Bread & Brew Lite: Food and drink news and reviews

Portland's food scene is an embarrassment of riches.

But one thing Portland chefs know how to do is give back to the community.

All year-round but particularly at the height of summer, local chefs — and brewers, distillers, vintners and other foodies — are coming together to host a scintillating array of charity events.

Here are a few inspired and worthy events on the horizon:

• Nicky Farms and Lardo will host a Latin-inspired pop-up dinner July 22 at Lardo on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.

Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Portland Kitchen, which offers free, after-school culinary classes to low-income youth in East Portland.

Double Mountain Brewery will also donate all proceeds from their sales of their Una Mas Mexican lager at Lardo during that night's tap takeover to the Portland Kitchen.

The dinner is set for 5-10 p.m. at the Lardo cart outside the Lardo restaurant, 1212 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.

The a la carte dinner will include Nicky Farms' wild boar tacos cooked on a cowboy cauldron outside, smoky pork frijoles, grilled corn, Mexican slaw, a farmer's market escabeche, fruit and a watermelon chipotle margarita.

For more: lardosandwiches.com.

•••

Former University of Oregon and Detroit Lions quarterback Joey Harrington and The Harrington Family Foundation will hold their 2nd annual "Great Summer Chef Off" Aug. 1 at Sauvie Island.

The event, sponsored by Parr Lumber, has Portland chefs cooking their best barbeque to support the foundation.

This year's lineup includes Greg and Gabrielle Denton of Ox, Rick Gencarelli of Lardo, Chris Thompson and Hilary Benson of Iorio, and Aaron Barnett of St. Jack.

Salt & Straw will bring their ice cream for dessert; Migration Brewery will provide beer and Domain Drouhin will coordinate the wine tasting.

Blues musician Lisa Mann will provide live entertainment.

All proceeds benefit the Oregon Community Quarterback Scholarship program, which each year awards four 4-year, $2,500 scholarships to Oregon high school students facing financial hurdles. The scholarships help them attend an Oregon university, college or trade school.

Guests can vote for their barbecue of the night; that chef will donate $5,000 to an Oregon children's charity of their choice.

Last year's event drew 182 people and raised $45,000 for the scholarship program.

Tickets are $125 per person; visit thegreatsummerchefoff.com.

•••

The Bite of Oregon — a celebration of Oregon's bounty that donates all proceeds to Special Olympics Oregon — is just around the corner.

Set for Aug. 7-9 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, the festival marks its 32nd anniversary this year. It's billed as the state's largest culinary event, with about 50,000 attendees each year.

This year a new feature will be "Plates for the People," a chance for guests to sample from about 40 plates crafted by

local restaurants, for $5 per plate and under.

The Oregon Bounty Chef's Table will be back, pairing bites by the state's agricultural commissions, showcasing everything from berries and seafood to beef and potatoes.

Local chefs and mixologists from around the state will also compete for the titles of Iron Chef and Iron Mixologist, and more than 25 breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries will pour their wares.

Music and kids' activities are also part of the event.

Advance tickets are $5; for more: biteoforegon.com.

@jenmomanderson

Last week, June 26

“Ted 2”; “Big Game”; “Max”; “A Little Chaos”;

“The Overnight”

This week, July 1, 3

“Magic Mike XXL” (WB), R, 111 minutes

About — Mike and the Kings of Tampa go on the road for one more blow-out strip; Stars — Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez; Director — Gregory Jacobs

“Terminator Genisys” (Paramount), PG-13, 125

minutes

About — The latest installment of the Arnold Schwarzenegger series has Kyle Reese being sent back to 1984 by John Connor to help Sarah Connor; Stars — Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke; Director — Alan

Taylor

“Aloft” (SPC), R, 97 minutes

About — A Cinema 21 release, it’s about a struggling mother who meets the son she abandoned two decades earlier; Stars — Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Melanie Laurent; Director — Claudia Llosa

Next week, July 10

“Gallows”; “Amy”; “Cartel Land”

Home rentals

The latest top 10 digital movie purchases based on transaction rate, by Rentrak:

1. “Jupiter Ascending”

2. “Focus”

3. “American Sniper”

4. “McFarland, USA”

5. “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water”

6. “Kingsman: The Secret Service”

7. “Chappie”

8. “The Duff”

9. “Run All Night”

10. “Survivor”

Other recent favorites: “The Wedding Ringer”; “Interstellar”; “Love, Rosie”; “Taken 3”; “Still Alice”

Doc spotlight

“Cartel Land”

It’s a documentary about two vigilantes and their fight against the Mexican drug cartels. Dr. Jose Mireles leads a citizens uprising in the state of Michoacan in Mexico and American veteran Tim “Nailer” Foley rallies a paramilitary group to stop drugs from coming across the Mexico-Arizona border. Filmmaker Matthew Heineman embedded himself, and he and others received great access. It hits theaters soon.

Upcoming event

n Studio McDermott has started a Kickstarter project to assist in funding “Oregon: The State of Cannabis,” an in-depth film about Oregon’s burgeoning cannabis industry and the pioneers behind it. Filmmakers at Studio McDermott already have logged more than 120 interviews with some of the most important players in the newly legal cannabis industry. For info: studiomcdermott.com.

n On the subject of marijuana, Ron Mann’s comedic and historical documentary “Grass,” from 1999, will be screened to celebrate the July 1 legalization of pot. It’ll be shown at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1 at Clinton Street Theater, 2522 S.E. Clinton St. ($6, cstpdx.com). It uses archival footage, narration by Woody Allen, art by Paul Mavrides and a tongue-in-check and provocative soundtrack.

n The Hollywood Theatre, 4122 N.E. Sandy Blvd., will show two movies Tuesday, June 30, honoring the recently deceased Christopher Lee: “Dracula” at 7:30 p.m. and “The Wicker Man” at 9 p.m. Lee died June 7 at age 93. Tickets are $8 (hollywood

theatre.org).

Ali Wallace wins $10,000 scholarship, vies for Miss America

The theme of the Miss Oregon 2015 pageant, held on Saturday, June 27, in Seaside, was “The Driving Force,” and at the end of the evening when Ali Wallace, Miss Portland, was crowned Miss Oregon, she was in the driver’s seat, headed straight for the Miss America pageant.

And Wallace, 21, is keeping it all in the family, as her mother, Tamara Fazzolari Wallace, was Miss Oregon 1987.

But for now the spotlight is firmly on the Portland State University student as she hones her interview, talent and fitness skills and prepares to head to Atlantic City, N.J., in September.

The night began when Wallace was tapped for the top 10; she then competed in the talent, swimsuit and evening gown portions of the pageant.

Wearing a huge smile, Wallace danced a lyrical routine to the Sam Smith tune “Latch,” which showcased her flexibility and gymnastic prowess, and then walked the runway in a royal blue bikini and an emerald green strapless mermaid gown.

After the judges’ scores were tabulated, Wallace, along with Tigard resident Allison Burke, Miss Mt. Hood, were named to the top five. Both young women also were named talent winners in preliminary events on Thursday, June 25.

At that point Katie Harmon, a former Miss Oregon and Miss America 2002, came on stage for the final segment of the competition — the question and answer. The top-five contestants each answered a current events question that they drew out of a bowl; this was their last chance to impress the panel of judges.

Burke was asked if it was fair that undocumented students in Oregon should get to attend local colleges paying in-state tuition, while other out-of-state students must pay higher rates. She said it was fair for undocumented students to reap the benefits of living in Oregon.

Then it was Wallace’s turn. She was asked if it was acceptable for the National Security Agency to use drones to monitor the activities of citizens in the name of national security, as opposed to neighbors using drones to invade people’s privacy.

“There is a huge difference,” Wallace said, noting that the government uses drones to make sure that U.S. citizens are safe, whereas people should not be able to use them to spy on their neighbors.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Rebecca Anderson, Miss Oregon 2014, who would pass on her crown to the night’s winner.

Fourth runner-up was Alexis Mather, Miss Clatsop County; third runner-up was Harley Emery, Miss Lane County; Burke was named second runner-up; and then there were two: Wallace and Kaylee Nelson, a Eugene resident and Miss Three Rivers.

As the two young women hugged each other for support, Nelson was named first runner-up and Wallace realized she was the new Miss Oregon. As the title holder, she won a $10,000 cash scholarship, courtesy of Greg and Teresa Huber.

After the crown was placed on her head and she was handed a huge bouquet of roses, Wallace took her first runway walk as Miss Oregon 2015 to a standing ovation. As she posed for photos, just minutes after winning the title, Wallace said, “It feels like I’m in a dream; I have no words.”

The Miss America pageant will air at 9 p.m., Eastern time, on Sunday, Sept. 13, on ABC.

