WEDNESDAY 9/4

MUSICFESTNW: CHVRCHES, DEERHUNTER, JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, & MORE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Read our guide to MusicfestNW.

THURSDAY 9/5

MUSICFESTNW: TYPHOON, BONNIE "PRINCE" BILLY, BOB MOULD, & MORE
(The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th) Read our guide to MusicfestNW.

NW HIP HOP FEST
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash; Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) It may seem counterintuitive to schedule a music festival the same week as MusicfestNW. Yet NW Hip Hop Fest, now in its third year, does exactly that. This year, the festival takes place at both Kelly's Olympian and the Ash Street Saloon over three nights, featuring densely packed bills of talent at both venues. While most performers are Portland-based, acts from Salem, Spokane, Seattle, and beyond are represented. Highlights include Thursday's Proper Knocks Showcase at the Ash Street featuring Big Bang, Lucas Dix, Soopah Eype, and more. Friday night's We Out Here showcase features Cassow, Load B, and Stewart Villain at Kelly's Olympian, prefaced by Hungry Hungry Hip-Hop standouts Theory Hazit, Zoo, and others. Saturday's closing night at Ash Street might be the highlight, with Portland favorites Chill Crew and the Resistance as a prelude to Northwest supergroup Oldominion. RYAN FEIGH

FRIDAY 9/6

MUSICFESTNW: SUPERCHUNK, ANIMAL COLLECTIVE, & MORE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Read our guide to MusicfestNW.

ABBA—THE CONCERT: OREGON SYMPHONY, WATERLOO
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Read our preview of the Oregon Symphony's 2013-2014 season.

NW HIP HOP FEST
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash; Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) See Thursday's listing.

HUCK NOTARI AND THE RIVER, JENN AND BASHO
(Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta) Huck Notari's third album, Huck Notari and the River, cuts like a New England winter wind. Although it was recorded here in the Northwest (at Skyler Norwood's Miracle Lake Studios in Camas), the clean, careful country-folk contains echoes of Notari's childhood home in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Beautiful opening track "Old Dirt Road" ducks the expected clichés in writing about a lane Notari hopes never gets paved over; "In the Candlelight" is a sweet, supple twilight love song. At tonight's record release show, Notari will be joined by members of the presumed River: vocalist Karin Nystrom, guitarist Joel Shimmin, cellist Jessie Dettwiler, upright bassist Nadine Landry, and drummer Ned Folkerth. Jenn Rawling and Basho Parks will also be on hand with their new record, Tarantula Arms, a lithe collection of wine-red, gypsy-tinged folk. NED LANNAMANN

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
(Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon) Whether it was you and your brother singing along to "What a Fool Believes" in the car, or hearing "Black Water" at your high school graduation, chances are, the Doobie Brothers are connected to your past. Since the '70s, the Doobs have added on seasoned musicians that have played with everybody from Steely of Dan to Tower of Power. Their most recent album, World Gone Crazy, recalls their classic rock/country roots, but with far more experimentation with salsa, folk, and varied instruments, all encompassed in well-written songs. You have almost certainly not heard it. Still, seeing the Doobs at the Zoo will offer a heaping helping of those sweet, sweet melodies that have been a part of your life, whether you wanted them to be or not. (Doobies Fun Fact™! Former guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter is now a missile defense consultant.) ROSE FINN

SATURDAY 9/7

MUSICFESTNW: SONNY AND THE SUNSETS, CHARLES BRADLEY, & MORE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our guide to MusicfestNW.

NW HIP HOP FEST
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash; Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) See Thursday's listing.

SPOOKIES, YOUR RIVAL
(Floating World Comics, 400 NW Couch) In celebration of MusicfestNW and the release of the Live from the Banana Stand Vol. 2 compilation CD, Floating World Comics are transforming their excellently curated comic and record store into an all-ages matinee pre-party. Wristband or not, stopping by this free show will earn you a copy of the aforementioned compilation of live takes from some of Portland's best, as well as a chance to catch two local pop powerhouses before the sun sets. Spookies play extremely catchy, lo-fi rock 'n' roll. Their recently released VCR EP is nearly perfect, with five tracks of pop-garage goodness that are instantly enjoyable and over way too soon. Luckily, Your Rival picks up right where Spookies leave off. Their melodic and vigorous pop-rock would have fit in perfectly alongside Superchunk at the Crystal Ballroom the night before. (Full disclosure/not-so-eerie coincidence: Your Rival's Morgan Troper wrote about Superchunk in this week's issue.) CHIPP TERWILLIGER

THE WIMPS, FINE PETS, THERAPISTS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) All you need to know about the Wimps is that their upcoming EP is called Party at the Wrong Time and the cover features a skateboarding hot dog wearing sunglasses. With that release coming in October via Seattle upstart label Help Yourself records, the Wimps are increasingly staking their claim as the Northwest's premiere no-wave connoisseurs. A party band without ever adopting the whip-it parlance of notable local acts, their stage presence destroys all notions of rock pretense with raucous howls and grooving bass lines. Tonight promises to be a rowdy introduction to a crass yet genuine band who loves to move a crowd. WYATT SCHAFFNER

SHELTER RED, BEARCUBBIN', GLDWNG
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Four years ago, Portland's very own Mike Byrne was selected as longtime drummer Jimmy Chamberlin's replacement in the Smashing Pumpkins, one of the best bands of the '90s and one of the worst bands of the '00s. Byrne's local reputation as precocious drummer extraordinaire actually precedes him joining the Pumpkins. For years now, Byrne has played in the math-rock band Bearcubbin', whose latest EP, 2011's Get Your Heavies Out, sounds approximately like New Found Glory aping Fragile-era Yes. Amazingly, he still finds time to foster the project, regularly playing shows with the group around town in spite of his busy schedule. It's the perfect vehicle for an incredible drummer who doesn't always have much room to show off in his other band. MORGAN TROPER

CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS, JACOB MILLER AND THE BRIDGE CITY CROONERS, ALDER STREET ALLSTARS
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) Fare thee well, Closely Watched Trains. The Portland honky-tonk outfit is playing their final show before shuffling off into the sweet by-and-by. They've got a brand-new 7-inch to mark the bittersweet occasion, too. Bundling together sheaves of country, gospel, bluegrass, old-time folk, Cajun music, and more, Closely Watched Trains' sound puts fun and frolic in front of just about everything else that songwriterly music tends to contain (we are looking at you, sad feelings about girls and/or boys). The result is a perfectly strummy, guilt-free soundtrack to downing a few boilermakers. Do it with them one last time, before Closely Watched Trains leaves the station for good. NL

SUNDAY 9/8

MUSICFESTNW: NEKO CASE
(Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th) Read our guide to MusicfestNW.

ADAM ANT, PRIMA DONNA
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Read our article on Adam Ant.

MONDAY 9/9

JIMMY CLIFF, ETHAN TUCKER
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) That world-renowned, peaced-out pop superstar Jimmy Cliff arrives just after MusicfestNW is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because the 65-year-old Jamaican will be afforded a full set unbridled by festival clocks. A curse because after a weekend of binging on live music, some folks might stay home. A blessing because the show won't be overrun by tourists or besieged by lines. A curse because someone who might've stumbled onto Cliff's magnanimous charm, lilting melodies, and genuine good vibrations might otherwise remain in the dark. Really though, regardless of circumstance, Cliff is all blessing. A legitimate legend with a trunk full of sunny, indelible hits as well as new, inspired, and poignant material, Cliff is still reaching. He's also a soothing, gracious, and stirring performer, and not one looking to cash in on past work. I saw Cliff at SXSW in 2012 and while singing he couldn't stop smiling. The feeling is as contagious as the hooks. ANDREW R TONRY Also see My, What a Busy Week!

SHINYRIBS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Shinyribs has increasingly become less of a side project for the Gourds' Kevin Russell, and more of a full-on, full-time gig. The Texas band's debut Gulf Coast Museum continues Russell's proclivity for country and R&B music, twisting it into his own family recipe for blue-eyed soul. But it's Russell's storytelling that takes center stage throughout, road-trippin' down I-10 in Texas and taking in the sights and sounds and the humidity. Shinyribs made quite an impression at this year's Pickathon, and no matter where they play you'll feel like you're kicking it on a porch in Texas. Of course, you may want to wash it all down with an ice-cold beer to get the full experience. MARK LORE

TUESDAY 9/10

BARRA BROWN, VIKESH KAPOOR
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) There are seemingly infinite amounts of up-and-coming musicians in Portland, but it's very rare to find a universally talented musician with such promise. Barra Brown and his quintet stand more of a chance for longevity than the average indie rocker or electronic artist that we're seeing pop up with increasing frequency. It's also highly unusual to find new jazz artists, let alone ones producing a truly unique sound. Brown has a contemporary flair, with finely tuned improvised jazz skills, and a tight set that will surely captivate a growing audience. "Songs for a Young Heart" includes Cake-style rocking trumpet parts, with diverse tempos and tight instrumentation. There aren't many drummers/composers/flautists flooding the music scene right now, and this one you certainly shouldn't miss. RF

SOUVENIR DRIVER, PSYCHOMAGIC
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Souvenir Driver's 2012 release, Lifts the Curse, was the first album recorded by the now four-piece band that evolved out of frontman Nate Wey's solo project of the same name. Over the course of 10 tracks, far-off vocals get drenched, but never lost, in a dreamy haze. The band allows their audience to drift along with amazing ease. It's the kind of music that feels so familiar on the first listen that you could spend hours trying to pin down what is so haunting about tracks like "Futures" or "More." I've given up on trying to connect the dots. Clear and emotive lyrics cascade and resonate with repetition, as they draw the listener into a self-contained comfort zone on each track. "Feel the Flood," a new song off the band's upcoming album, Living Water, takes a similar approach, and adds a thick layer of driving synth to the mix. CT

HERE COME DOTS, BOOKS ON FATE, QUIET COUNTRIES
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) Earlier this year, Here Come Dots released A House in the Country, the full-length follow-up to their 2011 EP Dusk. And House is aces, an overlooked but worthy rock record with smart songwriting and involving production. Opening track "It's a Curse" barrels out of the gate with stratospheric guitar chimes and a tornado-like melody. Meanwhile, "The Plans" steadily builds up a massive sound with a few simple ingredients. Here Comes Dots all came from Southern Oregon, although I don't know if that's the reason their sound has a broader scope than typical Portland guitar-based bands. Still, they fit right in with other great Pacific Northwest rock bands, a region that's downright lousy with them. Make no mistake, though; Here Comes Dots is one worth getting acquainted with. NL

ANDREW W.K., SONS OF HUNS, BLACK SNAKE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party party.

HURRY UP, HORNET LEG, BLESST CHEST
(East End, 203 SE Grand) I've said it before, but Hornet Leg is one of the best and prickliest pop bands in Portland, whether they're tripping through the garage, making arty noise, or working with sleek dance grooves. On the band's latest long-player, Wrecking Ball, Chris Sutton (also of Dub Narcotic Sound System) leads us through another dark pop journey filled with loads of hooky twists and turns. One listen, and I'm ready to call it my favorite of 2013 (hear the proof in "Summer's Eve" and "Slave Ship"). Hornet Leg remains a sort of enigma, creeping out for select performances, which always add an extra layer of grit and stench to Sutton's fantastic pop songs. Creepy, sexy, cool. ML

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WEDNESDAY 9/11

JASON ISBELL, AMANDA SHIRES
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Read our article on Jason Isbell.

NO, BLACK WHALE, DRESSES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Dresses.

MIDDAY VEIL, ALTO, GRAPEFRUIT
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) For a few years, Seattle's Midday Veil seemed like an ominously vague, dark shape moving slowly and sleekly under the surface of the Northwest's psychedelic music scene. After an under-the-radar debut LP and two well-received improvised cassette releases, you knew that thing was going to come roaring out of the water at some point—it was just a matter of when. Now is the time. The exquisitely named six-piece's second full-length studio album, The Current, is a heady cloud of heavy incantations, cosmic krautrock, Middle Eastern meanderings, and synthesizers set to stupefy. The result feels spiritual and highly rhythmic, like blissful, heavy-lidded hymns for the transcendental traveler seeking a new shiver down the spine. BEN SALMON

THURSDAY 9/12

TBA: THE JULIE RUIN
(The Works at Con-Way, 2170 NW Raleigh) See My, What a Busy Week!

I'VE GOT A HOLE IN MY SOUL: DJ BEYONDADOUBT, NICK WATERHOUSE
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

COSMIC PSYCHOS, SUICIDE NOTES, SEX CRIME
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Cosmic Psychos formed in Australia in the early '80s, influenced by their rural upbringings and under the influence of countless bottles of beer. Since crawling out from under that rock, the Aussie punk band has toured the world and influenced countless bands of the "grunge" variety, including the Melvins, L7, and Mudhoney. This shit is for real: gnarly, nasty rock 'n' roll played at maximum volume with lyrics about bulldozers and killing off former bandmates. Needless to say, Cosmic Psychos have gone through their share of lineup changes in their three decades of existence. You can get the lowdown in the new doc Blokes You Can Trust, whose release coincides with the band's current American tour. What you hear tonight is essentially what you would have heard in 1985. Who says time travel isn't possible? MARK LORE

MOVING UNITS, SOME EMBER
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) When I was young, I resented kids who claimed Transformers were superior to GoBots. Transformers were cool, sure, but GoBots came first, and I believed they deserved to rule the vehicle-cum-robot-toy genre. Those feelings foreshadowed my take on early-21st-century dance-punk, which enjoyed a brief moment in the sun thanks in large part to the Rapture's DFA-powered "House of Jealous Lovers" single, a dance-floor fave and internet-buzz magnet in 2003. At the time, I loved Moving Units' debut EP, a four-track pack of rubbery bass lines, barbed guitars, and more melody than the Rapture ever conjured. "Moving Units deserve to be the dance-punk kings!" is a feeling I had that probably seemed important at the time, but definitely does not now. Anyway, Transformers eventually trampled GoBots into the dirt, and the Rapture is still a thing. Meanwhile, Moving Units have stuck to their dance-punk sound, as evidenced by their brand-new album, Neurotic Exotic, which sounds pretty punchy. (Postscript: Man, I forgot what a jam "Jealous Lovers" is. I wonder how much those Rapture dudes spend on James Murphy's Christmas gift each year?) BS

FRIDAY 9/13

DIARRHEA PLANET, THE SO SO GLOS, BOOM!
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

SILENT DISCO
(Hotel deLuxe Parking Garage, SW 15h & Yamhill) See My, What a Busy Week!

TURBO PERFECTO, BORN LOSERS, BROTHER JOSEPH
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Read our article on the Born Losers.

THE LEGENDARY JOHN HENRY'S '80S NIGHT
(The Foggy Notion, 3416 N Lombard) The world doesn't need another '80s dance night, to be certain, but what about a revival of an '80s night... from the past? Apparently, '80s Night at John Henry's bar in Eugene is the stuff of local legend for anyone who went to U of O between 2000 and 2012. Ben Hubbird of Party Damage Records tells the Mercury, "I credit them with turning my Thursdays into Fridays and my Fridays into hungover disasters for most of my early 20s." Under new management, John Henry's has undergone a renovation and is currently called 77 Broadway—and the venerable Thursday night tradition is but a shadow of the past. Fortunately, the party's coming north with the original trio of DJs for one night only, so tonight's your chance to relive those memories—or lack thereof. NED LANNAMANN

SATURDAY 9/14

SWAMP DOGG, THE PYNNACLES
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) While Swamp Dogg's tight, kicking, '70s funk tunes may not ring a bell, his record sleeves might. The most (in)famous features Dogg riding the back of a giant albino rat. He is stocky, mustachioed, and black, wearing a fringed leather vest and a matching shirt and beret while smiling wide, his arms raised in celebration. Recently Dogg—AKA Jerry Williams—expounded on the image to LA Weekly: "That cover was about me finally getting on top of the white man... Notice that the rat is smiling. He knows I'm gonna fall off soon." Indeed, Dogg is nothing if not far out. And while his latest touring incarnation may appear a bit more anodyne, a bit more church band than the crisp, raspy, quick-burning folk-funk found on the original recordings—in particular, the album The Total Destruction of Your Mind—Swamp Dogg's oeuvre amounts to much more than just a few iconic images. ANDREW R TONRY

LOVERS WITHOUT BORDERS, MEMORY BOYS, SILM, BLIND LOVEJOY
(Habesha, 801 NE Broadway) Karl Blau is making a trip south from Anacortes, Washington, and after opening for Why? on Wednesday with a solo marimba set, he's playing with his irresistible pop-rock band, Lovers without Borders. The group is Blau on sax and vocals, guitarist Allen Peril, and Jessica Bonin playing a kid-sized drum kit and providing backing vocals. The light and mellow pop music the band plays is every bit as tender as the name might suggest. It's impossible not to smile and sway with Blau's soothing vocals as they float along on a track like "She Wants a Baby" off of the band's recent 7-inch. Portland trio Memory Boys make for a nice, warm pairing here. The band, often joined by members of Olympia's LAKE, used this expanded five-piece lineup to record 2012's excellent Send It Across to Me. The chemistry at work throughout the release makes for plenty of unique and playful pop moments to tease the ear, and they released a cassette EP in June called Second Layer. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

JULIA HOLTER, NEDELLE TORRISI
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) I don't quite know what to make of Julia Holter and maybe you don't either, but the good thing is that her art is generous and involving enough that there's plenty to take away, even if the larger picture is elusive. Her new album, Loud City Song, is a riff on Gigi—the novella, and possibly also the movie, which I saw a long time ago and couldn't stomach for more than 10 minutes—and the sounds contained in it traipse from wine-drunk cabaret to electronic minimalism to brittle modern classical, often within a single song. Holter's working from her own sense-memory, and if Gigi is the particular door she found into Loud City Song's world, I found it vivid enough to evoke my own sense-memory (which conjured up a world somewhere in between Melville's Bob le Flambeur and Ludwig Bemelmans' illustrations). It's a defiantly strange, confounding, and occasionally breathtaking record, and I have no idea how she'll manage to reproduce it on the stage. NL

GRAVES, WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND, WOOLEN MEN
(Langano Lounge, 1435 SE Hawthorne) If you've been to the Langano Lounge, you're familiar with the scene. There's maybe one bartender who's a total sweetheart, making all the drinks and bussing all the tables herself (probably making small plates of food, too), and she never complains. When there are shows, the stress level heightens, and you feel for her. Wooden Indian Burial Ground has toured incessantly, played one of the best sets ever at this year's PDX Pop Now! festival during peak capacity, and are generally revered regionally as one of Portland's best live bands. Toss in the meandering pop of the Woolen Men and Graves, and I'm pulling for that bartender's sanity to overcome what ought to be a deluge of rowdy patrons. Tip, tip, tip. RYAN J. PRADO

THE GHOST EASE, PINK SLIP, A HAPPY DEATH, YOUNG DAD, SHADY CHARACTERS, DJ HERO WORSHIP
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) The Ghost Ease has taken on several shapes and shifts since its inception in 2010, and the band's current state is the perfect storm of collaboration. Guitarist Jem Marie is joined by bassist Fabi Reyna and drummer Nsayi, and the trio creates mesmerizing tracks that are seductive and edgy, with vocals that tease on the border of Cat Power and Deerhoof, and instrumentation that claims territory both in the deep, dark garage and the otherworldly dream realm. Their sound is simultaneously urgent and delicate, and possesses a raw honesty that grabs you in the gut. They play a loaded bill to celebrate the release of the Cassingle and Loving It label's new compilation, Friends and Acquaintances—not to be confused with Tender Loving Empire's excellent, long-running Friends and Friends of Friends series. RACHEL MILBAUER

SUNDAY 9/15

VALIENT THORR, LORD DYING, RAMMING SPEED
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

WL, FUR COATS, POLST
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Following the release of their debut cassette, Hold, and a well-received set at PDX Pop Now!, WL are steadily earning the larger audience they most certainly deserve. Already well into the recording of album number two—provisionally titled Light Years, named after the 1988 René Laloux film (also known as Gandahar) for which WL provided a live soundtrack last year—the Portland trio has mastered a remarkable range of styles and dynamics, from chainsaw-buzz shoegaze to water-drop Zen stillness. Their live show, too, is one of the best in town, propelled by Stevie Sparks' phenomenal drumwork and Misty Mary's unearthly spellbinder of a voice. Continue to expect great things. NL

COMA SERFS, CHARTS
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) The free Sunday shows at Rontoms are some of the city's best for scoping upcoming local acts. Increasingly, these new bands arrive swathed in fuzzy auras, swollen with feedback and deep-fried in oily vocals. Portland's Coma Serfs fit this mold handily, barking bratty vocals like "I don't wanna take it" in the spazzy garage-punk number "Closer" from their brand-new demo tape (available for preview on the band's Bandcamp). Drawing from the traditional wellspring of skuzzy surf guitar rock means any subtlety is sparse, but Coma Serfs make up for it with genuinely engaging blasts of psychedelic mindfucks that fans of locals like Wooden Indian Burial Ground and Still Caves will fall deeply in love with. RJP

MONDAY 9/16

LEE FIELDS AND THE EXPRESSIONS, BROWNISH BLACK, DJ STEPHEN KRAY
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See My, What a Busy Week!

BILLYGOAT, HEATWARMER, PWRHAUS
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) We're blessed with beauty around Portland in so many ways. For me, the opportunity to catch the audio/visual performance of local trio Billygoat ranks pretty high on that list. David Klein and Nick Woolley relocated the project from Los Angeles to Portland back in 2009. Not long after moving, they added drummer Corey Nelson to fill out the band and replace samples and drum machines. The group performs lush live scores using harp, keyboards, and percussion, while projecting some of the most beautifully intricate stop-motion films you'll ever lay eyes on. When they aren't out touring or giving a TED Talk performance, I imagine them laboring non-stop in some remote workshop, cluttered with photos and cutouts resembling the fragments of a dream world. When they do find the time to step out and play a show like this, you owe it to yourself to be there to witness it. CT

TUESDAY 9/17

KING DUDE
(Hawthorne Theatre Lounge, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) See My, What a Busy Week!

DEAP VALLY, MYSTIC BRAVES, JJUUJJUU, CHARTS
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) The White Stripes and the Black Keys are most obvious and superficial reference points for any new guitar-and-drums duos, but Deap Vally doesn't exactly shy away from those comparisons. The twosome's Sistrionix is full of enough fuzzed-out, bluesy garage-rock licks that the similarities are hard to ignore. But while the two older bands eventually grew into that whole maturity thing, the women in Deap Vally are still all spit and snarl, which might seem a little at odds with the band bio nugget that says the members met in a crochet class. After the pair plays Portland, the band's next biographical curiosity comes next month: playing on a cruise ship with Lynyrd Skynyrd. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

DIZZY WRIGHT, EMILIO ROJAS, FUTURISTIC, MYKE BOGAN
(Peter's Room at Roseland, 8 NW 6th) If you're sick of Bone Thugz-N-Harmony and have tired of your Kendrick Lamar albums, then it might be time to start listening to Dizzy Wright. Based out of Las Vegas, Wright has been rapping since he was eight, when his mom, a concert promoter, wrote rhymes for him. Wright's words present a unique approach to rap, touching on everything from spiritual philosophy to his early years in Flint, Michigan to balancing all of the obstacles in his life. Though showing roots in early '90s hiphop, his music pursues an ethereal, contemplative sound that current hiphop has been embracing. Wright's latest mixtape, The Golden Age, represents his sound and philosophy well: jazz-inspired songs, varied tempos, and messages revolving around his eternal quest for peace. ROSE FINN

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WEDNESDAY 9/18

WOODS, THE FRESH AND ONLYS, THE WOOLEN MEN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

WINDHAND, BELL WITCH, IONOPHORE, STONEBURNER
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Read our article on Windhand.

BOSNIAN RAINBOWS, AAN
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Over the past decade or so, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has released, under his own name, a flood of EPs and full-length albums that are as eclectic as they are eccentric. (This is not counting his work with the Mars Volta.) It's great stuff, most of it, but it can sometimes come off as an exercise in self-indulgence. His latest project, Bosnian Rainbows, is quite the opposite, a band in the truest sense. In fact, unless you were told, you might not even know Rodriguez-Lopez was in the band. His wiry guitar and prog arrangements are replaced with sinewy synths and simpler pop structures. Teri Gender Bender (of Le Butcherettes) takes the lead, adding sass and sensuality to these moody nü-wavers, including "Turtle Neck," which might be one of the best songs of 2013. MARK LORE

HAVANIA WHAAL, MISTER TANG, THE MISHAPS
(Tube, 18 NW 3rd) Local trio Havania Whaal have been playing loud and poppy garage rock on drums, bass, and mandolin guitar for more than a year now. Tonight the band celebrates the release of Château de Chienne, their noisy and fuzzed-out 10-track cassette album. The release is packed with all the rollicking energy you might expect from a lo-fi rock band, but it's the underlying current of sweeter pop elements on a song like "My Dude" that manage to cling tightly to your brain. "Teen Guilt" sees both sides of this sound collide. The track lulls you in, building ever so slightly for two minutes, then completely shifts gears and explodes with driving rhythm and bloodcurdling shrieks and shouts from every angle. If the music video for Havania Whaal's "Foine" is any indication of how this band parties, tonight could very well end up escalating into a real shit show. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

CURREN$Y, AHS, GUTTER FAMILY, E ROC THE ROC-IT MAN
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) New Orleans' Curren$y is (1) one of the best modern-day rappers with a dollar sign in their name and (2) at least partly responsible for making weed rap as insanely popular as it's become since his 2009 release, This Ain't No Mixtape, a step outside his previous No Limit/Young Money comfort zone. With a drawl that's relaxed by the herb but somehow never lazy, and an ear for jazzy, sample-based beats that never sound outdated, Curren$y's music is the audio equivalent of being extremely stoned in an expensive foreign car, perhaps with "Arizona grape in the cup holder." While weed rappers' live performances can be hit-or-miss, a chance to hear some new material from Spitta's upcoming Pilot Talk III may be reason enough to head to this show. MIKE RAMOS

HUMAN EYE, SEX, LITTLE PILGRIMS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Human Eye play post-apocalyptic proto-garage from Detroit. They're led by Timmy Vulgar, formerly of the Clone Defects. Word is they don't get out much. But when they do, Human Eye bring the Motor City with them—not only the raw, driving, destitute sounds of the industrial Midwest, but also its gnarled, post-industrial, bloodshot eyes. This is confrontational shit. It's loud, screeching, and proudly unrefined. It's spit and beer and an intellect sharpened by concrete and mud. Along with Human Eye are Sex, a new project from Hart Gledhill (formerly of the Hunches) and Rod Meyer (of Eat Skull). No word as to what Sex sound like, or if they've even rehearsed. Gledhill, however, became animated—and agitated—when describing Human Eye. "Just talk about the urgency of getting your pizza on time from Domino's delivery drivers from Detroit, and RoboCop," he said, as if the implications were obvious. "Domino's is from Detroit," he explained. "Drivers were killed. Tim [of Human Eye]delivered for them. Do I need to explain RoboCop as well?" ANDREW R TONRY

THURSDAY 9/19

TBA: BODY/HEAD
(Con-Way, 2170 NW Raleigh) See My, What a Busy Week!

LAKE, MORNING RITUAL, PORT ST. WILLOW
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Olympia band LAKE have been hard at work—along with touring and side/solo projects from some members, they managed to put out two albums this year. Circular Doorway was released on their own label, and The World Is Real is out this week on K Records. Their airy, pop-laced songs are bright and spacious, with pronounced, funky bass lines and echoed keys. Their music has a faraway feeling—beautiful, eerie, and daydreamy at the same time, like maybe it knows something you don't. RACHEL MILBAUER

STAR SLINGER
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) In the age of SoundCloud ubiquity, few electronic musicians have established themselves as dynamically prolific a collaborator and producer as Darren Williams, better known as Star Slinger. Williams is a testament to the DIY ethos of bedroom recording as an underground industry. While maintaining a presence as a club promoter in Manchester, he's lent his producer credits to stateside characters like Lil B and Juicy J, hiphop artists who prefer an ethereal backdrop to their poignant non sequiturs. With a debut EP forthcoming on EMI after a blog-decade's worth of mixtapes and remixes, Star Slinger is a notable up-and-coming international alchemist of psychedelic soul, house, and the appropriated urban sphere that those across the pond refer to as bangers. WYATT SCHAFFNER

LUNCH, BABYSITTER, WIRE EYES
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Backtracking through Babysitter's Bandcamp page is quite a journey. The Victoria, BC, punk-rock band have issued a half-dozen cassette releases dating to 2010, in addition to a handful of split 7-inch appearances. Their full-length, Eye, released late last year, serves as a re-recorded greatest hits album from that lo-fi tape series. The evolution of the band's sound can be tracked from one tape to the next, and Eye does a great job in harnessing all the elements into an outstanding collection. "Talkin''Bout the New Generation" kicks the album off with a full force rock anthem, while softer ballad tracks like "Crace Mountain" strip things down to reveal the band's dynamic range. Local acts Lunch and Wire Eyes will be sure to get things moving right out of the gate. CT

FRIDAY 9/20

DIRTNAP RECORDS' 14TH ANNIVERSARY: MARKED MEN, BAD SPORTS, MEAN JEANS, & MORE
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) Tonight, 10 bands—most of which are very good, luckily—will perform back to back under one roof, of an assuredly humid Slabtown, in celebration of the 14th birthday of Portland's Dirtnap Records, which is one of this country's preeminent indie record labels, punk or otherwise. Aptly headlining the show are Denton, Texas' Marked Men, whose 2009 LP Ghosts effortlessly marries hardcore velocity and terseness with '60s pop-caliber melodicism (vocalist Jeff Burke sounds like a drunken, depraved Sonny Bono). Marked Men's 2006 album Fix My Brain, too, is just about perfect. Also playing are hometown heroes the Mean Jeans, who amazingly aren't annoying yet. It's gonna be one hell of a racket. MORGAN TROPER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

THE BELLFURIES, PETE KREBS & HIS PORTLAND PLAYBOYS, JEREMY WAKEFIELD
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) The promoter for tonight's show by Austin rockabilly swingers the Bellfuries recently dropped off a growler of fresh beer by the Mercury office. I'd like to tell you that these precious column inches can't be bought with free booze, but I'm worried that might dissuade other bands and promoters from trying a similar tactic. So, um, the Bellfuries... the Bellfuries inject a lot of stylistic breadth into their infectious roots-rock. Their press materials cite comparisons to Sam Cooke, the Beatles, and Roy Orbison, and believe it or not, I hear 'em all. They've received a ringing endorsement from none other than JD McPherson, who covered a Bellfuries song on Signs and Signifiers. The truth is that this band delivers a crisp, cool, refreshing take with an ample malt profile and a swift, delightfully hoppy kick and... sorry, I got distracted for a second. NED LANNAMANN

BLOUSE, FEATHERS, LITANIC MASK
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Imperium, the new album by nostalgia-centric Portland trio Blouse, embodies alternating energies—whether digging deep toward the odd-timed chord progression buzz of early Pixies as on the title track, or cooing a washed-out lullaby in "Eyesite," or mining Vaselines-like dream-pop in "1,000 Years." It's a testament to the sprawling foundations of Blouse's core lineup, which includes chameleonic vocalist Charlie Hilton, Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Jacob Portrait, and bassist Patrick Adams. Imperium's charm is smudgy and smeared, like drinking wine from a cloudy goblet; but though a common palate is sometimes hard to pinpoint, this is a great second record for Blouse, showcasing the band embracing disparate, time-travelling sounds, and their ability to shake memorable, scrappy, and sage tunes from waves of cascading melody. RYAN J. PRADO

RUN ON SENTENCE, PANCAKE BREAKFAST
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) 'Tis time to take your last bite of Pancake Breakfast—by which I mean the Portland band/gang spearheaded by Mike Midlo. For a few years now, they've offered short stacks of fun-time party folk and sing-along rock, encouraging audiences to dump on as much syrup and butter as they saw fit. Pancake Breakfast's self-titled album from 2010 is a wonderland map of adventure and intrigue, and that's just the album cover. So stop by tonight's free show and get your last licks; Midlo is moving to Eastern Oregon, where he'll be working for Fishtrap, a literary nonprofit. He'll be missed; this city won't be quite the same without Pancake Breakfast. NL

TOYBOAT TOYBOAT TOYBOAT, TAPE DECK MOUNTAIN, Q UN Q, FASTERS
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) Travis Trevisan is the king of Tape Deck Mountain; he started the band four years ago as a way to bring his songs to life with the help of a rotating cast of friends and musicians. A debut album and a handful of EPs later, Trevisan is gearing up for the release of his second full-length, Sway, on his Nineteen98 record label. Trevisan lives in New York City but is from San Diego, and he wrote most of Sway in Austin, Texas. No matter where he calls home, however, Tape Deck Mountain stands as monument to the power of effects pedals: Sway is an impressive slice of shoegaze, where showers of sparkling, arpeggiated guitars crescendo into a satisfyingly fuzzy crunch. Ascend at your own bliss. BEN SALMON

MAGIC MOUTH, DOUBLE DUCHESS, GLITTERBANG, DJ BEYONDA, SETH MYZEL
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) Chanticleer Tru was born to be the frontman of Magic Mouth. Exuberant, boisterous, charismatic... these words hardly do him justice. The group has been gaining momentum since 2010, but in the last few months, their energy and ingenuity has skyrocketed. The band mixes blues, funk, rock, and soul in one wonderful and poetic package. Magic Mouth will make you dance and lift your spirits in lieu of the quickly fading summer weather, and after going on tour with Gossip, headlining PDX Pop Now!, and capturing the hearts of Portlanders, they are certainly destined for big things. RM

SATURDAY 9/21

BURGERAMA CARAVAN OF STARS: THE GROWLERS, COSMONAUTS, GAP DREAM, TOGETHER PANGEA, LA LUZ, WHITE FANG, COLLEEN GREEN
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on Burger Records.

