It's an unbelievably exciting weekend for arts in N/NE, headlined by the kickoff tomorrow of the PORTLAND2010 Biennial at Disjecta (with which we happily share a building). As described by Disjecta Founder/Director Bryan Sureth, PORTLAND2010 "is a biennial exhibition of contemporary artwork significant to Portland's art landscape" featuring 18 competitively selected Portland contemporary artists, whose work will be displayed at Disjecta and other venues citywide through May. Be sure to check out the opening reception tomorrow evening from 6-10 p.m. at 8371 N. Interstate Ave.

Also! Roosevelt High School presents "The Wizard of Oz" this weekend! RHS Theatre Arts Director Jo S. Lane has received significant local praise for her productions, and this one is not to be missed. The curtains go up tonight and tomorrow at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. See our other post for more details, and see you there!

Exciting news from our friends at St. Johns' own Writers' Dojo: They're teaming up with Reading Local to present Read to Rebuild: A Haiti benefit reading. Set for March 16, the event boasts an impressive slate of writers/readers, including Tom Spanbauer and Ariel Gore. 100 percent of proceeds will go to Mercy Corps. All the details are below, courtesy of Reading Local:

Haiti still needs our help. They must rebuild. Let the Portland literary community come together to do our part and help Mercy Corps in their efforts to support Haiti. (You can see our Fundraising Page Here.)

Bubbleism at Onda

Through February 26 — Onda is pleased to present the first Portland show of paintings by Marcio Díaz, Nicaraguan contemporary artist living in Seattle. They are dazzlingly beautiful and you’ll have to see them to fully appreciate his creative vision and technical brilliance. The technique he developed is his unique version of pointillism, which he calls bubblelism. Each small pool of color is formed by concentric circles in carefully selected tones that eventually help form the larger image of the painting. That this technique is used in large-scale pieces makes the achievement even more impressive. 

Onda Gallery 

2215 NE Alberta St.

503-493-1909 

www.ondagallery.com

African American Read-In to celebrate Black History Month

(oh, if only PSAC had action figures...)

On the heels of our stories about the police precinct consolidation and spike in property crime in North and Northeast neighborhoods, the North Portland Public Safety Action Committee (PSAC) is holding a meeting this month called "Public safety and community policing in the new North Precinct." An all-star cast of safety-minded Portland public officials - from North Precinct Commander Jim Ferraris to Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman - will be on hand to address the status of the new North Precinct, impending budget challenges, and ways citizens can be involved in protecting their neighborhoods from would-be criminals. 

When: Jan. 27, 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Life Fellowship Church, 3935 N. Lombard St. For more information: contact Mark Wells, North Portland Crime Prevention Coordinator, (503) 823-4098. 

(slideshow photo courtesy of OregonLive; blog image courtesy of USC)

 One of the reasons we do so love our North Portland is that all kinds are welcome here. Black, white, hipster, hippie, blue collar, lighter-blue collar...it's part of what makes us scrappy, but it's also why we lack pretension and are undeniably wacky. Indeed, it's hard to imagine an event featuring "a duo on pocket trumpet and guitar putting on a live stage show as a WORM" happening anywhere but our beloved Fifth Quadrant, where anything goes...including, apparently, magic worms. Read on for more about this not-to-be-missed event at The Waypost.

Group Show at The Waypost: Larry Yes, Cuspidor, The Magic Worm.

When was the last time you saw a duo on pocket trumpet and guitar put on a live stage show as a WORM?  Ivy Ross http://www.myspace.com/ivyrossmusic and Joel Ricci aka Lucky Brown http://www.myspace.com/joelricci spin a musical yarn that is presented to the audience from the perspective of a rainworm who lives and works dutifully at the bottom of the compost heap. These two tell a hopeful tale of the holy worm — a symbol of humility, lowliness, and evidence that the highest is sometimes found in the most mundane. 

 Northeast Portland nonprofit The Pangaea Project, a leadership development and international service-learning program for local low-income youth, is throwing a party to celebrate 2009's achievements and start 2010 with a bang. (See our story about Pangaea's unique partnership with Alberta Street businesses.) 

From press release:

The Pangaea Project rings in 2010 with all-are-welcome party at Zaytoon Bar

The Pangaea Project, a leadership development and international service-learning program for Portland at-risk youth, is starting 2010 in style with an all-are-welcome party at Zaytoon Bar on January 21 from 5-7:30 p.m.

