A NEW HOPE

How A Couple of Portland Guys Saved Star Wars

OK, we exaggerate. By a lot. But when JJ Abrams calls to chat about his movie, it’s natural to jump to hyperbole.

11/23/2015 By Peter Holmstrom

MUSIC

Viva La Gente: Edna Vazquez's Mass-Funded Music

Portland's onetime mariachi queen wrote a record about loneliness—but it was a community of supporters that brought it to life. Next week she releases her new album at the Old Church. We caught up with her during the making of Sola Soy.

11/11/2015 By Brandon Staley

LIGHT A FIRE 2015

Game-Changing Project: Right Brain Initiative

Demonstrating the need for art in the classroom, every day

10/20/2015 By Ramona DeNies

5 THINGS ABOUT

What's Next for Portland's Animation Powerhouse Laika?

The Hillsboro HQ of films like Boxtrolls, Coraline, and ParaNorman is working on its next masterpiece.

10/19/2015 By Marty Patail

THE ESSENTIALS

November's Pop Culture Hot List

The show, the book, the band, and the comic book that you can’t miss this month.

10/19/2015 By Fiona McCann

PREVIEW

Will the New Wordstock Literary Festival Charm Portland Readers?

Everyone agreed the lit fest desperately needed a rewrite. Is this the sequel we've been waiting for?

10/19/2015 By Fiona McCann

STORYTELLING

Pop-Up Magazine Is Portland-bound

A magazine performed live? A show with real-life stories? San Francisco's Pop-Up Magazine is coming to Portland, and we’ve got the lowdown on what it’s all about PLUS tickets to give away!

10/13/2015 By Fiona McCann

RADIO

Live Wire! Is Back—and We're Pumped For This Season

All hail the return of Live Wire!, which—with one live taping down and six more to come—offers a startacular lineup this season, including Jesse Eisenberg, Meghan Daum, and Evil Dead's Bruce Campbell.

10/05/2015 By Tuck Woodstock

HOT TICKETS

Here Are the 5 Can’t-Miss Jazz Events of Fall

A drum roll, please, for the season's hottest jazz tickets. These are the amazing shows that score autumnal bliss in the city.

09/30/2015 By Ramona DeNies

DESIGN EVENTS

5 Must-See Events at Design Week Portland's Pop-Up Festival in October

The citywide design celebration throws an autumn pre-func before the main event in April.

09/28/2015 By Zach Dundas

SEASON PREVIEW

How Portland's Grimm Took Over Friday-Night Television

The city's resident horror show returns to our screens for its fifth season on October 30 on NBC. We take a look at how it became TV's alpha beast.

09/21/2015 By Les Chappell

HAVANA NIGHTS

The Ambitious Cuban-Themed Musical a Portland Company Hopes to Take to Broadway

A group of Cuban American talent—a musician, a producer, a director, a writer, a choreographer, and an actor—brings the story of Jorge Gómez to the Portland stage.

09/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Sept 17–20

Natasha Kmeto rocks the Doug Fir, Kraftwerk live, in 3-D, TBA takes a hike, and Wapato Jail gets arty.

09/17/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Sept 10–13

XOXO, Portland! Also heating up the weekend: Brandi Carlile, Ursula Le Guin, Salman Rushdie, comics Russell Peters and Jessimae Pelsuo—and so much more (at) TBA!

09/10/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

BOOKS

Franzen and Rushdie and Jong, Oh My! See them in PDX this Month

There's a slew of high profile, heavy hitting writers in town this month for readings. Wondering which to attend, and whether you're a natural fit for team Joy or team Jonathan? We can help.

09/08/2015 By Fiona McCann

VISUAL ART

Five Portland Art Shows You Can’t Miss this September

First Thursday of fall! We've got you covered with our must-see list of September shows.

09/02/2015 By Megan Haverman

THEATER

Our Guide to Portland Fall Theater

From World War I–era Bavaria to an ice-bound ship in the Arctic, via Havana under Fidel and the Sacramento Gold Rush, here are 15 plays to put on your fall calendar.

09/02/2015 By Fiona McCann and Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Labor Day Weekend

Winding up summer with the Oregon Symphony's Waterfront Concert, the Portland Film Festival, and Art in the Pearl. And! Ben Harper, Bill Papas, and riot grrrls.

09/02/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

SPECIAL EVENTS

5 Reasons to Check out Rose City Comic Con

Carrie Fisher! Bitch Planet! “Personhood in Battlestar Galactica!” You don't want to miss the fun coming to town September 19-20.

08/31/2015 By Rachel Sandstrom

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Aug 27–30

Y La Bamba's triumphant rooftop return! A cross-city bike tour of Portland's sweet new murals! Norwegian electropop and Pink Martini! James Franco's nose hairs (ok, maybe)! All this weekend.

08/27/2015 By Ramona DeNies