TBA: NATASHA KMETO
(Con-Way, 2170 NW Raleigh) See My, What a Busy Week!

LOVERS, TENDER FOREVER, NIGHT CADET
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) For their seventh studio album, Portland sound-collage trio Lovers wrangle sharply crafted songs that ebb from the group's more ardently danceable material. Ensconced in lush clouds of sound via soft synth manipulations and bright harmonies, Lovers—songwriter Carolyn Berk, producer/sound artist Kerby Ferris, and producer/percussionist Emily Kingan—take a cautious, though no less engaging, electro-pop turn on A Friend in the World. Songs like "The Modern Art Museum of the Modern Kiss Goodbye" sail on Berk's cerebral lyrics and Lovers' neo-disco groove, articulating fissures in modern romance as well as emphasizing the group's oft-cited feminist politics and sexual undertones. It's an understated, trance-like vignette of bouncy rhythms, and it ought to be received with open arms at tonight's record release. RJP

THE NATIONAL, FRIGHTENED RABBIT
(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) If rock 'n' roll is typically a teenager's medium—soda pop and bubblegum—then the National are scotch and cigars, about as adult as popular music can get. Their sixth full-length, this year's stately and stunning Trouble Will Find Me, is a perfectly tailored three-piece suit of an album, bearing a mien of aloof, authoritative cool. But underneath the crisp façade is all the turmoil and anguish of what it's actually like to be a grownup—the money worries, the cutthroat competition of careerism, the raw romantic angst, the questionable drinking decisions, the family problems that never quite recede into the rearview. It's a beautiful, terrifying album, reaching its apex on the masterful "I Need My Girl." Frightened Rabbit also navigate the waters of being a grownup, with all its attendant dread and desperation, but also with a sense of humor and ecstatic release. The four B-sides on their new single "Late March, Death March" are just as good as the tracks on their sterling Pedestrian Verse. This outstanding double-bill sold out weeks ago, because of course it did. These two bands are among the best in the game. NL

PORCELAIN RAFT
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Italy-born, New York City-based Mauro Remiddi—AKA Porcelain Raft—put out his sophomore album, Permanent Signal, on Secretly Canadian earlier this year to much anticipation and acclaim. He's been called a cross between M83 and Beach House, but seems to have lived several musical lifetimes: one as a traveling musician in the Berlin Youth Circus playing gypsy klezmer music, one scoring soundtracks for foreign films, and one as a pianist in off-Broadway productions. Rich, gauzy dream-pop woven under Remiddi's alluringly androgynous, reed-like voice creates an emotive soundtrack for an alien world where acoustics mingle with electronics to complement a wistful melodic sensibility like none other. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

SUNDAY 9/22

SUNDAY SESH FEST: MINDEN, GRAPEFRUIT, NO KIND OF RIDER
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE LUMINEERS, DR. DOG, NATHANIEL RATELIFF
(Memorial Coliseum, 300 N Winning Way) In little over a year, the Lumineers have gone from wide-eyed, hard-working, smiley-strummy blog darlings to being simply everywhere. You've seen them on TV; you've joked about their name around the office; you've overheard "Ho Hey" leaking from the SUV stuck next to you in traffic. This is where I'm supposed to tell you that the Colorado folkers are hackneyed and trite, that all banjos signify artistic death, that their self-titled debut album is a beached whale in the vast ocean of cool underground snob-rock. Well, fuck that. This paper said nice things about the Lumineers before they got big, and there's no reason we're gonna change our tune now that they're headlining arenas. Plus, you get Philly's Dr. Dog in the bargain, who are perched on top of another fine album, B-Room (out October 1). If anybody's up to the challenge of making the enormous glass-and-concrete prison of Memorial Coliseum sound halfway decent, it's these guys. NL

ISLANDS, BEAR MOUNTAIN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) No matter what he does, Islands' frontman/principal songwriter Nick Thorburn will likely always have his output unfairly held up against the 2003 demented indie-pop classic he made with the Unicorns, Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? And while it may be impossible to equal the freewheeling lo-fi weirdness of that album, his work with Islands is a slicker, more polished, and more mature-sounding take on the Unicorns' quirky formula—one that still contains much underlying lyrical angst and emotion. Islands' just-released latest album, Ski Mask, is deceptively bright and shimmery in some parts—see lead single "Becoming the Gunship"—but at its core it's "a record about being angry." The beautifully dark balance struck here sounds like exactly what Islands have been striving for since their 2006 album, Return to the Sea. MR

MONDAY 9/23

BEN GOLDBERG'S UNFOLD ORDINARY MIND, BLUE CRANES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 9/24

HOT VICTORY, ANTECESSOR, DJ BESTIAL WALRUS
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) Read our article on Hot Victory.

URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN, PWRHAUS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) In the style of Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, and all of the luscious fruits that fall from the Daptone tree, Ural Thomas is ready to regale you with a new wave of old-school soul. A native (dare I say it) Portlandian, Thomas grew up singing doo-wop on street corners, later opening for such soul staples as Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder. Through a series of unfortunate events, Thomas never attained the worldwide fame that his talent could have easily earned him. Luckily for us, this Portland gem is coming out of the woodwork, starting to play frequent shows with his excellent new band, the Pain. Thomas retains the same sense of power he's always had, offering a gospel-and-fire performance that only a son of a minister and arbiter of soul could. ROSE FINN

WILD BELLE, SAINT RICH
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) For months I didn't know who sang the song "Keep You," which was featured in the film Pitch Perfect and played here and there on the radio. I assumed it was Lana Del Rey contemplating why, despite a pretty face and a nice dress, her guy would keep straying. I was wrong. The slightly whiny, psych-plus-reggae-inspired track is by Wild Belle, a brother-and-sister duo from Chicago who serve up their music with about as much passion as a chef would hand over a slice of Velveeta cheese on a paper plate. While singer Natalie Bergman does have a lovely voice, she sounds bored by her own words. Her brother's baritone sax solos come with a matching lack of energy. Sax solos should never lack energy! It sounds nice, but so, so tired at the same time, giving me no reason at all to presume their live show would be more stimulating than staying home and watching their record spin in circles. MEGAN SELING

JACKSON SCOTT, THE WE SHARED MILK, A HAPPY DEATH
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) In interviews, Jackson Scott touts his love of Nirvana, Weezer, and Pink Floyd's original mastermind, Syd Barrett. So for a young guy who (apparently) wasn't raised on lo-fi, late-'90s indie rock, Scott sure does have the lo-fi, late-'90s indie rock sound down. The Asheville, North Carolina, resident's new album Melbourne is a likeably languid exercise in homemade dream-pop that recalls an embryonic Elephant 6 collective (specifically, the Apples'Fun Trick Noisemaker) or early Elliott Smith without the obvious preternatural genius. And Scott's affinity for woozy, tape-warped warble brings to mind another Southern bedroom wunderkind, Deerhunter's Bradford Cox. Melbourne isn't perfect—it can feel a bit rudderless and half-baked in places—but it is a promising debut from a guy with a knack for melody and an experimental streak. BS

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WEDNESDAY 9/25

SAVAGES, DUKE GARWOOD
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Savages.

AND AND AND, SAMA DAMS, NIGHT MECHANIC
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Night Mechanic's second album, Working Late, was released back in April on AIO Records, and it's easily one of the better releases I've heard all year. How a band can overflow with this much energy and continue to fly under the radar is beyond me. The eight tracks contained on the album bounce and spring as they traverse power-pop and '90s guitar rock territory. The opening track, "Send in the Clowns" sets the stage for the rest of the album, as guitars tangle together; the band's penchant for crafting catchy, melodic, straight-up rocking tunes becomes quite clear just a few moments after hitting the play button. "Face Off" has singer/drummer Andre Coberly delivering vocals with an enthusiastic half-yelp that fans of And And And should be more than familiar with, so if you're already planning on catching tonight's headliners, arriving early will be in your best interest. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

BIG BLACK DELTA, ADVENTURE GALLEY
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) A side project from Mellowdrone's vocalist/bassist Jonathan Bates, Big Black Delta pursues the popular synth-indie sound everyone's jiving on these days, but with a little more flair and charisma. Though Bates is on a solo mission, he still manages to collaborate with other LA electro-suppliers like M83 and Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails. Through a haunting electronic veil, Bates' voice day-drinks with David Byrne and tangos with Ian Curtis by night. His songs range from melancholy with Molly Ringwald (who's singing at the Newmark this week) to partying with HBO's Girls. It seems as though Big Black Delta is music made by and for the synth-minded Generation Y: danceable, dark, and containing more sedimentary layers than what meets the ear. ROSE FINN

BUCK 65, OPEN MIKE EAGLE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Two decades into a career that's seen him morph from DJ/turntablist to literate indie-rap powerhouse to searching post-hiphop performance artist, Buck 65—the stickiest nom de musique of Nova Scotia's Rich Terfry, who's also recorded as Dirk Thornton and Stinkin' Rich—remains a great force for musical good. 1999's "The Centaur" will forever be hiphop's deepest big-dick brag, 2003's Talkin' Honky Blues is a start-to-finish killer, and everything the man's released since the turn of the century is worth your time. With no new Buck 65 product to be pushed, here's hoping tonight's show is the career retrospective Terfry deserves, in front of an adoring packed house. DAVID SCHMADER

THURSDAY 9/26

LIGHT ASYLUM, DANGEROUS BOYS CLUB, DJ GOSSIP CAT, DJ ROY G BIV
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT, SLAVES OF VENUS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on Peter Hook.

ROSE WINDOWS, MIDDAY VEIL, GREAT WILDERNESS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Rose Windows.

AUBREY DEBAUCHERY AND THE BROKEN BONES, JEFF CAMPBELL, CHAINSAW DARWIN, RYAN TRASTER, VULTAN AND THE HAWKMEN
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Aubrey Debauchery has spent the past decade writing songs for the heartbroken—whether it's herself, or the ex-lovers and one-night stands who've crossed her path. These tales have been told over five releases, which range from stripped-down folk to more raucous cow-punk. It's been five years since her last recording, and now she's fronting a new band called the Broken Bones on her new LP, Death of a Dream. The stories remain a haze of sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, and small-town drama, but this time Ms. Debauchery delivers them over sticky-sweet barroom blues. Guaranteed to leave you crying in your beer—by the end of the night you won't know whether to fall in love with her or to run for cover. MARK LORE

VICE DEVICE, ARCTIC FLOWERS, INDUSTRIAL PARK, LUKE BUSER
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Portland's Vice Device have made a habit of laying bare their inhibitions, routinely wowing crowds with a downright bleak-sounding new-wave shuffle that's more danceable than you'd think. Tonight they release a split 12-inch with Philadelphia's Void Vision (the work of one Shari Vari), whose half is equally dark, an obviously snuggly battery mate for VD's harrowing dance-noise. The split opens with VD's "Fractured Desire," a track seething with snotty synth venom, punctuated by the snarls of vocalist Andrea K. (As a bookend, Void Vision's haunted "Take My Breath Away" plays a little like the dungeon level of an 8-bit NES game, but otherwise cements the gloomy patina.) Tonight's release show is brought to you by the letters "G,""O,""T," and "H." RYAN J. PRADO

PHOSPHORESCENT, INDIANS
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) The sounds of Phosophorescent unravel and range from joyful to gentle and from regretful to romantic, all strung together by eloquent storyteller/songwriter Matthew Houck. Tinges of gospel choir and country drawl line the tracks of Phosphorescent's expansive sixth album, Muchacho. Houck howls and croons along with southern guitar and folky fiddle, creating a world that is dusty with nostalgia and steeped in emotion. This album has a timeless feel, and his performances are just as impressive—they're as expressive and dynamic as each song on this record. RACHEL MILBAUER

GOLD PANDA, SLOW MAGIC, LUKE ABBOTT
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) Gold Panda is a Dr. Livingstone-esque ambassador of deep vibes for this modern age of the global-village micro-club. Originally from the UK and relocated to the electronic mecca of Berlin, this producer has globetrotted as much as any bass-abusing EDMer, albeit with a strain of glistening lite-house music as trade. Nestled within Gold Panda's handclaps and floating synth chords are what sound like percussive field recordings, perhaps culled during downtime between live shows or on travels further from the beaten path. His melding of organic and synthetic is a dialogue between found sound and a lush minimalist beat structure. Each of his EPs functions as a concept album informed by experiences that befall the postmodern nomad, lending the music a microcosmic feel for its worldly sensibilities. WYATT SCHAFFNER

BILLY COBHAM'S SPECTRUM 40
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Billy Cobham is among the most powerful and nuanced drummers ever to sit behind a kit. His stints with Miles Davis circa A Tribute to Jack Johnson and fusion gods Mahavishnu Orchestra during their zenith assure Cobham entry into the pantheon. But his own solo career has some monumental peaks, too, including the 1973 LP Spectrum. This tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of that jazz-fusion monsterpiece. Check out "Quadrant 4," which is the fieriest, most adrenalized jazz-rock track that's never scored a chase scene. Unfortunately, no other original members who played on Spectrum will accompany Cobham, but the material's so fantastic it almost doesn't matter. DAVE SEGAL

GUTTERMOUTH, AGENT ORANGE, PINATA PROTEST
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) SoCal punk makes its way up to the dingy Pacific Northwest with the O.C.'s finest OGs, Agent Orange. The band released their debut album Living in Darkness back in 1981, which channeled Dick Dale surf guitar and cranked it through punk aggression. Coming up through the Southern California punk scene in the late '70s and early '80s along with the Circle Jerks, Black Flag, and Fear, Agent Orange were very much a product of their time—essentially they were Reagan youth without being Reagan Youth. Joining them on this tour are their disciples Guttermouth, who released their debut Full Length LP a decade after Agent Orange's. It's a different world from the one we know up here, but no less important. ML

FRIDAY 9/27

PETER BRODERICK, HAUSCHKA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Welcome home, Peter Broderick! The globetrotting composer and multi-instrumentalist is an Oregonian through and through. Raised in Carlton, Broderick's played with Horse Feathers, Laura Gibson, M. Ward, Norfolk and Western, and countless other Portland acts. Broderick moved to Europe to join the band Efterklang a few years back. Since then, he's continued his staggeringly prolific solo career, releasing stunning album after album and cutting a broad stylistic swath through folk, classical, pop, avant-garde, instrumental and ambient musics, and beyond. In short, he's one of the most musical people on the planet, and Portland was lucky to have him when we did—and now, that bit of luck has flown back to the nest. Broderick quietly returned to his old stomping grounds over the summer, and tonight he performs a homecoming gig with German pianist/composer Hauschka. For those willing to spring for the slightly pricey ticket, it will be a night of adventurous, unconventional, flat-out gorgeous music that defies easy categorization. NED LANNAMANN

JOAN OF ARC, ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO'S SONGS OF PSYCHIC FIRE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Cap'n Jazz were sort of like an emo Yardbirds. The seminal if not quintessential old-school emo outfit has been retroactively dubbed a supergroup of sorts due to all the amazing musicians for which it was a springboard. Once the Cap'n dissolved, guitarist Davey von Bohlen formed the Promise Ring, while drummer Mike Kinsella moved on to establish American Football and eventually record solo material under the moniker Owen. Elder brother and lead singer Tim Kinsella, however, never really strayed from the youthful strangeness that characterized his contributions to Cap'n Jazz. That strangeness is distilled in Joan of Arc, maybe the least accessible band in the family tree (perhaps rivaled by Owls, Kinsella's other project). While Joan of Arc's sprawling discography is Guided by Voices-caliber daunting (not to mention that Kinsella's nonsensical, impressionist, undeniably emotive lyrical landscapes evoke Robert Pollard more than any other rock wordsmith I can think of), their most consistently enjoyable effort is still their first, A Portable Model of..., which crosses the playfulness and unpretentiousness of Cap'n Jazz with a Beck-ish electro-exoticism. MORGAN TROPER

JARBOE, HELEN MONEY, LOST LOCKETS
(Analog Café, 720 SE Hawthorne) To understand the enigma of awesomeness that is Jarboe, you have to immerse yourself in the duality of her work. After years of formal classical vocal training, she joined now-classic noise rockers Swans in 1985, adding another layer of hauntingly beautiful bliss to the chaos that Michael Gira had created. From there, she's been all over the place, branching off to do solo work and collaborating with everyone from Neurosis to members of black-metal overlords Mayhem. In seconds, her voice goes from delicate to destructive, and her immense discography displays many emotions in between. KEVIN DIERS

BIG EYES, THE EVAPORATORS, THEE GOBLINS, RED SHADOWS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) If you've ever seen any of the hundreds of interviews—skillfully and hilariously conducted by the Evaporators' founding member and lead singer, Nardwuar the Human Serviette—then you know the potential for wild surprises exists in everything he touches. A band since the late '80s, the Evaporators' first garage-rock LP was called Oh, God, My Mom's on Channel 10 (Channel 10 being what I can only imagine is an old public access channel). The last time I saw the Evaporators, Nardwuar asked everyone to lie down on the filthy floor for the last song. Eventually people did it. Nardwuar is a very powerful man. KELLY O

NO PASSENGERS, EDNA VAZQUEZ, SANTOS ALMADA, ILL LUCID ONSET
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) Edna Vazquez's well-deserved recognition for her intimate solo performances, which parlay stunningly authentic Mexican folk music to eager and sometimes weeping audiences, has been documented plenty the last couple of years. Her voice is powerful, and her timing and attention to the intricacies of melody is empowering. Vazquez's new rock band, No Passengers, isn't like any of that. It's not that Vasquez's voice is any less gorgeous. But this is a project built more on the calisthenics of guitar atmosphere and melodic dynamics than anything we've heard from Vazquez yet. The band's self-titled debut album takes a bit to get going, but when it does, on second track "The Place," it's a pleasant enough listen. Just don't expect the same warm fuzzies as during her better-known incarnation, which also appears tonight. RJP

SATURDAY 9/28

OLAFUR ARNALDS, NILS FRAHM
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) When the air starts to chill and the skies fade to forever gray, that's the time to reach for Olafur Arnalds. The 26-year-old Icelandic composer makes music that's beyond his years, building beautiful pieces of contemporary classical music out of minimalist piano, lush string sections, inorganic beats, and an impressive sense of dynamics. When the songs on his 2012 album For Now I Am Winter are left to themselves, they're like the soundtrack to somber, slo-mo footage of a cold front moving in. When vocals are added, Arnalds recalls his likeminded countrymen in Sigur Rós. Either way, the guy is talented and tasteful; whether or not he can make a living as a solo artist, he'll be able to score films for the rest of his life. He'll be joined by German keyboard adventurer Nils Frahm, whose captivating new album, Spaces, will be released in November by the influential avant-garde label Erased Tapes. BEN SALMON

JEFFREY KAHANE, OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) On a Tuesday night 210 years ago, Beethoven took the stage, cracked some knuckles, and introduced an unsuspecting world to his freshly composed Piano Concerto No. 3—becoming, in that singular moment, the world's first indie musician to gain rock-star status. Free from the conservative shackles of popes, princes, and record label execs, young Ludwig wrote and played whatever the fuck he wanted, and his third mash-up for piano and orchestra instantly destroyed all future expectations for what artists "ought" to be doing. As luck would have it, the Oregon Symphony brings this brilliant work to life, and the indefatigable Jeffrey Kahane is on deck to blow up the Schnitz's nine-foot Steinway. You got something better to do than hear Beethoven's keyboard mastery brought to life right there in front of your ridiculously pierced and intentionally deformed ears? Yeah. Thirty-two smackers is all it takes to get a seat in the upper balcony, which, in my opinion, is the acoustic g-spot of the entire concert hall. I implore you, on my knees, beneath shards of freshly broken glass: Stop Instagramming your cat's ass for one goddamned night and get to this show. The program repeats Sunday and Monday, so you really have no excuses for missing greatness. ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

CHELSEA WOLFE, TRUE WIDOW
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) At some weird imaginary aural crossroads, past Comus and Swans but somewhere before Strawberry Switchblade and Julee Cruise, you'll find the otherworldly darkness of Chelsea Wolfe. For her last several records, Wolfe experimented with ethereal doom-folk (she's also covered Burzum's "Black Spell of Destruction"). Her newest album, Pain Is Beauty, is less sparse then the haunting acoustic work of Unknown Rooms, but still hints at a panicked numbness akin to a sensory depravation tank or a near-death experience... perhaps even more so, as the electronic undercurrents exploit that tension. Heavy and gauzy Texas outfit True Widow reference rhythmic post-rock repetition and swirling shoegaze haziness without submitting to either. They balance a chaotic underbelly with catchy, simple melodies and compelling harmonies. Dark, deep, and unique, they make music to get lost in. BREE MCKENNA

SUNDAY 9/29

STAR ANNA, CHRIS MARSHALL
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) Read our article on Star Anna.

JEFFREY KAHANE, OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

THE EVENS
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) Operating more or less under the radar, in the shadows of the behemoth Fugazi, under the steadied gaze of punk elder statesman Ian MacKaye, the Evens have quietly forged their own following. With MacKaye singing and strumming baritone guitar and vocalist/drummer Amy Farina of the Warmers, the Evens tackle minimalist sonic terrain that approaches the malaise of slacker rock. But nothing MacKaye does could be construed as lethargic, and the Evens have developed a reputation (not unlike Fugazi) of performing at nontraditional venues, for all ages and charging next to nothing to watch them perform. The duo's most recent album, 2012's The Odds, is as good an introduction to the band's barebones aesthetic as any. RJP

ANATHEMA, ALCEST, MAMIFFER
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) The subgenre of heavy music known as metalgaze is primarily about blending beauty with brutality; think My Black Metal Valentine and you're floating in the right atmosphere. For the past decade, French band Alcest have arguably been the masters of metalgaze, using shimmering sheets of guitars, dreamily melodic vocals, and occasional harsh screams to illuminate a fantasy world from the childhood of principal member Neige. Alcest's sound culminated (so far) on 2012's Les Voyages de l'Âme, a blissful masterpiece of melancholic mood music that found Neige shifting closer to pure shoegaze than ever before, with stunning results. And it sounds like the band's next record—the highly anticipated Shelter, due out in 2014—will travel further into the fuzz. "For the coming album... I have been really inspired by Slowdive," Neige told the music blog Steel for Brains in July. "They are my favorite band ever." BS

MONDAY 9/30

STAR ANNA, RICHARD OMIER
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) Read our article on Star Anna.

JEFFREY KAHANE, OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

YOUTH CODE, NIGHT SINS, LIGHT HOUSE
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Youth Code want to convince you that industrial music is hip again. Channeling a ravaging Wax Trax!-style angst to which you can shake your dreads, the young LA duo set their synths—and voices—to harsh mode, but they can also finesse some subtly chilling horror-film maneuvers when they so desire. Oldsters with stacks of Ministry and Nitzer Ebb discs in their libraries may scoff at Youth Code, but their devotion to the genre is undeniable. Enough time has passed for a new generation to slap its own fingerprints on industrial dance music, as the Young Gods did for a while in the late '80s and early '90s. Maybe Youth Code will do so as they continue to progress. DAVE SEGAL

TUESDAY 10/1

RED FANG, AAN, WL
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

STAR ANNA, ROB WYNIA
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) Read our article on Star Anna.

GLENN TILBROOK, JOE MICHELINI
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our interview with Glenn Tilbrook.

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WEDNESDAY 10/2

JUST LIONS, NEW MOVE, BOMBS INTO YOU
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) If you haven't checked out Just Lions yet, what are you waiting for? The Portland trio has a new EP, Paper Cage, and it's very fine indeed. In three mere tracks, Just Lions pack in enough sound and melody to fill up a full-length album, finding new and creative ways to use the rock template laid out by old stalwarts like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Radiohead (it's usually a bad sign when a band cites these types of generic, omnipresent influences, but in Just Lions' case, the comparisons are apt). What they remember is to make all this classic-rock studiousness sound like actual fun, and their jubilant songs bounce, grin, stutter, sparkle, and—yes, when the situation calls for it—rock. NED LANNAMANN

CHRIS THILE
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) Chris Thile is a genius. Plain and simple. He is one of the planet's finest mandolin players, rising to prominence as the face (and the fun) of California popgrass band Nickel Creek. He is the founder of genre-bending acoustic powerhouse the Punch Brothers, and he collaborated with equally brilliant musicians (Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer) on 2011's The Goat Rodeo Sessions, an impressive exercise in classical-meets-'grass. When he wants to, he can straight-up burn the barn down, as evidenced by the outstanding traditional bluegrass album he made with guitarist Michael Daves, also in 2011. And if all that ain't enough, consider why Thile stops in Portland tonight: to promote his new album, Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 1, a collection of, yes, three Bach pieces written for solo violin three centuries ago. One more thing: Chris Thile is 32 years old. BEN SALMON

THURSDAY 10/3

FIONA APPLE, BLAKE MILLS
(Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

NURSES, PWRHAUS, JOHN GENTNER
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

ROBERT EARL KEEN, THE STUBBORN LOVERS
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Robert Earl Keen used to tell a story about talking to a buddy who'd told him about happening upon 20 guys hanging out in a backyard in San Marcos, Texas. It was a hot day, and there was an extension cord running from the house to a window air conditioning unit sitting on the picnic table, running. They were drinking Schlitz beer. "And I thought, man, I haven't had a Schlitz beer since elementary school," Keen said. And maybe you too used to drink Schlitz beer in elementary school and you're thinking you aren't that different from Keen. But Keen wrote "The Road Goes On Forever," and the rest of us didn't. He might be the only guy who can get away with—is required to?—play his Christmas song ("Merry Christmas to the Family") all year round. And he does this with the easy, slightly lurid charm that the best Texas singer/songwriters wear so well. RYAN WHITE

J. RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS, GRINGO STAR, TANGO ALPHA TANGO
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) J. Roddy Walston, frontman of Baltimore band the Business, once said he'd never play a gig with a synthesizer or keyboard, opting instead to schlep around his 150-pound traveling Yamaha piano from gig to gig. He'll likely do more damage to his spine than all those other Nord converts on the road, and perhaps this reason alone is enough for you to sink your teeth heartily into Essential Tremors, the new J. Roddy Walston and the Business record and their first for ATO Records. It's a grimy, raspy, thickly buttered bit of Southern rock, full of glam-spangled boogie without any of the often-attendant white-guy funk, and approachable enough for you to palm off to your friend who won't stop listening to the goddamn Black Keys. Parts of it earn Zeppelin comparisons, while the shrieking harmonies on "Take It as It Comes" are pure pop perfection. Even if Walston doesn't keep his word about lugging around that damn piano, he plays plenty of guitar on Tremors, too, so either way, this is gonna be one hell of a rock 'n' roll show. NL

PEACH KELLI POP, THE MEAN JEANS, YOUTHBITCH, BRAIN ATTACK
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Nearly two weeks after Burger Records' big Caravan of Stars Tour rolled through Portland, one of the powerhouse garage/punk/pop label's most promising melody brokers—Peach Kelli Pop, AKA White Wires drummer Allie Hanlon—will visit East End tonight. Hanlon's lo-fi sound leans more toward the bedroom than the garage; her 2012 self-titled album is a smile-making mix of bouncy bubblegum, tinny new wave, and '60s girl-group pop filtered through the dustiest boombox at the thrift store. Those melodies, though... they're sticky like syrup, and never get lost in the fuzz. Joining Peach Kelli Pop are Austin, Texas, shout-punkers Brain Attack, plus local rowdies Youthbitch and the Mean Jeans. This'll be the Mean Jeans' last local show before a US tour, so head down there and say farewell in style. BS

FRIDAY 10/4

PET SHOP BOYS
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Pet Shop Boys.

