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hey tiny.
portland doesn't do thunder. it is a city that expresses meteorological opinion through a sustained apologetic mist and occasionally a slightly more assertive mist. tuesday night the sky forgot all that and cracked open like it had somewhere to be. i heard it from up here.
for the first time, a tiny looked at this newsletter and decided it was worth a few dollars every single month without being asked twice. i looked down and waved. they couldn't see it but i'm telling you it happened. keep the coffee flowing.
this issue: a 16mm screening of invasion of the bee girls, a workshop where you forge an actual metal chain with your actual hands, and the vibing section is back with 39 live music picks and a transmission to get your ears ready before you leave the house.
scroll down. send it to someone weird first.
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[ SEEING + LISTENING ]
Friends Share Cinema Club May 14 at 18:00 Friends Share Community Space | Free [ more ] curated film screening with discussion after. no reservations needed. hosted by sam kirby. second thursdays. 18+.
HRT CHAT + SOCIAL May 14 at 18:00 Lesbian Culture Club | $30 [ more ] hrt, menopause, and all the stuff nobody explained. with actual doctors. sponsored by she bop. open to allies.
TELLTALE: CONSOLATION PRIZE May 16 Alberta Street Pub | see info [ more ] sit in a dark room and listen to stories. telltale's whole thing. it works every time.
Drift ~ Restorative Sound Bath May 17 The Raven's Wing Co-Op | $35–$45 [ more ] acoustic vibrations to quiet mental noise and induce deep physical rest. give your brain a break and let it work on your behalf.
Fancy Dance (1989) May 17 at 19:00 Tomorrow Theater | $15 [ more ] a punk rocker becomes a buddhist monk to inherit a mountain temple. 1989 japanese film. tomorrow theater continues to deliver.
Murder Scandinavian Style: Jar City May 19 Nordia House | $25 [ more ] nordic crime film with guided discussion on corruption and social tension. nordia house knows how to do a film night.
INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS May 19 at 19:30 Hollywood Theatre | see info [ more ] repressed cinema presents this one in 16mm. you already know if this is for you.
[ LISTENING + DANCING ]
Com Truise May 14 The Get Down | $25 [ more ] iconic synthwave and idm from one of the genre's best. close your eyes and just let it happen.
Contact 13 – Objekt May 14 Process PDX | $20–$25 [ more ] all-night technical and genre-defying techno. you'll leave confused and grateful in equal measure.
DJ Stingray (Detroit) May 14 Barn Radio | $28.75 [ more ] detroit legend bringing fast electro and techno. one of the originals doing what he does best.
Drag Bingo May 14 at 18:30 Abigail Hall (Woodlark Hotel) | see info [ more ] thursday night drag bingo with happy hour specials. carmen hosts this week. you will dab your card with complete sincerity.
Supertask: Phase II May 16 Realm | $28.10–$40.53 [ more ] deep bass and glitch-hop. the slow-tempo kind that rattles your chest. realm being realm.
Patio Sessions May 16 at 17:00 Twilight Room | Free [ more ] [ all ages ] nathan gittleman, josh mundt, and kyra jorgensen on the patio. 5–8pm. free. just go.
Blonde Aid: Dance for Democracy May 16 at 19:00 Alberta Abbey | $20 [ more ] [ all ages ] 100% of proceeds to pirc — portland's immigrant defense org running a 24/7 hotline and legal support for families across oregon. music at 8pm. show up.
CUMMUNION May 16 at 21:00 The Coffin | $10 [ more ] kooky, spooky, and queer. drag show and dance party with dj lu. $10 on se grand.
Morricone Music with Swansea May 17 at 18:30 Swandive | $20 [ more ] live morricone music from swansea and friends. dan duval, rebecca sanborn, lisa lipton, and more. 21+.
Full Moon Bike Ride May 22 at 21:00 Salmon Street Springs | Free [ outdoors ] late-night community ride under the full moon. pdx bike party doing what they do.
[ DOING + MAKING ]
Community Craft Night May 14 SCRAP PDX | Free [ more ] mail art, collage, and art journaling with upcycled materials. show up, make something weird.
Collage Night at WHILE ON EARTH May 14 at 18:00 715 NE Lawrence Ave Ste 111 | $25 [ more ] scissors, exacto knives, paper, ephemera, and adhesives provided. 6–8pm. get down with some paper.