In other news, Happy Valley resident Hailey Kilgore, 16, was named Miss Oregon’s Outstanding Teen on Friday, June 26, in Seaside, and will compete in the national pageant on Aug. 1 in Orlando, Fla.

The 37th annual Drammy Awards were held Monday at the Newmark Theatre, honoring the best of the Portland-area theater scene from 2014-15. All winners can be found at www.drammyawards.org. The highlights:

• Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Todd Van Voris, “Macbeth,” Northwest Classical Theatre Company; Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Dana Green, “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Profile Theatre

• Best Actor in a Musical: John Ellingson, “Mary Poppins,” Northwest Children’s Theater; Best Actress in a Musical: Dru Rutledge, “She Loves Me,” Lakewood Theatre Company

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Tobias Andersen

• Best Original Script: Yussef El Guindi, “Threesome,” Portland Center Stage

• Best Director of a Play: Matthew B. Zrebski, “Bob: A Life in Five Acts,” Theatre Vertigo; Best Director of a Musical: Sarah Jane Hardy, “Mary Poppins,” Northwest Children’s Theater

• Outstanding Achievement in Solo Performance: Rebecca Lingafelter, “Grounded,” CoHo Productions

• Best Actor in a Play: Michael Elich, “The Price,” Artists Repertory Theatre; Best Actress in a Play: Luisa Sermol, “Sans Merci,” Badass Theatre Company

• Best Production of a Play: “The Snowstorm,” CoHo Productions (Man Hats Collaboration); Best Production of a Musical: “Mary Poppins,” Northwest Children’s Theater

July 2

Madus can be

L.A. rockers Madus just released their new EP “All The Way!” and the title cut is a punchy angular tune that would appeal to fans of Arctic Monkeys, Muse and OK Go. This is a band not afraid to take chances, combining the tightness of alternative rock with the tempo-shifting experimentation of Incubus. This show will present the band’s acoustic side.

Madus, Sleepers, 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, Waypost, 3120 N. Williams Ave. Info: 503-367-3182, www.thewaypost.com

What addicted Jane

Miami stoner metal group Torche recently put out “Restarter,” a mass of music that sounds like the end of the last Mayan age as murmuring mutants move about, only somewhat restrained by mild doses of melatonin. This is not “catchy” music by any means, but it will catch you, if you like your rock ‘n’ roll to work on your brain like a loom, stroking your hair in a steady series of movements that make a tapestry of the random thoughts emitting through your strands. Japanese noise band Melt Banana co-headlines.

Torche, Melt Banana, House of Lightning, Nasalrod, 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2, Dante’s, 350 W. Burnside St. $15. Info: 503-226-6630, www.danteslive.com.

July 7

Dance before you die

Formed in 2009, Toronto’s TR/ST, or Trust (we’re not sure which spelling we can trust), serves up goth-infected synth pop that can sound gloomy, but is actually quite danceable.

Created by Robert Alfons of Winnipeg and Maya Postepski of the band Austra, TR/ST creates music that one reviewer wrote evokes “sexual tension,” though if they do, to our ears it’s more of the kind two broken-hearted porn addicts find enchanting as opposed to the freshly scrubbed contestants on “The Bachelor.”

Meanwhile, Portland’s DoublePlusGood consists of singer/bassist Erik Carlson, guitarist Jared Anderson, and keyboard player Jason Andersen. A good introduction to their OMD-inspired sounds is “Sometimes” off their 2014 album “You Can Master Life.” It sounds sunny, bright and moves like a just-washed sports car through your brain. But the video contains graveyard scenes, so don’t despair, goth kids, they’re thinking of you as well.

Rounding out this Red Bull Sound Selects bill is Portland songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Novosti playing dreamy music inspired by folk, prog rock, synth-pop, neoclassical and New Age sounds.

TR/ST, DoublePlusGood, Novosti, 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi Ave. $3 if you RSVP at bit.ly/1JwUTOJ. Info: 503-288-3895, www.mississippistudios.com.

July 9

Heights of harmonica

If you don’t already know it, Portland is home to one of the world’s top diatonic and chromatic harmonica players, Mr. Joe Powers, a melodic master with tone to spare. An award-winning player who’s been honored in the worlds of jazz, blues and classical for his playing, Powers tours the world constantly, but when he comes home, he always puts on a classy, warm show and this one includes Yosuke Onuma, whose guitar-playing earned the 2014 Jazz Japan Best Album of the Year honors.

Joe Powers and Friends, 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, the Old Church, 1422 S.W. 11th Ave. $20 in advance, $15 for seniors and students, $25 at the door. Tickets available at Shogun’s Gallery, 1111 N.W. 23rd Ave., 503-224-0328. Info: www.joepowers.com.

Quintana Galleries to shut; work by college artists on display

(Note: The Tribune will highlight some gallery openings and other arts happenings in the first edition of each month to coincide with First Thursday — this month, it’s Thursday, July 2)

• It’ll be the 15th anniversary of one of the metro area’s notable art installations — the Gallery Without Walls, a citywide outdoor sculpture gallery in Lake Oswego, put on by the Arts Council of Lake Oswego.

The exhibit pieces will be prominently displayed through July and August, culminating with a public celebration Aug. 30 at Lake Oswego’s Millennium Plaza. All work is viewable 24 hours a day, within a six-block radius of downtown Lake Oswego. Walking maps and an online app are available from the Art Council’s website (www.artscouncillo.org). Docent-led walking tours will be held at 1 p.m. each Saturday, July 4 through Aug. 22.

The nationally recognized exhibit showcases many sculptors, including Lee Kelly, and about 30 sculptures are displayed on loan from the artists for two years, while the city of Lake Oswego owns some others. All rotating work is available for purchase.

• It’s sad news: The Quintana Galleries of Native American Art, Portland’s longest-running art gallery, will close on Aug. 15 after 42 years in business.

It was established in 1972 by Rose and Cecil Quintana in Old Town and was one of the first galleries to challenge the stereotype of Native American art being for mere tourist craft. Notable artists featured: David Boxley (Tsimshian Nation), Susan Point (Coast Salish Nation), Lillian Pitt (Yakama/Warm Springs), The Henderson Family (Kwakwaka’wakw Nation), Art Thompson (Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation).

It’s now located in the heart of the Pearl District, 124 N.W. Ninth Ave. (www.quintanagalleries.com).

The Quintanas are looking forward to retirement, and they have chosen to close the gallery rather than sell it, as they couldn’t find a buyer who shared the same values and commitment to Native American art. The gallery will maintain an online presence, and the Quintana’s daughter, Cecily, will continue to engage fans of Native American art through social media.

• “Calligraphic Journeys” features Lawrence Wheeler, Anita Bigelow, Ingrid Slezak and Christine Colasurdo and their large-scale calligraphic artworks on the walls of the Glyph Cafe and Arts Space, 804 N.W. Couch St. (www.glyphpdx.com). It starts with a First Thursday reception at 5 p.m. July 2, and goes through Aug. 31.

Wheeler teaches humanities in the honors college at Portland State University, and previously taught calligraphy at the University of Portland.

• Other highlights: The Blackfish Gallery, 420 N.W. Ninth Ave., holds its 20th annual “Recent Graduates Show” show to highlight college artists, starting with a 6 p.m. First Thursday opening and running through Aug. 1 (www.blackfish.com); Arless Day, whose paintings will be shown at Augen Gallery, 716 N.W. Davis St., 5 p.m. First Thursday through Aug. 1 (www.augengallery.com); and, at Charles A. Hartman Fine Art, 134 N.W. Eighth St., it’ll be Mark Klett’s “Camino del Diablo” photo exhibit, 5 p.m. First Thursday through July 18 (www.hartmanfineart.net).

n For information on galleries: First Thursday, www.firstthursdayportland.com; Portland Art Dealers Association, www.padaoregon.org.

MISC.

Fourth of July

It's decision time — where to watch fireworks, with the Portland area's biggest displays at Fort Vancouver (Wash.) on the Columbia River, the Waterfront Blues Festival on the Willamette River, Oaks Park on the Willamette, Corbett, North Plains and the St. Paul Rodeo. Among the big events to consider: Estacada Timber Festival, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 3, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 4 (estacadatimberfestival.com); Independence Day at Fort Vancouver, 8 a.m. Saturday, July 4 (4th.fortvan.org; entertainment starts at noon). And, the newly open World of Speed, 27490 S.W. 95th Ave. in Wilsonville will be hosting "Hoods Up! Fire Up!" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 4 — the museum plans to lift the hoods on each of its 93 cars in the collection and fire up the 1979 Markley-Bruins Top Fuel Dragster and 1995 Jeff Gordon No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. A great place to identify other Fourth of July activities: www.pdxpipeline.com.