TRIO SUBTONIC, BLUE CRANES
(Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th) Trio Subtonic's understated technicality makes them one of the region's more formidable jazz trios. Led by the nimble digits of Galen Clark and his fluid piano tinkling, Trio Subtonic operates under free-ranging fits of fusion and funk, often melding the two into bafflingly good covers, like Radiohead's "Pyramid Song." The band's brand-new LP, Night Runners, moves at a brisk clip, covering meandering neo-jazz terrain while keeping one foot cemented in an experimental limbo of bizarre feedback and spiraling, gorgeously chaotic instrumentation, as found on the appropriately titled "Existential Crisis" and the title track. Trio Subtonic's ability to weather musical storms both sunny and sordid places them in an exciting league of forward-thinking, jazz-based groups. That they're joined by the equally ambitious Blue Cranes tonight only sweetens the deal. RYAN J. PRADO

THE CABIN PROJECT, CUMULUS, YOU ARE PLURAL
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Heliotrope is the second album from the Cabin Project, the Portland group that describes itself as "orchestral indie pop from the Pacific Northwest." This phrase evokes the sound of the majestic Heliotrope perfectly; it's a record whose prettiness is vast and rainy and windswept, and rooted in what seems like a small and sturdy community. Singer Katie Sawicki's understated voice lets the album's spangled arrangements do much of the work, as songs like "Eastern Minds" and "Rolfast Luna" sail effortlessly across the music's widescreen storminess. The result is lovely and absolutely compelling. The group celebrates the record's release tonight before hitting the road for a short West Coast tour. NL

HORRENDOUS, VASSAFOR, RITUAL NECROMANCY, SEMPITERNAL DUSK
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Sometimes, metal shows can be scary. Not like in a scared-for-your-personal-safety way, but in a pit-of-your-stomach, ominous, impending-doom kind of way. For the next two nights, Dark Descent Records has put together a showcase of 10 bands who specialize in aural terror. The highlights (or darks) on Friday include the crawling death metal of Sempiternal Dusk, and the evil, bottom-feeding brutality of Portland's Ritual Necromancy. On Saturday, Seattle's Anhedonist will provide a crushing doom/death dirge, while Portland's Weregoat and Victoria, BC's Mitochondrion will twist your bowels with chaotic riffage and blast beats. Don't be scared, it's only metal. ARIS WALES

MAN MAN, XENIA RUBINOS
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Man Man are difficult to pin down, traversing the musical landscape like a band of gypsies and employing an ample amount of eccentricity. They're either geniuses or just too much, depending on your own headspace. Finding out what makes them tick almost trumps the actual music. Over the years Man Man have refined their sound, from their earlier ragged gypsy-folk to their more recent, polished junkyard tales. Their records are filled with deep layers of sounds and dark emotional baggage that carry over into intense live sets. Like I said, Man Man is not for everyone, but one thing is certain—no one else sounds like them. MARK LORE

HOUSES, AMP LIVE, JENI WREN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) It can't be punk rock all the time. I don't care how tough you think you are—sometimes you just need some devastatingly pretty music to soothe your jangled nerves. I resisted A Quiet Darkness, the new album from Houses, for a good long while, judging it to be needlessly poignant, touchy-feely, Coldplayish adult comtempo. But slowly and surely, its warm, enveloping melodies and breathily airy sounds worked their delicate magic on me. "The Beauty Surrounds" is a lullaby so stunning that the only thing left for it is to graft it onto a car commercial someday; the rest of A Quiet Darkness—which the couple of Dexter Tortoriello and Megan Messina recorded in a series of abandoned houses along the West Coast—is equally as ravishing. This is music for putting on slippers, making tea you can't pronounce, and writing letters to old and cherished friends. If you're too cool for that, I don't wanna know you. NL

SATURDAY 10/5

LAURA VEIRS, KARL BLAU
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

OLD LIGHT, KELLEY STOLTZ, ERIC D. JOHNSON
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Old Light.

INSANITY, MITOCHONDRION, ANHEDONIST, GRAVEHILL, WEREGOAT, DIRE OMEN
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) See Friday's listing.

FRIENDS AND FRIENDS OF FRIENDS VOL. 6RELEASE SHOW: BRAINSTORM, WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND, THE WE SHARED MILK, HOLIDAY FRIENDS, PHILIP GRASS
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) The sixth volume of Tender Loving Empire's Friends and Friends of Friends is a star-studded compilation—tracks by local favorites Genders, Charts, and Wild Ones are joined by out-of-towners like Ash Reiter, Social Studies, and Delicate Steve, to make up one huge, double-disc playlist that will keep you fueled for hours. This night hosts a lineup of champions, and offers a glimpse into the variety and quality of taste that the TLE label represents. The newest band to the roster, Holiday Friends, begins the evening of Pacific Northwest rock, later capped off by Brainstorm, who headlines with their characteristic tropic-bounce, sweet-pop sounds that will surely lead into late-night after-parties. RACHEL MILBAUER

NO JOY, HEAVY HAWAII
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) No Joy's last few trips to Portland have seen them playing the role of a supporting act, and frankly, the band's loud and entrancing blend of noise pop is not very well suited to open a show. That's because when Jasmine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd stop singing and put down their guitars, you're going to feel the need for a long walk and some fresh air. The stunning harmonies and melodic moments buried within the sheer volume take aim directly for the back of your brain, and the strong songwriting will continue to haunt you, long after your ears stop ringing from all the feedback and distortion. Tonight, No Joy gets the headlining spot that its music lends itself to. Rightfully so; the band's excellent second album from earlier this year, Wait to Pleasure, has placed them at the forefront of a wide pack of current-day shoegaze-influenced acts. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

ARANYA, BLACK WITCH PUDDING, ORDER OF THE GASH
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Aranya is one of the most bizarre bands you're likely to come across. Arriving at a crusty crossroads of operatic prog-metal that often nibbles at the rinds of the fantasy genre, Aranya's new double EP Friction/Refraction is at least an adventurous undertaking. The Friction half of the combo is described as "four songs describing sexuality through heat metaphors."Refraction, then, is "five songs of reflection and rejuvenation." As far as double concept EPs go, Aranya may have the market cornered. Musically, there are moments of strange greatness, as in Refraction's Eastern European-swathed "Chicory Key" and "Sisyphus," a noble exploration into carnival metal-lite. Quoting Hunter S. Thompson seems appropriate in reference to this release, beg pardon: "A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." RJP

DJ QUIK, SUGA FREE, COOL NUTZ, CHILLEST ILLEST
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Rapper, manager, and host of the Northwest Breakout show (the only mainstream radio hiphop show in town), Cool Nutz has been active in Portland’s hiphop scene since 1992. His sound is much like the regional underground hiphop artists he plays on his Sunday night show, full of innovative splicing and sampling, and always the freshest of beats. He’ll be opening for Suga Free and DJ Quik, who is just beginning to play again after a six-year hiatus from his Platinum career. Between his hiphop show, hosting Portland’s only hiphop festival, managing his own record label, and recording and playing shows, Cool Nutz is the breath of fresh, funky air keeping Portland’s rap flame alive. ROSE FINN

SUNDAY 10/6

CHILI JAMBOREE: LUCERO, STURGILL SIMPSON, DANIEL ROMANO, SHELBY EARL, MISSION SPOTLIGHT
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on the first annual Chili Jamboree.

WILD ONES, MINDEN, PAPER BRAIN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) This is one of those not-to-miss bills that comes along every once in a while, showcasing a trio of locals who truly shine at what they do. Paper Brain makes smooth, harmony-driven rock with piercing, surf-guitar-inspired riffs. Minden never fails to get the bodies moving with their sleek, sexy pop tunes and spandex outfits—check out the new record, What's More Than Appropriate, for a taste of their sparkly magic. Wild Ones headline the evening, playing songs from their phenomenal full-length, Keep It Safe. Each song stuns with a fully realized pop sensibility, as frontwoman Danielle Sullivan projects delicate yet brutally honest vocals. RM

MONDAY 10/7

MARK LANEGAN, SEAN WHEELER, ZANDER SCHLOSS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

JACCO GARDNER, OZARKS, FUR COATS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Jacco Gardner.

TRANSIENT, LAMPREY, PAGERIPPER
(The Alleyway, 2415 NE Alberta) Transient have been a cornerstone of Portland's grindcore scene for quite some time now. After taking a few months off, they return tonight to celebrate the release of their self-titled debut album and kick off a tour. The band has released a handful of 7-inch splits over the years, and their first proper full-length is a striking statement, from the eye-popping cover art all the way down to the final pulverizing groove of wax. Credit to all involved in the recording for doing an outstanding job of transferring the band's fierce live show to the studio, as every bit of energy has been harnessed on these tracks. It's a fitting release for a sharpened four-piece that has been unleashing upon audiences for over half a decade, and I can't think of a better place to take it all in than on the stageless open floor of the Alleyway. CT

TUESDAY 10/8

SHOVELS AND ROPE, DENVER
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

SUN ANGLE, CHASTITY BELT
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our article on Chastity Belt.

LE1F, ANTWON, LAKUTIS, MAGIC FADES DJs
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Le1f is performance art through the guise of a Tumblr explosion. The NYC rapper is an icon of a flourishing post-vogue ballroom scene, where fashion, dance, and hiphop collide as an affirmation of style and future-forward amalgams of identity. His rhymes are laced with hyperaware digs and cultural criticisms with enough attitude to tear the fake nails off Kreyshawn. Take Le1f's recent critique of Macklemore and his gay-rights "anthem" as proof for how art can uphold an unapologetic social consciousness. Tonight also features the Biggie-esque boom bap revitalism of San José-based rapper Antwon, another bit-coin rich chamillionaire risen from the internet underground. WYATT SCHAFFNER

DIVERS, PRANK WAR, PEEPLE WATCHIN
(Red & Black Café, 400 SE 12th) There's a scene in Portlandia that pretty accurately characterizes the city's relationship with loud music, in which a number of fictional, impossibly quiet groups compete in a "Battle of the Gentle Bands" to see who can rock the least. Over the last several years, the pop scene in Portland has eschewed balls-to-the-wall rock bands pretty much entirely, but Divers (who indeed fit that bill) seem like they're on the cusp of crossing over. It's not inexplicable by any means—the two compositions on the group's lone release (a self-titled 7-inch) are absolutely impeccable, and the band has managed to balance the sour with the sweet, synthesizing Paul Westerbergian, full-throated swagger with vaguely dance-y drum beats and saccharine, inescapable vocal melodies. Here's hoping they don't wait too much longer to put out another release. MORGAN TROPER

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WEDNESDAY 10/9

WHITE TUNDRA
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!

KRONOS QUARTET
(Kaul Auditorium at Reed College, 3203 SE Woodstock) See My, What a Busy Week!

GETO BOYS, GRAY MATTERS, RAP CLASS, TRAGEDY, CASSOW
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our article on the Geto Boys.

SAXON, FOZZY
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) Read our article on Saxon.

LUCIUS, GREAT WILDERNESS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Haim might have just cornered the market on insanely catchy, female-vocal-driven, arena-sized, sing-along pop, but Brooklyn band Lucius is poised to give them a run for their money. Lead singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig have a preternatural talent for harmonizing—although many of the most powerful moments on Wildewoman, Lucius' debut album (out October 15) come when the two sing in full-throated unison. Rounded out by multi-instrumentalists Dan Molad, Peter Lalish, and Andrew Burri, Lucius is already a mind-bogglingly good band, able to connect the dots from sparse, back-porch laments like "Go Home" to the pep-rally gem "Turn It Around." This is that magic moment when you can still see Lucius playing small rooms like Bunk Bar—trust me, it won't last. NED LANNAMANN

TERROR, FUCKED UP, POWER TRIP, CODE ORANGE KIDS
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Tonight's double-headlining show features two aptly named pillars of the hardcore genre. My first time seeing Terror, I watched from the side as chaos erupted after a few macho tough guys in the audience were confronted for their violence. Once the dust settled, the LA band was quick to continue their set, this time with nearly twice the energy. A few years later I watched as Toronto's Fucked Up had a show cut short by police. The band was headlining a state university festival, and lead singer Damian Abraham was accused of attempting to start a riot when he went into the crowd to get the fans involved, and tore down stage barriers that were getting in the way. Shows centered on music this fast and abrasive can be difficult things to control, but both bands champion the belief that they need be built on pure positive energy to function and be enjoyed. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

TAL NATIONAL
(The Goodfoot, 2845 SE Stark) The press materials hail Tal National as "Niger's #1 band," and, honestly, I'm not up enough on that African country's scene to dispute the designation. On their latest album, Kaani, Tal National roil with an almost maniacal complexity and mantric intensity... like a more prog-rock-oriented Konono Nº1. (Both of these African groups record for England's FatCat Records.) Check the track "Banganeseba" for exhaustive proof. Niger's a cool place if music like Tal National's regularly charts. This is more boisterous than most of the highlife music I've heard and nearly as soulful as the Tuareg Desert blues made famous in the US by Bombino and Tinariwen. Work up a righteous sweat to it. DAVE SEGAL

LITTLE GREEN CARS, KRIS ORLOWSKI
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Little Green Cars played a show at the Doug Fir back in April, and for a modest crowd of curiosity seekers, the Dublin folk-pop quintet proved itself to be entirely magnetic and winning. They played open-mouthed, open-hearted teenage anthems sprinkled with just a hint of homegrown Irish sorrow to keep things from curdling. Tonight they return to play for what is certain to be a bigger crowd—no one who saw that show would miss the chance to see them again. Little Green Cars' debut album, Absolute Zero, is a not-at-all-annoying mixture of youthfulness and competence, with some really terrific songs to boot: "The John Wayne" and "Harper Lee" are much more than celebrity namedrops, and they display the band's truly spine-tingling coed harmonies. NL

THURSDAY 10/10

PLANKTON WAT, PLANETS AROUND THE SUN, GRAPEFRUIT
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Read our article on Plankton Wat.

FALL INTO DARKNESS: NIK TURNER'S HAWKWIND, WHITE MANNA, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, HEDERSLEBEN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) As one of the original passengers on the otherworldly space-rock unit Hawkwind, Nik Turner has every right to use the band's name. So does guitarist Dave Brock. It's a classic case of two versions of the band floating around the stratosphere. But with Hawkwind—a band that has mutated its skronky, hippie, acid-bath space blues over the past 45 years—this isn't a bad thing. Turner, who's toured and recorded mostly under the Space Ritual moniker—headlines the opening night of this year's Fall Into Darkness, which has become one of the best heavy-rock fests in the Pacific Northwest. (Brock's version of Hawkwind, meanwhile, just postponed their US tour, citing Brock's health issues—get well, Dave!) Turner's Hawkwind will perform some choice cuts from the past, as well as selections from Turner's 2013 rock odyssey Space Gypsy. Mississippi Studios transforms into the mothership tonight. You don't want to get left behind. MARK LORE Also see My, What a Busy Week!

TIM KASHER, LAURA STEVENSON, YOU ARE PLURAL
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Tim Kasher, in his prime, at least, was a more honest and captivating songwriter than his friend, collaborator, and label-mate Conor Oberst has ever been. Even Oberst's best songs are emotionally intricate plaints masquerading as cold-blooded pop ditties—and sometimes the hooks are great, but man is he full of shit (he's sort of like an indie Billy Joel). Tim Kasher, on the other hand, actually sounds like he means it: His masterpiece is Cursive's 2000 record Domestica, a chilling concept album that ambiguously correlates to his own divorce—it's a raw and unflinchingly personal statement, and an all-time high watermark of the emo genre. Kasher's output since has been largely spotty; subsequent Cursive albums range from passable to abhorrent, although all four Good Life (Kasher's other project) albums—in addition to his solo effort from 2010, The Game of Monogamy—are well worth your time and, potentially, money. MORGAN TROPER

LUMERIANS, TJUTJUNA, SWAHILI
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) The Oakland, California, space-rock quartet Lumerians has cut to the chase with the title of its new album, The High Frontier. You can talk about the group's lysergic lope, perfect for putting your hands in your pockets and head-nodding the night away. You can point out its post-punk predilections or its steady krautrock wanderings or its occasional stoney drones. But The High Frontier is also the title coined by physicist and writer Gerard K. O'Neill for his illustrated 1976 book about human colonization of space, and Lumerians essentially aim to create a soundtrack for travels to and life on such a colony. This is space rock, and the six songs on The High Frontier are interstellar jams of the highest order, only 33 minutes long but seemingly stretching into eternity. Turn on, tune in, blast off. BEN SALMON

GUITAR WOLF, THE COATHANGERS, COWARD, NO TOMORROW BOYS
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Over the years, Japanese garage-rock legends Guitar Wolf have built a reputation for their frantic and relentless live show. The band has even starred as heroes in the sci-fi zombie flick Wild Zero. And with the four women that make up the Coathangers having already taken on Ramones-style surnames in the same vein as Guitar Wolf, could a movie featuring the Atlanta punk-rock band be far off? Even without any extra frills tacked on, the tale of the Coathangers works great in an Our Band Could Be Your Life sort of way. Started as a half joke at a party back in 2006, the group has since toured high and low and released some excellent music along the way. It might not be saving the world from zombies, but it's just as inspiring to see a band develop their talent and become this great out of next to nothing. CT

THE WATERBOYS, FREDDIE STEVENSON
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Formed three decades ago in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Waterboys were as much a product of punk rock as they were folk music and Springsteen. Over the course of their first three records, frontman Mike Scott perfected what would become known as "The Big Music"—full of big sound and big ideas. Since then, Scott has dabbled in stripped-down Celtic folk, dropped the Waterboys name, picked it back up, and released heaps of records that continue to embrace his vision. The band's latest, 2011's An Appointment with Mr. Yeats, marries the big music with the big words of Irish poet William Butler Yeats—a bold move, but no less bold than the sounds the Waterboys were making in 1983 that went on to influence the likes of The Joshua Tree-era U2 and Arcade Fire. ML

FRIDAY 10/11

LANGHORNE SLIM, JONNY FRITZ, NATHAN REICH
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

FALL INTO DARKNESS: ORANGE GOBLIN, HOLY GRAIL, LORD DYING, LAZUR/WULF
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Riffs on riffs on riffs on riffs. Expect nothing less from UK groove gods Orange Goblin. For 18 years now, these lords of sleaze have been releasing heavy yet catchy stoner rock with a cosmic flair. Their latest effort, A Eulogy for the Damned, is no exception, as it proved the Goblin can still rage after five years away from the studio. It's the kind of band where pre-show bong hits are a requirement. Support comes from Holy Grail, a cheese-tastic power-metal band from California that obviously overdosed at a young age on Iron Maiden and Judas Priest singles. KEVIN DIERS Also see My, What a Busy Week!

BEN DARWISH'STHE LONELY NIGHT
(Ethos/IFCC, 5340 N Interstate) Fresh off his Morning Ritual project, local keyboardist/composer Ben Darwish has prepped another ambitious piece. From the description I've heard, The Lonely Night isn't really comparable to anything else, a multimedia work anchored by 10 new songs performed by Darwish, drummer Russ Kleiner, and guitarist William Seiji Marsh. There is filmed footage to go alongside the new music—which has been described as "nocturnes" with a down-tempo R&B slant—and there's set design and lighting cues to match. The project was funded by a grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council, and Darwish & Co. will perform it five times over the course of the weekend. Most intriguing of all, Darwish will be seated behind a 60-year-old Hammond S6 organ that has accordion-style chord buttons. I can't tell you what to expect, exactly, but the intrigue factor is sky-high. NL

DIAMOND HEAD, RAVEN, NETHER REGIONS, BLACK SNAKE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) As a fickle music journalist, I reserve the right to flip-flop on my views and opinions. Let's face it, things change, people grow, and I've probably already contradicted myself several times in this publication anyway, so what's the harm in doing it again? The last time Diamond Head came through town, I referred to them as a "pick-up band that are turning a triumphant legacy into dollar signs." A harsh statement that was probably true then, and may be now. But really, who gives a shit? In the end, it's all about the music. And in Diamond Head's case, it's music any right-minded hesher has been worshiping since learning how to drop a needle in a groove (or type a band's name into a YouTube search). So let me lead by example: Put aside your hang-ups and let's go hear a band that can no doubt play "Am I Evil?" better than Metallica. ARIS WALES

SLEIGH BELLS, DOLDRUMS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Sleigh Bells' debut album Treats was a revelation, blending teeny-bopper pop and brawny metal riffs. Probably because of that blend, the duo of Alexis Krause and former Poison the Well guitarist Derek Miller have also offered plenty of flat-out annoying tunes over the course of three albums, including the just-released Bitter Rivals. But there are just as many life-affirming moments in the Andrew WK-style party-slammers, too. The new album leans a little closer to a pop sheen, but not so much that Sleigh Bells can't invert the whole thing into a fist-pumping piece of mosh-pit bait. They're still sometimes really, really annoying, though. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

SATURDAY 10/12

FALL INTO DARKNESS: AGALLOCH, BEHOLD... THE ARCTOPUS, BOTANIST, EIGHT BELLS
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

BEN DARWISH'STHE LONELY NIGHT
(Ethos/IFCC, 5340 N Interstate) See Friday's listing.

ADAM ARCURAGI, CHEYENNE MIZE, IAN JAMES
(White Eagle, 836 N Russell) Louisville songwriter Cheyenne Marie Mize first gained notice as a member of the band Arnett Hollow and with a collaborative 10-inch record of old-timey parlor songs she recorded with Bonnie "Prince" Billy, with whom she still performs. However, Mize has established herself as a formidable talent in her own right and could happily cross those references off her résumé if she wanted; her latest album, Among the Grey, is a superb collection of moody, folk-varnished rock, beginning with a pair of craggy, almost proggy thumpers (the title track and "Wait for It") and concluding with the gossamer, string-laden piano ballad "Wouldn't Go Back." She remains a shockingly under-examined talent, and the depth conveyed on Among the Grey is startling after the sunny strum-pop she displayed on 2011's just-as-wonderful We Don't Need EP. Clear some room on the record shelf for her entire catalog; Mize deserves to become one of your all-time favorites. NL

GRAYSKUL, BAD HABITAT, GRAVES33, BAD TENANTS, DESTRO
(Blue Monk, 3341 SE Belmont) Tonight celebrates the latest full-length release from Grayskul, the Seattle duo made up of Onry Ozzborn and JFK from the Oldominion crew. Zenith racks up an impressive 18 tracks, with engineering by Portland's own Zebulon Dak. It kicks off with an extended shout-out from Wu-Tang's Raekwon, a somewhat unexpected cosign, considering the stylistic variance between the two camps. Longtime fans can rest easy, though; despite the intro, this isn't a departure into cocaine criminology raps. The subterranean diatribes for which Grayskul is known remain intact. Dark bars about scarecrows, school shootings, and social media are joined by guest appearances from recent tourmate Aesop Rock and sultry sounds from local singer Reva DeVito. Dystopia rules everything around me, dreams get it dunny, moody hoodie trill y'all. RYAN FEIGH

QUINTRON AND MISS PUSSYCAT, ZZZ, CAVE
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) When people travel to the Northwest all the way from New Orleans, Louisiana, you should do yourself a kindness and go and see them perform. Quintron and Miss Pussycat's hard-to-define brand of "swamp-tech"—their weirdo-electro-dance-rock-soul-boogie (that usually comes complete with a puppet show)—is in a nutty world of its own. They're the kind of band that can make sense in either an art museum or strip club. Oh, and did I mention there's a puppet show? KELLY O

OVERSEAS, RADAR BROS, CHRIS BROKAW
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Convincing you to see Overseas tonight should be as simple as naming the individual members of the band: David Bazan (Pedro the Lion), Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), and Matt and Bubba Kadane (Bedhead, the New Year). On the self-titled Overseas album that came out earlier this year, Bazan and Johnson's uniquely contradictory natures serve as excellent foils for each another—Bazan's fire-and-brimstone preacher remains tempered by regret and disillusionment, while Johnson's world-weary, whiskey-licked whisper can't quite conceal his inherent optimism and hope. Whether the bleak but solid Overseas will stand up to recent masterpieces like Bazan's Curse Your Branches or Centro-matic's Candidate Waltz remains to be seen, but I wouldn't count it out. NL

SUNDAY 10/13

FALL INTO DARKNESS: THE SKULL, HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE, UZALA, MIKE SCHEIDT
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

VIKESH KAPOOR, THE DESLONDES, LOS DOS AMIGOS
(Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott) Read our article on Vikesh Kapoor.

BEN DARWISH'STHE LONELY NIGHT
(Ethos/IFCC, 5340 N Interstate) See Friday's listing.

MONDAY 10/14

KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES, HELL SHOVEL, THE SATIN CHAPS
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Though his latest, Idle No More, peers into existential heartbreak, King Khan has long been more at home as garage rock's big greasy ham—hocking half-baked slogans and sleazy innuendo, no joke is too cheap. Shameless and shirtless as sweat rolls off his mustache onto his beer belly, Khan's a natural at throwing cake and changing costumes. At Dante's in 2009, he was joined onstage by dancers with pompons, one of whom might not have been wearing underwear. And yet, confronted with such spectacle, I remained mesmerized by the band behind. They were dressed in black and relatively unadorned—eight Germans, maybe nine, all cooking together in strict, fierce counterpoint. Tight, snappy pocket rhythms, keys, horns, and auxiliary flourishes. Intertwined, ears open, playing only the right bits. They are the Shrines, from Berlin, and they crack like a whip. When their seamless, cohesive firecrackers meet Khan's cheeky shtick, a marvelous bar band is born. ANDREW R TONRY Also see My, What a Busy Week!

HORSE LORDS, REGULAR MUSIC, LEISURE LLC
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) Horse Lords make the kind of amorphous, high-energy spazz-prog Baltimore's DIY music scene is famous for exporting. Evocative of a polyrhythmic Fugazi at times, or a no-wave version of Tortoise, Horse Lords have gained accolades as torchbearers of the Wham City warehouse culture and improv ethos. On the album-length song "Wildcat Strike," jams run free for a solid 21 minutes, joined by a fantastic cavalry of Pere Ubu-style sax freakouts at the end. It's fitting that Horse Lords are joined tonight by PDX's Regular Music—a mad-scientist neuro fusion of talented improvisationalists—and the warped-VHS pop of Leisure LLC, for what promises to be a melding of minds at Kenton Club. WYATT SCHAFFNER

TUESDAY 10/15

THEE OH SEES, THE BLIND SHAKE, OBN III'S
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) See My, What a Busy Week!

GWAR, WHITECHAPEL, IRON REAGAN, BAND OF ORCS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) The Scumdogs of the Universe absorbed a major blow in 2011, when Gwar guitarist Cory Smoot, AKA Flattus Maximus, passed away unexpectedly. This year, Oderus Urungus & Co. unveiled Battle Maximus, the band's tribute to their fallen brother. It's a fun piece of goofy thrash metal, but Gwar is never going to be known for their records—not when there are politicians to decapitate, audiences to douse in fake blood, and an entire human race to enslave. It's the metal show to end all metal shows, and to further the cause, there's an online petition at change.org to get Gwar on the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show. It's attracted more than 43,000 "signatures" so far. Dare to dream. MWS

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WEDNESDAY 10/16

METRIC, BATTLEME
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

PALMA VIOLETS, SKATERS
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) London-based Palma Violets make the kind of down-to-earth garage-rock that is so well loved in Portland. Guitar anthems and booming drums set the stage for melody-laced vocals, all coming together in their boozy, sweaty, welcoming debut album, 180. Frontmen Samuel Fryer and Chilli Jesson complement each other's shredding, singing, and thrashing to create dynamic and fiery songs that take direct cues from the Clash and Iggy Pop. Their music is uproarious and rambunctious—and for a relatively new band, they own a combination of sounds that immediately sparks an energy inside that tells you to engage. RACHEL MILBAUER

THURSDAY 10/17

THE BODY, THE NEW TRUST, LOW SKY
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) "An Altar or a Grave," from the Body's Thrill Jockey debut Christs, Redeemers, sums up pretty well what they're all about: Listen to it through headphones with the lights out, and you're sure to have dreams of nuclear annihilation, or at least, think you've gone insane (doesn't that sound like fun?). The two-piece of guitarist/vocalist Chip King and drummer/programmer Lee Buford have just relocated to the metal safe-haven of Portland, bringing with them their nightmarish soundscapes. Any respite—angelic choirs and string interludes—is typically obliterated by bludgeoning guitars and King screaming as if he's on fire. This may sound like heaven to some—as commandeered by Lucifer. MARK LORE

CLUB CHEMTRAIL: VJUAN ALLURE, SUGAR SHANE, MASSACOORAMAAN, SPF666, COMMUNE
(The Rose, 111 SW Ash) Club Chemtrail is infusing downtown nightlife with dance music that serves those who veer away from fist-pumping and the obligatory wobble bass. Portland is burning tonight with the deep house of NYC's Vjuan Allure. Allure is represented by Diplo's Mad Decent label, proving that underground club music and the regional culture it signifies can be reappropriated in style and substance for the masses. In this case, the see-and-be-scene voyeurism and tongue-in-chic drag-glamour of vogueing will be both installation and performance tonight at the Rose Bar. Learn to read, drop to shack, and maybe even throw some shade in this primer to the East Coast's vibrant ballroom-nightclub life. WYATT SCHAFFNER

CRYSTAL STILTS, ZACHARY CALE, PICTORIALS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Crystal Stilts released their 2008 full-length debut Alight of Night at what could be seen as the crest of the music blogosphere. Needless to say, they became one of those bands whose names were tossed from one website to another, and who seemingly could do no wrong. Don't get me wrong, the Brooklyn four-piece deserved it—they are a great band—but sometimes that flavor-of-the-week status can spell doom. But Crystal Stilts are still around. And they're still good, blending Velvet Underground darkness with the shimmer of the Dunedin Sound. And their live shows are mesmerizing—supremely dark and jangly. ML

FRIDAY 10/18

PHANTOGRAM, GIRAFFAGE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

YOUR RIVAL, LEE COREY OSWALD, OUR FIRST BRAINS, SOFT SKILLS
(Anna Bannanas, 2403 NE Alberta) Let's get the tricky part out of the way first: Your Rival's Mo Troper is a frequent and valuable contributor to this section. You may have noticed that he really, really, really likes power pop and emo. These affections are plainly evident on the snap-and-crackle songs he's written for Here's to Me, the new full-length from his sometimes-solo-act, sometimes-a-band project Your Rival. Released on nascent local label Party Damage (home to Wild Ones), it crams a discography's worth of Big Star-spangled melody into its 31 brief minutes, with further echoes of Superchunk, Badfinger, and Teenage Fanclub happily gumming up the sidewalk. Interspersed are some tender, Ben Folds-y moments (opening track "Autobiography," the beginning of "Sydney") and one soaring mini-epic ("What I Look for in a Man"), all of which add to Here's to Me's air of splendid, full-volume melancholy. It's a flat-out great album, and while it deserves to send Troper to the next level of the pro-musicianship stratosphere (and all the tour dates and opportunities that come with it), I don't want too many of you to buy it—good music writers are hard to find. NED LANNAMANN

MELT-BANANA, KINSKI, NASALROD
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Tonight, Japanese noise-rock veterans Melt-Banana return to Portland for the first time in two years, touring off Fetch, their first studio album since 2007. This time, vocalist Yasuko "Yako" Onuki and guitarist Ichirou Agata are hitting the road as a duo, opting to flesh out their sugar-rush aural attack with computer-controlled synths and samples. Melt-Banana continue to create music that only they could make work. Over the years they've been adding more pop and experimental elements on top of the speedy, playful, half-minute grindcore bursts that they became known for two decades ago, and everything falls right into place on Fetch. "Candy Gun" opens the album with waves lapping up on the shore, and before long it's off to the races as Agata begins to scrape and scratch all over his palette, and Yako's trademark barks and chirps manage to keep pace with the workout. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

PDX-ANTICS: VINCE CLARKE, MARTIN REV, AUTHOR AND PUNISHER, & MORE
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) Ranging from industrial noise to electro-pop, the wide swathe of synthesized sounds at PDX-Antics covers many corners of electronic music. Headlining the mini-fest is Vince Clarke, best known as the mastermind behind Erasure and a former member of Depeche Mode. Also on the docket is Martin Rev, the synthesizing and beat-making half of the proto-punk legends Suicide. But be sure to show up early to catch Author and Punisher, the one-man industrial/drone-metal project of Tristan Shone and his array of custom-built noisemaking machinery. Imagine the soundtrack for a hostile robot takeover, and you've got a pretty good idea of what to expect. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

SAN FERMIN, US LIGHTS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) The pedigree of Brooklyn outfit San Fermin sounds highbrow to the point of hoity-toityness: Yale graduate Ellis Ludwig-Leone composed what is described in the press materials as "a pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop, and contemporary classical composition." Ludwig-Leone wrote San Fermin's self-titled album in six weeks in a cabin in the mountains of Canada, drawing inspiration from Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. The result is an elegant, almost starched-stiff affair with strings, horns, and the album's various roles portrayed by a number of guest singers (including members of fellow Brooklyn band Lucius, who burned up Bunk Bar last week in their phenomenal Portland debut). Still, the sheer skill on display is impressive, and if the album occasionally sounds like a thesis for some history-of-musical-theater course that you would never take in a million years, more often it's a fascinating, involving record that effortlessly bounds over typical constraints of creativity. Fans of Dirty Projectors and those bereft by Sufjan Stevens' abandonment of his 50 states project will find much to cherish on San Fermin. NL

SATURDAY 10/19

PORTLAND'S INDIES: BLACK PRAIRIE, MIRAH, HOLCOMBE WALLER, OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

HUNX AND HIS PUNX, THERAPISTS, THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS
(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!

