OK...here's a way to spend an evening. Listening to James Mercer and learn about the "glory" of tugboats.

DEC 10 FRI 8:30 PMWHITSELL AUDITORIUM — NW TRACKINGTOWLINES: A NIGHT OF FILM and MUSIC with MATT McCORMICK &JAMES MERCERTonight Portland director Matt McCormick and musician James Mercer premiere their newest collaboration, TOWLINES (2004), an experimental documentary about tugboats. The two first worked together in 2002 when McCormick directed a video for Mercer’s band The Shins and they found a fertile partnership. TOWLINES explores the visual and emotional characteristics of tugboats, those hardworking and invaluable contributors to our world and waterways who never seem to get their due recognition and glory. Borrowing the tone of a children’s book, a bit of history, beautiful cinematography and a bright soundtrack McCormick give the heroic tug a loving salute. In addition to the screening, Mercer will perform a set of acoustic material while McCormick fills the screen with projected film loops and sequences and the evening will be rounded out with the screening of several of McCormick’s earlier works, including GROUNDED (2004). (90 mins.)