it hasn’t really been possible to let loose at concerts until this past week. The driving hardcore of Help, coupled with Spoon Bender’s snarling psych rock, should make for one hell of a cathartic release—after all, it’s been a year without shows for musicians, too. But please, if you’re not vaxxed yet, don’t jump in the pit. Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick St., kentonclub.com. 6 pm Saturday, July 10. $10. 21+.
Beetlejuice
Watching old Tim Burton movies always comes with a twinge of regret, when you consider he’s spent the last two decades putting his considerable creative energy to use doing mall-goth remakes of classic properties that absolutely did not need them. But there’s no way to ever be bummed out during a showing of Beetlejuice—33 years on, it’s still a manic blast from start to finish. It’s not Halloween, sure, but Michael Keaton going HAM on German expressionist scenery as a supernatural sex pest manipulating a recently dead couple into freeing him from netherworld purgatory is a marvel in any season. The movie screens as part of NW Film Center’s outdoor cinema series, held at the top of the Lloyd Center parking garage. Lloyd Center, 2201 Lloyd Center. 8:45 pm Saturday, July 10. $20. See nwfilm.org/film-series/cinema-unbound-summer-movies-open-air-experiences for tickets.
Psychic Bar’s Weekend Oasis
A much beloved watering hole among Portland’s most eccentric and hopelessly hip, Psychic is located in a hot, hot house but will be looking out for its customers throughout the summer by turning its patio into a weekend party zone, with full-coverage misting fans, boozy slushies and “electro tropic” DJ sets. It’s also the current home of Prey + Tell’s Cambodian fried chicken pop-up. Well, that sounds awesome. 560 N Mississippi Ave., psychicbarpdx.com. 4-11 pm Sunday-Thursday, 4 pm-midnight Saturday-Sunday.
Edna Vazquez
Edna Vazquez has a voice that can squeeze tears from a stone. First discovered via a televised Spanish-language talent competition, the Mexican-born singer-songwriter—who came to the U.S. after coming out to her parents as a teenager, eventually making her way to Oregon—has recorded in a variety of styles, and whether it’s tender Mexican folk songs, mariachi or rock ‘n’ roll, her mournful alto is the centerpiece of whatever she does. A true Portland treasure, Vazquez is performing tonight after her scheduled concert was postponed due to the heat wave. The Lot at Zidell Yards, 3030 S Moody Ave., thelotatzidellyards.com. 7 pm Sunday, July 11. $50-$75 per person. All tickets sold as 2, 4 and 6-person seating pods.
Hillsboro Hops vs. Vancouver Canadians
Who needs Major League Baseball when you have the Hops? The Arizona Diamondbacks affiliates are the defending Northwest League champions, having won their third pennant in five years just before the pandemic canceled the 2020 season. So really, they’re about as close to the pros as you can get in the minors. And if we’re being honest, a baseball game is a baseball game, whether it’s in some shiny new stadium or humble Ron Tonkin Field. If you’ve never been to a Hops game, you’ll have extra chances this year: The team was recently promoted to Single A-Advanced status, expanding its total number of games from 76 to 132. That’s nearly double the hot dogs, double the beers and double the high-fives with Barley, the mascot that suspiciously resembles a nug of weed. Tonight, the team starts its home series against the dastardly Vancouver Canadians. Ron Tonkin Field, 4460 NE Century Blvd., Hillsboro, 503-640-0887, milb.com/hillsboro. 7:05 pm Tuesday, July 13. $7-$50.