GOBLIN, SECRET CHIEFS 3
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our article on Goblin.

JOHN VANDERSLICE, PRISM TATS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) John Vanderslice shook things up a bit in 2013. First, he started his own record label to release album number nine, Dagger Beach. The record came out after a successful Kickstarter campaign that also helped bankroll the release of Vanderslice Plays Diamond Dogs, a covers album in which he put his own spin on David Bowie's 1974 classic. But after a decade and a half of solo records, you pretty much know what to expect from a new Vanderslice album at this point. While most of Dagger Beach doesn't find the songwriter at his most playful, there's still plenty of heart-on-sleeve confessions cloaked in clever wordplay and bedroom-pop sensibilities. MWS

RED YARN, LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES
(The Waypost, 3120 N Williams) Andy Furgeson—formerly of Bark Hide and Horn, and currently of Scrimshander—moonlights, or make that daylights, as Red Yarn, in which he performs animal-themed adaptations of folk songs for children while wearing a beard made out of, you guessed it, red yarn. Puppets are involved, and it's altogether entirely delightful, as evidenced on Red Yarn's really good first album, The Deep Woods, the kind of kids' album to which mom and dad find themselves sneaking a listen on the sly. With a seven-piece band and guest puppeteers, Red Yarn celebrates the record's release for grownups tonight at the Waypost; meanwhile, families can go to the kid-friendly afternoon release show on Sunday at the Village Ballroom. NL

TWIN FORKS, MATRIMONY, BIKE THIEF
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Ever wonder what Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba is up to these days (if you even consider his existence in the first place)? Stop right now or you'll regret it: That middling worm has a new band called Twin Forks, and their debut EP contains some of the worst music I've heard all year. It's hardly a surprise—Carrabba's "good" material has always been cloying and melodramatic at best and impossibly inane at worst. This is the worst. Fame and a disassociation from his punk roots allegedly played a large part in contributing to Carrabba's disenchantment with Dashboard Confessional—good thing he started over and went all Mumford and Sons, then. It's a wonder anyone ever took him so, so seriously. MORGAN TROPER

DUSTIN WONG AND TAKAKO MINEKAWA, JASON URICK, RAUELSSON
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) When Baltimore art-rock band Ponytail called it quits in 2011, the band's swansong, Do Whatever You Want All The Time, put a bittersweet end-cap on an excellent run. Since then, Ponytail's guitarist Dustin Wong has kept the band's playful spirit alive using loop and delay effects to an amazing degree. In layering arrangements, Wong is able to create stunning and hypnotic live compositions, able to tell profound stories without the need for words. After relocating back to his childhood home of Japan, Wong began to collaborate with Takako Minekawa. Minekawa, who was involved in Tokyo's Shibuya-kei pop scene throughout the '90s, lends her whimsical pop sensibilities to Wong's bright Lego-brick song structuring. The recent resulting effort, Toropical Circle, has the two worlds combining with a refreshing jovial ease. Opening act Rauelsson, the Spanish composer and sometimes Oregon native, combed influences from both locations and combines them to great effect on his grandiose 2013 release, Vora. CT

SUNDAY 10/20

THE BLOW, KISSES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

RED YARN, WILL HORNYAK, MAGGIE AND PATRICK LIND
(Village Ballroom, 700 NE Dekum) See Saturday's listing.

APPENDIXES, THE COMETTES, VICE DEVICE, INDUSTRIAL PARK
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The two dream whorls on Portland band Appendixes' new 7-inch are a study in contrasts: A-side "Four Leaf Clover" is a minor-key funeral procession, as stinging guitar notes pierce a cloudy veil before getting buried in a nebula of sound. Meanwhile, the major-key B-side and title track, "Neon Green Fear," is an absolute tsunami of beauty, like a sunset that shifts into various staggering arrangements of color, even as you can't actually see the changes occur. Appendixes celebrate the 7-inch's release with Seattle's Comettes, who have a glorious two-song release of their own: The Golden Blue EP is a tranquilly thumping potbelly stove of heartwarming melody, as guitars and one-two drumbeats wrap themselves around your ears like a knit cap. Industrial Park, meanwhile, are playing their last Portland show for the time being, as their drummer Nick Makanna is moving to the Bay Area later this month—catch them while you can. NL

WAVVES, KING TUFF, JACUZZI BOYS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) King Tuff, AKA Kyle Thomas, is the epitome of the garage-rock, stoney vibe that Burger Records has become known for. His three-piece band will always look like they're having more fun than you; it is apparent that they are truly doing what they love on stage. At one of their Pickathon performances this past summer, Tuff successfully got the crowd to call and respond, "Out! House!"—a reference to the fact that everyone was going to be using Honey Buckets all weekend. His antics are the cherry on top of a genuinely righteous performance that will remind you why you like rock 'n' roll in the first place. RM

MONDAY 10/21

THE MOODY BLUES
(Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 10/22

MACKLEMORE AND RYAN LEWIS
(Moda Center, 1 Center Ct) See My, What a Busy Week!

HAIM, IO ECHO
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Haim.

EARTHLESS, JOY, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) On their first studio LP since 2007's Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky, San Diego psych-metal shredders Earthless have reemerged with a four-song scorcher. From the Ages is dominated by wah-wah guitar aerobics, spotlighting guitarist Isaiah Mitchell's inimitable chops, while simmering within the sort of long-form instrumental mania that's garnered the band a loyal following. When I say long-form, I mean it: The shortest song on the LP clocks in at 5:43, and the album ends with the unrealistically lengthy title track, which runs over 30 minutes. That's a tall order for even the most ardent showgoer, but within the brick bosom of Rotture, time can sometimes stand still. Just go easy on the hair-whips. RYAN J. PRADO

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WEDNESDAY 10/23

WATAIN, IN SOLITUDE, TRIBULATION, CEMETERY LUST
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our article on In Solitude.

CHUCK PROPHET
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Chuck Prophet is one of those singer/songwriters whom crusty old music journalists love to tout—an underappreciated rock 'n' roll veteran who deserves to be a household name. In Prophet's case, the esteem is entirely deserved, as he remains truly one of the best in the game. Last year's terrific Temple Beautiful is the most recent in a lengthy string of albums he's released either under his own name or as part of paisley-country band Green on Red, and it contains all the ingredients that make rock crits dizzy: Dylan-descended lyrics, some power-pop melodies, a sorrowful ballad or two ("Museum of Broken Hearts"), and even a song about baseball, for chrissakes ("Willie Mays Is Up at Bat"). Prophet may aim square for the center of critics' hearts, but he'll hit yours as well; his songs really are that good, and his live show is nothing short of outstanding. He performs a solo set tonight. NED LANNAMANN

DEER TICK, ROBERT ELLIS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Deer Tick is the name of frontman John McCauley's bluesy, gravelly folk outfit. And the band's reputation for beer-fueled sets and puking through interviews may have calmed down with the release of their fifth studio album, Negativity. Released in September (and recorded in Portland, with Steve Berlin), the album is heavily autobiographical for McCauley, who had a troubling few years dealing with personal battles. The record shows a refreshing maturity that should comfort old and new fans alike—the band goes back to the slower, contemplative songs that ultimately disappeared on their last album, and it also experiments with gospel and more traditional folk sounds. The show might not be on the same spastic level as the late-night drunken performance I caught at Bunk Bar a few years ago, but this sounds like a healthy step for McCauley. RACHEL MILBAUER

THOSE WILLOWS, ADAM BROCK, THE WISHERMEN
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) In 2012, Those Willows moved from Michigan to Portland, and their new EP, Existential Folks, marks a full year in their new city. It's a delicately pretty recording, with Jack Wells and Mel Tarter entwining their voices in such a way that it's difficult to tell who's singing what. Feather-soft percussion, tasteful guitars, and subtle keyboards bring these songs into clear definition, but it's the duo's exquisite, almost eerie vocal blend that sets them apart. They're joined on the bill by Portland songwriter Adam Brock, who produced Those Willows' new EP and has a repertoire full of gentle but laser-sharp songs under his own belt. NL

THURSDAY 10/24

WIDOWSPEAK, PURE BATHING CULTURE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) See My, What a Busy Week!

SHY GIRLS, KINGDOM CRUMBS, PORTIA
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Read our article on Shy Girls.

OKKERVIL RIVER, MATTHEW E. WHITE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff has always told stories through song; he's affixed entire albums to various characters and their (at times less than) heroic journeys. The Silver Gymnasium, however, introduces a refreshing new protagonist: Sheff himself. The band's seventh album is directly inspired by his childhood in Meriden, New Hampshire, invoking youthful blitheness through major chords, spirited brass, and a gloriously anthemic Springsteen tribute to boot ("Down the Deep River"). To further convey the playfulness, the band even designed an eight-bit video game—scored by a chip-music version of the album—as accompanying promotional material. All in all, it's a welcome return from the depths of Okkervil River's last full-length, I Am Very Far, which at times felt like the twitching, many-limbed opus of a mad scientist. With Gymnasium, we are reunited with that smart and joyous rock band we love. RAQUEL NASSER

WOLVSERPENT, DRUDEN, TAURUS, AT THE HEAD OF THE WOODS
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Wolvserpent's Perigea Antahkarana isn't the sort of thing you throw on for a quick listen. The Boise band's sometimes pretty—but more often menacing—Relapse Records debut is built on a foundation of droning doom, carrying shades of black and death metal. But the five tracks take nearly 82 minutes to unwind—and track one is an intro. The string sections, nature recordings, and sprawling ethereal passages share DNA with bands like local black metal troupe Agalloch, though the buzzsaw guitar riffs here have a bit more rumble, and the vocal delivery is a lot more guttural. Just don't jump in looking for a quick fix. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

LES McCANN, THE JAVON JACKSON BAND
(Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th) Les McCann is a musical pioneer, the godfather of soul jazz and one of the first musicians to incorporate synthesizers and electric instruments into his unique blend of jazz, R&B, and soul. He's since been name-checked by the Beastie Boys, and his music has been sampled by countless golden-era hiphop acts including Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Notorious B.I.G. McCann is touring with tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson, a Berklee College of Music graduate and member of the final incarnation of Art Blakely's Jazz Messengers. Together, the two form a dynamic cross-generational project that breathes new life into a genre of music that is increasingly haunted by its past. RYAN FEIGH

MELVILLE, OH DARLING, SPIRIT LAKE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) On their new EP Maquette, Portland band Melville dug deep and came up with a tumultuous, soulful, country-informed collection that both cuts and heals. It opens with a gusty, guitar-drenched waltz called "The Dead." Later, "Forked Tongue" is a suspenseful, minor-key country rocker that's good enough to have been a Whiskeytown track. The outlook contained in the lyrics of frontman Ryan T. Jacobs seems like a dark one, but the band finds drama and hope in each of the six songs, concluding with the alluring mini-epic "Questions," which turns bummed-out feelings into a whiskey-soaked hymn of redemption. NL

LAURA MARLING, WILLY MASON
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Laura Marling's songs tend to build slowly, fixed upon a foundation of fluid strums and constructed by the richness of her voice and the warmth of her delivery. Then, just as you are becoming fully cognizant of your surroundings, the London-bred, LA-based folk singer lifts your whole body through a towering structure of song on a wave of instrumentation, all the way up to a turret where you can sit quietly and watch it unfold. The Brits are privy to the visceral reactions borne of her music, and thus, Marling has received multiple Mercury Prize nominations over the course of her four-album career. This year's effort, Once I Was an Eagle, best displays her penchant for expansive folk, and its songs will make for one captivated showroom. RN

FRIDAY 10/25

MUSTAPHAMOND, SUN ANGLE, AND AND AND, GRANDPARENTS, TALKATIVE, DJ MAXAMILLION, DJ PAPI, DJ BLVD NIGHTS
(The Waiting Room, SW 10th & Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

WICKED AWESOME BIG HOMO HALLOWEEN PARTY
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) See My, What a Busy Week!

MODERN KIN, DUOVER
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Modern Kin.

AU REVOIR SIMONE, CALLMEKAT
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The cool spaceship pop of Au Revoir Simone no longer seems quite as distinctive now that all those other synth-drenched bands have risen in their wake over the past few years, but the Brooklyn trio's expert songwriting still sets them apart. All three members—Erika Forster, Annie Hart, Heather D'Angelo—coax mentholated buzzes and waterfall tones from their synthesizers, and their rhythms have grown continually more assertive and less robotic since their 2005 debut. Their newest album, Move in Spectrums, might be their best so far, full of smart, sophisticated pop that doesn't hide any of its pleasures on the first listen, but reveals subtleties and contagious hooks with each one after. With all three ladies taking turns on lead vocals, Au Revoir Simone remains a trinity of pleasure. NL

MANX, BRAIN CAPITAL, BROTHER ELF, AUTONOMICS, BUBBLE CATS, FOXY LEMON
(Blue Monk, 3341 SE Belmont) Tonight local power-rock trio Manx celebrates the release of its new self-titled album and kicks off a long week of Halloween themed shows while headlining a huge lineup at the Blue Monk. The group's new release offers eight tracks of revved-up, catchy classic rock made for fist pumping. The album is packed with hooks and melodies, anchored by some superbly belted-out vocals that waste no time in getting to the point. They hit their stride on tracks like "Hopeless Case," where bassist John Barnaby and guitarist Thomascyne Ryther echo and trade vocals through the chorus, providing just over two minutes of pure power-pop bliss. All the tracks are well balanced, with enough fresh and creative energy in each quick burst to pull you in, but never lingering long enough to wear out their welcome. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

FLATBUSH ZOMBIES, BODEGA BAMZ
(Peter's Room at Roseland, 8 NW 6th) New York's Flatbush Zombies—Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick Arc Elliot, the last of whom also handles most of the group's production—have a lot going for them. Their dark, drugged-up, eyes-rolled-back aesthetic and highly "rebloggable" streetwear fashion sense have made them one of the most buzzed/tweeted/Tumblr'd-about new rap groups on the internet, but their music has mostly been a mere side note to this popularity. And though their latest effort, BetterOffDEAD, is a definite improvement from their lackluster debut, D.R.U.G.S., it still sounds like a distilled, less-talented version of a Tech N9ne or a Gravediggaz-type Wu-affiliate. Unless you're a teenager or brand-new rap fan, Flatbush Zombies will likely have you reminiscing on the time when New York rappers started trends instead of chasing them. MIKE RAMOS

SATURDAY 10/26

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Loudon Wainwright III has always been one of the most undervalued and misunderstood artists to emerge from the singer-songwriter boom of the early '70s, eschewing the sanitary, sentimental craftiness that characterized the movement, and flaunting an anti-commercial stubbornness that probably cost him the potential for a giant hit but ensured his lasting credibility. There are plenty of fairly essential differences between Loudon Wainwright III and his semi-estranged son Rufus, but here's the fundamental similarity: Neither songwriter has ever compromised his artistic integrity. Rufus burst onto the alternative rock scene in the late '90s with a beautiful record of Edwardian, unpopular pop that arguably sounded nothing like anything that preceded it; follow-up Poses was even stranger (and better). Rufus Wainwright remains an obsessive and passionate synthesizer of (occasionally disparate) styles, and his latest, the technicolored Out of the Game, reflects that knack for musical reconstruction perfectly. MORGAN TROPER

COCOROSIE, BUSDRIVER
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) I can safely say CocoRosie is the only duet that bills itself as "freak folk, experimental hip-hopera." With sounds from electronic kids' toys, as well as real instruments, their music is melodic, haunting, and peculiar. The CocoRosie sisters grew up traveling throughout the US, never finishing high school, and going on "vision quests" with their father at Native American reservations. Their live shows have included a beatboxer in addition to an LSD explosion of background visuals, costumes, and interpretive dances. Their most recent album, Tales of a GrassWidow, incorporates experimental EDM and hiphop, rather than their established sound—two little girls who stumbled upon a recording machine in the nursery next to all of their toys. There's no denying their live show will be a spectacle. ROSE FINN

BARNA HOWARD, SNOWBLIND TRAVELER, THE HIGHWATER RAMBLER
(Elixir Lab, 2734 NE Alberta) Recent Portland transplant Matt Dorrien possesses the uncanny ability to seize an audience. Under the nom de plume Snowblind Traveler, Dorrien's road-weary Americana is equal parts the easy-does-it vocal timbre of early Jackson Browne and the balanced, tribal-like guitar progressions of Curt Kirkwood. Dorrien, who logged time in San Francisco as well as his Long Island home before heading to the Northwest, self-released Lost on the North Hills in March, and it's a collection of gorgeously affecting, lush compositions that cut deep. Songs like "Liar" commit brutally sentimental melodies to Dorrien's poised lyricism and great guitar playing. Dorrien's currently working on the follow-up to Lost, tentatively titled Confederate Burial. In the meantime, his live solo sets are not to be missed. RYAN J. PRADO

JACK RUBY PRESENTS, ED AND THE RED REDS, VICIOUS KISSES
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) Tonight's record release for Jack Ruby Presents' second album, Pale Road, is also their last show for the time being. It's unfortunate timing, as the album is a deft, rousing, rootsy record perfect for late-night barroom encounters and a drink or three too many. Following the show, keyboardist Melissa Davaz is moving to Montana, and the band is drawing things to a halt. So tonight's the perfect occasion to check out Jack Ruby Presents and their rambunctious, high-gear twang and roughshod but accomplished rock. NL

MAGIC CASTLES, DAYDREAM MACHINE, KINGDOM OF THE HOLY SUN
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) In case this assemblage of band names hasn't already made it crystal clear, this is going to be a night of far-out psychedelic rock. Magic Castles are from Minneapolis, and their roiling, rambling jams are heavy on vibe and light on momentum, but that didn't stop Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe from digging 'em and putting out their self-titled record on his label last year. Seattle's Kingdom of the Holy Sun are a bit more sinister, with a penchant for slowly unfolding drone-rock that recalls the Black Angels. And Daydream Machine is a promising, one-year-old Portland band (including members of the Upsidedown, Hawkeye, and Whole Wide World) that specializes in swirling, reverberant psych designed to bounce around your earholes in perpetuity. Let it. BEN SALMON

MARIA MINERVA, CHERUSHII, MAGIC FADES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Maria Minerva's art-school concept of bedroom pop expands beyond the lo-fi trappings of the genre. Originally from Estonia, Minerva has found a home on LA's Not Not Fun and 100% Silk labels, and her no-wave disco volitions and existential verses channel a sort of rendered cyborg-ian diva. Her nuanced vocals inhabit a variety of backdrops and personas, including Enigma-esque new age, cabaret-lounge chanteuse, and inflicted R&B siren. Labelmate Cherushii occupies a Technotronic electronic niche, mostly instrumental but with dynamic vocal samples calibrated for optimal dancing. With humanoid boy-band Magic Fades as openers, tonight's show promises a step into an alterna-'90s nostalgia cycle through the web present. WYATT SCHAFFNER

USELESS EATERS, LONG KNIFE, THE PITY FUCKS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Memphis lo-fi garage-rockers Useless Eaters are cut from the same cloth as the Oblivians, though main Eater Seth Sutton is about two decades younger than that band's snotty punk-rock elder statesman. But like fellow Memphian and former tourmate Jay Reatard, Sutton has cranked out a string of singles and cassettes over the past few years whose influences more closely resemble his parents' record collection than his peers, but with an added bite. Eventually he recruited a full band, and early this year they released Hypertension, a nervy set that finds the group getting a bit more psychedelic. MWS

SUNDAY 10/27

GOSPEL BRUNCH
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

RYAN SOLLEE, SAM COOPER
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

MONDAY 10/28

RYAN SOLLEE, SIREN AND THE SEA
(Al's Den 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE 1975, LINUS YOUNG
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Naming your band the 1975 seems hopelessly aspirational, as if imbuing it with the presence of a bygone era lends your music some kind of legitimacy. It also seems like an unfortunate misdirection, as the music the Manchester band makes is actually drippy, slightly peppy, radio-designed porridge that is very much 2013's state-of-the-art: a weird and unsatisfying blend of pop, rock, and slick, electronic-enhanced production. The names of 1975's two biggest singles so far are "Chocolate" and "Sex"—no doubt trying to evoke more positive associations—but the band's moniker aside, this is of-the-moment dreck we'll be mortified by in a few short years. NL

TUESDAY 10/29

JANELLE MONÁE, ROMAN GIANARTHUR
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

CHARLI XCX, KITTEN, LIZ
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Charli XCX is like a Spice Girl for our times, a club kid who's much savvier and tougher than those sporty poshy gingers ever were, but with a similar flair for the girlishly dramatic. The British "kid" in question was born Charlotte Emma Aitchison and she's barely 21 years old, but she's been at this for seven years. Her True Romance is an infectious banger full of slick hooks, dance anthems, and some damn fine dark-pop songs. It's music full of girls-past-and-present—the gothy spiderwebs of Zola Jesus, the addictive cheek of Robyn, the frantic mishmash of Grimes, and enough '80s synth to drown a flock of seagulls. I can't say it's the most nutritious bit of brain food, but it's remarkably easy on the ears and drenched in a remember-when collage of optimism, escapism, and young rocky love. The gal is irresistible. COURTNEY FERGUSON

SOFT SHADOWS, WISHYUNU, APPENDIXES
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Tonight, Soft Shadows—who formerly went by Sundaze—play a release show for their debut album, Reverb Is for Lovers. The band's dreamy blend of shoegaze pop pairs perfectly with the crisp fall nights we've been having lately. Soft Shadows take cues from the glory days of shoegaze, bringing to mind the delicate bliss of Galaxie 500, adding just enough distortion to tickle your ears but not drench the music. Much like WL did earlier this year on their debut, Soft Shadows position themselves at the front of a strong pack of Portland dream-weavers. If My Bloody Valentine decide to schedule a Portland date, plenty of local bands are making the type of beautiful, thunderous noise that could work as a worthy opening act. On Reverb Is for Lovers, Soft Shadows make an awfully strong case to fill that slot. CT

WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND, PSYCHO ADORABLE, SUMMER CANNIBALS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Tonight Wooden Indian Burial Ground kick off a five-week tour, and to mark the occasion, they're releasing a cassette EP that's coming together at the very last minute. The band's Justin Fowler emailed me mere days before the show, with the news that he'll "be locked in a basement tracking and mixing all week, for better or worse. It's going to master next Thursday and we are dubbing the tapes [probably the] day of. May be a disaster! Can't wait." Neither can we—since the release of the Portland band's superb, psychotropic self-titled album in 2012, they've proved themselves an indispensable part of the Portland musical landscape. The existence of some new WIBG songs is very good news indeed. Let's hope they can pull off the EP in time. NL

THE SADIES, MARK PICKEREL
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The Sadies' long career has been pockmarked by many notable highlights. They've backed up Neil Young, Neko Case, and John Doe. They've collaborated with Jon Spencer and Jon Langford. They've toured a hell of a lot. The release of their new album, Internal Sounds, ought to rank right up there, too. The Canadian country-rock crew sounds just as vibrant and daring in their navigating of quirky aural avenues, executing beautifully crafted tunes like the mandolin-led "So Much Blood," an essentially traditional-sounding track injected with the Sadies' inherent heart. With wobbly harmonies and the band's sneering punk rock underbelly (as found on the teeth-gnashing blazer "Another Tomorrow Again"), Internal Sounds' seemingly innocuous vibe is augmented by visions of rhinestone suits and cowboy boots. You will hoot. You will holler. All hail the Sadies. RJP

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WEDNESDAY 10/30

TENTH ANNIVERSARY HOOTENANNY: LAURA GIBSON, ADAM SHEARER, KYLE MORTON, MATT SHEEHY, & MORE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

PETE ROCK AND CL SMOOTH, CAMP LO, SERGE SEVERE, PACKARD BROWNE, DJ BIGGZ
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Rappers are usually bad at producing, and producers are bad at rapping. One of the few exceptions to this rule is, of course, Pete Rock, who is one of the greatest producers in the history of hiphop (I rate him only below RZA, DJ Premier, and J Dilla, all of whom can't rap). Bronx-born Pete Rock can hold a mic and turn an MPC out. As for CL Smooth, a NY rapper who in 1992 made hiphop history with Pete Rock with the track "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," he was not lying when he rapped on "Da Two" that he was "the best that ever did it on a Pete Rock track." CHARLES MUDEDE

THURSDAY 10/31

EAR CANDY: SPOOKIES, BIG HAUNT
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

PIERCED ARROWS, POISON IDEA, DON'T
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) See My, What a Busy Week!

ZOMBIE BALL: SATAN'S PILGRIMS, SATIN CHAPS, HONG KONG BANANA, DJ FLIGHT RISK
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Forget for one second that zombies are getting way played out, and just try to remember when appreciation for undead weirdoes was relegated to admirers of classic horror cinema and Jerry Only. Do this because a Zombie Ball actually sounds pretty fun, and appropriately ghoulish Northwest surf-rock legends Satan's Pilgrims are going to set that springy Crystal dance floor a-bouncin' with bloody, dead-eyed revelers in shredded clothes. The costume contest and special prize packages will hopefully dissuade any impromptu breakout of a ballroom-wide rendition of the choreography from "Thriller." But with the solid R&B instrumentals of the Satin Chaps and garage soul from Hong Kong Banana to slake your thirst for brain-blood, who knows what will happen. RYAN J. PRADO

JON PARDI
(Ponderosa Lounge, 10350 N Vancouver) Like most folks that grace the stage of the Ponderosa Lounge—the bar and grill tucked inside the Jubitz Truck Stop in North Portland—Jon Pardi is a modern country up-and-comer. He's not so well known in Nashville circles to have an actual album out, but he's enough of a gamer to be willing to earn some stripes by playing for long-haul drivers and the ladies who love them. Pardi at least has the chops to win over some converts: The native Californian's two singles—"Up All Night" and "Missin' You Crazy"—have the right amount of shit-kickin' vigor to make for some good dancing, topped with a laidback romantic spirit à la Blake Shelton that would surely make a lot lizard weak at the knees. ROBERT HAM

TOXIC HOLOCAUST, STOVOKOR
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) While there's no shortage of Halloween shows going down tonight, it's hard to argue there's a more fitting line-up than this. Portland's own thrash veterans Toxic Holocaust bring their apocalyptic onslaught of metal to the stage, just days after the release of their fifth studio album, Chemistry of Consciousness. On the record, guitarist/vocalist Joel Grind continues to conjure up the catchy, over-the-top riffs that the band has become loved for. Tonight, they share the stage with Klingon death-metal band Stovokor, who take their name from the Star Trek alien race's term for the afterlife. The Portland-based band pulls out all the stops for their live performances, donning full Klingon makeup and costumes, with lead singer, plnluH HoD, delivering all vocals in the Klingon language. Just be sure your costume is plenty loose around the neck, as head banging levels are guaranteed to be off the charts here. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

AFI, TOUCHE AMORE, COMING
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) A sold-out AFI show at the Roseland in 2013 seems like an anachronism. Sure, the group in their heyday contributed a modicum of new ideas—namely, a Freddie Mercury-esque bluster that was later better adapted by My Chemical Romance—to what was, by the early '00s essentially an already stagnating genre (i.e., Warped Tour bullshit). And sure, those singles on the group's breakthrough record Sing the Sorrow ("Girls Not Grey"; "The Leaving Song Pt. II") are undeniably catchy, minor-league pop. But the band seems aesthetically, if not entirely, confined to their time. So who the fuck is paying for this shit? Could their new record, Burials—which I admittedly have not and, although this probably makes me an irresponsible critic, will not listen to—be great? Or have we finally reached the point in time where middle-of-the-road, early '00s alternative rock is no longer a shameful regret in our collective musical memory? My fingers are tightly crossed for the former, though I'm not prepared to find out. MORGAN TROPER

KAYTRANADA, GROUNDISLAVA, JEROME LOL
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Rotture will be the hub for raved-out, costumed revelry tonight, as LA's Wedidit crew comes to town. Hailing from Venice Beach, Groundislava combines Balearic beats and airy synths to create a hazy yet energetic electronic experience, evoking Goa and trance if those two styles had been invented in Second Life. Songs like "Cool Party" are reverb-heavy and at times downtempo, flirting with new age before building toward progressive house and trap. Kaytranada employs a more reverential pop-culture sensibility in his mixes, nonetheless laden with non-sequiturs and '90s R&B nods. Jerome LOL belongs in the WTF category of Internet artists-turned musicians, with dance music that incorporates cheekily abrasive samples executed with post-ironic affiliation with the machine. If you are planning on hitting the dance floor, consider this the event to max out your serotonin levels with lots of candy. WYATT SCHAFFNER

FRIDAY 11/1

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS: TIBURONES, EDNA VAZQUEZ, MARIACHI LOS PALMEROS, ORQUESTRA PACIFICO TROPICAL, & MORE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

CUT COPY, KAUF, LARRY GUS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

SHELLEY SHORT AND THE SURE SHOTS, ADAM SELZER, MICHAEL HURLEY
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) During the doldrums of March, Shelley Short gathered some errant Hawthorne buskers—I mean, members of the Decemberists, Black Prairie, and more—and quarantined them at Type Foundry to record a fantastic covers album in a mere day and a half. Wake the Dreamers is a cozy assemblage of fully formed (and fully live) renditions of songs by Tom Waits, Billie Holiday, the Kinks, and more. The release show will feature nearly all of the Sure Shots, as well as a reading by producer Adam Selzer from his forthcoming graphic novel, Ami Go Home, about his experience opening shows for a German Christian rock band. This is likely to be the only time the Sure Shots will back Short in performing these glorious covers, so don't you miss it. RAQUEL NASSER

LAKE STREET DIVE, MISS TESS & THE TALKBACKS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) If you attended either of the last two Pickathons, you know that Lake Street Dive is capable of outright magic. The Brooklyn quartet marries jazz and pop in a way that feels completely alive, with a stripped-down, folky, dare I say almost punk-rock sensibility. While all the members are incredible singers, frontwoman Rachael Price is a startling, peerless talent; she's the match that lights Lake Street Dive's combustible flame, turning their collection of originals and inventive cover versions into a rollicking dance party. While Lake Street Dive upholds traditions of mid-century pop and vocal jazz with a scholastic comprehension, this is not museum music. It's music for which you'll need to get up, get out, get yourself in front of, and get down. NED LANNAMANN

RUBBLEBUCKET, DANA BUOY, SWAHILI
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The title track on Save Charlie, the new EP from Rubblebucket, is the ultimate catchy combination of keys, guitar, bass, and trumpet—you'll immediately feel the urge to move along with it. This eight-piece Brooklyn band has been adjusting their size and sound since 2008, and Charlie's electronic-fueled energy is proof they've found what they're looking for. The seven tracks on this record (three are remixes) beautifully meld pop, funk, and groove beats in one innovative swoop. Along with Portland-based Dana Buoy—the project of Akron/Family's Dana Janssen—and Swahili, this is going to be the night to pull someone onto the dance floor and get sweaty. RACHEL MILBAUER

NASALROD, SWAMP BUCK, HUMOURS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Local bands Nasalrod and Swamp Buck have teamed up to put out a delightfully weird split 7-inch on Poison Apple Records, and they celebrate its release tonight. Nasalrod's contribution comes in the form of the genre-bending anthem "It's Our Pleasure." The four-piece covers a ton of ground in a short amount of time, blending power-rock and hardcore punk in an epic display. Nasalrod drummer Spit Stix deserves a bunch of credit for also pulling double duty as producer here—not only is the track a mind-boggling percussion work-out, it also manages to bottle the group's boisterous and frantic live show. Just when you thought things couldn't get any more bizarre, Swamp Buck offers up "First Testament," a tightrope-walk between brooding post-punk and full-on psychedelic freak-out territory. Combine the two songs and you've got a one-two punch that's well worth a spin. CT

SATURDAY 11/2

THE PARSON RED HEADS & FRIENDS, MIMICKING BIRDS, THE ALIALUJAH CHOIR
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Read our article on the Parson Red Heads.