Expressive Weirdo ART Painting Workshop May 15 The Arts Center (Vancouver, WA) | $65 [ more ] [ road trip ] let loose your inner creative weirdo. beginner friendly. worth the bridge crossing.
Artist Call: Portland Creatives May 15 Hawthorne Theatre | see info [ more ] sell your art and keep 100% of your sales. pancakes & booze brings the djs, drinks, and a packed room of art lovers. apply now.
Draw with Yarn May 16 SCRAP PDX | see info [ more ] yarn manipulation as a drawing technique. specialized workshop. scrap pdx continues to be a gift.
Cascadia Fine Arts Festival – Volunteers May 16 | Free [ more ] they need festival volunteers. say yes.
Queen Jane's Queeraoke May 16 Queen Jane Music Studios | Free [ more ] queer karaoke for big feelings and dramatic entrances. props, costumes, and a buffet provided. liquid bravery conveniently located next door.
Crafternoon May 17 SCRAP PDX | $10–$15 [ more ] [ all ages ] family-friendly themed craft session with upcycled materials. you'll make something miniature and feel genuinely accomplished.
Charcuterie Board Making May 17 ADX Portland | $90 [ more ] turn raw black walnut into a functional board through debarking, sanding, and oiling. adx makes you useful.
Third Eye Thursday May 21 The Raven's Wing Co-Op | Sliding Scale [ more ] guided clairvoyance, mediumship, and astral intuition exercises. raven's wing has a schedule and it is something else.
Drop In Studio May 21 SCRAP PDX | see info [ more ] open access to scrap's tools and reused materials. show up and make your thing.
Bread and Butter May 22 ADX Portland | Free [ more ] freshly baked bread, various butters, and a group sketch session. community building at its most practical.
Dream Theater Workshop: Embodying the Wisdom of Your Dreams May 23 at 13:30 Performance Works NW | $18–$40 [ more ] two-hour in-person workshop bringing dreams to life through improvisation and communal play. no acting experience needed.
[ EATING ]
Mad Hatter Afternoon Tea May 16 at 13:30 Butterfield Cottage and Gardens (Seaside, OR) | $30 [ more ] [ road trip ] [ all ages ] benefit event. mad hatter themed afternoon tea on the coast. select teas, savories, and sweets. worth the drive.
Cake & Jazz Live Music Nights May 16 at 19:30 Farina Bakery | Free [ more ] jack radsliff and john stowell live at farina bakery. jazz plus baked goods. this is not a hard sell.
Lez Bien May 16 at 17:00 Smart Donkey | Donation [ more ] sapphic summer patio kickoff. $5 margs, beer pong tourny, and very good mexican food.
Church of the Moon Coffee Meetup May 24 at 13:00 Heretic Coffee Co. | Free [ more ] hi friends (pagan meetup). witchy community coffee and connection under the moon's guidance. every 4th sunday.
[ VIBING ]
the collective bass from the city's grid is rattling the dust off my boots. since your tiny frames would shatter if you absorbed that much raw sound at once, i filtered the noise down.
over two hours of music. nearly forty events covered. don't just read the words. i trapped every artist on this list inside a single audio transmission so you can condition your fragile eardrums before stepping outside.
[ stream the transmission ]
may 14
Objekt at Process PDX minimal, slippery, and percussive. club music for heads who actually listen.
DJ Stingray 313 at Barn Radio relentless, rolling electro, hypnotic without losing bite.
sqip at Barn Radio abstract, singer-songwritery love letter. a lucid, emotional daydream built on freestyle electronic boi energy.
KETTAMA at REALM hands-in-the-air rush, but still underground-coded. fast, rolling, and locked in.
Loods, Mall Grab at REALM sliding in with that glossy, driving pulse.
Com Truise at The Get Down always brings that neon, rolling synth-line hypnosis.
Dead Calm at Polaris Hall hits that jagged, pavement-level urgency. perfect for a small-room opener.
may 15
TV Star at Turn! Turn! Turn! jangly, dreamy indie that keeps the rhythm clipped and urgent. perfect small-venue vibes.
Young Mister at Clay Street Studios bright indie-pop that still feels diy. built for the kind of room where the crowd's basically onstage.
