portland
thursday 15
Smith Westerns
The Smith Westerns recorded their first full-length debut when they were teenagers—a strictly lo-fi threesome with a sound that referenced the Beatles and David Bowie. In their six years together, the bandmates have cleaned up their sound but not their haircuts, continuing to swirl glam, pop and garage rock while sporting long mops, perfect for tossing around to their molasses guitar solos. The band's third release, Soft Will, sparkles with catchy songs—a soundtrack to those anti-haircuts blowing in the summery wind. Wampire opens. 9 pm. Doug Fir Lounge. $13-15.
friday 16
Les Miserables
I'll be stalked forever by a crazed detective for stealing a loaf of bread, the factory I work for discovered my daughter born out of wedlock and now I'm out of work, I dreamed a dream inside a dream that I was dreaming. Boy, 19th century French problems sure are depressing. Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy presents one of the longest, saddest musicals of all time based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo. After the big-budget Hollywood production last winter with Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, fans of the play will be happy to hear that the role of Javert WILL NOT be played by Russell Crowe. 7:30 pm. Newmark Theatre. $26.25-28.25.
saturday 17
Hot Dog Eating Contest
In an epic display of American gluttony, this fourth of July at the famous Nathan's Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut smashed 69 frankfurters (with buns) into his face in just 10 minutes, beating his previous record by an entire dog. This is awesome, or completely disgusting, quite possibly both. Zach's takes on the Nathan's tradition, West Coast style. In exchange for complete loss of dignity and a few days of heartburn you could be Portland's next pork-gobbling champion. Zach's Shack. 2 pm. $8 entry.
saturday 17
And And And, Genders and Old Age
One night, three Portland bands. And And And were the Willamette Week's best band of 2011, and are well-known as the inventors of "rigsketball"—a sport in which band mates team up to play street basketball on a collapsible hoop attached to the back of the bands' tour van—also known for feverish guitars and their unpredictable drunken debaucherous live sets. The Genders take a softer approach with sweet female vocals folded over surfy-pop riffs. Old Age makes bass-heavy, catchy meandering pop-rock. All great bands, but we've got our money on And And And in a ringsketball match. Way to go, Portland indie scene. Doug Fir Lounge. 9 pm. $8.