The evening’s festivities will include free samples of Middle Eastern fusion cuisine, Latin music, door prizes, and an opportunity to win a free roundtrip plane ticket.

The Pangaea Project has much to celebrate this year. Another group of high school students, all of whom come from low-income families, graduated last November from Pangaea’s unique program, which took them into the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest and the rice paddies of Thailand to engage in service learning projects and learn about grassroots social change.

Recommended in the month of January:

A Broad for All Seasons

January 2-23, Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm — A/Broad for All Seasons is the story of seven extraordinary women leaders throughout the world. The show features intimate encounters with such amazing women as Wangari Maathai, the creator of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya and Nobel Peace Prize winner; Arundathi Roy, a radical grassroots organizer, writer and political commentator from India; Mairead Corrigan and Betty Richardson, the two mothers who brokered the peace in Northern Ireland; and Portland’s own late Bonnie Tinker, lesbian and gay rights advocate, pacifist, founder of Love Makes a Family, and feisty member of Pissed Off Grannies.

This just in, like tonight, right now!

Tree Lighting: A tree lighting will take place at the Alberta Co-op (15th & Alberta) with music and hot cocoa/cider provided by the ASBA. We hope to also have an appearance by Santa & Mrs. Claus. The tree lighting will be at 5:15 pm with music until 7:00 pm. We will be inviting the Local New Media to come by and will have a brief holiday greeting by Co-president Stacey Matney.

Saw this over at PDX Pipeline - looks like a massive hippie reggae/dub fest is coming to Mississippi this weekend. Read on for the details:

WINTER HARVEST FEST PDX 2009
Presented by: NWWRF and deRichter Production
Friday, Dec. 11th – Sunday, Dec. 13th
Located at 2410 N. Mississippi in Portland!
TICKETS at nwworldreggae.com

The first annual Winter Harvest Fest PDX brings together the flavor of the best performers, staff and vendors from West Coast Summer Festivals including: Northwest World Reggae Festival (NWWRF), Emrg-N-See, Beloved, Oregon Country Fair, Symbiosis and Earth Dance.

The Holiday Bazaar will run all three days.

Friday night we have HEAVYWEIGHT DUB CHAMPION with saQi, Afro Q Ben, Russ Liquid, Anahata Sound and Lilla D’Mone.

Well, the word is out that the North Portland splinter group of the great alternative costumed drinking night known as "Santacon" is happening once again.  The bar-hopping, NoPo-centric Anticon, will meet up Saturday and at NOON, under Paul Bunyan's butt...(which is, incidentally, where the Sentinel's office is located). Details below from press release at PDXPipeline. Recommendations to Santas who might want join the jolliness: "Santa, don't make kids cry." Check out the posting; there are RULES! More below the cut.

A first-ever event for the 'Lower Albina' section of the Eliot Neighborhood (aka Widmer Brewing, the White Eagle Saloon, and the commerical clusters along Interstate Avenue under the Fremont Bridge). From email:

It's almost time!
Next Saturday, December 5, from 12:00-8:00 pm, Icon Tattoo presents the first ever Russell Street Holiday Festival!
Come make merry for a good cause! There will be no better place this season to find presents or festive fun!

-Handmade bazaar featuring dozens of local artisans. Jewelry, designer clothes, small label records, letterpress cards, hula hoops, jams, chocolates, prints, and so much more!
-benefit for p:ear with loads of ways to benefit p:ear--cakewalk sponsored by Grand Central and Chef Boysarwee pies; pictures with Santa; silent auction for p:ear (preview it here)

Mississippi Avenue's first annual Christmas tree lighting event will go off tomorrow night from 5pm to 8pm. The tree lighting will take place in the courtyard of Mississippi Commons at 3701 N Mississippi Ave. The tree lighting will be broadcast live on KOIN TV, and will feature musical acts such as Tahoe Jackson, the Singers in the Round and a beer tent at nearby Casa Naranja.  Stores will be open late, offering major sales and speciality events.  Taken together tomorrow night should be like a little Rockefeller Center holiday spectacular right in your own backyard.