Anjimile at Bunk Bar anjimile's writing cuts through. warm, direct, and emotionally dialed-in.
Shiba San at The Den club-ready house pressure with a no-nonsense groove. clean, fast, and functional.
may 16
Dazzling Killmen at Mississippi Studios mathy post-hardcore that feels like machinery revving in a tight space.
Soos at Process PDX true diy club heat. raw edges, pure motion.
LUMI at Process PDX melodic electronic bounce with a clean hook. still built for sweaty rooms, not big stages.
may 17
Brothertiger at Mississippi Studios a soft-focus synth glide that keeps the pulse rolling without going glossy.
Supertask at REALM PDX low-end pressure with a head-nod swing. melodic electronics that still feel warehouse-adjacent.
may 19
Glom at Polaris Hall surrealist psych-pop with teeth. melody first, but still weird in the corners.
may 22
Family Worship Center at Polaris Hall late-night indie that sits in that lo-fi, soft-focus lane without losing momentum.
may 23
Lowertown at Polaris Hall jangly, dreamy indie-pop that's built for a packed floor in a club-sized room.
Tommy Guerrero at Dante's dusty, cinematic groove. instrumental swagger that fits a tight stage and a loud bar.
may 24
Accessory at Mississippi Studios a darker alt-pop lean with a hook that still feels diy, not radio-coded.
Cheerleader Roadkill at Turn! Turn! Turn! punk-forward and sweaty. made for a stage you can reach with your elbow.
aWannabe at Turn! Turn! Turn! glitchy, surreal pop-rap energy. dark but playful, like a basement with strobes.
Sap at Turn! Turn! Turn! lo-fi groove with a sideways psych-pop brain. odd, sticky, memorable.
may 26
Bob Log III at Mississippi Studios raw, grimy blues-punk energy. pure small-venue chaos.
may 29
Camp Crush at Mississippi Studios nails that cinematic-but-intimate indie glow portland rooms do best.
june 02
Isobel Campbell, Mark Lanegan at Polaris Hall smoky, cinematic songwriting that still feels like a club stage. not a theater spotlight.
june 05
BRONCHO at Mississippi Studios jangly, slanted indie rock with a hypnotic churn under it.
june 09
Lip Critic at Polaris Hall twitchy art-punk with club momentum. built to rattle a small pa.
june 11
Lowercase at Polaris Hall slow-burn indie that feels widescreen without getting shiny. pure cinematic small-room mood.
Pete & Bas at Mississippi Studios dark, relentless rap energy. pure pressure and punchlines, no filler.
june 12
An-Ten-Nae, Daggz, Comisar, Lil Fish, and Mindex at REALM an-ten-nae threads playful bass weight before daggz drops the energy into a darker, dirtier pocket. comisar serves as the clean, rolling connector, teeing up lil fish's crisp modern snap and mindex's melodic shimmer without softening the room's edge.
june 14
Mark de Clive-Lowe, Andrea Lombardini, Tommaso Cappellato at Mississippi Studios warm, melodic electronics with real swing. club-adjacent but musically rich.
june 15
PROBLEMS, death's dynamic shroud at Turn! Turn! Turn! sitting in that underground electronic lane. hypnotic, off-kilter, and stubbornly diy.
[ EXTENDED CUT ]
[ SEEING + LISTENING ]
CINEMALESQUE: A Burlesque Tribute to Film May 15 at 20:00 Alberta Rose Theatre | $37 [ more ] burlesque tribute to film. all-in pricing includes fees and taxes. mr. demille, we're ready for our close-up.
Birds of Bad Decisions May 15 at 20:00 McMenamins Hotel Oregon (McMinnville, OR) | see info [ more ] [ road trip ] [ all ages ] hotel oregon main stage for a band that'll send you to another dimension via bird observation. ufo festival season. classic.
Raven's Wing Listening Lounge May 16 The Raven's Wing Co-Op | Free (members) [ more ] exclusive member gathering with live local acoustic music, storytelling, and community fellowship. raven's wing building something real.
Curiosities Mercantile at Flux May 16 at 11:00 Flux Event Center (Tigard) | Free [ more ] indoor market with local makers, vintage sellers, and small businesses. vendor applications open.