GearCon

The Steampunk convention returns to the DoubleTree by Hilton Portland, 1000 N.E. Multnomah St., July 3 through 5. It includes the Victorian Martial Arts Symposium, put on by Academia Duellatoria, as well as a fine art salon and marketplace, a gaming room, a variety of panels, and evening entertainment featuring Aurelio Voltaire.

Activities on Friday, July 3, take place at various venues in Portland, so there should be some interesting people-watching going on. For info: www.pdxgearcon.com.

Van Sant films

Gearing up for its play "Time, A Fair Hustler" later this summer, Hand2Mouth presents a celebration of filmmaker Gus Van Sant with screenings of his movies, July 5 through Aug. 5. The series is curated by Mario Falsetto, author of "Conversations with Gus Van Sant."

The screenings: Clinton Street Theater (2522 S.E. Clinton St.) — "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues," 7 p.m. July 5; "To Die For," 4 p.m. July 11; "Good Will Hunting," 2 p.m. July 12; "Psycho" (both Van Sant's and Alfred Hitchcock's), 2 p.m. July 18; "Paranoid Park," 4 p.m. July 26; "Promised Land," 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1. McMenamins Mission Theater (1624 N.W. Glisan St.) — "My Own Private Idaho," times to be determined, Aug. 5 through 7. For more info: www.hand2mouththeatre.org.

STAGE

'Thoroughly Modern Millie'

Broadway Rose puts on the show, directed and choreographed by Lyn Cramer, an endowed professor of musical theater dance at the University of Oklahoma and starring Portland's Claire Avakian as Millie (Cramer taught Avakian at Oklahoma).

"Thoroughly Modern Millie" was the most awarded show on Broadway in 2002. It's based on the 1967 Academy Award-winning film, and it takes you back to the height of the Jazz Age in New York City and flapper Millie Dillmount. It's a delightful valentine to the long-standing spirit of New York City and the people who seek to discover themselves there.

7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays (and July 18, 25), July 2-July 26, Deb Fennell Auditorium, 9000 S.W. Durham Road, www.broadwayrose.org (check for tickets)

The Brody Theater

The theater touts its upcoming "Flip the Bird," a show by Domeka Parker and Kerry Leek — "just two gals, ladies, birds making sweet, sweet music, or improv comedy, from nothing," Parker says.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9 at The Brody Theater, 16 N.W. Broadway, www.brodytheater.com, $10

'Twelfth Night'

The Portland Shakespeare Project stages the bard's romantic comedy, directed by internationally acclaimed actress and director Lisa Harrow, and starring Allen Nause in the role of Feste, Michael Mendelson as Orsino, along with a slew of Portland actors. The play follows the journey of Viola and Sebastian, twins separated by a shipwreck, as they encounter loss and love in their new homeland, the mythical island of Illyria.

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, July 8-Aug. 2, Artists Repertory Theatre/Alder Stage, 1516 S.W. Morrison St., www.portlandshakes.org (check for tickets)

MUSIC

Sundown Concert

Portland Cello Project cuts loose with a free all-ages dance party, for the third consecutive year, to open the Ecotrust concert series on First Thursday, July 2. It's a monthly series of free outdoor concerts at the landmark green building. The Portland Cello Project's party will be part of a celebration that includes a street fair-style Innovation Showcase with a climate theme and more than 40 local organizations sharing their work. Joy Now Project will gather its troupe of kids for a series kickoff march.

5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, Ecotrust Natural Capital Center parking lot, 721 N.W. Ninth Ave., www.ecotrust.org, free

Elvis Costello

The alternative rocker comes to Portland with one of his bands, The Impostors.

8 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway, www.portland5.com, $46.50-$89

Lineup of national and local talent offers must-hear, must-see music July 2-5

Devon Allman sums it up.

“It’s weird to be in a world where there’s no B.B. King.”

Allman never got to meet King, who died in May, but like numerous other blues and rock musicians, he readily acknowledges his debt to the Mississippi bluesman as well as Robert Johnson, Otis Taylor and Buddy Guy. Any young blues player worth his or her salt has taken time to study masters like King, Allman says. Nonetheless, if the blues is to survive, Allman says its fans must embrace the younger men and women who are picking up where King and company left off.

“I think it’s also important for the blues to allow the younger artists to stretch the framework,” he says. “As long as there’s feeling and soul, it can be the blues.”

The son of Gregg Allman, Devon will be jamming with his dad following his own set at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, on the First Tech Blues Stage at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival.

Gregg Allman hits the Brewery Stage at 8:45 p.m. and both Allmans will be preceded by the Allman Brothers’ percussionist Jaimoe (Jai Johnny Johnson), whose band plays at 7 p.m. on the Brewery Stage.

Devon Allman, 42, has made a blues-rock name for himself, as a member of Honeytribe and the Royal Southern Brotherhood and also a solo artist. At times, the guitarist actually sounds more like Carlos Santana than his famed uncle, the late guitarist Duane Allman.

“He’s one of my favorite players, and when I roll the tone knob back and get that ‘brown’ sound I’m sure I sound like him,” Allman says of Santana.

A keyboardist and singer as well, Allman released a critically acclaimed record last year, “Ragged & Dirty,” cuts from which he plans to showcase at the waterfront festival. Among its more interesting numbers is a cover of The Spinners’ 1972 proto-disco hit “I’ll Be Around.”

“I loved that song, and I don’t know if anybody covered it,” he says. “It just worked out.”

He also turns in a fine version of Otis Taylor’s “Ten Million Slaves,” and got help from the rootsy Afrocentric songwriter himself.

“He came to one of our shows,” Allman says. “He was very cool, very gracious, and showed me how to play it the proper way.”

Originals on the record include the gently soulful swamp number “Leave the City,” which argues for doing just that.

“That was written the night before we went into the studio,” he says. “We live in such a crazy fast-paced, tech-savvy world. It’s good to remember we are children of the planet and to reconnect with Mother Earth.”

Speaking of parents, he says although he didn’t actually know his famous dad all that well until his teens (his parents divorced when he was an infant and Devon grew up with his mother), today they have a “great relationship."

Devon Allman says that about twice a year he and his dad wind up playing the same festival, as they will this week. Adds the son: “He keeps tabs on me. He’s a proud papa, and I’m very proud of him to know that he’s getting near 70 with no signs of slowing down.”

Soul man

Speaking of younger musicians with roots in blues-inflected music, the danceable neo-soul outfit Con Brio has taken a page from such artists as James Brown and Sly and The Family Stone, updating it in the manner that Janelle Monae and Bruno Mars have, notes the Bay Area band’s lead singer Ziek McCarter. The band performs on the Brewery Stage at 5:45 p.m. July 4.

Con Brio recently released its first EP “Kiss the Sun” and is fast becoming a festival favorite, in part because of McCarter’s Michael Jackson-like voice, as well as his funky feet. When asked how he’s able to sing in such a high register, McCarter notes it’s not as difficult as it sounds.

“The falsetto is actually one of my most comfortable places,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to keep that nice and smooth.”

As for his dancing on stage, he says it’s something he’s taken pains to improve.

“I’ve taken ballet classes,” he says. “I’ve practiced for awhile.”

In addition to McCarter, the band features Benjamin Andrews on guitar, Micah Dubreuil on keys, Jonathan Kirchner on bass, Andrew Laubacher on drums, Marcus Stephens on tenor saxophone, and Brendan Liu on trumpet.

“I think what is undeniable up to this point is our chemistry, how much we enjoy playing,” McCarter says.

Way down upon the Willamette

If you’ve got a little extra dough, the festival offers a special treat with separately ticketed DME Blues Cruises on the Portland Spirit on the Willamette River every day of the festival.

On July 4, for example, for $25 you can take a trip at 2:30 p.m. with Terry "Harmonica Bean,” Con Brio, Kinzel & Hyde, David Pinsky & Phil Newton, and Portland’s own Rose City Kings.

Dan Berkery, aka as Kolvane, is the Rose City King's singer and slide guitarist, and shares the stage with drummer Gary Keeney, keyboardist Steve Kerin, harmonica player David Lipkind, percussionist Katy Oberg and bassist Tim Shaughnessy. Berkery says he’s played the Blues Cruise before.

“I just remember it being a crazy good time,” he says with a chuckle, noting the bands on board play simultaneously on different levels of the ship. A fan of Howlin’ Wolf, Berkery says his band — named Best New Act in 2004 by the Cascade Blues Association — puts on an energetic live show.

“I do my best to write catchy good songs that people can identify with,” he says.

He adds that while some local blues purists think the Waterfront festival is a bit too eclectic, including bands and artists that stretch the definition of blues beyond 12-bar jams and droning boogies, he begs to differ.

“I think there’s a lot of great music that, if it isn’t pure blues, it’s touched by the blues,” he says. “I think (the festival is) better than it’s ever been. It really keeps the blues alive and in the forefront.”

