Portland Events, Music, Art, Entertainment, Sustainability | PDXPIPELINE.com

It is a common misconception that Cinco De Mayo is Mexico’s answer to our own independence day. In actuality, Cinco De Mayo is celebrated to commemorate the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Whatever your reason for celebrating, there is a lot to do this Thursday and all weekend in honor of Cinco De Mayo.

Here are our Portland Picks for 2011 Cinco De Mayo events:

Downtown: 2011 Portland Cinco De May Festival @ Waterfront Park

The Portland Guadalajara Sister City Association brings back its annual festival along the Willamette River beginning Thursday and ending on Sunday, May 8. This year, the Association has brought professional lucha libre or masked wrestlers to perform in several matches throughout the weekend. Between the delicious food vendors, epic carnival rides and constant live music, there’s more to see at this festival than you can fit into one weekend. (More info) More Cinco De Mayo Events, Parties and Drink Specials after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »

Pipeline has a pair of tickets to attend the Goodfoot Lounge’s All Star Tribute to James Brown on Saturday, May 7. To win, comment on this post why you would like to attend . Winners will be drawn and emailed on Friday, May 6.

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From our sponsors at The Goodfoot:
Goodfoot All-Stars Tribute to James Brown
Saturday, May 7
9 p.m. | $10 | 21+
Facebook Event

The Goodfoot
2845 SE Stark Street
thegoodfoot.com

Join us for our 4th Annual tribute to the Godfather! The All-Stars, a collective of our favorite musicians over the years, are prepared to lay down two long sets of deep funk for you. Pay your respects to the hardest working man in the game and bring your dancin’ shoes!

This year’s all stars paying tribute to the late great James Brown are Carlton Jackson, Scott Pemberton, Tye North, Asher Fulero, Devin Phillips, Sly Pig, Max Ribner, Darvey Santner and Bruce Withycombe.

Pipeline has a pair of tickets to see Vivian Girls at Holocene on Sunday, May 8. To win, comment on this post why you would like to attend . Winners will be drawn and emailed on Friday, May 6.

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From our sponsors at Holocene:
Vivian Girls
w/ No Joy, Blood Beach
Sunday, May 8
8:30 p.m. | 21+
$10 advance | $12 show
Purchase Tickets at Brown Paper Tickets

Holocene
1001 SE Morrison Street
www.holocene.org

The influence of ’60s girl bands, The Ramones as well as surf and indie pop, still ring true for Vivian Girls. Yet on their newer material, we find a darker, moodier energy; a trait which arguably makes the band an even more appealing proposition this time round. Over the last year, the Vivian Girls have toured the US and Europe extensively, received a considerable amount of national and international press, sparked fierce debate as to Read the rest of this entry »

Pipeline has two pairs of tickets to see Pixies front man Black Francis at the Aladdin Theater on Friday, May 6. To win, comment on this post why you would like to attend . Winners will be drawn and emailed on Friday, May 6.

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From our sponsors at Aladdin Theater:
Black Francis
w/ Mark Lemhouse
Friday, May 6
7 p.m. doors | 8 p.m. show
$20 | Minors allowed with parent
Purchase Tickets at TicketMaster

Aladdin Theater
3017 SE Milwaukie Avenue
www.aladdin-theater.com

You might know Black Francis as Frank Black, “that one guy” from The Pixies, 1/2 of Grand Duchy, Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, or…well…the list goes on. The moniker of the hour isn’t important; the man, his music, and his influence on the alternative/indie rock scene is. If you’ve never had the opportunity (or the dough) to see the Pixies, here’s your chance to catch their legendary vocalist in a most intimate setting.

From our sponsors at Oregon Symphony:
Music For A Time Of War
Saturday, May 7 @ 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 8 @ 2 p.m.
Tickets are $20-90
Purchase tickets at www.orsymphony.org/war or call 503-228-1353

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
1037 SW Broadway

Just before Carlos Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony head off to New York and their long-awaited Carnegie Hall debut, they’ve got one very special themed program planned for their home audience in Portland: “Music for a Time of War.” It was the strength and dramatic coherence of this program that won the Oregon Symphony its invitation to the first annual Spring for Music festival at Carnegie Hall, to take place on Thursday, May 12. The program includes: Read the rest of this entry »

From our sponsors at the Goodfoot:
A Tribute to  Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
Feat. The Dust Settlers
Wednesday, May 4
9 p.m. | $6 | 21+

The Goodfoot Lounge
2845 SE Stark Street
thegoodfoot.com

Acoustic burners, The Dust Settlers, are taking a whole evening to stretch out and play some tunes by two of America’s most loved song-smith/outlaws—Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson! Don’t miss this special one-off performance. No opener!

The Dust Settlers are an Acoustic group from Portland Oregon. They are steeped in Americana! The band includes Eric Schweiterman on guitar and vocals; Ellie Holzemer Russell on fiddle; Josh Collum on mandolin; John Scrafford on guitar and dobro, and Dan Davis on bass

From our sponsors at Cascade Brewing:
Saison Festival 2011
Saturday, May 7
Noon-10 p.m. | FREE
Minors allowed but not encouraged

Cascade Brewing Barrel House
939 SE Belmont Street
www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com

Portland’s first-ever Saison Fest, featuring 18 Saison-style ales and ciders from across the nation, including Block 15, Boulevard, Breakside, Buckman, Brasserie Dupont, Cascade, Double Mountain, Green Dragon, Oakshire, Stillwater, Two Rivers Cidery & Upright. There’s also live music by Black Lodge, Stone Porridge & Left Coast Country.

Admission is free – to drink, either bring a 14 ounce plastic festival mug (like those used at the Oregon Brewers Festival or Holiday Ale Festival) or purchase a plastic Cascade mug for $3. Sorry, no glass allowed. Beer costs $1 for a 4-oz taste, or $4 for a 14 oz mug.

Saisons are sturdy farmhouse-style ales that tend to be semi-dry with many only having touch of sweetness. Many saisons are very fruity in aroma and flavor with earthy yeast tones, mild to moderate tartness, lots of spice and medium bitterness.