The following is a quintessentially Portland event: food, booze, and tech intermingling to create a multimedia culinary smorgasboard...(no Tofurkey, though)

FROM PRESS RELEASE:

Turkey lovers and bystanders will have a day-long opportunity to get
"behind the scenes" on Ustream for the makings of Thanksgiving Day
turkey on Thursday, Nov. 26. The Turkey Tracker is an interactive
Thanksgiving experience, combining live video, text and photo updates,
and a live turkey temperature graph with visitor submitted photos and
live chat and Social Stream. The experience starts at 10a PT on Nov.
26 and is available at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/turkey-tracker-2009

Don't miss this if you are in St Johns.  Anyone can get in on the game.  The reigning champs are the Ladybug Cafe who beat Anna Banannas back in August. Now the challenger Slims is going to see if they can wrestle the mighty Golden Toilet Seat from Ladybug and claim the title: King of The John!

Fundraiser for the St Johns Community Center.
4pm, Sunday
St Johns Brownfield-next to Marie's
 

Check out this brewhaha going down tonight:
Lompoc Brewing Bourbon Barrel Doppelbock Release
Lompoc Sidebar
3901A N Williams
503-288-3996
4-9pm
Lompoc Brewing is releasing the first beer in its Barrel Aged Series: Bourbon Barrel Aged Doppel Bock Lager. Bourbon Barrel Aged Doppel Bock Lager was brewed in Nov. 2008, then transferred into bourbon barrels in Jan. 09. The beer aged for nine months, and was then cellared for an additional two in a conditioning tank,then bottled in October. It features a malty body with notes of vanilla, raisins, caramel and oak. 8% ABV. (photo courtesy of Brewpublic)

photo credit: stevechasmer/Creative Commons)

Boil, boil, cauldron stew,
Make this be a wicked witches' brew,
With dried bats' blood
And lots of stinky crud,
And the sole of a dead man's shoe!

Now that you're sufficiently spooked, let's check out the Halloween happs in N/NE, starting with tonight:

FRIDAY, 10/30

The Haunted WereHouse in Boise: The forgotten horrors of Portland awaken... Once you hear the screams, you'll want to run and hide. Warning: not recommended for guests with weak stomachs. October 30th, 7-10 p.m.
Prices
$5 18yrs and under
$6 Students with I.D.
$8 General Admission
Local Vendors, Artwork, Music by SkullCloud
Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult
www.myspace.com/werehouse503

Edgar Allen Poseurs at The World Famous Kenton Club : Celebrate Halloween a day early with all the best ghostly monster songs. 9 p.m., 2025 N. Kilpatrick

Fright Town: A whole city block of screams and shock! Featuring Elshoff Manor, The Chop Shop, and Dr. Goolo's Museum of Horrors. See for yourself why Fright Town's been called one of the best haunted attractions in North America...if you dare. Beneath the Memorial Coliseum at the Rose Quarter; for times, tickets and directions visit frighttown.com

Halloween night events below the cut.

Our pals next door at Disjecta are hosting a night of local art and musical mayhem to benefit Wheels of Justice, Portland's all-star, all-women traveling roller derby team. The Sentinel spoke briefly with event organizer Chris Toriano, who promises event attendees a fog machine, strobe lights, booze and "a nine-foot-tall wheel of misfortune." (Really, what more could you ask for?)

Says Toriano of the wheel, "They put people on it, and do things to [them] as human beings...on purpose."

Expect no less excitement from the featured band, Ninja, described in the event press release below the cut as "Portland's ferocious theatrical riff-rock band." Toriano says Ninja is perfect for this event, because "Roller Derby is like theatre, art rock and athletics and that's what Ninja does." So just how is Ninja athletic?

"Uh...it takes a lot to really...uh...rock," Toriano says, adding, "they wield blunt, heavy metal instruments."

But don't take his word for it; come see it yourself! Official event press release below the cut...

FROM OUR OLD FRIENDS AT THE NPTL

All Volunteer, All of the Time. Did you know that the tool library operates with no paid staff, and is a 100% volunteer-driven effort? We are currently looking for more wonderful people to continue the library's success. Volunteers are needed to cover shifts on Saturdays.

Shifts are 2-3 hours long - it is busy and goes fast! Most people take a shift per month, a fairly easy way to share the work. You need not have tool knowledge, and you just might learn a few things! This is a great way to meet your NE neighbors. Other volunteer needs: tool repair, tool sharpening, and building shelving when we move to our new space (fingers crossed!). We are currently looking for a newsletter editor, so if you or anyone you know would like to help us put this newsletter out once a month we would really appreciate the help. Please contact Gregg if you are interested, at 503-382-7285. 1st Year Anniversary Party 1 year party. Thanks to everyone who made our 1 year anniversary party such a success.