SIT DOWN—Best known for their '90s Stateside hit "Laid," Mancunian band James is no one-hit wonder, boasting a long string of impressive albums and smart UK hits to their credit. On the back of the new The Night Before/The Morning After pair of mini-albums, James plays their first Portland show since 1997. NL
w/Ed Harcourt; Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 9 pm, $23-25
DRAMA—Armed with a slew of new company members, Third Rail kicks off their 2010/2011 season with the American premiere of Kiss Me Like You Mean It, a comedy about two British couples behaving badly at a garden party. Come see for yourself what kind of trouble the raunchy Brits get up to—and why Third Rail is one of the best tickets in town. AH
World Trade Center Theater, 121 SW Salmon, opens Fri, runs Thurs-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm, through Oct 31, $28-32 ($20 rush tickets available), thirdrailrep.org
What's everybody doing this weekend? I, since I can sense your interest through this computer screen, am going to see Kiss Me Like You Mean It tonight, Wordstocking tomorrow and Sunday (stay tuned to Blogtown all weekend for highlights), Frightened Rabbit tomorrow night (!!), Sunday night meandering toward the Woods for Entertainment for People, and perhaps cramming a Mad Men nightcap in there somewhere too. Need some suggestions on overbooking your own weekend? My, What a Busy Week!