The MINI Cooper comes in a four-door hardtop version this year. OK, so that's not the most groundbreaking announcement in the world. Although the sedan is 6.3 inches longer than the coupe, the back seat is still ridiculously small. Adding back doors just makes it easier for owners to show how little room there is.

But nobody buys a MINI Cooper for practicality. They buy them for fun, which our S version delivered in spades. The larger Countryman model is available for those who insist on carrying more than just two passengers, and it can be had with all-wheel-drive, too.

Bigger news for the Cooper line up is the range of engines this year. They start with a turbocharged three-cylinder in the base Cooper and go all the way up to a high-performance turbocharged four-cylinder in the John Cooper Works hardtop. And convertibles get their own engines, which has got to be first.

Our test MINI was a four-door S version, which came with a turbocharged turbocharged TwinPower 2.0-liter inline four cylinder that produced 189 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. That was more then enough to spin the tires, although the one in the JCW produces 228 horsepower and 236 foot-pounds of torque. But who's counting? Ours was plenty fun.

Even the build sheet for the Cooper S was fun. Under standard features, it had a category called "Performance and MINImalism," which the listed the engine that is EPA rated at an impressive 26/33 miles per gallon. Another category, called "Go-kart handling, braking," accurately describes the on-rails ride of the MINI, which goes around corners like, well, a go-kart.

Our test model was also equipped with an automated manual six-speed transmission that was arguably more fun than a stick, especially when set in the Sport mode where the shifts happen faster than humanly possible. In this mode, our MINI drove like a four-door sports car, although one with a very small back seat, as we've noted.

But we're really not complaining. The MINI subcompact is a remarkable vehicle. Only a few cars of any size are such a gas to drive. And even fewer have as much personality, beginning with the exterior and interior styling that pays homage to the original British subcompact. On the outside, the MINI is even more bulbous than its ancestor, while the dash is a riot of gauges, knobs, buttons and switches that don't seem to be taking themselves too seriously. Even the ignition is a red switch mounted in the center of the dash — something original among all the cars with start buttons those days.

Interested buyers need to take the name MINI seriously, however. Most of today's subcompacts have an impressive amount of interior space. But the MINI can feel confining, even for the driver and front seat passenger. The convertible version eliminators that drawback, at least in good weather.

The new Hardtop 4 door model starts at $21,700 with the 2.0-liter engine as standard equipment. Our S version has many additional features — including the transmission and wealth of packages — that pushed the price up to $36,050. Although that may sounds like a lot for a subcompact, on a dollar-per-fun ratio, it's a bargain.

2015 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 door

Base price: $21,700.

Price as tested: $36,050.

Type: Subcompact sedan hatchback (as tested).

Engine: turbocharged 1.5 L3 (134 hp, 162 lbs-ft); 1.6 L4 (121 hp, 114 lbs-ft); turbocharged 1.6 L4 (181 hp, 177 lbs-ft); turbocharged 1.6 L4 (208 hp, 192 lbs-ft); turbocharged 2.0 L4 (189 hp, 207 ft-lbs - as tested); turbocharged 2.0 L4 (228 hp, 236 ft-lbs).

EPA estimated mileage: 26/33 (as tested).

Final assembly: Oxford, UK.

The 2015 McLaren 650S is a two-seater Supercar that looks like a spaceship and is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter all-aluminum V8 mounted behind the cockpit that produces a whopping 641 horsepower and an astonishing 500 foot-pounds of torque.

So of course, right after I picked it up, I drove 20 miles home in stop-and-go freeway traffic on one of the hottest days of the year. That's what a busy schedule will do to you.

But the surprising thing is how easy it was. The McLaren loafed along as I listed to classic rock with the air conditioning on. It never surged or showed any signs of overheating. The biggest thing I had to worry about was other drivers pulling close to gawk and take pictures on their smart phones.

And you thought Supercars were supposed to be high strung and temperamental.

The manageability was due in large part to the default setting for the engine, suspension, steering and seven-speed automated manual transmission. Designated "Normal," it is part of McLaren's ambitious goal to build a Supercar you can actually live with on a day to day basis.

But don't worry, the two other settings help the car perform like it looks. "Sport" increases the throttle response, quickens the shifts, stiffens the suspension and tightens the steering. "Track" takes all that to levels that can only be fully appreciated on closed courses. Both transformed the personality of the McLaren during a drive through the scenic Columbia River Gorge, with the "Track" setting making the suspension uncomfortably stiff over typical road imperfections. The ride was reasonable in the "Sport" section, however.

Of course, even set in "Normal," the McLaren's potential will never be even halfway realized on city streets or interstate freeways without breaking a lot of laws and endangering at least a few lives. It will go over 200 miles per hour, after all, and get there a lot faster than some cars can leave their driveways.

So driving the McLaren in the real world is a mix of exhilaration and frustration — exhilaration when you hit those stretches of empty roads when you can open it up, and frustration because they don't last long enough.

Motoring around in the McLaren can also be very time consuming. Wherever I parked, complete strangers walked up to talk about it. Some brought children with them to pose for pictures. Apparently they all assumed I was only trying to attract attention.

There were plenty of reasons for them to think that, however. For starters, the exterior design is pure art — low, long and wide, with swoopy lines, huge air intakes behind the doors, and a wide rear end with a self-adjusting spoiler. And then there was the color. Officially called Volcano Red, It almost glowed in the dark. Beyond that, the exhaust snapped and snarled even when I driving slowly through parking lots. And if all that wasn't enough, I had the Spider convertible version with an electronically controlled retractable hardtop that folds and unfolds with the touch of a button — a real show stopper.

A few people actually knew what the McLaren was, however, which surprised me since only a limited number of models have ever been manufactured in England and imported into America. McLaren Automotive was founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren to make high performance cars based on Formula 1 race car technology in 1989. It has undergone several changes over the years, but is still closely involved with F1 racing. One man, who had first seen a number of McLarens in Dubai, had actually toured the assembly plant. Another knew that British comedian Rowan Atkinson crashed his 1997 McLaren twice — once seriously — but had it rebuilt both times.

The 2015 McLaren 650S is a new model available in both hardtop and Spider versions. The body is a carbon fibre tub chassis with bolt-on suspension pieces. The interior is tight but comfortable, with push buttons for the transmission in a row on the narrow console between the front seats.

Despite McLaren's efforts to make a livable Supercar, there's a lot about the 650S that is just plain impractical, beginning with the slash-open doors that swing only slightly up and out. They require both the driver and passenger to do a lot of twisting and turning to get into and out of the car. That's especially true for the driver because of the steering wheel, which can only be only raised slightly to provide a little more wiggle room.

Storage space is also extremely limited, with just a small trunk up front, a couple of coffee cup holders in front of the narrow center stack, and a very small cubicle under a lid between the seats. There's not even a glove box, just a little bit of netting against the back wall to hold all important papers, like the ones you'll need if the police pull you over.

The mid-engine design gives the McLaren 650S good balance, of course, but locating a small displacement, high-revving V8 directly behind the cockpit leads to complications — like noise. The engine makes an almost constant racket at low speeds, which is especially noticeable with the top down. It decreases as the speed picks up and the deeper sound of the exhaust takes over, but until then, the engine noise is more annoying than satisfying.

And strangely enough, you can't actually see much of the engine that the car is built around. A small window is mounted above it, which shows the top of the air intake system but not much more. The window is part of a slightly larger hatch that doesn't reveal much more when it's open. If you enjoy popping the hood and showing off the engine in your car, the 2015 McLaren 650S isn't for you.

Base price for the 2015 McLaren 650S Spider is $280,225, but my test model had near $60,000 worth of options that included various carbon fibre aerodynamic add-ons, carbon fibre racing seats, a sport exhaust, and an upgraded leather interior. It also had a btechnology package that included a "Vehicle Lifter" that electronically raises the front end of the car to help go in and out of driveways without scraping — or at least without scraping as much. Even more important, it included a rear parking camera and sensors, both of which are absolutely essentially because rear visibility is so restricted by the sweeping rear roofline.

Obviously, the market for cars like the 2015 McLaren 650S Spider is very limited. They are dream cars that very few will ever own — and even fewer will ever push to their remarkable limits. It's nice of McLaren to let automotive writers learn how the .00001 percent lives every once in a while.

2015 McLaren 650S Spider

Base price: $280,225

Price as tested: $331,175

Type: Supercar convertible

Engine: Twin-turbocharged 3.8 V8 (641 hp, 500 ft-lbs)

EPA estimated mileage: 16/22

Overall length: 177.6 inches

Curb weight: 3,150 pounds

Final assembly: Woking, Surrey, UK

Linda Graybeal talks softly but powerlifts a big weight

Linda Graybeal’s neck hurt.

She had stenosis, a cramped nerve in her neck that caused her arm to go painfully numb. She was told physical therapy would only do so much, but an operation was dead last on her list of options.