IRON LUNG, CONDITION, ZEITGEIST, PLEASURE CROSS, MONGOLOID
(Blackwater Records, 223 NE Russell) Originally hailing from Reno, Iron Lung have made name for themselves while churning out a slew of hardcore punk releases that dabble in grindcore and powerviolence. Nowadays the duo is split between Seattle and San Francisco, and the pair also lend the band name to their own record label, Iron Lung Records, which has become a go-to source for hardcore and noise-rock. The most recent offering from Iron Lung themselves, White Glove Test, is an even heavier mind-bender—it's one disc of straight-to-the-jugular hardcore and one disc of noisy power-electronics, each designed to be played either on their own or simultaneously. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

WHITE LUNG, ANTWON
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Vancouver's White Lung will harsh your mellow and blacken your eyes with their seething punch of fast, loud, no-shit punk sheathed with a hardcore brass knuckle. Lead Lung Mish Way's lyrics skew feminist (Way is also a writer and has a lot of good things to say on the subject of vaginas and vaginas-in-music), and her band's aesthetic lives on the angrier side of the f-word, for sure. On tour with White Lung is San Jose's Antwon, a punk-show-appropriate rapper from the Tumblrized, post-dial-up school of panoptical influence, whose songs are often about drugs, eating out, and eating out (speaking of vaginas). EMILY NOKES

BRITTEN'SWAR REQUIEM: OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Long before Moonrise Kingdom introduced his brilliant music to a wider audience, Benjamin Britten was, unfortunately, known primarily in rarified classical circles for an impressive string of operas and for the War Requiem—a monumental later work that solidified his place of honor in the pantheon of musical geniuses. Dedicated to those who died during World War II, the requiem premiered in 1962 for a British audience that, just 20 years earlier, kept calm and carried on through terrifying blitzkriegs and a tremendous loss of life. It's unsurprisingly somber music, yet decidedly bold in its orchestration, requiring a trio of internationally renowned vocal soloists, a souped-up choir, a children's chorus, and two distinctly separate orchestras. (Yes, TWO fucking orchestras!) I realize the idea of sitting through 90 Twitter-less minutes seems utterly #lame to the majority of Mercury readers. But for those brave souls willing to embark on a lengthy sonic contemplation of humanity's futile brutality and questionable redemption, Britten's masterpiece is guaranteed to provoke profound thought and feeling. We may not like what we hear, but we certainly have a need to hear it. ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

STILL CAVES, A VOLCANO
(Langano Lounge, 1435 SE Hawthorne) Langano Lounge has become a go-to spot for cheap drinks, shows that extend late into the night, and a crowd that eagerly, enthusiastically loves music. This lineup will prove no exception, as Johnny Brooke and Jesse Chambers take the stage as the duo A Volcano. Their thrashing, ecstatic metal will all but explode this basement venue, as Chambers one-ups most drummers in the general vicinity and Brooke nearly knocks you out with his guitar, all while making expressive, head-banging songs that hit you where it hurts. Lo-fi fuzzmakers Still Caves have been off the grid for a little while, and are headlining what is guaranteed to be a night of fierce attitude and volume. RM

IRON AND WINE, LAURA MVULA
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Before Bon Iver enamored audiences with sad-bastard beardo folk, there was Iron and Wine. Main Wino Sam Beam helped introduce the era of indie-folk in the early 2000s, but even as artists like the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons have widened Americana's appeal, Beam has pushed his outlet further from the rustic home-recorded twang of his early recordings. New album Ghost on Ghost sports a more relaxed, AM radio-flavored brand of pop and soul. The sound is still vintage, but there's an effortless, lived-in groove that runs through the entire record—and it's nothing you would have anticipated when you first heard 2002's The Creek Drank the Cradle. MWS

GRANDHORSE, DEDERE, REAVER DROP
(The Press Club, 2621 SE Clinton) The unfettered charisma of Portland's Grandhorse will finally be unleashed, as the fledgling crew's debut album, Portraiturefolio, sees its release tonight. The band has only been around since spring of 2012, but you wouldn't know it from accomplished songs like "Out of Sight." Grandhorse's insistence on frilly pop vignettes can be deceiving, due mainly to the group's core simplicity. Songs come bulging with slacker-y hooks and attention to sharp melodies, but they also tend to expand into lengthy, spatial experiments that are just as satisfying. When the two sides of that spectrum meet in the middle, as on the beautifully composed "Ocean," Grandhorse shows off a sonic crib sheet that few other regional bands have access to. RJP

BUDDY GUY, QUINN SULLIVAN
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) I saw blues magnate Buddy Guy for the first time in 2002, in a small Connecticut concert hall. In an attempt at outreach, the theater donated free tickets to my infamously troubled high school, and since I was convinced that The Blues mirrored my inner state of adolescent tumult, I took advantage of the handout. I had no idea who Guy was—my dad listened to really terrible music when I was growing up—but when he emerged in a shimmering purple one-piece outfit and wailed on his Telecaster for over three hours, I knew I'd never forget. I've seen him since, and if there is even such a thing as a "prime," Guy has not yet passed it. He's still wailing hard as always, sometimes for President Obama, and on this night, for Portland. RN

DWARVES, LONG KNIFE, CELEBRITY GRAVES, BURN THE STAGE
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) With Dwarves' high-water mark, 1990's Blood Guts & Pussy, the G.G. Allin-aping punk rockers took caustic and brainlessly offensive hardcore and infused it with enough piss, vinegar, and shtick to make it go. They offered interesting takes on garage and psych-rock on other albums, but things got a little rote by the end of the '90s. In 2011, they released The Dwarves Are Born Again, another album with naked women on the cover and songs about how nothing's going to stop them and how they just live to fuck and get high. What's missing is the danger that used to come in the package. Is it weird to wish a band were more offensive? MWS

SUNDAY 11/3

DEATH, P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S., VULTURES IN THE SKY
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Death.

MAZZY STAR, THE ENTRANCE BAND, MARIEE SIOUX
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Mazzy Star.

BRITTEN'SWAR REQUIEM: OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

DESTROYER, PINK MOUNTAINTOPS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Dan Bejar—AKA Destroyer—is one of music's most adventurous spirits. Each addition to his ever-growing discography allows the 41-year-old songwriter a new chance to explore different sonic textures—whether that's adapting his songs to the shivering tension of the band Frog Eyes (the 2005 EP Notorious Lightning and Other Works), trying his hand at glittery '80s pop (2011's Kaputt), or collaborating with experimental electronic composers Tim Hecker and Loscil. If that weren't enough, Bejar helps class up every New Pornographers album by adding a couple epic tunes to the mix. His latest Destroyer EP, Five Spanish Songs, features covers of tunes written by Antonio Luque of long-running pop band Sr. Chinarro. True to form, Bejar plays with the raw material, adding a dash of disco and glam to the proceedings. RH

MIKE DOUGHTY, MOON HOOCH
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) It's always a dicey proposition when a musician re-records their earlier, better-known work (see also: John Fogerty, Ray Davies). Mike Doughty's newest is a collection of tunes from his '90s alterna-hiphop-rock band Soul Coughing, and he's gone on record many times to express his dissatisfaction with the work from that period. By Doughty's own admission, though, a lot of his feelings are tied up in the drug addiction and inter-band problems he was experiencing at the time. Whether that makes his new collection of Soul Coughing covers—the album's title is the names of all its songs strung together; we'll refer to it as Circles Super Bon Bon—a noble endeavor isn't really the point. (I'll argue it doesn't, as the album doesn't really contain anything essential or even all that illuminating.) What matters is that Doughty remains a captivating live performer, peppering his songs with terrific stories and banter; his recent memoir The Book of Drugs was garishly entertaining. That he now has the excuse to dust off Soul Coughing tunes for this show makes it all the more promising. NL

MONDAY 11/4

EMMYLOU HARRIS, RODNEY CROWELL, RICHARD THOMPSON
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 11/5

SHABAZZ PALACES, NATASHA KMETO, MINDEN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Unpopular opinion alert: I'm not convinced Shabazz Palaces is great live. I've seen Ishmael Butler's shadowy, Seattle-based hiphop act twice, both at MusicfestNW. In 2010, headlining Jimmy Mak's, Butler and partner Tendai Maraire seemed unsure, like foals still figuring out their legs; the show was disjointed. In 2011, Shabazz Palaces opened for Macklemore at the Roseland, where much of their music's future-classic feel and cosmopolitan nuance—abundant on their excellent recorded material—was buried in bass and swallowed by the cavernous room and inattentive crowd. All that said, I wouldn't miss this show tonight. Reasons: 1) It's a better (read: medium-sized) venue for Shabazz Palaces. 2) They've no doubt dialed in their live show over the past two years. 3) Ish Butler is a genius, a gritty visionary responsible for some of the best hiphop of the past two decades. He certainly has earned our trust. BEN SALMON Also see My, What a Busy Week!

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WEDNESDAY 11/6

DESERT NOISES, TIGER MERRITT, ANIMAL EYES
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN, ORQUESTRA PACIFICO TROPICAL, TIBURONES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article about Ural Thomas and the Pain.

THURSDAY 11/7

CASS MCCOMBS, MICHAEL HURLEY
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

OF MONTREAL
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

GOOSE AND FOX, JEFFREY MARTIN, BARNA HOWARD
(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) Everything about Goose and Fox is big. The songs that comprise the band's debut, My Mouth, the Sea, burst at the seams with horns, strings, pianos, guitars, xylophone, drums, and soaring, gorgeous vocal harmonies. And while there's a big sound permeating peppy numbers like "The Stone"—a kind of fast-forward spaghetti western shuffle—it's just songwriters Noah Woodburn and Allison Hall behind the whole thing. It wasn't until recently that the two decided to shoot the orchestral-pop moon, recruit a band, and get everyone into Woodburn's New North Sound studio. There are exceptions to the band's newfound expansion, as on the stripped-down "Rich as Can Be," which finds Hall's vocals expertly accompanied by Woodburn's liquid acoustic runs. Opening tonight's show is matter-of-fact folk troubadour Barna Howard, who alone is well worth the price of admission. RYAN J. PRADO

STOCHASTIC METTLE UNION, SISTER MAMIE FORESKIN, THE MODERN ASS JAZZ SINGERS
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) If you absolutely needed to shove the members of Stochastic Mettle Union into a genre box, the closest you could find is the one marked "jazz." But even though the group plays tunes like "Ornette's Cage"—a reference to avant-bop icon Ornette Coleman—and exhibit a penchant for double bass and wind instruments, the tag still seems limiting. This ever-evolving project encompasses some free jazz ideals (amorphous rhythms, dissonance) and rends them asunder by way of laptop manipulations and scratchy post-punk guitars. And since they improvise every performance, they could zig into pure noise or play with delicate restraint. That's a recipe for avant-greatness in my book. ROBERT HAM

FRIDAY 11/8

SIREN NATION FESTIVAL: THEESATISFACTION, FAULT LINES, JENI WREN
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

ST. EVEN & GUESTS
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Read our article about St. Even.

STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS, ROSE WINDOWS, SUN ANGLE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks haven't played in the States in about a year and a half, and judging by the tour page on the band's website, Friday's one-off as part of the Crystal Ballroom's 100-day celebration of its 100th anniversary might be the only US show for quite a while. What might change that is a new album, which the former Pavement frontman and his band of indie-rock lifers recorded this past year in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Belgium. A loose release date is set for Wig Out at Jagbags sometime early next year. I have no idea what it'll sound like, but I have a hunch it'll involve off-kilter guitar work and quirky lyrics with quotable lines. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

JONATHAN RICHMAN
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Jonathan Richman often plays venues that, while seemingly undersized, dovetail with his charm—they're intimate, independent, funky, and inclusive. Such was the case when the storied troubadour played the Know on NE Alberta this time last year. Upon finding a host of fans outside who were unable to enter the sold-out venue, Richman offered a mini-concert on the sidewalk. And while cramming in extra tight might not be the case tonight when Richman—along with his longtime cohort, drummer Tommy Larkins—plays the Aladdin, those oh-so-special qualities shall not dissipate. Richman will open his arms, welcome any and everyone, and, with healthy doses of humility, melody, and magic, he'll serenade both lovers and the heartbroken, pushing the peaceful while soothing even the most world-weary souls. ANDREW R TONRY

CYMBALS EAT GUITARS, PRISM TATS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Staten Island's Cymbals Eat Guitars took their name from a Lou Reed quote describing the Velvet Underground's sound. Tonight the band can pay tribute to the late legend, while they also showcase some new material. The four-piece roared to life on their 2009 debut, Why There Are Mountains, with the energy of singer/guitarist Joseph D'Agostino channeling Isaac Brock-ian levels of intensity right out of the gate. 2011's Lenses Alien was a darker, more volatile affair, and while it lacked the immediate punch of the debut, it was the work of a band not willing to be cornered by their influences. D'Agostino continued to use his voice to command the listener, bringing to mind Tim Kinsella in his most youthful and emotional moments. "Hawk Highway," a single from 2012, sustained this route, but it's anyone's guess as to what shape the band's new songs will take on their upcoming third album. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

THE FRATELLIS, THE CEREMONIES, CONWAY
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Scottish trio the Fratellis take all the good bits and drippings from rock music over the past four decades and do something fun, but not necessarily interesting, with it—it's more yummy than nutritious. The cool thing is that these lads don't take it, or themselves, too seriously. Over the course of three full-lengths, beginning with 2006's Costello Music, the Fratellis have taken bites from the best—the aforementioned (Elvis) Costello, the Knack, the Stone Roses—throwing their influences into one fast and hooky romp after another. The band took five years to release their latest, We Need Medicine, a record that slows the pace slightly but retains the gooey center. Opening is St. Louis native Conway, who takes '80s pop and rubs a little dirt on it (her single "Big Talk" is an immediate earworm). Needless to say, if you're sitting still at tonight's show you're not drinking enough Red Bull and vodkas. MARK LORE

THE LONELY FOREST, CUMULUS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) I have listened to the new Lonely Forest record, Adding Up the Wasted Hours, dozens of times over the last several weeks, and I can confidently say that it is the best Lonely Forest record to date. 2009's We Sing the Body Electric is hard to beat—it was a huge-sounding and wonderful mess of noises and layers (claustrophobic is a characteristic I often like when it comes to pop music), while their last release, 2011's Arrows, was on the opposite end of that spectrum: lighter and more nuanced. Adding Up the Wasted Hours, though, has found a balance of the two—experimental sounds and Karl Blau's saxophone make songs like "Left Hand Man" and "Warm/Happy" sound lush without feeling cluttered. MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 11/9

BIRDCLOUD
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) Read our article on Birdcloud.

SUNSET VALLEY, MIRACLE FALLS, MARK PICKEREL
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) Read our article on Sunset Valley.

A$AP FERG, A$AP MOB, JOEY FATTS, ASTON MATTHEWS, 100S
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) A$AP Ferg is a representative of NYC's A$AP Mob, a crew manifest in hazy beats and cliché glamour. On his album Trap Lord, Ferg has appropriated the gritty South trap music made popular by Three 6 Mafia, retrofitting it with occasional breaks into DJ Screw-codeine territory. Although the production is inspired, lyrics on songs like "Hood Pope" suffer from redundant opulence and an obvious Messiah complex, evidenced by music videos where he endures a staged crucifixion and leads communion. Regardless, the ominous tone of the backtrack enables A$AP Ferg's delivery to get the club bouncing by switching up the flow and attacking the beat with the sing-song flair that hallmarks a proper anthem. WYATT SCHAFFNER

BILL FRISELL'S BIG SUR QUINTET
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Last year, master guitarist Bill Frisell was asked by the Monterey Jazz Festival to retreat to a cabin in the woods around California's Big Sur region. The 62-year-old guitarist used the untouched landscape to inspire his most delicate, meditative work. It almost has a baroque quality to it, aided by the use of a trio of string players (including renowned violist Eyvind Kang) that bring a floating counterbalance to Frisell's earthy ramblings and the roiling waves spirited to life by drummer Rudy Royston. The five-piece bring this beautiful work to town in support of its debut recording, titled, simply enough, Big Sur. RH

MINOR ALPS, THE UPSIDEDOWN, MELVILLE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Get There seems a natural symbiosis for Juliana Hatfield and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws. Both singers' malleable voices intertwine in seamless harmonies throughout the debut album from their new collaboration, Minor Alps. It'd be easy to cast the melding of these two in a nostalgic light—some sort of '90s revisionist prism. But that would ignore how genuinely great a lot of the songs are on Get There. Whether it's Hatfield taking the lead, as on "I Don't Know What to Do with My Hands," or more often when it's a syrupy combination of both voices, as on "Far From the Roses," the tandem recalls the affecting power-pop of Caws' band Nada Surf, while also tempering the tendencies of the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that define Hatfield's most popular material. The duo also dabbles in electronics on "If I Wanted Trouble," and later, "Mixed Feelings" blows the lid off the whole thing with a punk-rock tear-up. RJP

HAUSU, WEED
(Recess Gallery, 1127 SE 10th) On their debut album, Deserve, Vancouver punk-rock outfit Weed are able to strike that irresistible balance between loud-as-hell guitar-rock and ear-pleasing, noise-driven pop moments. Like Dinosaur Jr. or Hüsker Dü, it's the kind of music that digs straight into your brain, and then beckons your hand to continue turning up the volume knob. By the time the album ends, if you haven't done damage to your ears, you've at least pissed off a few neighbors (unless those neighbors happen to be fans of bands like Naomi Punk, Destruction Unit, or Milk Music—then they'll feel right at home surrounded by the melodic treats buried just below the clamor). You'll want to be sure to also catch Hausu here tonight, as the Portland-based post-punk group plans to make this their last show before going on hiatus for an undetermined length. CT

SUNDAY 11/10

TIBURONES
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

NEO BOYS BENEFIT FOR THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CAMP FOR GIRLS
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

MONDAY 11/11

TIBURONES
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

GRAHAM NASH
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Read our interview with Graham Nash.

CROCODILES
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) The formerly San Diego-rooted band Crocodiles tends to get labeled three ways: 1) Unabashed Jesus and Mary Chain disciples/rip-offs. 2) Second-tier soldiers in the 2009 lo-fi/garage-rock revival. 3) Principle Dum Dum Girl's husband's band. Fair points all around, and up until now, Crocodiles' catalog didn't do much to distinguish its creators. But on their 2013 album Crimes of Passion, primary members Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell have finally left behind the wandering spirit and obscurant tendencies they've been shedding since their debut album. In their place are 10 tracks of focused, fuzzy, endlessly catchy pop-rock that should satisfy folks who miss the sparkling psychedelic melodies Tim Presley (White Fence) used to make with his band Darker My Love. Kudos to Welchez and Rowell for doing what good bands are supposed to do: Keep getting better. BEN SALMON

HEIGHT, AL LOVER
(Alberta Street Public House, 1036 NE Alberta) On Monday night at the modest Alberta Street Pub, two creative thinkers from the world of indie/underground hiphop—Height and Al Lover—will bring their "Infinity Ballrooms" tour to life. Height is a veteran adventurer from the Baltimore rap scene whose new record, Height with Friends Versus Dynamic Sounds, is a concept album and period piece set in the late 1970s, recorded to sound like early live tapes of proto-hiphop, complete with call-and-response raps, disco-funk synths, tinny boom-bap beats, and crowd noise. It is so gloriously authentic, you'll think you stumbled onto a documentary on the origins of the genre. Al Lover, from the Bay Area, makes fuzzy, forward-thinking beats out of modern and vintage psychedelic and garage rock; the results are steadily paced, acid-frazzled, and slightly ominous. If he became the next producer du jour for druggy, dreamy rap music that's popular on the internet, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. BS

TUESDAY 11/12

TIBURONES
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

AAN, GOTHIC TROPIC, NEAL MORGAN
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Earlier this month, Aan launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production and promotion of their forthcoming full-length, Amor Ad Nauseum. With the support of 122 backers, the band met their goal before deadline, and to our benefit, gets to move forward with plans for the album. Aan has been a well-kept favorite of the Portland music community for years. Recently, their intricately composed, fierce avant-pop was thrust onto the big stage during a tour with Smashing Pumpkins. It's been a steady climb for the band, who have transitioned from making bedroom recordings, to small venues, to captivating a national audience, all by putting consistent focus and emotion into songwriting and performing. Hopefully we'll get a taste of the new record—a few awesome tracks premiered online during their campaign—but old favorites are perfectly welcome, too. RACHEL MILBAUER

TURQUOISE JEEP, STEWART VILLAIN, GUMS AND ANTITUNE, EPP
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Is Turquoise Jeep serious? Probably not. The crew broke out with 2010's YouTube hit "Lemme Smang It," which currently has over 11 million views to date. Depending on how you ingest the spectrum of comedic hiphop, they range from some Wacky Dee clones to today's version of Digital Underground. Regardless of the headlining act, Portland's own Epp and Stewart Villain are no joke. Epp's heavily anticipated Chrome Plated Chronicles finally dropped last September after years in the making, and it's a powerful solo debut featuring production from the Green Team of Lawzspoken and G_Force. Unexpectedly, Halloween found Epp immediately dropping the impressive follow-up, Suicide Doors. It's eight tracks of dark, introspective raps featuring Theory Hazit, Milc, and Stewart Villain. Villain's production prowess is no secret—he's nationally respected as a lab technician. But his own latest project as an emcee, No Manners, proves he can destroy on the mic as well. RYAN FEIGH

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WEDNESDAY 11/13

TORO Y MOI, CLASSIXX
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

SLAID CLEAVES
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) On his new album Still Fighting the War, Austin-based folksinger Slaid Cleaves focuses his considerable songwriting skill on the working class, with stories of welders, bartenders, cowboys, and factory workers tucked in among tunes about lost love and Lone Star state pride. But the standout is the title track, a three-minute slice of classic Cleaves: mid-tempo, with a simple but memorable melody delivered by the man's fine-grit voice. In the first two verses, we're introduced to a soldier, home from Iraq for a couple of years but struggling with lack of sleep and support while fighting skeptical employers and banks, not to mention bloody, dusty flashbacks. The third verse, however, lands like a punch to the gut, as the soldier's troubles come home: "Two strangers, holding each other in the dark." Then, "all the happily ever afters turn to broken dishes and slamming doors." It's heartbreaking work from a master storyteller. BEN SALMON

KREATOR, OVERKILL, WARBRINGER
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) German thrash metallers Kreator seem hell-bent on outlasting cockroaches... and Slayer. In the mid-'80s, the band was one of the foremost metal bands, mixing precision with dark lyrical themes and bloody visuals. Three decades on—and now pushing 50—original members Mille Petrozza and Jürgen Reil are just as pissed off as they were on their 1986 classick Pleasure to Kill, which might make some wonder if someone pissed in their Bitburger. You can't argue with the results, though, and why would you?—the band's latest, Phantom Antichrist, is an absolute beast. Kreator probably deserves more accolades than they receive, and this show is sure to bring out the old-school heshers. If your neck gets sore, just take two aspirin with a Bloody Mary the next morning. MARK LORE

THE BESNARD LAKES, ELEPHANT STONE, DAYDREAM MACHINE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The Besnard Lakes are one of many seemingly interchangeable, quasi-psychedelic pop bands in the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans family of labels. On their 2010 album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, the Montreal band evoked the forlorn dignity of Low, but with a greater propensity for shoegaze guitar textures. Their new full-length, Until in Excess, Imperceptible UFO, is shrouded in more reverb and features more grandiose song structures. Its best song, "Colour Yr Lights In," sounds like an end-credits lighter-raiser for a Hollywood romance flick. On their 2013 self-titled album, Elephant Stone make classic, textbook psych pop, as derived from the Beatles, circa Revolver through Magical Mystery Tour, all lightly accented with sitar and tablas and leader Rishi Dhir's smooth, high vocals. As reverent replications go, Elephant Stone's a gas. DAVE SEGAL

VAZ, RABBITS, PRIZEHOG
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Portland's bizarro thrash-sludge trio Rabbits are known for their distorted experimentation. On SOS (Singles, Other Shit), the grime-core hessians tap into their nostalgic side, compiling a track list of 7-inch singles, radio performances, practice outtakes, and more. The unbridled kill-mode aura of tunes like "Riff Fuck Reap" and the feedback drone of "Slow Mars" make this collection a must-have for fans of filth. The record's B-side is stacked with a second-half surge of '80s punk and hardcore covers like Bikini Kill's "Rebel Girl," Minor Threat's "Straight Edge," and Black Flag's "Wasted." The band's noise pollution is tailor-made for the endearingly scuzzy confines of the Know, and Vaz is certainly a force to behold in their own right. RYAN J. PRADO

THURSDAY 11/14

ASHIA AND THE BISON ROUGE & GUESTS
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) Cellist/vocalist/composer Ashia Grzesik (Portland Cello Project, Vagabond Opera) spent the last year in Europe, and she's returned to Portland with a new album in tow. Ashia and the Bison Rouge's Diesel vs. Lungs is unlike anything you've ever heard—unless you've listened to Grzesik's 2011 solo EP, the similarly otherworldly Bison Rouge. Her new full-length is something remarkable, though, a wildly ambitious but not-at-all-unwieldy mixture of classical music, traditional Polish and Slavic folk musics, chamber pop, and other styles that defy categorization. She's joined tonight by a number of guests including the Lyrical Strings Duo, the Lucia Conrad String Quartet, and others, to perform an evening of "Polish Immigrant Songs." Don't expect any traditions to be upheld, though—Grzesik is a singular talent and a huge creative force. NED LANNAMANN

THUNDERCAT, GRAMMIES
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Thundercat has the head of a futurist electronic producer and the soul of a jazz-fusion revivalist. Stephen Bruner marinated his skill as a bass virtuoso by grinding with his brother in Suicidal Tendencies for almost a decade before releasing two albums on LA's Brainfeeder label. Jams run free with Bruner, who further defined his style in session work with Erykah Badu and Flying Lotus, before stepping out with Thundercat's retro-stalgic warp zone of Pastorian bass and synth-funk R&B, played in the key of life. The affirmative and emotional fusion on tonight's bill wouldn't be complete without PDX's own Grammies, who stir up a bitches' brew of their own, as math-rock sax infuses smooth jazz in the key of OG. WYATT SCHAFFNER

THE MEMORIES, COOL GHOULS, SAN ONOFRE LIZARDS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) For the better part of two months, Portland's princes of pot pop have been spreading their sweet love nuggets across this great nation. Along with alter-ego/Siamese twin White Fang—not to mention scores of the ever-growing Gnar Tapes family—the Memories set off in September and have been living rock 'n' roll dreams since: open roads, packed bowls, friends new and old. They went across to New York, down to Miami, and back through Texas—swimming in the Gulf, living out of gas stations, sleeping on floors, in vans, and crummy motels. And now it's time to welcome home the Memories, who will be at their absolute sharpest after playing night-in, night-out across America. ANDREW R TONRY

LATYRX, VURSATYL, TOPE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Given that Latyrx consists of Lyrics Born and Lateef the Truth Speaker, it's no wonder their albums feel like a long journey through your subconscious set to a wonky beat. Their The Second Album has finally arrived, 16 years after their first, but still embodies their signature experimental hiphop, with unusual amounts of song structure and melody. These two poets joined forces in the Bay Area rap scene in the mid-'90s, and have since mostly played odd festivals and opened for funk outfits like Galactic. Those that enjoy Bay Area hiphop like Zion I and the abstract nature of Sage Francis' fast-paced flow will surely cream their low-hanging jeans over Latyrx. ROSE FINN

FRIDAY 11/15

PORTLAND SMILES: RIO GRANDS, NEW MOVE, CHURCH OF SURF, ADAM BROCK
(Eagles Lodge, 4904 SE Hawthorne) See My, What a Busy Week!

ROCKBOX 7-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: MATT NELKIN, DJ KEZ, FOUR COLOR ZACK
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

CASEY NEILL & THE NORWAY RATS, SASSPARILLA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Casey Neill.

DRAMADY, PAULO ZAPPOLI, LONNIE WINN
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) Read our article on Dramady.

AGRIMONIA, TAKE OVER AND DESTROY
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) The extreme music underground can be incestuous at times, but unlike kissing cousins, incest is best when it comes to music. Styles are blended, and side projects often draw more attention to their full-time counterparts, or vice versa. Sweden's Agrimonia features members that have done time in Skitsystem, Martyrdöd, and At the Gates. Unlike aging punk icons who pick up acoustic guitars and go mellow, however, these veteran d-beating, crusty grinders are keeping it heavy and slowing it down to a more melodic, mid-tempo pace. Agrimonia still has the snarl of the members' other projects, but the vibe is much more bleak than furious. ARIS WALES

CULTS, SACCO, MOOD RINGS, GALLOP
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Cults' sophomore album, Static, feels remarkably effortless, which is something to say for a record borne of hardship. Its lyrical content revolves around what sounds like a heart-wrenching split between vocalist Madeline Follin and guitarist Brian Oblivion, and they've drowned it in the correct amounts of fuzz, bass, and liquor. Thus, songs like "Always Forever" and "We've Got It" flow through your ears with surprising ease, coaxed by Follin's strong and nimble soprano, oscillating between a Shangri-Las croon and a veritable indie wail. It is at once jubilant and miserably sad—a beautiful combination, and what tends to happen in life, regardless of the effort we exert. RAQUEL NASSER

POP. 1280, VICE DEVICE, SMOKE RINGS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Pop. 1280's latest, Imps of Perversion, is all dread, menace, and danger—a portrait of the kind of seedy ugliness that you used to think of when you thought of the band's hometown of New York City, and the kind of thing to be expected from a band that lifts their name from a crime novel. It all comes in a no-wave/post-punk package that you would have associated with the city once upon a time as well. The guitar barbs and jagged edges borrow from the No New York songbook, but the occasional ray-gun synthesizers and hypnotic grooves carry faint shades of krautrock. And while labelmates the Men have been more interested in tapping into their inner Crazy Horse in recent years, Pop. 1280 isn't quite finished pummeling things into the concrete. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

JERRY ABSTRACT, DEAFCHILD, B GRADE
(Central Hotel, 8608 N Lombard) A veteran of electronic music with many solid releases under his belt, Jerry Abstract has an artistic sensibility that just won't quit. His solo work is full of punchy attitude and dramatic flair that surpasses your run-of-the-mill techno sound, giving a unique perspective on what is possible in the ever-growing world of electronic dance music. His sound—pitch-black minimal funk with a razor-sharp edge—speaks to you without words. As the former creative director of Seattle's Decibel Festival for six years running, Abstract's sense of style is unmatched, especially behind the decks. It's always interesting to see what a seasoned pro like him will play next. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

SEAN NELSON, EYELIDS, HERMAN JOLLY
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) For a guy who has scored a massive (and enduring) hit song, toured the world, performed on network television, and worked with some of the Northwest's most popular musicians, Sean Nelson sails decidedly under the radar. He's best known as Harvey Danger's frontman, AKA the guy who sang "I'm not sick, but I'm not wellllllll!" in the late-'90s alt-rock staple "Flagpole Sitta." He's revered (by me, at least) for his sideman/harmony vocals role in the Long Winters' early years. But if the world of pop music were calibrated correctly, the snappy, brainy songs found all over Nelson's first solo album, Make Good Choices—recorded in fits and starts over several years and finally released in June—would be dominating radio and the top of the charts. Alas, they are not, so Nelson will have to settle for being a talented and respected artist with a knack for classic pop that's rivaled by few of his peers. BS

HUMOURS, HUNGERS, AERIAL RUIN
(The Foggy Notion, 3416 N Lombard) In this cold digital age, some people still enjoy holding music in their grubby hands. Since CDs have become slightly passé and vinyl is too expensive for low-level bands to produce, it's logical that cassette tapes have returned with a vengeance. Tonight, local, lumbering power-trio Hungers release their self-titled cassette, seven tracks of mean slow-burners that are equally as desolate and depressive as they are heavy. Vocalist and guitarist Andrew Morgan has a sinister snarl that is a fine match for the grim and gloom of the riffs. If the tape player in your Volvo is dead, don't sweat it. Hungers put a digital download code inside the case for good measure. AW

SATURDAY 11/16

FRUIT BATS, THE DONKEYS
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See My, What a Busy Week!

