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Portland Monthly

Arts & Culture

MUSIC

Longtime PDX Rocker Jerry Joseph Talks Old Portland—and Afghanistan

He’s been rocking Portland since the '80s, and now he’s a member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. Jerry Joseph is back for his annual “New Year’s Eve Tour of Portland,” and he’s dishing on PDX music—then and now.

12/28/2015 By Rachel Grozanick

DANCE

What Does It Take to Dance The Nutcracker? This Oregon Writer Can Tell You

Author Lauren Kessler reflects on a year of the ballet in her latest book about dance, dreams, and sheer determination. She tells Portland Monthly what it's like to have your childhood dream come true (after 40 years).

12/22/2015 By Emma Mannheimer

MUSIC

Listen to the New Magic Sword Track Right Here Right Now

The mysterious electro-rockers from Boise have a new limited edition vinyl package coming out next month and a New Year’s Eve show at the Doug Fir. We’ve got their new track here.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

THE ESSENTIALS

January’s Pop Culture Hot List

The concerts, the book, the talk, and the movie you can’t miss this month.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

A NEW SPIN

Portland Dance Companies Mix Things Up

From game-show formats to clueless choreographers, local dance companies are finding new paths to creativity—and new audiences in the process.

12/21/2015 By Heather Wisner

LONG STORY SHORT

Ruth Wariner’s Harrowing Survival Story

Her mother’s fourth child and her father’s 39th, Ruth Wariner’s incredible life story begins in a polygamist Mormon colony in Chihuahua, Mexico.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

BIG PICTURE

The Art Gallery Inside a Ford Bronco

Why two Portland artists built a mobile gallery in a classic American car.

12/21/2015 By Brandon Staley

Dance

Portland’s White Bird Dance Is Hosting a Prestigious Showcase in NYC

Founders Paul King and Walter Jaffe break down why this is such a big deal.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

MUSIC

Rock of Aged: Alice Cooper and Mötley Crüe Shred Up PDX

Mötley Crüe cements their rock legacy and bad-ass reputation with a high octane Moda Center show—with added, awesome Alice Cooper.

12/17/2015 By Emma Mannheimer

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 17–20

Rumi's in the house, y'all! Whirling dervishes, an apocalyptic library, Typhoon turns 10, plus Fernando, Death Cab for Cutie, and one hell of a light show at Disjecta.

12/17/2015 By Ramona DeNies

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FILM

Portland Writer Daniel H. Wilson's Sci-Fi Vision Nets Major Movie Deal—Again

First there was Robopocalypse, with DreamWorks snapping up the movie rights and Steven Spielberg signing on to direct. Now local writer Daniel H. Wilson has done it again, with a major deal with Fox for his still-unfinished novel Avtomat.

12/17/2015 By Fiona McCann

MUSIC

Ring in a New Year With the Helio Sequence

Their eponymous sixth album got a critical thumbs up. They’ve been remastering old work and mixing albums for other artists. It's been a big year for the Helio Sequence, and it wraps up this New Year's Eve at Revolution Hall. You can win tickets!

12/17/2015 By Fiona McCann

VISUAL ART

How SE 82nd Avenue Became One Portland Artist's Muse

It's not a Tuscan wheat field nor a lily pond, but SE 82nd still inspired artist Shawn Demarest's latest exhibition, EastSouthEast: Merge, on show until the month's end at PCC's Southeast Student Commons.

12/15/2015 By Fiona McCann

MUSIC

Pink Martini's New Seasonal Spectacular Is Coming to a Radio Near You

Get behind me, Scrooge: Portland’s musical royalty bring a blast of full-throated festivity with a new NPR show for the holiday season.

12/15/2015 By Fiona McCann

BOOKS AND TALKS

Ursula K. Le Guin’s World-Conquering Year

Catch Portland’s sci-fi pathbreaker reading from her new book of poetry this week at Mississippi’s Another Read Through, and then read our profile of Portland’s literary dragon for a reminder of why she’s breathing fire.

12/14/2015 By Fiona McCann

AVANT GUARD

Meet the Bosnian Artist Who Watches Over Portland’s Most Valuable Art Trove

By day, Miroslav Lovric is a security guard at the Portland Art Museum; by night, he’s a painter inspired by the masters he guards.

12/10/2015 By Jonathan Frochtzwajg

AVANT GUARD

The Art of Miroslav Lovric

By day, Miroslav Lovric is a security guard at the Portland Art Museum; by night, he’s a painter inspired by the masters he guards. See some of the work in his "Soul Catchers" series in our slideshow.

12/10/2015 By Fiona McCann With Images Courtesy Miroslav Lovric

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 10–13

It's warm and dry inside, Portland—and we've got just the ticket! This weekend, it's George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, the Mystery Box Show's sexy storytelling, ZooZoo, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, and the English Beat.

12/10/2015 By Ramona DeNies

MUSIC

Why Have the Dandy Warhols Become Synonymous With Christmas in Portland?

Behold, four reasons why Portland’s living musical tradition has survived nearly two decades and seemingly consumed McMenamins' holiday programming.

12/10/2015 By Brandon Staley

MUSIC

What's It Like to Sing With the Portland Gay Men's Chorus? (Hint: Pretty Awesome)

The Portland Gay Men's Chorus is back for its annual holiday spectacle, replete with lights, dancing, and 120 singers radiating holiday cheer. Four chorus members dish on why they're a part of it all.

12/09/2015 By Fiona McCann

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