That’s why the 72-year-old Lake Oswego woman took up powerlifting two years ago. In a life filled with sports, powerlifting was one exercise she had never tried. Many people would have chosen to mask their pain with pills, but not Graybeal.

“I believe in dealing with issues,” she says, “instead of giving in to my ailments. I didn’t even know what powerlifting was.”

But Graybeal has always been a great natural athlete, and she had an outstanding trainer in Kyle Young at Boom Fitness Health Club in Tualatin. So her rehabilitation progressed very well. The pain and dysfunction in her neck and arm became less and less.

And she also noticed something else.

“In the process, I was becoming pretty sturdy,” Graybeal says.

In fact, Graybeal became so sturdy that in June 2014, she set a combined total of 16 state and U.S. records in her age group in the squat, bench press, dead lift and total score. Then in October, she proceeded to set world records in the squat, bench press, dead lift and total weight lifted.

Sturdy is putting it mildly.

Still, Graybeal is so reticent about her achievements that nobody would have found out about what she had done if some of her friends hadn’t blabbed the news. Graybeal was a little abashed, but also pleased and proud. Most of all, “I’d rather live, not just exist,” she says.

It’s a philosophy she carried with her into the gym on the first day she met with Young.

“I didn’t want a namby-pamby program for an old lady,” she says. “That is what someone my age always gets stuck in. I wanted something that would challenge me.”

Young was just the guy to do that. He is a world-class weightlifter who can squat 675 pounds, more than four times his own weight. Young says he sees everybody as a potential weightlifter, and he was happy to recommend such a strenuous rehab program for Graybeal.

“When I described powerlifting to Linda, she said, ‘I could totally do that,’ “ Young says.

As a feeling of sturdiness came over Graybeal, she greatly desired to step up her rehabilitation program. That’s when Young told her about the upcoming powerlifting competition in Portland — the APF-AAPF Primal Strength Fest.

“I thought, ‘That’s what I need! I need a goal!’” Graybeal says.

But she wasn’t quite as gung ho as she sounded. The prospect of competing in her first powerlifting contest made the reserved side of her personality kick in.

“Kyle said, ‘OK, you’re in.’ I said, ‘OK, I’ll do it,’” Graybeal says. “I only had one and a half months to train for it in earnest. There’s a lot of stuff you have to learn for powerlifting. It’s not just lifting weights. I was very afraid that I would be watched on Youtube and that I would chicken out, and I don’t like to chicken out. At age 71, you don’t envision yourself in a singlet.”

But last June, Graybeal did indeed wear a singlet in a huge gymnasium filled with the clanking sound of powerful men and women lifting a whole lot of weights.

“The thing that shocked me most was that the equipment there was different from what I had been working out on,” Graybeal says. “Then they called my name out. I was the very first person in the very first event.”

But the worst shock of all was still to come. Just as Graybeal began setting her jaw, gritting her teeth and gripping the bar, a tiny woman standing nearby let out an unearthly scream that sent a lightning bolt of alarm up Graybeal’s spine.

“I jumped a mile in the air,” Graybeal says. “Later, I found out that yelling is what you do to encourage your teammates. That woman later became a good friend.”

Now thoroughly traumatized, Graybeal seemed to be more in danger of dropping the weights on her feet than of setting records. Instead, the gutsy Graybeal lived up to all of those wonderful clichés about athletes coming through in the clutch.

“I told myself, ‘OK, go now!’” Graybeal says. “I did it successfully. I went on through the whole day. I was in everything — the squat, chess press, dead lift.”

Her results were awesome, and they propelled her to set world records a few months later at the APA-WPA Elite Fall Classic in Portland.

“They were no longer seeing me as an old lady doing rehab,” she says with a smile. “I felt like an athlete again.”

Graybeal has accomplished similar feats many times in her life. Even before she was a teenager, she found herself stunning others — and herself — with her athletic performances. As a 12 year old, she played second base for the Rosebuds, a farm team of the then-famous Erv Lind Florists softball team.

“I was pretty darn good,” she says.

A few years later, while a student at Lake Oswego High School, she heard there was going to be an AAU track meet. “That sounded like fun,” she says, so Graybeal whimsically entered the 100-yard dash and broad jump — with no training at all and wearing her P.E. uniform. She didn’t even have any track spikes.

“My sister Julie asked me, ‘What are you going to do?’ I told her, ‘I don’t know,’ “ Graybeal says. “The other athletes looked like they really belonged out there. In the broad jump, I told Julie to stand by the pit so I would have a target to shoot for, and I flew past my sister.”

Having had enough track for one day, Graybeal left the meet early to go to a dance.

“I learned several months later that I had beaten the state broad jump record by a couple feet,” Graybeal says. “My friends made me a paper crown.”

Soon, Graybeal was surprising herself again. After a quick lesson from her brother on how to do the hurdles, Graybeal decided to enter that event at a big summer track meet. At first, it was extremely frustrating.

“I just could not catch this one girl,” Graybeal says. “Afterward, my friends ran up to me and said, ‘You did great!’ I told them, ‘But I couldn’t catch that girl.’ They said, ‘She’s an alternate on the Olympic team.’”

Years later, Graybeal and her husband, Roger, were vacationing in Scotland and decided to play golf at a magnificent Scottish golf course. Graybeal had never played golf before. But she simply teed the ball up and smacked an awesome drive straight down the middle of the fairway. The golf pro could not believe his eyes.

“How long have you been golfing?” he asked. “An hour,” Graybeal replied, then added, “I just did what you told me.”

The pro then demanded that her husband never come back to that course again unless he brought Graybeal with him. But before the dazzled pro could steer her to the LPGA, Graybeal gave up golf.

“It was boring,” she says.

Graybeal isn’t giving up powerlifting, though. She is no longer surprised by her own success, and besides, she still needs to do rehabilitation to defy the onset of age and injuries — to live, not exist.

In any case, lots of fun things are happening for her.

“It’s sounds so funny when I hear that I’m a world-record holder,” Graybeal says. “I couldn’t believe it when I was in a muscle magazine.

“It’s kind of great, isn’t it?”

Contact Cliff Newell at 503-636-1281 ext. 105 or email cnewell@lakeoswegoreview.com.

Reelz network saves the day for Miss Oregon USA, who hopes to be crowned Miss USA on July 12

Bridget Wilmes, Miss Oregon USA, is probably breathing a sigh of relief, now that Reelz has announced it will broadcast the Miss USA pageant on July 12.

And she’s not alone. She and 50 other women from every state and the District of Columbia are competing in the Miss USA pageant, and all, no doubt, were worried when NBC cut ties with pageant owner Donald Trump because of perceived insensitive remarks he made recently. Controversy has swirled around the pageant, and several people have opted not to be part of it.

But the pageant will go on in Baton Rouge, La., and Wilmes, 22, can continue to pursue her dream to represent Oregon and “have the chance of being hired for the job of Miss USA.”

The winner of the Miss USA pageant will go on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.

Wilmes was crowned Miss Oregon USA in November. She is a 2011 graduate of Jesuit High School and attended Texas Christian University for two years, majoring in film, television and media production.

“Currently I am focusing on my job as Miss Oregon USA, modeling and planning on transferring to an online program next year,” she says.

She and the other contestants have been in Baton Rouge since late June, competing in preliminary events in swimsuit, evening gown and interview. On the night of July 12, the finalists will be announced and a TV audience can watch the young women, with a new panel of judges, compete in those events live onstage.

Before she left for the competition, Wilmes said she wanted to be Miss Oregon USA to “help empower girls and women through promoting a focus on making their own happiness a priority. I especially like to visit schools to spread messages about self-awareness, positive body image, and anti-bullying. Throughout the year, my duties include appearances and volunteerism.”

Volunteerism is important to her, Wilmes says, “because I firmly believe that any act of kindness truly makes the world a better place. When people take time to help those in need, the positive impact is amazing.”

Talent, modeling

Although the Miss USA pageant does not have a talent component, Wilmes has been singing classical music for five years and finds a lot of enjoyment in it.

“I especially love opera because it is a really beautiful, timeless art form, and I find it very relaxing,” she says.

She also has been pursuing a side career in modeling for a little over a year and says she loves every moment.

“My favorite job was for a Harley-Davidson clothing campaign that appeared online and throughout stores in Europe. I would like to continue modeling until I run out of opportunities,” Wilmes says.

She adds, “I have participated in a lot of theater over the years and am looking forward to pursuing more acting opportunities in both television and film after my pageant career is complete. I truly find great enjoyment in the arts and feel that it is a great means to express myself.”

Watch the Miss USA pageant at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 12, on Reelz. For more information about the pageant, visit missuniverse.com/missusa.