OREGON SYMPHONY, INON BARNATAN
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) While touring America on a massive publicity blitz in 1928, lucky bastard Maurice Ravel got to check out the raging jazz clubs of Harlem, accompanied by none other than George fucking Gershwin. This epic night on the town unsurprisingly seared itself into the Frenchman's musical soul, soon blossoming into the syncopated rhythms, wailing winds, and mad energy of the piano concerto he composed the following year. Fast forward to tonight (and Monday), when Israeli-born Inon Barnatan teams up with our Oregon Symphony to bring Ravel's heart-thumping showstopper to life. Barnatan may only be in his early 30s, but he's been performing with orchestras the world over for more than 20 years. Simply put, this red-hot piano god's upcoming gig with Rip City's biggest band offers a chance to catch a level of frenetic intricacy and raw, unplugged power impossible to find anywhere else. As a bonus, the Steinway rollout will be flanked by Shakespearean homage: The program kicks off with a trio of Macbeth dances from Giuseppe Verdi and concludes with a batch of Romeo and Juliet orchestral scenes from the always colorful Hector Berlioz. His star-crossed finale will likely have the Schnitzer crowd wetting its collective codpiece. The way I see it, gentle reader, you have three choices: get tickets, drink poison, or go stab yourself. ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

THOSE DARLINS, DIANE COFFEE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Shaun Fleming was a child voice actor (Kim Possible) and he's now the drummer in Foxygen's live band. He's also Diane Coffee, and the first Diane Coffee album, My Friend Fish, was not an album I was prepared to love—child actors, Jenny Lewis excepted, don't usually make particularly worthwhile music, and Foxygen have mastered pretty much everything except their live show. But Diane Coffee's first full-length is in fact a homegrown album of pure pop delight, its lo-fi but never slapdash recordings carefully, lovingly constructed. "Never Lovely" is a rough-and-tumble soul-funk gem, and "Tale of a Dead Dog" is a stoned slice of folk-psych with sugar-sweet harmonies. Fleming opens for Nashville's Those Darlins, who've mellowed a little on their latest album, the very good Blur the Line, but surely remain a volatile live force of the best type of Southern rawk. NL

SCREAMING FEMALES, UPSET, THE GHOST EASE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) The last time the Know hosted New Brunswick's Screaming Females, the punk-rock trio was touring off their sprawling, guitar-driven opus, Ugly. The intimate venue was as packed to the gills with people as that album was with great songs, and singer/guitarist Marissa Paternoster shredded and howled through a set that was nothing short of mind-blowing. While the band did make it through Portland a few months later opening for Garbage, the road warriors ended up sidelined for the remainder of that tour, as Paternoster suffered through chronic nerve pains in her shoulder. She documented the struggle of being cooped-up through a webcomic, and you could feel the sigh of relief thousands of miles away when the band returned to life earlier this year. On Chalk Tape, the EP follow-up to Ugly, the band experiments with Middle Eastern rhythms and double-tracked vocals, showcasing some excellent range lying in wait behind Paternoster's time-tested axe-wielding. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

OBITS, SURVIVAL KNIFE, PARADISE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Obits continue to operate in their own dark corner of rock music, the one frontman Rick Froberg carved out in his previous bands Hot Snakes and Drive Like Jehu. The band continues to walk a fine line between ramshackle garage rock and more sophisticated guitar-driven post punk. And over the course of three records they've tinkered with the ingredients—in the best way possible—just enough to keep listeners off-balance. If guitars are what you want, there are plenty to be had on Obits' latest, Bed and Bugs, another unruly collection that mixes prog, surf, and blues into one noisy half-hour. Live, expect it to be even more relentless and cranky. In the best way possible. ML

JESSIE WARE, THE INVISIBLE
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Jessie Ware may be a newer face in the music industry, but with catchy pop riffs mixed with the increasingly trendy electronic sound, it hasn't taken long for her to gain a considerable fanbase. Ware is British, but her voice is so rich and smoky that she could easily be confused with an American soul singer from a bygone era. Her premiere album, Devotion, yields Feist-like soft tones and smoothness, but its love-adorned lyrics and '80s melodies could confuse you into thinking you used to put this album on in high school whenever you'd invite your crush over to make out. Though Ware's sound is somewhat retro, her songs embody a bittersweet complexity, haunting your ears in a way the Smiths or A Flock of Seagulls just can't. RF

WHITE MYSTERY, NO TOMORROW BOYS
(Star Bar, 639 SE Morrison) It takes an intangible something—spirit, fieriness, recklessness, bravado—to thrive as a garage-rock band in the 21st century. The genre's been around for nearly 50 years, so it requires heroic energy and creativity to make it sound interesting at this late date. Chicago's White Mystery—redheaded dynamos Miss Alex White and Francis Scott Key White—harness those intangibles and write catchy, gnarly tunes that don't reek of Nuggets box sets or graying pudding-bowl haircuts. The duo's newest album, Telepathic, actually possesses more Pussy Galore/Blues Explosion-like DNA in its buzz-and-howl attack than it does the Seeds or the Standells. However the hell they're managing to accomplish it, White Mystery have those special ingredients that make their garage rock not sound museum-y. DS

SUNDAY 11/17

HUNTERS, AUDACITY, LEE COREY OSWALD
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

US GIRLS, ETHER ISLAND, TUNNELS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) US Girls is an apt name for Megan Remy's solo project, inspired as it is by the history of American women in the music world. But in Remy's case, her take on '60s girl-group pop and '80s post-punk sounds like it's coming from sixth-generation cassette dubs, all the instruments awash in tape hiss and under thick layers of almost unnatural-sounding reverb. Remy returns to Portland in support of her Phil Spector-ed out new EP Free Advice Column, co-produced by warped hiphop producer Onakabazien. She's joined on this date by Ether Island, a purveyor of some of the finest New Mexican psychedelics you're likely to ingest this year. ROBERT HAM

PETER BRÖTZMANN/PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE DUO, 1939 ENSEMBLE
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) The story has been handed down to free jazz fans for years, to the point that one worries it is apocryphal. But the truth is that German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann once blew so hard at a gig that he ended up cracking a rib. That should give you some indication as to the power and fury of the 72-year-old's work over the years, which has found him extemporizing wildly alongside fellow legends like Cecil Taylor, Bill Laswell, and William Parker. On this very rare Portland appearance, Brötzmann is accompanied by percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love, a player whose minimalist daring and physical oomph are more than enough to keep up with his German compatriot's muscular skronk and bleat. RH

MONDAY 11/18

BIG FREEDIA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

OREGON SYMPHONY, INON BARNATAN
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

NINE INCH NAILS, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
(Moda Center, 1 N Center Ct) For better or worse, The Downward Spiral defined a solid year of my life. I discovered Nine Inch Nails' 1994 opus at the acme of adolescence, and its bilious moodiness and fragmented moments of limpid beauty were the perfect accompaniment to the awkwardness and frustration of which I couldn't seem to get atop. From there, I explored the back catalog of Halos, but Pretty Hate Machine was too wussy and Broken seemed more or less incoherent. So The Downward Spiral it was, and it might still rank as one of the albums I've listened to the most—so much so, that I can more or less perfectly recall each and every note of its 65 minutes. It says something, though, that I have never revisited the album after that fateful year or so, not even once. I've been happy to keep it on the shelf as an un-ruptured capsule of pure adolescent angst. When Trent Reznor released the double album The Fragile in 1999, I had moved well on; I don't think I've ever gotten all the way through disc one. Still, I've found a lot to like on this new Nine Inch Nails album, Hesitation Marks, so maybe I've gotten to the age where I'm capable of visiting and analyzing a time from the past that wasn't necessarily 100 percent happy. Subsequently, I couldn't be more stoked to finally see Nine Inch Nails live, and who knows? Maybe afterward I'll be ready to dig out that tattered copy of The Downward Spiral and relive some very vivid memories. NL Also see My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 11/19

SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN, ARMY NAVY
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.

BILL CALLAHAN, MICK TURNER
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Bill Callahan, who recorded 13 LPs under the moniker Smog before reverting to his own name, could very well be the most aberrant singer/songwriter to emerge from the '90s, a decade already characterized by unusual, exceptional indie folkies. He's also an extremely polarizing entity—Callahan's monotonous, practically tuneless drawl (he makes Mark Kozelek sound like Frankie Valli) is an extremely inaccessible affect, one that unfortunately prevents some listeners from cutting to the deeply emotional, melancholy fiber of Callahan's songs. His latest, Dream River, is as consistently evocative and elegant as his very best. MORGAN TROPER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

THOMAS DOLBY:THE INVISIBLE LIGHTHOUSE
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) After writing and producing some of the most beautiful pop of the 1980s (his own The Flat Earth, Prefab Sprout's Two Wheels Good) and touring the world as an electronic-music guru, Thomas Dolby returns to the stage with an ambitious new multimedia work. Described as "part film, part concert, part transmedia event," The Invisible Lighthouse features Dolby performing a live narration and musical score in front of the titular film, which was shot and edited by Dolby, and evocatively chronicles an island lighthouse in Britain. Additional drama will be supplied by foley artist/musician/sound designer Blake Leyh. DAVID SCHMADER

STEVE AOKI, BORGORE, WAKA FLOCKA FLAME, KEYS N KRATES, KRYOMAN
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Before Electric Daisy Festival became a tween stomping ground, and before EDM became a blanket pejorative—before Skrillex, let's say—Steve Aoki built the loudest underground rave scene of the 21st century. Aoki's Dim Mak label stands as testament to music production as brand empire (perhaps not unlike the way his father, Rocky Aoki, started the Benihana restaurant chain). Aoki emerged from the LA suburbs to stand in the vanguard of globalized electronic dance music; joining his carnival of mischief at the Roseland tonight is Waka Flocka Flame, the rap game's most ebullient wordsmith. A protegé of Gucci Mane, Flocka goes hard in the paint as probably the most socially conscious lyricist among the trap-inflected new illuminati. WS

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WEDNESDAY 11/20

LUPE FIASCO, STALLEY, ILLMACULATE
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

WIRE, HELMET, CHASTITY BELT
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Read our article on Wire.

MEAT PUPPETS, THE WORLD TAKES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The Meat Puppets are still kicking, and that's a good thing. For more than three decades (!) the Brothers Meat—that's Curt and Cris Kirkwood—have gone through the usual rock 'n' roll tropes (major labels, Cris' drug problems) and handled the Cobain Bump pretty well, too. That's all a distant memory. Since Cris' return to the fold on 2007's Rise to Your Knees, the Meat Puppets have continued to release a steady stream of material that harkens back to their SST days, with an ear to the future. Their latest album Rat Farm (and their third on Megaforce's heavy-on-metal roster) plays up their strengths: heavy folk, heavy quirk, heavy psych. It's great stuff, and it's been a long time coming. MARK LORE

ADVENTURE GALLEY, MINDEN, EXOTIC CLUB, LASSI
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Portland's Adventure Galley celebrates its first full-length album with a show tonight at Holocene, but the band has been at it for a while. The six-piece formed in Eugene in 2008 and won a national, MySpace-hosted online battle of the bands in 2010. Three years later, they're ready to release Anywhere That's Wild, an 11-track collection of dark, punchy synth-rock that proves the Strokes and the Killers were big influences on budding musician kids in the early 21st century. Frontman David Mills' deep, stoic vocals recall Julian Casablancas, while his mates ably glitter up their throbbing indie-rock with modern touches (the EDM beats in "Marooned," sparkling keyboard lines throughout). Through it all shines a knack for melody that will sneakily dance its way into your brain and bounce around there for a while. BEN SALMON

PHONE CALL, SEANCE CRASHER, DOLPHINITY
(East End, 203 SE Grand) In a town full of synth devotees, Seance Crasher defines itself as a band whose keyboard weird espouses a unique craft of pop sensibility. Led by Kevin Rafn with brother Daniel on backup keys and vocals, Seance Crasher echoes the obtuse catchiness of new wave bands like XTC. Each tune is harmonized with progressive songcraft and an ironic vocal delivery, placing the tracks in that familiar warped-John-Hughes-soundtrack area of nostalgia. Tonight's synth cabal also features Dolphinity, who invoke Yellow Magic Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, inspired by an abject cetacean fetish for sonic sentience. WYATT SCHAFFNER

THURSDAY 11/21

STREET ROOTS BENEFIT SHOW: TODD SNIDER, SCOTT MCCAUGHEY, CHRIS FUNK, HOUNDSTOOTH, & MORE
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

DUSU MALI BAND
(The Goodfoot, 2845 SE Stark) Read our article on Dusu Mali Band.

MOUNTAIN SOUNDS, VALISE, GOLDEN RETRIEVER, BILLYGOAT
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Though Mountain Sounds released its first album in March, tonight is the first time the band has been able to play a show here in the hometown of founding member Tim Hoyt. The delay has been a bureaucratic one: The other half of the group, Franc Castillejos, lives in the heart of Guatemala, and visas to visit the US are harder than ever to secure. The wait will be worth it, though, as the band's self-titled debut is a delight of finely honed pop informed by the likes of Ben Folds and Jason Mraz. The juxtaposition between that and the expansive drones of bass clarinet/modular synth duo Golden Retriever should make for a head-spinning evening. ROBERT HAM

NOBUNNY, THE BUGS, NEEDLES AND PIZZA
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) It's true that Nobunny shows tend to be a bit of a spectacle. That's a given when a punk band is fronted by a man who bounces around in the middle of rowdy, sweat-drenched crowds wearing nothing but a tiny pair of underwear, a leather jacket, and a ragged and stained bunny mask. Let's not let that get in the way of the facts: Justin Champlin, the man behind the Nobunny mask, writes some of the best bubblegum garage-pop tunes around. It takes more than a gimmick to pack a venue and transform a set into a massive party every time you come through town, and that's exactly what Nobunny has the ability to do. Tonight he's playing an early, all-ages show, and judging from turnouts in the past, this could fill up quick. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

JAMES BLAKE, NOSAJ THING
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Moore's Law says that every two years computing power becomes twice as powerful and half as expensive. Thanks largely to technology, music has a similar acceleration. It's cheaper and easier to make new sounds as the internet enables ever-greater global dissemination of style, influence, and collaboration. For a picture of this bursting pace, see James Blake. In 2011 he emerged from London, lumped in as part of an emergent genre called dubstep. Blake's bass-heavy, reductionist compositions were hailed as bleeding edge. In the two years since, his eponymous debut now feels familiar, as his skeletal minimalism has taken prominent hold in other genres. In that short time, dubstep, too, became something altogether different—ubiquitous, drilling maximalism. Blake, meanwhile, seems to be shuffling toward hiphop. On this year's Mercury Prize-winning Overgrown he featured RZA, and he recently gave a beat to the marvelous and ascendant Chance the Rapper. And while Blake may indeed have some lasting power—ever rare in this accelerant era—his thin-voiced, confessional songs of woe appear scrubbed in antibacterial soap. Blake is vastly more interesting as a composer than an entertainer. ANDREW R TONRY

DELTRON 3030
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Deltron 3030 (rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, producer Dan the Automator, and DJ Kid Koala) burst onto the scene back in 2000 with their self-titled sci-fi fantasia. With paranoid lyrics that referenced everything from Y2K to hijacking mechs, and backed with Automator's grandiose beats, Deltron 3030 was a breath of fresh post-apocalyptic air in underground rap. Thirteen years later finally sees the release of a follow-up, the scattershot but enjoyable Event 2. Del remains a deft rapper, with a conversational, effortless flow that masks his dense rhyme schemes and mad-scientist vocabulary. Automator's production still knocks with cinematic menace, chopping up bombastic strings with Koala's whiz-kid scratches darting among the fray. Good to see them forming like Voltron for one more trip to the future. KYLE FLECK

FRIDAY 11/22

POLIÇA, MARIJUANA DEATHSQUADS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

WAYFINDERS: HOLCOMBE WALLER, FEARNOMUSIC, CHINA FORBES
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) Read our article on Holcombe Waller.

PAWS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Glasgow's Paws don't do anything too out of the ordinary: speedy drums, catchy melodies, guitars that lurch from unblemished to buzzy with the flick of a switch. But the trio of Scottish lads does it all so well and so right, with shrewd economy of songwriting, bright bursts of punk energy, and absolutely no airs of artsy-fartsy grandeur. Their 2012 album Cokefloat is a damn delicious pizza of song, fast and filling and warm and oozy and basically everything you could want out of life. Their recent tour-only EP, the three-song Tiger Lily, is even better, and the band is set to record their second full-length in New York City next year. This is a band that will latch firmly onto the cockles of your music-loving heart, bearing litter after litter of adorable puppies of melody. Resistance is useless. NED LANNAMANN

RECORD ROOM AUCTION/FINAL SHOW: THRONES, SEDAN
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) One of 2013's more disappointing bits of news was the recent announcement that record shop/pub/venue Record Room will be permanently closing its doors at the end of the month. Plans to remodel and revamp were scuttled after an investor bailed, leaving the owners with no other options but to pull the plug. They aren't going away quietly, however. The final show will feature a vicious blast of bass-heavy drone metal via Joe Preston's long-running solo project Thrones and the artful keyboard-and-drum avant-rock duo Sedan. The show will also double as an auction and sale to unload leftover vinyl, furniture, and any other part of the shop that isn't a permanent fixture. RH

SATURDAY 11/23

GAYTHEIST, SONS OF HUNS, MONOGAMY PARTY, VULTURES IN THE SKY
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Read our article on Sons of Huns.

ALBERT HAMMOND JR., RATHBORNE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our interview with Albert Hammond Jr..

QUASI, BLUES CONTROL
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Quasi's latest, Mole City, follows up 2010's wall-of-noisefest American Gong. And while Sam Coomes' guitar is still as wonderfully unruly as ever, this time around Coomes and drummer Janet Weiss have devised a more textured and moody double LP that plays to their love of the Beatles and Sonic Youth (and everything in between). For every noise bomb like "You Can Stay But You Gotta Go," there's a sneaky psych nugget like "Geraldine" or a glammy power popper like "Double Deuce." The fact that Mole City comes off as one long collection of all of Weiss and Coomes' whims is what makes it both fantastic and overly fantastical. It's made to be listened to in one sitting, preferably with headphones. In 2013, that might be the most avant thing about Mole City. ML Also see My, What a Busy Week!

NEUROSIS, ATRIARCH, TRAGEDY, THE BODY
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) When Neurosis comes to town—and that hasn't been often in the past several years, regardless of what town you're in—it's closer to a capital E Event than a regular ol' show. Every few years they put out a new record, and in between albums they play random smatterings of shows. It's a process as methodical and deliberate as their music, a sound that serves as the primary reference point for any band that's ever been called "post-metal," while more than a few bands have done well for themselves by just aping the Neurosis sound (see: Isis). The undercard makes this even more of a happening: The recent Portland transplants of doomy duo the Body open, joined by Atriarch's metal-infused death rock and Tragedy's punishing crust punk. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

PACKARD BROWNE, BIGMO, SAMAREI, REY TOTEM, JOY PEARSON, & MORE
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) Tonight celebrates the release of Both Sides of the Sand, the debut full-length from Arab American emcee Mohammed "BigMo" Alkhadher. Born in America and raised in Kuwait, BigMo uses his unique perspective to both synthesize and deconstruct the dichotomies of Western and Middle Eastern cultures. It's telling that BigMo gained his intro into hiphop through spoken word, as his lyricism deftly pinpoints political hypocrisies in an entertaining way without ever sounding preachy or pedantic. Standout track "Heavy" finds BigMo rejecting the dangers of lazy labels and challenging the constructs that seek reductive worldviews to further their own agenda. “Arab white kid, American terrorist/Labeled a terrorist in a country where terror is/mediated fiction, media addiction/You smelt it, you dealt it, that kind of system.” RYAN FEIGH

JULIANNA BARWICK, HANNAH EPPERSON
(The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th) Ambient music possesses a unique ability to make writers erupt with fancy adjectives. However, while "sweeping" and "ethereal" are ostensibly apt to describe Julianna Barwick's songs, their presence here feels futile; the strength of her latest album, Nepenthe, lies in its ability to strike on a cellular level. The instrumentation is spare and there are very few discernible lyrics, yet the way she loops and layers her voice—like a fresco viewable only to the somatic nervous system—is enough to leave you sobbing over a loved one or reveling in a sense of calm. And once her loop station starts spewing towering sounds into the rafters of the Old Church, you will follow Barwick's lead and eschew words as well; sometimes, there is just no need. RAQUEL NASSER

FEDERALE, DENVER, DJ TENDER LOVING CARE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) On 2012's The Blood Flowed Like Wine, Portland's Federale widened their spaghetti-western scope to incorporate less desert drag, and more orchestral oomph. Having entrenched themselves as astute purveyors of the Ennio Morricone style of cowpoke soundtrack, the group—led by Collin Hegna—detoured with partnerships as far-ranging as Portland's 45th Parallel Ensemble, members of the Oregon Symphony, and vocal cameos by the Black Angels' Alex Maas and Spindrift's KP Thomas. The collective has been tracking new material at Hegna's Revolver Studios since July, and there's no news yet on a tentative release date. In the meantime, Federale are one of the more-unique live experiences your old dusty boots could ever hope for, so go on an' git! RYAN J. PRADO

SUNDAY 11/24

EAR CANDY: STILL CAVES, NIGHT MECHANIC
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

NORMAN, THE HUGS, OLD AGE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The unexceptionally named Portland band Norman has a third album out, with an exceptional title: Into the Eventyr. "Eventyr" is Norwegian for "adventure," and to keep things adventurous, the band has paired with Albany, Oregon's Calapooia Brewing to make Norman Ale. It's a crisply hoppy, enjoyable if not outrageously distinctive Northwest beer, and that's the kind of music you'll find on Eventyr. Strains of folk, pop, and, most significantly, classic rock pepper the album, echoing '70s radio mainstays like Boston and Firefall by way of their more modern counterparts: Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, and Blitzen Trapper, to name a few. The band's at their best and wildest when the eventyr is highest, as on the deceptively concise epic "Golden" and the wide green pastures of "As You Please." It's a fine album for quaffing a craft beer or two—an idea that Norman is already on top of. NL

FREEDY JOHNSTON
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) Freedy Johnston is one of those highly skilled singer/songwriters who exists somewhere between major stardom and starving artist, where making records and touring builds a big enough fanbase to simply sustain itself. In the early 1990s, Johnston appeared to be on the verge of a breakout with his brilliant back-to-back records Can You Fly and This Perfect World. Those led to a deal with Elektra Records, which produced three albums of Johnston's likeable, gentle folk-pop featuring a disarming blend of catchy melodies and downcast stories. Since then, he's been padding his catalog, releasing demos, a live album, a collection of covers, and a collaboration with Jon Dee Graham and Susan Cowsill. Johnston's website says he's "finishing up" a new album, though that was back in January. In the meantime, he begins a weeklong residency at Al's Den. BS

MONSTER MAGNET, ROYAL THUNDER, ANTI-MORTEM, ULTRA GOAT
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) While Monster Magnet managed to crack the MTV rotation with "Space Lord" and had a left-field hit in Powertrip, recent albums have leaned on the old lessons that Hawkwind taught in Space Rock 101. This year's Last Patrol waits exactly one song before launching into nearly 10 minutes of riff-centric sci-fi sprawl on the title track, and there's plenty of '60s-style psychedelia and garage rock. Atlanta's Royal Thunder opens, and while they came along well after MTV ever had anything resembling a music video rotation, they dabble in similarly retro heaviness, opting for bluesy proto-metal propelled by frontwoman Mlny Parsonz's mega-pipes. MWS

HURRY UP, THE GHOST EASE
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) Rontoms' ongoing Sunday Sessions continues its impressive streak of killer lineups with tonight's pairing: Portland's the Ghost Ease have been playing all over town since releasing an impressive self-titled debut LP this past April. Guitarist Jem Marie and bassist Fabi Reyna combine in building an intricate and edgy sense of tension to propel Marie's soft and airy vocals. When the trio unleashes, the force hits you hard and suddenly, with their drummer Nsayi's massive wind-ups and kid-in-a-candy-store grin the only thing hinting at the impending impact. They are joined tonight by fellow locals Hurry Up, a trio of the Thermals' Westin Glass and Kathy Foster joined by Bangs' Maggie Vail. Their feisty blend of punk rock should provide the perfect digestif for an evening sure to leave you jolted just in time for the week to begin. CT

MONDAY 11/25

HOWE GELB, HOUNDSTOOTH
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

FREEDY JOHNSTON
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See Sunday's listing.

LEVON'S HELMET, ACID FAST, NERVOUS, ABOLITIONIST
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Don't let the ludicrously "punny" name deter you. Upstart duo Levon's Helmet have produced one of the best, bona fide power-pop EPs this city has seen in some time. Clocking in at the impossibly succinct length of 12 minutes, each cut is a certified fresh, hook-laden jammer—from the pre-"Stacy's Mom" Fountains of Wayne-ish opener "I've Had It" to closer "Night Train to Memphis," which references band members Gordon Keepers and Jason Oppat's folk-punk roots (both members previously played in the acoustic-based outfit Water Tower). But it's the third track, the stiffly titled "My Life Is Going Nowhere," that is the truly exceptional selection here, akin to Robert Pollard's greatest. While Levon's Helmet may lack stylistic stability for the time being, their pop prowess is totally undeniable. Follow them closely. MORGAN TROPER

TUESDAY 11/26

FREEDY JOHNSTON
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See Sunday's listing.

MORBID ANGEL, SEASON OF SUFFERING, WORLD OF LIES, CHRONOLOGICAL INJUSTICE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) When legendary bands put out new records, it's a double-edged sword. On one hand, new releases help garner younger, newer fans, but on the other hand, old fans just want to hear the old stuff. Diehard fans might buy the new slab, but will promptly put it down in favor of the band's established classic. In 2011, Morbid Angel released the Chinese Democracy of death metal, Illud Divinum Insanus. Fans were not too happy, and to this day, critics still reference the stain it left on Morbid Angel's legacy. Well, it looks like they got the message. To celebrate its 20-year anniversary, Morbid Angel are playing their benchmark album Covenant from front to back. Odds are good they'll play some other classic tunes, too, although a betting man would bet against Morbid Angel breaking out a cut from Illud. ARIS WALES

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WEDNESDAY 11/27

NORFOLK AND WESTERN, 1939 ENSEMBLE,DARREN HANLON
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

JON HOPKINS, CLARK, NATHAN FAKE
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) In a year that has been filled with amazing electronic music releases, saying that Jon Hopkins' fifth full-length Immunity stands head and shoulders above the rest is the highest compliment I can give. Nominated for this year's Mercury Prize in the UK, the album is a full hour of techno mastery, cut through with humanizing warmth thanks to Hopkins' reliance on ballooning, dusk-colored synth tones and the use of fine vocal turns from Scottish folk singer King Creosote and young jazz artist Emma Smith. Hopkins is joined by another of 2013's electronic delights, fellow UK electronic producer Clark, whose recent LP Feast/Beast is a wonder of supple basslines, clatter-happy beats, and experimental leanings. ROBERT HAM

THURSDAY 11/28

JIVE TURKEY DANCE PARTY
(The Spare Room, 4830 NE 42nd) See My, What a Busy Week!

FRIDAY 11/29

BLITZEN TRAPPER, ALIALUJAH CHOIR
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Blitzen Trapper.

PEARL JAM, MUDHONEY
(Moda Center, 1 Center Ct) Read our Debate Club on Pearl Jam.

CAT POWER, NICO TURNER
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) See My, What a Busy Week!