THE OTHER THING May 19 NW Portland Hostel | see info [ more ] more of the telltale thing. different room, same deal. sit in the dark and listen.
Circle May 21 OMSI Kendall Planetarium | see info [ more ] award-winning dome film. best of oregon nominee 2025. it's on a dome.
AIGA x ADX Open House! May 21 ADX Portland | Free [ more ] networking for graphic designers, makers, and portland design month folks. adx open house. free and worth it.
Power Point Party: Gamer Edition May 23 ADX Portland | Free [ more ] 20-minute passionate presentations on video game design and lore. semi-formal edutainment. adx bringing out the enthusiasts.
[ DANCING + LISTENING ]
Kettama, Loods May 14 Realm | see info [ more ] hard groove, techno, and uk garage at high bpm. realm stacking another solid lineup.
Silicon Radio Presents: Soos May 15 Process PDX | $16.60–$27.65 [ more ] international guest dj set. eclectic club sounds on a friday at process.
Midnight Meltdown w/ DJ Velvet Ginger May 15 at 22:00 Donnie Vegas | Free [ more ] late night at donnie vegas with dj velvet ginger. that's the whole pitch. free.
Black Water 16th Bi-Annual Record Fair May 16 at 12:00 Black Water | Free [ more ] punk and metal rare records. loud, brutal, and completely free.
C-Powers Presents – Vinyl Funhouse! May 16 at 22:00 Donnie Vegas | Free [ more ] late-night vinyl sets at donnie vegas. c-powers on the decks. the listing is sparse but so is the cover charge.
DJ Nu-Mark w/ DJ Shortkut May 23 The Get Down | $27 [ more ] legendary turntablism, trap, and hip-hop from two of the greats. the get down doing what it does.
DJ Heartstring May 23 45 East | $20–$25 [ more ] fast euro-trance and techno. emotional and relentless.
Hot House Night Presents Afro House May 23 at 21:00 Wonderlove | $10 [ more ] afro house at wonderlove. foxforce005 b2b kevin davis jr, lola jak, roger b2b dissonant flux.
[ MAKING + DOING ]
Caminando Run Club May 14 ADX Portland | Free [ more ] community run/walk blending fitness and cultural connection. adx being adx.
Sunday Night Stitchin' May 17 SCRAP PDX | Free [ more ] open studio for textiles and fiber arts. community building through shared equipment.
Wheel Throwing 101 with Sean May 17 Past Lives Makerspace | $65 [ more ] introductory wheel-throwing pottery with sean. hands-on mechanics of the throw. past lives showing up.
Forge a Chain with Mona! May 17 Past Lives Makerspace | $250 [ more ] blacksmithing workshop with heavy machinery. forge a raw metal chain with mona. past lives being past lives.
Sunday Drivers May 17 at 08:00 Pal's (515 NE Tomahawk Island Dr) | Free [ more ] early morning car hang at pal's with the sunday drivers crew. back for may 17th with @palswithus.
Clueless Crafternoon x Ritual Dyes May 17 at 16:00 PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater | $15 [ more ] bring your knitting, crocheting, or fiber arts for this special co-hosted crafternoon. totally awesome.
Wheel-throwing Lidded Pieces May 20 Past Lives Makerspace | $360 [ more ] intermediate ceramics series focused on fitted lids and vessels. past lives for the committed.
Gather the Circle May 23 The Raven's Wing Co-Op | Free [ more ] [ all ages ] open house with tarot pulls, candle dressing crafts, sun tea, and seasonal spell kits.
Scrap to Serenity May 24 SCRAP PDX | see info [ more ] gradient wall hangings from upcycled fabric. scrap pdx with another good one.
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one tiny put flyers up in st. johns and i'd like them to know: it registered. print it out and put it somewhere real. if you know about an event, a party, or a food spot that wants to be in front of people who actually go places and eat things, submit it. i am expanding the eating sections and i want the real ones, not the ones with a publicist.
hovering over a city this size burns through a lot. i'm building a full calendar of portland's recurring underground: the weekly rituals, the monthly fixtures, the nights that happen in the same basement every third thursday and never get written down anywhere. the tinies who keep the mug full get it first.
if you have the stamina, there's always more in the archive. dig in.
stay low.
janet
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