Last week, July 1, 3

“Magic Mike XXL”; “Terminator Genisys”; “Aloft”

This week, July 10

“Minions” (Universal), PG, 91 minutes

About — Stuart, Kevin and Bob are hired by a supervillain and her husband to help take over the world; Stars — Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Pierre Coffin; Director — Kyle Balda/Pierre Coffin

“The Gallows” (WB), R, 116 minutes

About — An attempt to resurrect a 20-year-old tragic school play goes all wrong; Stars — Reese Mishler, Pfeifer Brown, Ryan Shoos, Cassidy Gifford; Director — Travis Cluff/Chris Lofing

Next week, July 17

“Ant-Man”; “Infinitely Polar Bear”; “Mr. Holmes”

Movies in the Park

Pre-movie entertainment at 6:30 p.m., music, popcorn and movies at dusk at Portland parks:

Wednesday, July 8: “Despicable Me 2,” Peninsula Park, 700 N. Rosa Parks Way

Thursday, July 9: “The Princess Bride,” Woodlawn Park, N.E. Claremont/Oneonta

Friday, July 10: “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” Wilshire Park, N.E. 33rd/Skidmore

Saturday, July 11: “The Lego Movie,” Kenilworth Park, S.E. 34th/Holgate

Sunday, July 12: “The Book of Life,” Glenhaven Park, N.E. 82nd/Siskiyou

Home rentals

The latest top 10 digital movie purchases based on transaction rate, by Rentrak:

1. “Kingsman: The Secret Service”

2. “The Duff”

3. “Focus”

4. “Jupiter Ascending”

5. “McFarland, USA”

6. “Get Hard”

7. “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water”

8. “American Sniper”

9. “Project Almanac”

10. “Wild Card”

Other recent favorites: “Chappie”; “Run All Night”; “Survivor”

Doc spotlight

“Whitelandia”

It could be an interesting documentary about race and Portland. Producer Matt Zodrow wants to create an accurate documentation of the black experience in Oregon. It’s scheduled for a late 2015 completion; producers are running an Indiegogo campaign. For info: whitelandia.com.

Upcoming event

Gearing up for its play “Time, A Fair Hustler” (a re-imaginging onstage of “My Own Private Idaho”), Hand2Mouth presents a monthlong celebration of filmmaker Gus Van Sant with screenings of his movies, through Aug. 5. It started last weekend with “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.” The remaining screenings: Clinton Street Theater (2522 S.E. Clinton St.) — “To Die For,” 4 p.m. July 11; “Good Will Hunting,” 2 p.m. July 12; “Psycho” (both Van Sant’s and Alfred Hitchcock’s), 2 p.m. July 18; “Paranoid Park,” 4 p.m. July 26; “Promised Land,” 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1. McMenamins Mission Theater (1624 N.W. Glisan St.) — “My Own Private Idaho,” times to be determined Aug. 5 through 7. For more info: hand2mouththeatre.org.

Indulge in guilty pleasures with some light summer reading

During the time I was living in Fairbanks, Alaska, I developed a theory about why the Russian classics are so long. See, when you’re in Siberia without a television, there’s not much to do other than read LONG novels.

The works of Leo Tostoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky certainly provide hours worth of reading to ease the boredom of a long winter inside. But when the weather turns warm — as it certainly has in Portland the past few weeks — sitting around and reading “War and Peace” or “Crime and Punishment” are not exactly what you want to be doing.

Summer is a time to read light, or even trashy, books while you’re sitting at the beach, or on your deck with a cold beverage. So now that summer is here, it’s time to put down the Russians and pick up some easy reads. There will be plenty of time to read the hard stuff once the rain returns to the Rose City.

Here is a sample of some books to indulge in over the next few months:

• “Ghostman” by Roger Hobbs ($14.95, Vintage 385 pages): This first novel is a stunning achievement by Hobbs, a Reed graduate. It is beautifully written, fast-paced, action packed and exciting. The writing is very technical and intricate; however, Hobbs lays everything out for the reader in a easily digestible way. Hobbs takes a novel about crime, a subject we have seen and read about countless times, and makes it seem new and different.

• “The Shell Collector: Stories” by Anthony Doerr ($15.00, Scribner, 240 pages): With so much to do during the summer, sometimes you just don’t want to take the time to read an entire novel. If you’re looking for a book of short stories, “Shell” is a great place to start. Doerr recently achieved literary immortality by winning the Pulitzer Prize for his novel “All the Light We Cannot See.” Before that, though, Doerr wowed audiences and critics alike with this gorgeous collection of shorts. Like the very best short stories, the ones in “Shell” do not take long to read, but stick with you long after you’ve read them.

• “Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian” by EL James ($15.95, Vintage, 576 pages):

This series has been universally panned. Ask just about anyone and they’ll tell you what total trash it is. And that’s all fine. No way to really argue that it’s well written, or is anything but trash. But there’s a reason the retelling of the supernova erotica novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” is the No. 1-ranked book on Amazon right now. It’s the ultimate guilty pleasure. And what’s more, if you decide to buy the book on your Kindle, you can keep the summer steamy and no one will ever know.

• “Springsteen: Album by Album” by Ryan White ($27.95, Sterling, 288 pages): There is no musician who embodies summer quite like Bruce Springsteen. A hot summer day is made complete by listening to The Boss croon about life in New Jersey, girls, cars and everything all things uniquely American. White, a former music critic at The Oregonian, gives deep insight into the music that makes summer complete. “Springsteen” is the perfect thing to read while listening to summer anthems like “Born in the U.S.A.” or “Backstreets.”

• “The Thrill of the Grass” by W.P. Kinsella ($12:77 used, Penguin Books, 128 pages): Nothing feels like summer more than baseball. And no one has written better fiction about baseball than W.P. Kinsella. While he’s best known for his novel “Shoeless Joe,” which was later turned into the movie “Field of Dreams,” Kinsella’s short story collection is my favorite of his work. The magical realism short stories are captivating.

• “Who Shot the Water Buffalo” by Ken Babbs ($25.95 The Overlook Press, 320 pages): Babbs is best known as the sidekick for legendary Oregon writer Ken Kesey. After working for decades on his first novel, Babbs finally published it in 2011 and proved himself to be a phenomenal novelist in his own right. The novel about the Vietnam War is wonderfully written, funny, heartbreaking and a must-read.

• “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald ($15, Scribner, 180 pages): Why would I include a classic in a list of great summer reads? Especially one everyone was forced to read (or maybe pretend to read) in high school? Well, “Gatsby” is one of the most approachable classics out there. The writing is easy to read, the story is fast-paced, and the love story is timeless. The book also is short and takes place during a single summer.

July 12

Funky fete

Holocene hosts a veritable mini-festival, called The Takeover, of funk, soul and hip-hop with this show, which features sophisticated Portland lyricist Champagne Duane backed up by six-piece brass ensemble Free Thought Takeover.

Meanwhile, Dope Kine plays hip-hop, reggae and funk, Murder Vibes plays synth-pop in the spirit of Depeche Mode, and Double B & Laces perform rap and hip-hop. Rounding out the bill is producer Jonny Cool, who’s worked with John Legend, Astor Chambers, Kanye West, and Juan Harris, as well DJ Jupiter Williams.

The Takeover, 6 p.m. Sunday, July 12, Holocene, 1001 S.E. Morrison St. $5. Info: 503-239-7639, www.holocene.org.

July 14

Caught you dreaming

L.A. singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell has a lovely on-the-edge-of-husky voice that echoes Karen Carpenter and sounds especially wonderful when she sings about love, its promise, pitfalls and peculiarities. Her music would appeal to fans of the gentler side of Gordon Gano, Lou Reed, PJ Harvey or Tom Waits.

Mandell’s like that funny girl who all the high school boys took for granted while chasing other girls who disdained them. In the end, the smart guy finally figured out she was the real prize and decided to listen to what she was really saying in between the jokes.

Combining folk, circus rock, jazz, pop and country, Mandell has released several albums since she hit the scene back in the late 1990s, and has made waves with the folk group The Living Sisters, which includes Inara George (half of The Bird and The Bee and daughter of Little Feat’s Lowell George) and Becky Stark. The trio has released two albums. For the uninitiated, check out Mandell’s “Right Side.”

Eleni Mandell, Courtney Marie Andrews, 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi Ave. $12. Info: 503-288-3895, www.mississippistudios.com.

Space is the place

Can you dance to progressive rock? Dopapod certainly thinks so, combining prog rock and classic rock concepts with jazz, metal and other influences all wrapped up in a rolling electronic dance music approach that has earned the band kudos for reinvigorating the jam band scene.

Hailing from Boston originally and now based in New York, Dopapod is Eli Winderman on keyboards, Rob Comba on guitar, Chuck Jones on bass, Scotty Zwang on drums, and Luke Stratton on sounds and lights. You know it’s a tripindicular band when they include the sound/light guy as a member. Opener Vokab Company is a seven-piece indie electro hip-hop outfit (with a fiddle player) that uses catchy hooks and rhythm-based harmonic vocal delivery to create an alternate take on the MC approach.