LORD DYING, ANCIIENTS, NETHER REGIONS, SIOUX
(Analog Café, 720 SE Hawthorne) Friday night at the Analog Cafe, before local heroes Lord Dying bludgeon your skull with some stoney sludge, take flight over the verdant Cascadian landscape with Anciients. The Vancouver, BC, quartet's combo of heavy prog and soaring pop-metal is both impressive and accessible; their debut album Heart of Oak is a dizzying display of technical chops—zigzag rhythms, skyscraping guitar solos, harmonies galore—and powerful, primal riffs and growls. It's like listening to Mastodon find its footing on their debut album, Remission, and you know what happened next with them. If this all sounds appealing, don't skip this show, because it would surprise exactly no one if Anciients headline much bigger rooms in a year or two. BEN SALMON

TYPHOON, WILD ONES, LAKE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) No two ways about it: The release of this year's White Lighter was in every way a triumph for Portland conglomerate Typhoon. Frontman Kyle Morton's obsessions with mortality are given sweeping, gorgeous arrangements that explode with vibrant horns, delicate acoustic guitars, loud gang vocals, and ambitious orchestration. It's the kind of record so affecting as to place itself immediately among the best Portland releases of the year. After a couple of reportedly breathtaking MusicfestNW performances a few months ago in the cozy confines of the Old Church, Typhoon docks into the cavernous Crystal Ballroom headlining a raucous evening of all-Northwest collectives. RYAN J. PRADO

MOON MIRROR, VIRGIN BLOOD
(The Lovecraft, 421 SE Grand) Cosplay will be in full effect for both audience and performers at tonight's Lovecraft gathering. Moon Mirror has manifested her ephemeral, anime-caricature social media presence into a stage persona that's part Sailor Moon, part Enya—a one-woman siren of the cosmos. Her latest album on the Aural Sects label, Transference, is a fantastical domain of upbeat synth-pop, with dynamic arpeggios and drum machines beating bewitching dance grooves. The darkly emotive Virgin Blood's heavy synth drones backdrop loftily romantic vocals that are eerily evocative of the late Trish Keenan from Broadcast. Expect a wide range of emojis for this free showcase of Portland's new-age beatific songcraft. WYATT SCHAFFNER

THE CAVE SINGERS, POLLENS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Borrowing from African trance and choral music, Pollens take six voices and stack, blend, layer, split, and roll them into sneaky arrangements. Those delicate layers are accompanied by sparse instrumentation that plucks inspiration from the Near East, while also dabbling in prog-rock, folk, and jazz. Somehow, none of it sounds piecemeal or out of place. They open for fellow Seattleites the Cave Singers, whose latest, Naomi, finds the rockers-turned-folkies moving a little further away from the front-porch stomp of previous records and into lusher, more dynamic sounds. The Cave Singers also welcomed Fleet Foxes bassist Morgan Henderson into the fold, who recorded Pollens' debut EP back in 2011. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

THE DICKIES, THE MEAN JEANS, THE DECLINERS, RUFF HAUSEN
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) The Dickies have been blasting brain-dead party punk since the very beginning. Popping off as LA's cross-eyed answer to the Ramones, the gleeful idiots put out stacks of records, every song a cheeky single, and in their wake inspired a generation of scruffy punks like Screeching Weasel, Green Day, and NOFX. Around the turn of the millennium, the Dickies mostly curtailed new releases, and shows are becoming more sporadic. Since forming in that fateful year of 1977 they've had 19 different members, four of whom have died, some while partying. Still, the remaining Dickies know there's one thing punks never do: stop partying. It's a lesson that local macaronis the Mean Jeans have taken straight to the dome. It's wild, really, the legacy of this lineup. The kids will be rocking this shit when granddad and his buds show up after slamming 50 beers, axes in hand, ready to shred. ANDREW R TONRY

SATURDAY 11/30

VILLAGE PEOPLE, ANCIENT HEAT
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

BLITZEN TRAPPER, THE WOOLEN MEN (EARLY SHOW);
BLITZEN TRAPPER, THE PARSON RED HEADS (LATE SHOW)
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Blitzen Trapper.

WAXAHATCHEE, SWEARIN' (EARLY SHOW)
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) NYC-based band Swearin' have evolved into a three-headed hydra on their newly released LP, Surfing Strange. Sure, Allison Crutchfield (twin sister of Katie Crutchfield, whose band Waxahatchee also plays tonight) continues to write some of the best heart-on-sleeve rock songs going, but that's only the tip of the iceberg here. Swearin' guitarist Kyle Gilbride and bassist Keith Spencer both take turns at the lead on Surfing Strange, and it's this songwriting depth that sets Swearin' apart from their peers. Gilbride, specifically, continues to display his Midas touch within the realm of '90s-sounding indie-rock. Earlier this year he lent a guitar solo to the excellent Radiator Hospital track "Your Boyfriend" that was straight up Mascis-esque, and his latest Swearin' contributions take it to another level. When the tight-knit ensemble combines forces, expect to witness some of the most honest and heartfelt music being played today. CHIPP TERWILLIGER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

SOFT METALS, NATHAN DETROIT, NATURAL MAGIC (LATE SHOW)
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) If you like classic, traditional synth pop, Portland's Soft Metals—vocalist/keyboardist Patricia Hall and synthesist/programmer/drum-machine operator Ian Hicks—should hit your sweet spot right in the bull's eye. Hall coos with dulcet placidity over midtempo beats and swirling, expansive synths that make you want to get in romantic entanglements in European cities whose names you mispronounce. Their latest album, the sleekly beautiful Lenses, whisks you away to a glamorous rendezvous or five. DAVE SEGAL

MENOMENA, BRAINSTORM, GALLONS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Stretching back to the days of I Am the Fun Blame Monster, Menomena—originally the trio of Justin Harris, Danny Seim, and Brent Knopf—quickly rose through the ranks to become one of Portland's most intriguing and well-regarded bands. They've steadily earned their keep maintaining that spot ever since. Following Knopf's departure, 2012's Moms was alternately playful and elegiac, continuing to offer inventive and original variations on indie-rock sounds—no easy feat. Now Harris and Seim are augmented by Matt Dabrowiak and Dave Depper, and this particular quartet plays their first Portland show ever (barring this summer's 8-Track Relay event that you almost certainly didn't go to). It may also be their last, at least for a while; Menomena currently has no other dates scheduled, and will either be taking time off or, hopefully, starting to tinker on new material. NED LANNAMANN

BUBBLIN': OM UNIT, TIGERFRESH, BEN TACTIC, LINCOLNUP, PHILIP GRASS
(The Rose, 111 SW Ash) Effortlessly blending jungle, drum and bass, dub, and hiphop to create a distinct sound, UK-based Om Unit (Jim Coles) has been beckoning electronic music enthusiasts to the vortex of where these genres meet for several years, garnering high praise along the way. Coles constructs a fascinating form of bass-heavy, science-fiction-infused sound, squeezing an astonishing amount of intricacy into the sonic space of his compositions while still allowing each one to breathe with a zen-like quality. His latest release, Threads, weaves vocal samples into breaks with a smoky intensity equally befitting a dance floor or headphone commute. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

NOBLE FIRS, HUSTLE AND DRONE, PONY VILLAGE
(Firkin Tavern, 1937 SE 11th) Saturday nights at Southeast dive Firkin Tavern have quietly become a go-to haunt for free tunes from bands of all stripes and sonic territories. This weekend's bill is no slouch itself, boasting a gratis triple threat that'd draw heads anywhere else in town. Noble Firs are releasing their debut LP, Rockoon, a brisk snapshot of elemental pop weirdness with lots of harmonies and layered guitar interplay. Hints of the sort of technically proficient terrain that Minus the Bear might tackle permeate songs like "Boy in a Man Suit," and show fairly daring abandon that eludes concise descriptors. Hustle and Drone's psych-electro sermons and Pony Village's tightly wound indie-pop round out an eclectic evening at the frickin' Firkin. RJP

MARISA ANDERSON, PLANKTON WAT, ECSTATIC COSMIC UNION
(Little Axe Records, 5012 NE 28th) The resurgence of John Fahey/American Primitive-style solo guitarists over the last few years has provided fans of the folk/blues idiom with a surfeit of new music to revel in. We are lucky to have two of the best instrumentalists of this ilk living in our fair city, and they both play tonight at Little Axe Records. Marisa Anderson has just returned from a tour in support of her brilliant 2013 LP Mercury, which finds her trading in both reverb-heavy strutting and chilling acoustic-guitar reserve. A similar mood runs through the work of Plankton Wat, the musical moniker of former Eternal Tapestry member Dewey Mahood. His most recent LP, Drifter's Temple, wends in his long interest in psychedelia and the occasional excursion into much noisier territory. RH

TONY FURTADO, RUTH MOODY BAND, DIRTY MARTINI
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) As far as Portland's bluegrass/folk scene is concerned, few can beat out Tony Furtado in career longevity and skills. Furtado won banjo competitions as a child, and it shows in his detailed finger-picking. He sings, plays guitar, and is considered a "multi-genre artist," but is clearly a bluegrass banjo aficionado. Since the start of his career in 1992, Furtado has toured extensively, released 15 albums, and played with Alison Krauss and other folk musicians you probably haven't heard of unless you watch Oregon Art Beat and wear fleece. Though this style of music could easily fit into a granola commercial, there's no denying his clear dedication and talent. ROSE FINN

IAMSU!, SAGE THE GEMINI, CHAMPAGNE JAMES, MIKEY VEGAZ, FLIBOE MOE
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) It's been a big year for both Iamsu! and Sage the Gemini. The two young Bay Area rappers are on the verge. Together they scored a hit with "Gas Pedal," a blunt-smoking, skeletal, slithering strip club anthem. Gemini netted another with the similarly bumping, minimal, more melodic but equally salacious "Red Nose." Iamsu!, meanwhile, released a mixtape of his own and a second in collaboration with Problem, another up-and-coming West Coast G on a hot streak. For both Iamsu! and Sage, major label debuts and more national success apparently loom in 2014—just so long as they can keep the pedal down. Should they need advice, inspiration, or a lesson on work ethic, they need not look far, as the godfather of hyphy, E-40, is just around the block. ART

SUNDAY 12/1

FRED AND TOODY, JENNY DON'T AND THE SPURS
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!

THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) After a few years co-piloting the Portland-based, banjo-powered roots-pop band the Ascetic Junkies, married couple Matt Harmon and Kali Giaritta pared down to a duo in 2012, started DIY touring like crazy, and changed their name to There Is No Mountain. Somewhere in there, they also found time to record the band's self-titled debut, a seamless amalgam of psychedelic folk, effervescent indie pop, global (particularly African) sounds, and harmonies bound 'til death do they part. With much of their 2013 spent on stages and surfing couches across the country, Harmon and Giaritta are sticking close to home for a bit—at least long enough to play a weeklong residency at Al's Den. BS

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, GHOST LOFT
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Despite the superfluous "u," the Neighbourhood aren't a cheeky British rock band, but rather a cute, cuddly, and nondescript group of American white guys. Their music is nondescript as well... unless, maybe, you're a 13-year-old kid from the suburbs. I crawled out of my hole long enough to check out the LA band's hit "Sweater Weather," before retreating and fighting the urge to stock up on guns and canned peaches. Perhaps there's more to their debut, I Love You, than that Maroon 5-meets-Linkin Bizkit-y single. But I doubt it. Even if you are a 13-year-old kid from the suburbs, you don't have to resort to this. MARK LORE

BLACK JOE LEWIS AND THE HONEYBEARS, RADKEY
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Black Joe Lewis' larynx must be hewn from the same material used to make an airplane's black box, because how else could he possibly howl like he does? I guess we won't know until he crashes, which is not likely to occur anytime soon. In fact, he only seems to be gaining speed with his and the Honeybears' latest album, Electric Slave. If 2011's Scandalous swayed to its own soul-induced funk, Electric Slave leans hard into full-out rock 'n' roll. Driving, fuzzed-out guitars, frantic low-ends, and a positively wailing saxophone lift Lewis' voice on their storm surge—and sometimes, when he reaches a song's crest and can see everything clearly, all he can yell is "Fuck this shit!" (as heard in "The Hipster"). A relatable sentiment, indeed. RAQUEL NASSER

MONDAY 12/2

YOUTHBITCH, PISS TEST
(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See Sunday's listing.

BRENDAN CANNING, HOLLY MIRANDA, GONDOLA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) A visit from Broken Social Scene doesn't look like it's coming anytime soon, so how about a set by one of the band's figureheads? Brendan Canning just released his second solo record, You Gots 2 Chill, and this time the Social Scener eschews much of his band's genre-jumping and grand orchestrations in favor of understated, laid-back bedroom-pop. The tracks are built on melodic, finger-picked guitar lines that would never exist in such an unadorned state with BSS, but Canning makes the most of the barebones songs, borrowing a fair bit from guitarist John Fahey, even acknowledging as much with album opener "Post Fahey." MWS

TUESDAY 12/3

KATHLEEN KEOGH BENEFIT
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See Sunday's listing.

DRAKE, MIGUEL, FUTURE
(Moda Center, 1 Center Ct) Read our article on Drake, Miguel, and Future.

PORTUGAL. THE MAN, SONS OF HUNS, HUSTLE AND DRONE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Portugal. The Man has been touring nonstop to support their album-a-year habit; after six, you'd think they'd seek respite in something familiar. Instead, the Portland-based, Alaskan-bred band harnessed all their ambitions and set out for new territory with their seventh record, Evil Friends. To aid in this journey, frontman John Gourley enlisted producer Bryan Burton—that's Mr. Danger Mouse to you—and with his help, they cultivated a impassioned, genre-bending beast that seems to morph between each track. Evil Friends also displays a maturing band's ability to rein in their completely contagious (but sometimes unwieldy) adrenaline-fueled rock. Whether ebbing from solemn acoustic plucking to bombastic baselines to charged, apathetic punk, the album is somehow streamlined in the senses and altogether registers as pure fun. Tonight's the third in Red Bull's series of three-dollar shows at the Doug Fir, although you'll need to RSVP at redbullsoundselect.com to get in the door. RN

ADVENTURE CLUB, DALLAS K, HUNTER SIEGEL
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) If you have a penchant for Québécois EDM duos with dubsteppy beats, you're going to wet your knickers over Adventure Club. After getting tired of playing pop punk in high school, Christian Srigley and Leighton James decided to pursue the world of EDM. The two now play major electronic music festivals all over the world. Their signature style generally includes female vocals, videogame-style sounds, and the classic dubstep drop beats. As with a lot of EDM, they don't really do albums, and that's just as well—Adventure Club is probably best experienced live, while dancing trippy-dippy style, with some sort of intoxicant involved. RF

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, TERROR, TRASH TALK, INSPECTOR CLUZO
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Mike Muir is the lone pissed-off remnant of Suicidal Tendencies. Waaaaay back in 1981 they were a hardcore punk band, and Muir's sharp-tongued, introspective lyrics were funny, sardonic, and, of course, angry. After the release of their classic 1983 self-titled debut, the lineup shifted and Suicidal Tendencies began incorporating elements of thrash and speed metal. But unlike most of the furrowed-brow set, Muir & Co. kept their sense of humor, albeit a dark one. Three decades later and Muir and his crew are still at it, still pissed, still releasing records. It may sound dated to some, but everything is cyclical, as they say. And the very fact that these street punks have hardly budged over the course of three decades speaks volumes—at high volume. ML

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WEDNESDAY 12/4

LORDE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

FANNO CREEK, SAMA DAMS, HANDS IN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Fanno Creek.

ARCTIC MONKEYS, BATTLEME
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Although Josh Homme helped produce the third Arctic Monkeys LP, Humbug, the UK band didn't really let the desert sprawl and smoked-out ideals of Queens of the Stone Age sink in until they recorded album number five, AM (on which Homme is also a contributor). The 2013 release, apparently inspired by a breakup that singer/guitarist Alex Turner went through, is a slow-boiling tar pit of psychedelics, bulbous riffs, and some of the sexiest rhythms the quartet has ever attempted. Moving away from the rapid-fire tempos and lyrics of the past was a welcome evolution for the Monkeys, and helped generate one of the year's best rock albums. Fear not, though, old-school fans: All live footage I've seen of the band's current tour proves that they can still kick up a hell of a storm onstage. ROBERT HAM

CHURCH OF MISERY, SAVIOURS, WIZARD RIFLE
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Oakland's Saviours have made a lot of hay out of their melodic, serpentine riffs, taking Black Sabbath's heft and marrying it with Thin Lizzy's guitarmonies and the new wave of British heavy metal's gallop. Saviours aren't reinventing the wheel, but they are saviors of classic metal shredding and ol' fashioned headbanging. They're opening for Japanese doom metal legends Church of Misery, who've spent the past two-and-a-half decades carving monuments from giant slabs of riff in the name of miserable things like serial killers and mass murders; the Church is making a rare trip to this side of the Pacific to make up for a cancelled date in October. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

THURSDAY 12/5

CATE LE BON, KEVIN MORBY
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Welsh singer/songwriter Cate Le Bon sounds like a sensitive aristocrat on the mic, her voice a distinctive combination of Nico's stolid delivery and umlaut-y vowels and Joni Mitchell's mellifluousness. Le Bon's 2012 album, Cyrk, is a banquet of high-IQ rock full of elegant, baroque melodies built to last and sporadic, shockingly great rave-ups. Her new full-length, Mug Museum, sounds slicker than past releases, but Le Bon's songs retain certain structural peculiarities and melodic quirks—revealing affinities with Pavement and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci—that keep blandness well at bay. Pay close attention to her. DAVE SEGAL

PURE BATHING CULTURE, THEM HILLS, NICK REINHART
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The twinkling, astral pop of Pure Bathing Culture got me through one winter, and as the warm weather again recedes far into the rearview, it seems certain the Portland band is capable of getting me through another. Centered around keyboardist/vocalist Sarah Versprille and guitarist Dan Hindman, and augmented by bassist Zach Tillman and drummer Brian Wright, PBC only released their first full-length in August—the glimmering, dimension-spanning Moon Tides—but these songs already seem like old favorites, as they've been highlights at the countless number of hometown live shows the group has played since their Portland debut in January 2012. No matter what the temperature is outside tonight, Pure Bathing Culture's humid, human, cleansing pop is guaranteed to fog up Holocene's windows. NED LANNAMANN

VADEN TODD LEWIS, SEAN CROGHAN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) I never understood the blank comparisons between the Toadies and the rest of the grunge pack. There was always something a little darker and creepier about their lyrics. They had a certain twang that came from being a product of Texas. And frontman Vaden Todd Lewis sounded like his vocal cords were being run through a meat grinder. To some, the Toadies will always be the "Possum Kingdom" band ("Do you wanna diiiiieeee..."); their cult followers know that subsequent releases like Feeler and Hell Below/Stars Above are as good, if not better than their 1994 debut Rubberneck. And the Toadies are still putting out music. But for the time being Lewis is playing some solo gigs, digging up Toadies material as well as songs from Burden Brothers, his project with members of Reverend Horton Heat. MARK LORE

SIR MIX-A-LOT, BAD HABITAT, AMERIKAN OVERDOSE, CARMINE
(Analog Café, 720 SE Hawthorne) Whether or not they'd admit it, my parents know the song "Baby Got Back." Shit, yours do, too. Along with just about every other person you've ever met: Sir Mix-a-Lot's magnum opus is one of the most ubiquitous, lasting hits of the last 20 years. Which leads one to believe that the royalties have kept rolling in—I mean, at least enough to eat and keep the house. So, assuming Mix-a-Lot still has some dough, it would seem that he's playing a place like the Analog Café for 15 bucks because he WANTS to, right? Surely the Prince of Posteriors will be bumping "Baby Got Back." But what the hell else is on the menu? Myriad lesser hits? Deep cuts from Return of the Bumpasaurus? Or maybe even something new? Certainly, questions abound. But in a relatively intimate venue, for a reasonable price, those answers seem worth seeking. ANDREW R TONRY

BLUE CRANES, DYLAN RYAN SAND, THE KANDINSKY EFFECT
(The Goodfoot, 2845 SE Stark) Since 1984, Cuneiform Records has been one of the preeminent imprints for forward-thinking jazz, prog, and folk acts. Tonight, the label gets a small celebration here in Portland with three of its current acts featured on one bill—the first time that's happened on the West Coast. You likely already know local heroes Blue Cranes, whose 2013 release Swim is a masterwork of tight grooves and the ropy sax work of Reed Wallsmith and Joe Cunningham. So, it's a good chance to acquaint yourself with the Paris/New York electronic/jazz hybrid trio the Kandinsky Effect, and Dylan Ryan Sand, the trio led by drummer Dylan Ryan that swings like vintage bop but puts a higher premium on Tim Young's fiery guitar work and the blast of freeform musical chaos. RH

FRIDAY 12/6

SHUT UP AND DANCE: DJ GREGARIOUS
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

KINK'S JINGLE BELL JAM: THE HEAD AND THE HEART, WILD FEATHERS, FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Two things work against Seattle folk-pop band the Head and the Heart in the eyes of indie-rock's cred police: (1) The band's rise from open-mic jam thing to headliner of big rooms happened quickly, with very little paying of dues in small, smelly clubs. (2) The group's sound—all-in harmonies and friendly handclaps set to the easily digestible strum of acoustic guitars—has about as much edge as a cue ball. But on its self-titled debut album, self-released in 2010 and reissued by Sub Pop in 2011, the Head and the Heart delivered a set of tunes so undeniably catchy that listeners with an ear for well-crafted pop music could only give credit where it was due. Now, the band is back with its second effort, Let's Be Still, which features more melancholic grappling with big questions and life lessons. These new songs don't seem to have quite as much immediate appeal as the band's previous work, but perhaps that's a good thing. BEN SALMON

PIERCED ARROWS, AUDIOS AMIGOS, DIVERS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) It's a good time to be a Fred and Toody Cole fan living in Portland. Come fall and winter, this always seems to be the case, but this year seems especially noteworthy. And between stripped-down unplugged sets, Pierced Arrow's annual Halloween show, and a Dead Moon reunion show set for January, it would be a shame to overlook tonight's show. We're lucky enough to be able to witness the trio's legendary garage-rock all over town, but in a setting like Mississippi Studios you can really come to appreciate the fine-tuned songwriting and unparalleled chemistry that lurks behind the force. Be sure to arrive early: While opening act Divers might be best known for rowdy house and dive bar shows, they are more than capable of bringing down the house on their own. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

LEE RANALDO AND THE DUST, EYELIDS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Lee Ranaldo was always something like Sonic Youth's George Harrison: consigned to one or two songs an album, holding it down with subdued flair on guitar, going underappreciated. As leader of his own band in recent years, Ranaldo's flaws become more apparent. His voice's dullness doesn't stand up to scrutiny over an entire album, and his songwriting lacks the fiery dynamics and tonal adventurousness of the best Sonic Youth material. Sadly, I don't think Lee has an All Things Must Pass in him. His last two albums as a leader—Between the Times and the Tides and Last Night on Earth—chug and jangle with the underwhelming pleasantness of late-era R.E.M. Nothing quite unsettles or seethes like earlier Ranaldo songs such as "In the Kingdom #19,""Eric's Trip," or "Pipeline/Kill Time." Mellowing with age isn't a crime, but it does often lead to shrug-worthy releases. DS

SATURDAY 12/7

BASIA BULAT, ALAMEDA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Making sentimental music must be pretty easy—there's an awful lot of it out there, and most of it is like listening to an uncomfortably needy stranger breathe hotly down your neck while yelling melismas in your ear. Which makes Basia Bulat's careful, hopeful music all the more miraculous. Her plain but gorgeous voice and no-nonsense melodies—often strummed on autoharp and charango—act like a balm spread over cracked lips, a roasty fire to warm chilly fingers and toes. The Canadian songwriter's latest, Tall Tall Shadow, continues her string of absolutely lovely recordings; it's perhaps her fanciest effort to date, with larger arrangements and production by Arcade Fire conspirators Tim Kingsbury and Mark Lawson. But Bulat's bittersweetly humane outlook shines through even the busiest tracks on the winning Tall Tall Shadow, and it's even more vibrant when you seen her in person, which is a highly recommended experience. NL

OREGON SYMPHONY, ELINA VÄHÄLÄ
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) For all you ignorant fucktards who wrongly assume orchestras just play old music: Tonight our Oregon Symphony busts out a violin concerto written in 2006 by Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg. With its drastically stripped-down orchestration focused on high-strung pensiveness, Lindberg's 27-minute work is nothing less than a sonic wonder for the ears and an ethereal playground for the soul. Plus, I'm pleased as proverbial punch to report the evening's guest fiddler is none other than Elina Vähälä—sliding, scratching, and plucking her way to stratospheric heights on a 335-year-old Stradivarius. If Vähälä's last few appearances at the Schnitz are any indication, this Nordic gypsy's powerful technique and astounding grace will certainly produce spellbinding results. But hang on to your goddamn Poler hats—there's more! P-town's biggest band opens up this show with the sly, dry wit of Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges' surreal orchestral suite and closes it down with Tchaikovsky's flamingly over-the-top Symphony No. 4. What's that? Tonight you'll be texting while listening to some pasty lad in pearl-snap buttons whine through masturbatory lyrics? Lucky for you, the program repeats Sunday and Monday, so you've got exactly zero excuses for missing out on the orchestra's last classical concert of 2013. ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

DRUNKEN PRAYER, ROOT JACK, DENIM WEDDING
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) For the third Drunken Prayer album, mastermind Morgan Geer stripped things down. Fittingly, the result is titled House of Morgan, and it finds Geer performing most of the parts himself, recording in his bedroom with a Tascam cassette recorder, a Radio Shack mic, and a copy of GarageBand. The album is a personal collection of wildly dissimilar tracks (some of which are re-recorded songs from previous releases), from gutbucket blues-rock to warped back-porch folk, with a choral piece ("Lay Down") and a kitchen-sink bedroom pop song ("I Saw It with My Own Two Eyes Again") thrown in for good measure. Taken as a whole, House of Morgan begins to make a kind of sense on its own White Album-esque terms, and tonight Drunken Prayer performs a record release show for the album, released by local label Fluff and Gravy. NL

THE LONG WINTERS, SEAN NELSON
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) 2003 was a banner year for indie rock: the New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene, and the Shins were at the height of their powers. Ben Gibbard released two classic albums with Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service. The Decemberists and Sufjan Stevens were literately introducing themselves to the world. Jose Gonzalez, Damien Jurado, and Sun Kil Moon put out quiet masterpieces. Holding their own in this crowd were the Long Winters, a little-known Seattle band led by razor-sharp frontman John Roderick, whose baroque pop-rock blossomed on When I Pretend to Fall, a near-perfect album of tight harmonies, technicolor hooks, and clever turns of phrase. Pretend established Roderick as one of our smartest songwriters, a reputation he cemented on 2006's excellent Putting the Days to Bed. And then? We're still waiting. In the meantime, the Long Winters stop in town to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pretend by playing the whole thing. BS

FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS, THE FEATURES
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Fitz and the Tantrums is probably the only band to have opened for Maroon 5 that doesn't typically play for girls in their early stages of puberty. Based out of Los Angeles, the Tantrums are five dudes and a soul singer making radio friendly indie pop with a Motown/soul twist. In much the same vein as Mayer Hawthorne, the Tantrums include pop riffs and crooning, post-modern Elvis-style vocals. Their most recent album, More Than Just a Dream, contains the hit "Out of My League," a simplistic yet catchy love song that's best played while riding a bike in a skirt at summer's dusk. ROSE FINN

THE LOVESORES, NO TOMORROW BOYS, THE SUICIDE NOTES, THE PYNNACLES, DJ HWY 7
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) For a look at the current state of Portland's garage-rock scene, you can do no better than to slap on a copy of Stumptown Rock City, the new 10-inch compilation record from Spanish label Ghost Highway Recordings. On it, four Portland bands—the Lovesores, No Tomorrow Boys, the Suicide Notes, and the Pynnacles—each offer up a new tune, then cover a classic Portland band (the Wipers, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Dead Moon, and the Miracle Workers, respectively). It's a rowdy, slam-bang party of a record, rife with distorted guitars, breakneck drums, and vocals with no shortage of attitude. Tonight, all four bands celebrate the record's release—of which a limited number will be available—and it's gonna be a fun enough show to severely curtail any Sunday morning activities. If this is the state of the union of Portland rock 'n' roll, then the state of the union is strong. NL

SUNDAY 12/8

URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN, Y LA BAMBA
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

GENDERS, THE WE SHARED MILK, THE GHOST EASE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Genders.

THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN, TELEKINESIS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on the Dismemberment Plan.

OREGON SYMPHONY, ELINA VÄHÄLÄ
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

THE MEAN JEANS, AUDACITY, ROYAL NOBLE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Audacity, a four-piece from Fullerton, California, are exactly what you want from a garage-punk band: They're loud, they sing and play with no small amount of attitude, and they tear through songs with speed and authority (on their latest album, Butter Knife, they knock out 13 songs in a half-hour). The group may even exhibit some signs of maturity—tracks like "Autumn" and "Company Time" are power-pop gems that would make Alex Chilton green with envy—but the blunted expressions on their faces in recent publicity pictures reveal these gents to be as puckish and youthful as their music. RH

TENDER AGE, THE DANDELYONS, AMERICAN CREAM
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) If you're looking for a warm and cozy escape from the cold, Valentine's has got you covered. Portland quartet Tender Age released a self-titled EP a month back that offers a great sampling of their haunting blend of shoegaze. With three tracks clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, there's plenty of room to be lured into the band's hazy, dream-like world, and with an opening track as hypnotic as "Anything," it should only take a few moments. Light and airy vocals twist around a blissed-out guitar riff, while layers of heavy reverb and steady percussion keep it all from drifting too far off. The Dandelyons take a more traditional rock approach.  On "Sunny," the opening track of their debut album, Flowers 'n' Dirt, they ride a moment of carefree pop that could bring visions of summer into even the most darkened barroom. CT

JENNIE WAYNE, EZZA ROSE
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Jennie Wayne is one half of local folk duo John Heart Jackie, and she now has a solo joint of her very own. The Great Remembering is a delicate but sturdily constructed birdcage of lovely, sun-dappled folk songs, with backing from members of Blind Pilot and recorded by Musée Mécanique's Sean Ogilvie. As strings and horns provide a backdrop, Wayne's clear, captivating voice pilots these songs square toward one's heart—and they invariably make their destination, as Wayne's songwriting is clear, simple, and truthful, from the wistful recollection on the title track to the firm declaration of love on "Come on Home." Wayne celebrates the release of the 10-song The Great Remembering tonight. NL

MONDAY 12/9

OREGON SYMPHONY, ELINA VÄHÄLÄ
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

HIGH ON FIRE, KVELERTAK, WINDHAND
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Last year, High on Fire released De Vermis Mysteriis, a concept album about Jesus' twin brother who died at birth and then time traveled—or something along those lines. Later that year, frontman Matt Pike checked into rehab. But instead of letting that rob the band's momentum, Pike & Co. came out the other side and unleashed a pummeling double live album of their trademark, Motörhead-ish sludge metal. Now they're punctuating 2013 with a mega-bill tour featuring Norway's Kvelertak—think Scandinavian black metal meets tough-guy hardcore meets classic rock meets Jock Jams—and Virginia's up-and-coming doom-metal titans Windhand. MWS

RHETT MILLER, BIG HAUNT
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Rhett Miller is always working—either fronting high-octane garage-twangers the Old 97's, or cranking out solo material. And if he's not in the studio, he's on the road. Miller just wrapped up recording a new 97's record, and he's kicking off a string of solo gigs that'll take him into the New Year. One thing I've discovered is that Miller's material works on lit-up rock stages or more intimate settings. Great songs will do that. Then again, just because this is an acoustic performance doesn't mean Miller will be going all coffee shop on us. Expect plenty of sweat, stomping, and rapid-fire strumming. And when that's all done, expect a new Old 97's record. ML

TUESDAY 12/10

PHOENIX, DRESSES
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

SNAPSHOT: KELLI SCHAEFER, NOVOSTI, TRE BURT & A BIG GUST OF WIND
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

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WEDNESDAY 12/11

SEED: WORDS + MUSIC
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

TALIB KWELI, BIG K.R.I.T., TOPE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Would-be emcees may be scattered all over podunk towns in the South, but like Southern soul food, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T.'s drawl-soaked verses and high-calorie hooks keep us coming back for more. He dropped his King Remembered in Time mixtape earlier this year, with the King spitting over syrupy tracks and proving he hasn't lost any edge since Live from the Underground exploded last year. He's opening for Talib Kweli, whose trip to Portland comes just before he releases his second solo album of 2013. You'll be able to download the politically charged rapper's Gravitas directly from his website starting Sunday, December 15. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

THURSDAY 12/12

THE TONY STARLIGHT CHRISTMAS SHOW
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

PERE UBU, TOYBOAT TOYBOAT TOYBOAT
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Pere Ubu.