Dopapod, Vokab Company, 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, Doug Fir, 830 E. Burnside St. $13 in advance, $16 day of show. Info: 503-231-9663, www.dougfirlounge.com.

Project Pabst pours on refreshing brew of shows at Zidell Yards

Terry Six muses for a moment on his life after The Exploding Hearts, the star-crossed Portland power pop band who had three its members die in a 2003 van accident just after the release of their critically acclaimed debut album “Guitar Romantic.”

The crash took the lives of Adam Cox, Matt Fitzgerald and Jeremy Gage. Six survived the crash, but his emotional life suffered enormously.

“I think I was extremely mad and angry and very upset for a very long time, and I thought the world owed me something,” he says. “I don’t think anybody had any sound advice for a 21-year-old who went through it.”

Married now, living in Oakland and working with autistic students, Six is in a much better place, he says.

“Things have been really good, and I can’t really find one thing to complain about.”

Among the good things that have happened are his reunion with fellow Hearts bandmate King Louie Bankston (who left the Hearts prior to the accident) in Terry and Louie. The duo, along with Chad Savage on bass, Julian Fried on guitar (and a fellow bandmate of Bankston in Missing Monuments), and Aaron Hill of Eyehategod on drums, will perform at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at Project Pabst.

The music festival takes place in the South Waterfront District at Zidell Yards, 3030 S.W. Moody Ave., between the new Tilikum Crossing and the Ross Island Bridge on Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19. Acts include Weezer, Blondie, TV On The Radio, and Run the Jewels.

Zidell Yards’ shows take place from 1-9 p.m. each day, and Pabst brand ambassador Matt Slessler wanted Terry and Louie on the outdoor bill.

“’Guitar Romantic’ is my favorite record to come out of Portland,” Slessler says.

Interestingly, Six notes in their heyday the Hearts were not all that popular in their hometown. Sadly, it was only in the years after the crash that Six realized how much the Hearts meant to others in the power pop and punk worlds. Fans include Green Day, who’ve played their tunes live, and Portland-based acts like The Cry, who have recorded such tunes as the anthemic “Modern Kicks.”

Six says he and Bankston — who lives outside New Orleans — hope to record a full album. The duo already have released two singles, the songs of which echo tunes like those the Hearts wrote, as well as those penned by Six’s other band, The Nice Boys. Six has started his own label, Tuff Break, an allusion to his past — “It definitely kind of sums up my existence” — and despite his hardships, he can’t help but continue to write upbeat rock ‘n’ roll in the tradition of such bands as Cheap Trick, The Raspberries and The Undertones.

“Nothing hit me really as hard,” he says of ‘70s-era power pop and punk. “It just felt right. It felt normal.”

Jukebox bar at midnight

Slessler says last year’s inaugural fest drew 14,000 people to Zidell Yards and 3,000 more to the club shows.

“We were more than pleasantly surprised,” he says, adding Project Pabst’s buzz “had a significant impact on sales” of PBRs in the area, which he credits for helping the beer company’s revival over the past several years.

This year’s festival will feature more seating and more shaded areas than last year’s, he adds, noting the company wants the festival to sound “like a jukebox bar at midnight.”

The Zidell Yards site also will feature a PBRcade, a “dive bar” with pinball machines and arcade games, including Nibbler and Pac Man, as well as “Eye Candy VJs.” You also can indulge in “Pabst VANdalism,” which includes drinking beer and spray painting a van.

Meanwhile, Clean Vibes is recruiting volunteers to keep the site clean. Volunteers must commit to seven total hours to earn a two-day ticket. All positions require a registration fee and deposit.

More music

In addition to the Zidell Yards shows on Saturday and Sunday, separately ticketed evening shows take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 17-19 at the Crystal Ballroom, Dante’s, Ash Street Saloon, Doug Fir, Mississippi Studios, Revolution Hall, Bunk Bar and Star Theater. Acts include Ghostface Killah, The Sonics, Roky Erickson, The Coathangers, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Pierced Arrows, Chrome, and Brothers of the Sonic Cloth.

STAGE

The Brody Theater

One of Portland’s improvisation companies puts on “High Five,” (July 3) “Fly-Ass Jokes” (July 3) and “My Country ‘Tis of Me” (July 4) this weekend, and then gets ready to host “Flip the Bird,” a show by Domeka Parker and Kerry Leek — “just two gals, ladies, birds making sweet, sweet music, or improv comedy, from nothing,” Parker says. They’ll hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at The Brody Theater, 16 N.W. Broadway ($10, www.brodytheater.com).

‘Dancing With the Stars: Live!’

The ABC show, after its 10th anniversary season, hits the road with champion Rumer Willis and all-star dancers Melissa Rycroft, Witney Carson, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Artem Chigvintsev, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd and Emma Slater.

8 p.m. Friday, July 10, Keller Auditorium, 222 S.W. Clay St., www.portland5.com, $48.50-$91

Disjecta

Disjecta presents a multimedia installation and love performance, “Tales of the Ancient-Future,” by The Spacesuits, an international collective of musicians and artists organized by Anais Duplan and Winston Scarlett. They use the work of jazz musician and Afrofuturist Sun Ra and explore concepts of apocalypse, afterlife, invented creation mythology, and the rewriting of history through music, performance and art.

8 p.m. Friday, July 10, Disjecta, 8371 N. Interstate Ave., www.disjecta.org (check for complete info)

Risk/Reward Festival

The cutting-edge festival celebrates its eighth year and will feature works of less than 20 minutes by eight artists in theater, music, dance and performance art. The schedule: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, July 10-12 — Markeith Wiley, “31 & Counting”; Faith Helma, “I Hate Positive Thinking”; Nancy Ellis, “Nancy’s NANCY”; “Eowyn Emerald & Dancers, “Will You Take This Balloon.” 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, July 17-19 — Tim Smith-Stewart, “Awaiting Oblivion ...”; Katie Piatt, “Springfield Today (LIVE)”; Dani Tirrell, “The Beautiful”; “Jessica Jobaris & General Magic, “Great Hunger.”

July 10-19, Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 S.W. Morrison St., www.risk-reward.org, $14-$18 advance, $20 door, $30 both weekends

‘Unnecessary Farce’

Lakewood Theatre Company, beginning its 63rd season, puts on a show about an embezzling mayor, his female accountant, undercover cops and questions: “Who’s in which room? Who’s being videotaped? Who’s taken the money? Who’s hired a hitman? Why does the accountant take off her clothes?”

7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, assorted other times/days, July 10-Aug. 16, Lakewood Theatre Company, 368 S. State St., Lake Oswego, www.lakewood-center.org, $32, $30 seniors

‘Proscenium Live’

The Portland Shakespeare Festival is putting on a new play-reading series in partnership with Proscenium Journal at the Artists Repertory Theatre Alder Stage, 1515 S.W. Morrison St. On three evenings, there’ll be staged readings of new plays — 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, “Pericles Wet” and “Pericles — Act 1”; 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 19, “An Evening of Original One-Acts”; 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 20, “The Widow of Tom’s Hill.” They are free. For more info: www.prosceniumjournal.com and www.portlandshakes.org.

Five Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers’ Association fiddlers won awards at the National Grand Championship Fiddle Contest at Weisler, Idaho, including Luke Price of Portland, who repeated as the 2015 National Oldtime Fiddle champ. Price is an instructor of fiddle and jazz violin at Lewis & Clark College.

The others who placed high: CJ Neary, a 9-year-old from Bend; Kian Dye, Portland, Young Adult Division; Starr McMullin, Corvallis; Donna Foreman, Estacada.

Velodrome racing

Many things happen at the Alpenrose Dairy property, 6149 S.W. Shattuck Road, including some high-level bicycle racing, especially in the Velodrome Challenge, a 16th annual event that will be held July 17 through 19. It draws riders from around the world, including some Olympians.

The Velodrome is one of only 25 bicycle racing tracks in the nation, and it’s known for its incline — 43-degree angles on the corners, meaning racers must maintain a speed of 12.5 miles per hour to remain upright. It’s also a unique track because it’s concrete; most others are wooden.

Velodrome bikes have no brakes, and they have a single fixed rear gear, or cog.

For info: www.alpenrosechallenge.com.

Garden art

Want to take a road trip and enjoy some art? “Art in the Garden” will be featured again at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, and it includes outdoor art installations by David Hillesland, Tyler Brumfield and Paul Jenkins, July 10 through Sept. 30 (www.oregongarden.org).

Matthews’ 50th

A lot of Portland music fans venture to the Gorge Amphitheatre near Quincy, Wash., for concerts — and many will likely be there Sept. 4 through 6 for some milestone events. The Dave Matthews Band returns to the venue for its traditional Labor Day weekend shows, and Sept. 6 will mark the band’s 50th show there. For more: www.davematthewsband.com.

Nikkei benefit

The Oregon Nikkei Endowment celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Japanese American Historical Plaza and Bill of Rights Memorial with a benefit banquet at 5 p.m. July 18 at the Hillton Portland and Executive Tower, 921 S.W. Sixth Ave. Special guest remarks will be made by Gov. Kate Brown.

Cost is $125 per person. To register, contact the Oregon Nikkei Endowment at 503-224-1458 or info@oregonnikkei.org, or register online at www.oregonnikkei.org.

State of Oregon Craft film

The Portland Tribune last month wrote about the Museum of Contemporary Craft’s “State of Oregon Craft” exhibit, which runs through Aug. 15. The museum also partnered with a local filmmaker and producer, Blacktop Films, to document and engage selected makers in the exhibition, illustrating the uniquely Oregon story of craft.

The nine films can be viewed online at www.mocc.pnca.edu and on Vimeo (www.vimeo.com/craftmuseum); info on Blacktop can be found at www.blacktopfims.com.

Mermaid by the river?

Marina Duran-Anderson, who plays a mermaid and entertains people in tanks and pools around the nation, will stop in Portland this week — no confirmation, yet, on whether she’ll be sliding up from the depths of the Columbia River to perform at the Red Lion at the Quay in Vancouver, Wash., July 10 through 12, at the Tiki Kon event.

A native of the Caribbean, she’s an avid diver, aquarist and boater, and a retro artist whose tank features underwater dance and theater. According to a news release: “Once submerged, her long, flowing black hair frames her angular face in slow motion as she glides effortlessly across the glass viewing area. Quickly she’ll appear, flicking her long, multicolored tail fin. Perhaps she’ll pause for a moment or two; then and with the snap of her tail she disappears off stage. It’s a mesmerizing game of hide and seek as patrons strain their necks hoping she’ll soon reappear. Occasionally, when cavorting for her audience, she’ll stop and knock on the glass, quickly followed by a wink or to blow a bubbly kiss at a startled patron.”

Duran-Anderson, nicknamed the “Fishtailed Floozy,” performs mostly at the Wreck Bar at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel in Florida. For more: www.tikikon.com.

Oregon Brewshed Alliance taps into green ethos, launches education effort

You’ve heard about farm-to-table, even farm-to-cone (in artisanal ice cream speak).

How about forest-to-pint?

It refers to the link between clean watersheds and craft beers, since beer is (gasp!) more than 90 percent water.

Considering Oregon’s reputation as Beervana, it makes sense that Oregon’s craft brewers have teamed up to lobby for clean watersheds and forest protection in the state.

Through events like pint nights, special brews and beer fests, 11 Oregon breweries — including five in Portland — have pledged to do outreach, education and fundraising as part of a new coalition called the Oregon Brewshed Alliance.

The group formed in April and slowly has been adding members. On July 1 they held a kickoff event for the Oregon Brewers Festival at Migration Brewing.

“Portland is so green; a lot of people are aware (of the link between beer and the environment),” says Julia Person, sustainability manager at Widmer Brothers Brewing, one of the coalition members.

“But I don’t think everyone makes that connection when they’re sitting down and having a beer. I think it’s a really cool nexus, a fun way to bring the causes together, to get people to start thinking and take action.”

The Brewshed members have signed a pledge to support efforts to maintain rivers and streams flowing through unspoiled public forest lands amid threats of degradation by pollution, dams, logging and other development.

Besides Widmer, the other members are Portland’s Migration Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Ex Novo Brewery, McMenamins, Claim 52 Brewing in Eugene, Elk Horn Brewery in Eugene, Fort George Brewery in Astoria, and GoodLife Brewing in Bend.

The nonbrewery members include the Portland nonprofit Oregon Wild, and Beers Made by Walking — a program that invites brewers to make beer inspired by nature hikes and urban walks.

“The (Brewshed) Alliance has the potential for being a model for craft brewing nationwide,” says Marielle Cowdin, outreach coordinator for Oregon Wild, which has been advocating for conservation in the state since 1974.

The seeds for the Oregon Brewshed Alliance go back to 2009, Cowdin says, when Oregon Wild worked with Widmer to lobby City Hall to protect the Bull Run Watershed from chemical treatment.

“Around that time we made the connection — of course, it makes sense for brewers and breweries to advocate for clean water and watersheds,” Cowdin says. “They have a lot at stake.”

The Oregon Brewshed Alliance follows in the footsteps of the two-year-old Washington Brewshed Alliance, which now includes more than 30 breweries.

That group trademarked the word “brewshed,” which hasn’t yet come into vogue elsewhere.

“Water efficiency is a big, big thing for us,” Person, says. “Brewing is very water intensive.”

In fact, the industry standard is to use about seven gallons of water to produce each gallon of beer.

Through various conservation measures in the past year, Widmer has been able to cut that in half.

They reuse their bottle-rinse water, and they worked with the Portland Water Bureau to do an audit, which led to moving toward low-flow faucets and spray valves.

They’re also piloting a live metering system, so instead of waiting to see their water usage each month on their water bill, they can see it in real time.

Hopworks, meanwhile, is known for its uber-green ethos and has taken similar steps.

They’ve also been able to cut their water usage to half the industry standard — not by process, but with a new piece of equipment, called a “cleaning-in-place skid.”

The custom-built unit allows them to reuse the water and cleaning solution for their fermentation vessels about five times.

“It saves us tons of water,” Steen says. “Without the skid it goes down the drain.”

The other major water saver is HUB’s recently installed centrifuge — a filtration system that spins the beer at 7,000 RPMs and removes the yeast from the beer.

“Previously we would have a yeast sludge at the bottom of our fermentation tanks,” Steen says. “About five barrels of yeast sludge, we would give to farmers (for animal feed).”

Now they’re able to use that beer, squeezing 5 percent more beer out of every tank.

As news about the alliance spreads, Cowdin expects membership to grow. Brewers in the coalition will host sustainability workshops and brewfests to share best practices, and keep on making beer — with a side dose of education.

Last time we checked, more beer is always a good thing.

janderson@portlandtribune.com

@jenmomanderson

The 2015 GLA45 AMG is the latest entry in an automative niche that didn't even exist a few years ago — high performance luxury compact crossovers.

In fact, luxury compact crossovers are still relatively new. Mercedes just introduced its first, 2014 GLA-class. The AMG version adds everything a modern hot rodder could wants, including a twin turbo 2.0-liter engine that cranks out a whopping 355 horsepower and 332 pound feet of torque, a unique seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, all-wheel-drive to deliver all that power to the road, and huge disc brakes to keep everything under control.

Naturally, the 2015 GLA45 AMG comes with a leather interior and excellent sound system. But our test version featured over $18,000 worth of options that included everything from a $1,950 Aerodynamics package with a spiky front air dam and huge rear wing to a $2250 AMG-Recaro seats and a $1500 Black “Red Cut” leather package (black leather seats, red stitching and seatbelts, and a black headliner).

The result is not only a compact crossover that goes incredibly fast, but a compact crossover that looks like it goes incredibly fast standing still — both inside and out.

We only had the 2015 GLA45 AMG for a few days, but every one of them was entertaining. The engine and transmission were incredibly responsive, encouraging aggressive (but never illegal, of course) driving on even the most routine errands. And because it is a crossover, the higher ride height improved visibility, even though it was a "only" a compact.

The 2015 GLA45 AMG isn't the first sporty compact crossover Sports Utility Vehicle. The original cute utes — like the early Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester — weren't much fun to drive. But as their popularity grew, some manufactures began adding performance features, including Subaru, which dropped a turbocharged Boxer engine into the first generation Forester, and Acura, which put a turbocharged engine in its first generation RDX.

There's a big difference between sporty and honestly high performance, however, and it took a while for the real deals to show up. One is the Porsche Macan Turbo with the optional turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 rated at 400 horsepower. And the BMW X1 xDrive35i comes close, although its turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 generates "just" 300 horsepower.

Of course, even the base GLA250 is an excellent luxury compact crossover, which comes standard with a 208-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a seven-speed automated manual transmission with shift paddles, and, at least initially, 4Matic all-wheel-drive. But if you really want to have fun, the outrageous AMG version is the way to go.

2015 GLA45 AMG

Base price: $48,300.

Price as tested: $66,975.

Type: Performance luxury compact crossover.

Engine: turbocharged turbocharged 2.0 L4 (355 hp, 332 ft-lbs).

EPA estimated mileage: 23/29.

Overall length: 175".

Curb weight: 3,589 pounds.

Final assembly: Rastatt, Germany.