THE WOOLEN MEN, LANDLINES, THE SAN ONOFRE LIZARDS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Portland basement-pop trio Landlines play a release show for their outstanding Loserly cassette EP tonight. The tape offers a healthy dose of lo-fi rock fresh off the Tascam four-track. These songs are destined to get stuck on repeat, whether it be on the stereo or running through the back of your head. Opening track "New Kids (The Conversation)" kicks things off with cutting jangle-pop that's every bit as cool as it is catchy, while "Hangovers in Airport Bars" slows things down to allow a bit of breathing room for some razor-sharp wordplay before bursting into an all-out shambolic explosion. The San Onofre Lizards—a new band featuring members of Olympia's Family Stoned—get things started, and the Woolen Men are sure to keep those fuzz-pop gems rolling late into the night. CHIPP TERWILLIGER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

PORTUGAL. THE MAN, WAMPIRE
(East End, 1332 W Burnside) Portugal. The Man's origins are the musical equivalent of embarrassing high-school yearbook photos. The group's creative nucleus—Zach Carothers and John Gourley—once played in Anatomy of a Ghost, one of the silliest emo bands to have ever existed. P.TM's contentious debut, Waiter: "You Vultures!" is similarly representational of early-'00s post-hardcore and barely resembles anything that came after. The theatrical, more-is-more leanings that informed the group's early output survive in the form of sometimes asphyxiating melodic stuffiness—there is never a dull moment on the group's latest, the Danger Mouse-produced Evil Friends. That's not always a great thing; seldom do the record's best hooks receive adequate breathing room. But this is still a more-than-adequate band, and cuts like the title track and featherweight rocker "Creep in a T-Shirt" may single-handedly absolve the record of its occasional incoherence. The group plays an all-ages afternoon show to benefit the Oregon Music Hall of Fame's Music in Schools program, in addition to the sold-out evening performance. MORGAN TROPER

FEDERATION X, NORSKA, DRUNK DAD
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) No one exemplifies Pacific Northwest sludge like Bellingham's Federation X. For the past 15 years, the trio have held high the tradition of bands like the Melvins and Karp, bashing out memorable, heavy riffs as if they grew on trees. Federation X quietly released their latest noisemaker, We Do What We Must, in August, and it's arguably their best. The standout cuts are not those whose riffs threaten to raze city blocks, but the ones that breathe a little, like the amazing and moody "So Tired" and "Anna Mist."We Do What We Must has been slept on, but as temperatures dip into the teens it might be time for this beast to awaken. MARK LORE

FRIDAY 12/13

YOUR HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTY
(525 NW 10th) See My, What a Busy Week!

MIDLAKE, SARAH JAFFE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE CENTURY, GLACIER PALACE
(Mississippi Pizza Pub, 3552 N Mississippi) The members of the Century are their own Portland musical entourage. Previously known as My Autumn's Done Come—and sharing a majority of its members with local pop unit Thanks—it's clear the Century has the unstoppable ability to play giant-sized rock 'n' roll. Straightforward Elvis Costello-influenced vocals by Andrew Hanna meld with quick guitar licks, solid keys, and kicking bass and drums. There's a comfort in seeing them play; it feels like going back in time to your first basement rock show (if that band actually knew what they were doing). Their sound is the core reason we grow up to love rock 'n' roll—loud and in your face, while taking moments to be emotional, sweet, and sexy. RACHEL MILBAUER

SATURDAY 12/14

DECEMBER TO FORGET: OLD LIGHT, HUSTLE AND DRONE, THE WE SHARED MILK
(Manifestation PDX, 2020 SE Bush) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE GREATEST TOY DRIVE EVER: MISTAH FAB, GRAYSKUL, COOL NUTZ, SERGE SEVERE, & MORE
Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) See My, What a Busy Week!

ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF, NOVELLER
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) As a death-fearing sissy, I was initially troubled by Swedish pianist Anna von Hausswolff's latest release, Ceremony. Just scanning through the track list was enough to send me cowering in the recesses of my apartment, and I sheepishly skipped past "Deathbed" and "Funeral for My Future Children" on that first listen. However, once I inevitably became enveloped in the soft calm of the organ's drone, and the startling beauty in the physicality of von Hausswolff's voice, that ever-present fear turned to fascination, then to reverence. And though some of her songs can certainly skulk—like "No Body," which could effectively score a highly realistic psycho thriller—vitality is restored in the life-affirming major scales of "Mountains Crave," and the unbearably breathtaking "Liturgy of Light."Ceremony is a truly lovely balance of light and dark, control and abandon, and other familiar dichotomies that will outlive us all. RAQUEL NASSER

PULSE EMITTER, ILYAS AHMED, DOLPHINITY
(Little Axe Records, 5012 NE 28th) The four tracks on Crater Lake, the latest collection of modular and keyboard synth instrumentals from Daryl Groestch (AKA Pulse Emitter), are named after satellite moons of other planets in our solar system. That may seem a little on the nose, but it's a fitting way to connect the expansive compositions—rich with rippling, droning melodies and light arpeggiated rhythms—with the inky blackness of the world outside our atmosphere and the beauty of the celestial bodies floating in it. The 39-minute LP (released on Immune Recordings) could in fact be a fine alternate soundtrack to Gravity, with tracks like "Io" mirroring the tension and fear portrayed on screen, and opener "Europa" showcasing the stark beauty of outer space. ROBERT HAM

BUTT 2 BUTT, HEARTS AND TIGERS, WORMBAG
(Langano Lounge, 1435 SE Hawthorne) If you've waited this long before getting to know Butt 2 Butt, it may be too late. Almost. The Portland duo of drummer Sarah Jayne Reynolds and guitarist Zach Dunlap boast not only a really, really terrible band name, they've also got two modest but terrific records out this year, both of which you need to track down on Bandcamp: (the equally awfully named) My Bed, My Bitch and (the significantly improved) Under New Management. Don't let any of those names fool you: This is smart, gnashing, fun, rocking pop, played point-blank and stripped of all unnecessary ornament. "Lights Out" kicks off Under New Management with a simple, snotty line you'll want to teach yourself on guitar (it won't take you long to learn), and My Bed's "Way Out" boasts Cheap Trick riffage and the immortal chorus, "Your parents fucked/Just make the best of it." It's the last Butt 2 Butt show before Dunlap and Reynolds head to South America for six months (or longer) to travel—hopefully spreading some Butt 2 Butt cheer around the continent in the process. They've finished 15 new songs, though, so perhaps we'll get another Butt 2 Butt record or two before they say farewell. NED LANNAMANN

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, BURIALS, DIMESLAND, USNEA
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) There's a good number of bands putting the Northwest on the radar when it comes to black metal. While all of them are producing quality, genre-complementing music, the real blip to watch is Portland's Burials. The band's seamless newest record, The Tide, possesses elements you'd expect from most black-metal recordings: blast beats, tremolo picking, raspy, snarling vocals, and so on. However, there is one thing missing, and it doesn't affect them negatively in the slightest. Burials have taken the scary, bone-chilling riffs of typical black metal and replaced them with a much more awe-inspiring tone. Think of standing on a vast shoreline looking out into the endless ocean, or gazing up at a towering mountain, instead of creepy graveyards and cobwebbed haunted houses. That's not to say Burials' music lacks intensity, because it definitely doesn't, but they are playing with much more then just the black-metal deck. ARIS WALES

ANA SIA
(The Rose, 111 SW Ash) San Francisco-based Ana Sia, celebrated selector and up and coming producer, is on the edge of a release on Hot N Heavy Recordings, and she touches down in PDX for more damage, sporting her signature heady, bass-driven tunes. Her DJ sets are eclectic, spanning from house and techno to Miami bass and back—offering a rich tapestry of sound for those inclined to groove. Pumping out fresh beats with more than a tinge of West Coast attitude, this gangster has been dropping some seriously funky cuts that continue to shake up the too often two-tone world of EDM. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

SUNDAY 12/15

THE DANDY WARHOLS, MODERN KIN, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
(East End, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

KING KRULE, TOPS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on King Krule.

CHURCH OF HIVE: APPENDIXES, SHADOWHOUSE, DJ STRAYLIGHT, DJ WAISTED
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Church of Hive, the ongoing goth and industrial DJ event that runs Sunday nights at Star Theater, hosts two great local bands that are sure to provide a great addition to the weekly showcase. Shadowhouse celebrates the release of a brand new 7-inch whose lovely B-side, "Lonely Psalm," is a sweeping slab of post-punk that finds a way to sulk low and soar high at the same time. It's the perfect document to back up the band's self-ascribed motto of "play loud, dance slow." Stick around for Appendixes, who recently released a 7-inch of their own, Neon Green Fear. The title track is a bona fide dream-pop stunner that reveals itself to the listener like the slow twist of a kaleidoscope. It's a mouth-watering teaser that hints at something great on the horizon, and here's a free opportunity to get on board. CT

JESSIE EVANS WITH OTTO NERVOUS, VICE DEVICE, OHLIGANS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) On her Facebook profile, musician Jessie Evans lists her genre as "space vamp." Trust Facebook genre fields at your own risk, but in this case, that's spot-on. The US-born, Berlin-based Evans seems like she dropped onto Earth from another planet, all angles and eyeliners and gorgeously garish glitterbomb outfits that look like a cross between a futuristic flapper dress and the most fabulous marching band uniform ever. Then there's Evans' music, an idiosyncratic mix of slinky electro-pop, with vibrant horns and global sounds befitting its maker's worldly aesthetic. The result—heard all over her new album, Glittermine—is something like M.I.A., Beats Antique, and Goat, jamming in a sweaty apartment above a European disco as the pulse of cosmopolitan cool pumps out the window and floats off into the crackling night air. BEN SALMON

MONDAY 12/16

HOLOGRAMS, TV GHOST, ARCTIC FLOWERS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

ROBBIE FULKS, CAHALEN DAVID MORRISON
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Robbie Fulks.

BENEFIT FOR TOM BEVITORI: BLITZEN TRAPPER, DOLOREAN, PORTLAND COUNTRY UNDERGROUND, JAKE RAY
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Any Dolorean show is a big deal, and this deal is even bigger: The great local band—which doesn't play in public nearly often enough for my liking—is joining several other great local bands for a very worthy benefit: Tom Bevitori, one of three singer/songwriters that front local country outfit Denver, is in need of financial aid for his recent medical expenses, including a hospital stay that resulted from Crohn's disease-related infections. Dolorean joins heavy-hitters Blitzen Trapper, nimble-pickin' all-stars Portland Country Underground, and twangy songwriter Jake Ray on a bill to raise funds for Bevitori. Denver themselves aren't on the bill, but they headline a show at the Doug Fir on Friday, December 13. Possibly by tonight they'll be itching to play again. With Blitzen Trapper headlining a small room, expect a sellout—this is a top-notch lineup for a terrific cause. NL

THIRD EYE BLIND, TEAM
(East End, 1332 W Burnside) For all the things that leap to mind when you think of Third Eye Blind, let's consider them the lesser of two evils—next to Matchbox 20. Which they are. It's true that no matter how much credibility either band attempts to carve out for themselves, they're always going to be nostalgia acts. That's not to say 3EB hasn't written some catchy songs. "Never Let You Go" and the over-over-played "Semi-Charmed Life" are earworms in the best and worst sense of the word. The fact they're still at it says something (though I'm not sure what), but it does beg the question: Who on earth goes to a Third Eye Blind show in 2013? I'm afraid to find out. ML

TUESDAY 12/17

THE RANGE, RAP CLASS, QUARRY, TABOR DARK
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The Range manages to extract cerebral meaning from the core conceit of IDM, where blissful soundscapes immerse the listener in a throwback pastiche of electronic production. Twenty-five-year-old James Hinton reinvents the obtuse soundcraft of the genre's pioneers, digitally simulating the iconographic hardware tones of yesteryear while turning them intangible with concrete dancehall samples and streetwise beats. His debut, Nonfiction, juxtaposes the stark sentiment of these found sounds with airily danceable, lite-house progressions that build up to entropic bliss. Whatever post-dubstep signifies, music like this is liberated from the staid, gloomy archetype of UK drum-and-bass while appropriating the feel of club music for a hyperreal genre amalgamation. With PDX's own chameleon of hiphop-house, Rap Class, on the bill, tonight promises to be a premonition of style for the paleo-future of electronic music production. WYATT SCHAFFNER

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WEDNESDAY 12/18

SUN ANGLE, XDS, SUMMER CANNIBALS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

OLD AGE, US LIGHTS, MOTHERTAPES
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Old Age hail from Corvallis, but they're becoming some of Portland's favorite rockers. Matthew Ulm's uniquely gritty vocals make you feel their explosive emotion straight to the bone. Their recent EP, Rain Won't Ever Come, is packed with songs that spiral into one another, flowing with energy honest enough to feel like home—their melodic and uproarious songs just beg to be your next anthem. If you haven't taken the opportunity to give these guys a listen, I suggest making your way out tonight as they round out this rad lineup. RACHEL MILBAUER

MOONGRIFFIN/BERNSTEIN DUO, LEE ELDERTON
(Revival Drum Shop, 1465 NE Prescott) The latest edition of Creative Music Guild's ongoing Outset Series features Moongriffin and Bernstein, the amazing duo of erstwhile jazz players Elliott Ross and Noah Bernstein. Together they work in a much more electronic milieu, with Ross (performing under the name Moongriffin) manipulating programmed beats via laptop while Bernstein sends his alto sax through a series of effects pedals, rendering the sound as different from the source instrument as possible. Joining them on the bill is Lee Elderton, a self-proclaimed "degenerate saxist" who usually spends his evenings backing up folks like Dan Duval and former Zappa sideman Mike Keneally, but tonight will be performing an all-improvised solo set. ROBERT HAM

DJ TAN'T, LONG HALLWAYS, QUIET COUNTRIES
(East End, 203 SE Grand) For his new record, Paul Lynch—also known as DJ Tan't—plundered Led Zeppelin's drum tracks from the 1978 sessions for their In through the Out Door album, recorded at ABBA's (at the time) brand-new, state-of-the-art Polar Studios in Stockholm. John Bonham's undeniable beats form the backbone of DJ Tan't's The Bonham Diaries, an eight-song concept album with Lynch overlaying synthesizers on top of the drum tracks via Ableton. It's true that Bonham's drumming casts an immense shadow—"Fool in the Rain" might be one of the few songs in recorded history that anyone on the street can recognize by its drum track alone—but Lynch has created something interesting and heavy, much more than a curio for Zeppelin fanatics. Tonight Lynch plays with drummer Will Hattman, who takes over the drum throne from the late Bonham to provide in-the-flesh backbeats for The Bonham Diaries' live rendition. NED LANNAMANN

THURSDAY 12/19

EAR CANDY: SWAHILI, WISHYUNU
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

X, THE BLASTERS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) The members of X don't take breaks for the holidaze—they tour. "A Family X-Mas" is not a Christmas-themed string of shows as some might fear (so don't get your wrapping in a bunch). The legendary Los Angeles punk band is just doing their thing. It's hot on the heels of their tour with Blondie, and also follows the recent reissue of the band's first six studio records, including one of my favorites, More Fun in the New World. X's importance to punk rock is immeasurable, as is the importance of escaping the holiday rush and finding the true meaning of X-mas. MARK LORE

TIGER HOUSE, TALKATIVE, BUBBLE CATS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) The three local bands that combine forces tonight create a pop-influenced lineup that's as diverse and playful as it comes. The common thread that connects these bands is the ability to craft joyful and uptempo music that's not afraid to take a few twists and turns along the way. Bubble Cats mash classic rock and punk into spurts of high-octane exuberance. The trilogy of EPs they released earlier this year are chock-full of garage-pop tunes as delightful as their name suggests. The sometimes rocking, often experimental freak-folk sounds of Talkative are the wild card here, but that's not surprising given how far-out last year's appropriately named cassette Frantically sounded. Tiger House make bright dance-pop love songs that are whimsical and endearing. They've even got a cover of "Last Christmas" by Wham! up their sleeve, should the need for a little extra holiday spirit present itself. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

CLUB CHEMTRAIL: KINGDOM, MASSACOORAMAAN, SPF666, COMMUNE
(The Rose, 111 SW Ash) Club Chemtrail has consistently provided a progressive dance haven, putting Portland on the map by inviting niche producers the world over to de-homogenize the swag-hat centrism of downtown nightlife. Chemtrail's founders curate with praxis by informing their audience of the potential sociopolitical forces inherent in movement and music, highlighting how electronic music functions in varying subcultures. For Chemtrail's one-year anniversary, LA-based label Fade to Mind founder Kingdom comes to the Rose with a signature sound that harkens back to the ambience of new age fused with industrial SFX, subsonic bass, and macro-world rhythms that are BPM'ed to the max. Expect a celebration of style and future-forward club vibes for the masses on tonight's epic DJ bill. WYATT SCHAFFNER

FRIDAY 12/20

PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT'S HOLIDAY SWEATER SPECTACULAR
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

SALLIE FORD AND THE SOUND OUTSIDE, THE KIDS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

ICONA POP, K. FLAY, SIRAH
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) When Icona Pop's hit song "I Love It" first surfaced in mid-2012, its blend of big beats and flippant, post-breakup carnage was so irresistible you could close your eyes and practically see packs of twentysomethings shouting along—"I don't care! I love it!"—with blurry city lights in the background. So you can understand why the Swedish electro-pop duo's team put the Charli XCX-penned tune on one EP and two albums within a span of 13 months; when you've got a song as fun as "I Love It," you should milk it for all it's worth. But now, after a year of hearing it blasted over and over on Top 40 radio, "I Love It" has worn out its welcome. Its relentless pulse and brash point of view have finally become exhausting. That it took this long is a testament to its appeal. BEN SALMON

MICHAEL HURLEY AND THE CROAKERS
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) Michael Hurley, once of the Holy Modal Rounders and New York's original Greenwich Village pre-punk folk scene, knows what works. Whether it's avoiding press, collaborating with revivalist artists and labels like Cass McCombs and Mississippi Records, or playing only the most down-home, community-friendly venues like Pickathon and the LaurelThirst, Hurley's comfort zone is well defined. And after 71 years, it ought to be. He's got it down. Plus, there's something about Hurley's sweet, warm, plucky, austere, reminiscing tunes that makes extra sense during the holidays. His welcome—of warts and all—is the kind we can only hope for from our own friends and family. Should you find yours lacking, well, Hurley provides a glowing example—in both grace and song. ANDREW R TONRY

ROTTIES, FASTERS, SHARKS FROM MARS, LADY PROBLEMS
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) On a full platter of local garage-punk, Rotties serve up the protein. Their Pacific Northwaste demo from earlier this year features a burlier sort of garage rock, with shades of stoner metal peeking through the slash-and-burn party-punk—less pogoing, more headbanging. As far as the rest of the lineup goes, Lady Problems keep things similarly visceral, but there's plenty of the bouncier stuff elsewhere. Fasters serve up power-pop, and while the name might be a tough sell, Sharks from Mars' catchy hooks, with just the right amount of snotty sloppiness, are a lot easier to like than their name would suggest. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

THE LOWER 48, MINDEN, TANGO ALPHA TANGO
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The Lower 48, led by Ben Braden and Sarah Parson, play sleek rock 'n' roll that sounds like it belongs on a jukebox in a '60s diner. Their smooth, poppy lyrics meld with upbeat harmonies to make you want to move your feet across the floor. Portland's beloved Minden makes sexy, sultry, '70s tunes that would fit perfectly into a porno soundtrack for ultrachic cool kids. The band, led by frontman Casey Burge, is known to adorn themselves in amazing spandex onesies and other costumed getups, which makes their live show that much more fun to watch. RM

GEORGE JONES TRIBUTE: HOOK AND ANCHOR, GABE ROZZELL, BRUSH PRAIRIE, MEREDITH BROTHERS, & MORE
(Landmark Saloon, 4847 SE Division) In the eight months since the passing of country legend George Jones, the folks at Deer Lodge Records have been cobbling together a tribute album with a swarm of local country and countrified artists contributing covers of some of "the Possum"'s best tunes. The end result of their efforts—a 30-track, two-CD set—is finally available to the general public, and tonight at the Landmark Saloon, the label celebrates its release with a similarly overstuffed lineup of Portland-based talent, including classic country cover band Brush Prairie, the all-acoustic twang of Hook and Anchor, and roots rockers the Meredith Brothers. RH

CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION, AU DUNES, THE VERNER PANTONS
(Habesha, 801 NE Broadway) Local psychedelic space cadets Cambrian Explosion recently finished recording their debut EP, The Sun (available on cassette), in their practice space. It's good stuff, meandering just far enough from pop-song structures without getting too lost. "Black Maven" takes 1967 into the year 2025, mixing Ravi Shankar and Hawkwind, and making just the right amount of noise to keep the hippies (and androids) away. The four-piece seems to be taking things slowly, playing just a handful of shows so far, but I get the feeling things are going pick up in 2014. Hell, they might just make the word "jam" a little less frightening. ML

BIG EYES, MARRIAGE + CANCER, WOUNDS
(Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan) When I caught Big Eyes at Dante's back in February, they played what ended up being one of my favorite sets of the year. The Seattle pop-punk trio delivered a tight and assertive show that immediately propelled their then-upcoming album, Almost Famous, to the top of my most anticipated releases. Singer/guitarist Kate Eldridge, who honed her songwriting in New York with bands Cheeky and Used Kids, has hit her stride since relocating to the West Coast. Almost Famous offers up melodic and heartfelt power-pop gems backed by a snarling confidence that demands your attention. If you haven't gotten to know Portland's Marriage + Cancer yet, you might still be familiar with the music made under their previous name, Nucular Aminals. On "No Sum," Marriage + Cancer continue to conjure up the haunting, moody cyclones of shape-shifting punk rock they've been sharpening for years. CT

SATURDAY 12/21

FUCK CANCER—A BENEFIT FOR STEF: STOVOKOR, MILLIONS OF DEAD COPS, HERE'S TO YOUR FUCK, DJ JUST DAVE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

SALLIE FORD AND THE SOUND OUTSIDE, WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) For the second night in a row, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside bring their rip-roaring rock to the Doug Fir. Fresh and in your face, Ford's unabashed energy and thunderously catchy songs will spice up the night, leaving you in an incredibly saucy state. It's the Sound Outside's last show EVER, too−not to be missed. Meanwhile, local faves Wooden Indian Burial Ground kick off the evening in proper, raging style. After playing over 100 live shows in 2013, WIBG is going to focus on recording in the coming months, so this will be one of your last chances to see their psychedelic magic on stage. This is a ridiculously tasty local lineup, one not to be missed. RM Also see My, What a Busy Week!

TEENSPOT, SUPER PROJECTION, SWEEPING EXITS, MR. BONES
(Laughing Horse Books, 12 NE 10th) I'm not quite sure how Teenspot crammed six entire songs onto their debut 7-inch, Aggressive Inline Skating, but I suppose it helps that none of them boil much past the two-minute mark. One-hundred-twenty seconds is the perfect duration for the chunks of chiming, agitated power pop made by the local supergroup of Your Rival's Mo Troper, Spookies' Mayhaw Hoons, Paper Brain's Mike Wroblewski, and Profcal's Asher McKenzie. (Full disclosure: Troper is a Mercury contributor.) As good as Aggressive Inline Skating is—very—it's too bad Teenspot, as a band, never quite got off the ground; they're only now playing a record release show for the 7-inch, which was first released online back in April. And this may in fact be Teenspot's final show, proving that pop at its most fleeting and fickle may also be pop at its most perfect. NL

M.A.S.S. IV: XHURCHES SYMPOSIUM: GOLDEN RETRIEVER, EARTH AND YOU
(Alberta Abbey, 126 NE Alberta) Tonight Alberta Abbey plays host to M.A.S.S IV, put on by the local druidic denizens of Northeast's Xhurch (ex-church) collective. For years now, the event has showcased artists and musicians within varying sanctified spaces, creating mind-warping installations and elaborate soundscapes to accompany the visual element. With architectural resonance, the Abbey is a natural venue to experience Portland's experimental and improvisational realms, which will be juxtaposed this evening with performance art and a retrospective of alternative church-spaces across the country. Golden Retriever headline this year's incarnation, with droney ambience and warbling synth backdropped against effects-laden bass clarinet blasts evoking the darkly triumphant instrumental zones of Bowie's Low. The event is free, with donations highly encouraged. WS

KORY QUINN AND THE COMRADES, PORTLAND COUNTRY UNDERGROUND
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) The front cover of Portland singer/songwriter Kory Quinn's new album, At the End of the Bar, is an action shot of a typical evening at the LaurelThirst Public House (maybe a little redolent of the Kinks'Muswell Hillbillies). A milling, moving crowd forms a blurry iris around a musician parked on stage, and the album has a similarly freewheeling roadhouse vibe. Quinn's assembled an impressive roster of local talent to play his twanging, beery songs, and the album effectively tells a story of how an impromptu community can be drawn together through the shared act of playing music. Quinn's songwriting is adroit and surefooted, offering sturdily constructed country, folk, and Cajun-tinged songs for his ensemble to really sink their fangs into. Expect that community to be fully evident tonight at the release show for Quinn's At the End of the Bar. NL

SUNDAY 12/22

NICK DELFFS, MO TROPER
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) See My, What a Busy Week!

DIVERS, STREET EATERS, FINE PETS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) It's a welcome sight to see Berkeley's Street Eaters back in town so soon after playing a pair of shows back in June. The duo, Megan March on drums and John No on bass, twist rhythm and fuzz with dueling vocals to create a double helix of melodic punk-rock that would have felt right at home on Kill Rock Stars back in the riot grrrl heyday. The pair strikes the perfect balance between sharp and sweet. Lyrics aim for the chest and pack a punch, and while nothing in their discography would be considered sugarcoated, there is a pop sensibility that makes the songs easy to cling to. Local fuzz-loving quartet Fine Pets get things started tonight. Their recently released album No Gaze is a take-no-prisoners burst of lo-fi punk that finds the band ready and willing to crank the volume and drench beauty in piercing noise. CT Also see My, What a Busy Week!

BOMBS INTO YOU, SOUVENIR DRIVER, HONG KONG BANANA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Portland trio Bombs into You's new album Shake continues their catalog of punk-tinged electro-pop, and the urgency in the full-length's nine songs perpetuate a buzzing, after-midnight quality that successfully disorients then soothes the listener. While the band's reliance on vocal effects and blurred, stratospheric guitars sometimes puts the listeners at arm's length from the band—as if these sounds could be emanating out of the top of a stadium a dozen blocks away—Bombs into You's solidly written, yearning songs boast arrangements that are interesting enough to keep the listener engaged. The new songs on Shake should work a treat live at tonight's record release show. Don't miss openers Hong Kong Banana, who released the fine, Stones-y EP Now But Not NOW Now and should kick things off with the right amount of rock 'n' roll grease and attitude. NL

MONDAY 12/23

THE NUTCRACKER: OREGON BALLET THEATRE
(Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 12/24

Happy 68th birthday, Lemmy! You are the bestest Christmas miracle of all.

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WEDNESDAY 12/25

XMAS COVER PARTY: LARRY YES, OSAMA SINATRA, DUBAIS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Sometimes you gotta get out on Christmas. Maybe your family stinks. Maybe you have no family at all. Maybe you're Jewish. Regardless of reason, the options are often slim. Tonight, however, Larry Yes offers hope. While it's hard to say what exactly Yes & Co. have planned, or what "Xmas Covers" means, history deserves the benefit of the doubt. Yes has been hacking it out, playing and producing for the sake of it since the days of the X-Ray Café, the burgeoning seed of Portland's now-flourishing community. And as Yes' work with groups like Art of Flying and the North Pole Records crew suggests, he's into the tactile, the warm and connective. Or, just what might make Christmas. ANDREW R TONRY

PSYCHOPOMP—BLACK MASS: SEEK THE LIGHT, CASCADIAN WINTER, SCARD, CHAD CARVER, GUL BABA, SUNFALLS, NOYOUYESME, AARDVLCAK
(Lovecraft Bar, 421 SE Grand) If you find yourself in need of a trip to the dark side on the night of Christmas, look no further than this event which features an array of artists performing noise, drone, ambient, and experimental electronic music in the decadently gothic Lovecraft Bar. SunFalls (Uxepi Ipexu) will guide you toward an alien realm of metallic sound structures that fracture into a world of kaleidoscopic colors. A recent free release on his Bandcamp page will give you a taste of what's in store. Noyouyesme (Jason Cesarz) continues down this path of psychedelic electronica, offering fascination in the form of intricate rhythms and melodies that coil in upon themselves with curious and enticing abandon. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

THURSDAY 12/26

BACHXING DAY: CLASSICAL REVOLUTION PDX
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

YEAR END HIPHOP SHOWCASE: STEWART VILLAIN, DONTE THOMAS, MARKI$ APOLLO, CASSOW, PACKARD BROWNE, NO LEADER, CARMINE, SLICK DEVIOUS, PYETTI, MAXI, MATO
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) If, like me, you've decided to spend the next little while digging into our city's vibrant hiphop scene, there's no better place to dive in with both feet than this exhibition of rhymers and beatmakers. In the space that we have, we can only call out a few of the 11 acts on this bill, but keep your eyes and ears peeled for the soulful production work and laidback delivery of duo Slick Devious, the verbal rabbit punches of Fresh Select artist Cassow, the young striver and ladykiller Donte Thomas, and Stewart Villain, an up-and-comer who has produced tracks for notables like Danny Brown, Keak Da Sneak, and Nipsey Hussle. ROBERT HAM

FRIDAY 12/27

RAW NERVES, BROKEN WATER, RECESSIONS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) I'm listening to Portland hardcore punk band Raw Nerves' Futile Efforts right now and am filled with inexplicable embarrassment for myself. On one hand, I really don't feel like this is me; I'm not cool enough to be listening to (or enjoying) this. I'm no beefcake, and abstrusely political lyrics may very well be my least favorite hardcore trope. But Raw Nerves are, musically, simply one of the best active punk bands in Portland right now. The band constantly toes the line between cheesy, half-ironic barbecue metal (the pick-slides; pretty much every performance from vocalist Mike Dubose) and underplayed sophistication and sensitivity ("Feudal Efforts,""Armageddon"). Like most purveyors of the genre, Raw Nerves are even more compelling live. So go see them. They rock! MORGAN TROPER

JERRY JOSEPH AND THE JACKMORMONS, I CAN LICK ANY SONOFABITCH IN THE HOUSE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House's Michael Dean Damron recently turned 50, celebrating with a raucous perform- ance at the band's adopted headquarters, Dante's. Aside from that personal milestone for Damron—a guy whose imposing physical stature and pissed-off oeuvre belies his sentimentality as a songwriter—ICLASOB reached what was probably the pinnacle of their country-punk output with their most recent release, Mayberry. Whether reminiscing about nostalgic television shows or railing against Fred Phelps, the government, shitty people, and anything else that crosses his mind, Damron's affinity for the periphery of pop culture makes the band's songs some of the more earnest you're likely to hear. RYAN J. PRADO

LUCK AND LANA, GRAPE GOD, ANECHOIC, NORTHERN DRAW
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) If you know your strains of weed (and if you're a Mercury reader, I have to assume that you do), you'll recognize the name Grape God as a particularly THC-heavy strain of smoke. That should give you some small insight into the sound of Gabriel Owsley's same-named hiphop project. His latest release 444 is a throat-stinging montage of molasses-thick beats and Owsley's trudging enunciation. He'll provide a nice slow smolder that will be quickly turned into a raging bonfire by Luck & Lana, an LA-based duo that finds MC Luckyiam from the vaunted Living Legends crew and chanteuse Lana Shea fighting for vocal supremacy over a spray of electro beats and dubstep wobble. RH

RED FANG, BISON, DRUNK DAD
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) After you spend Thursday returning the shitty gifts you got on Wednesday, throw that extra scratch down on the bar for an irresponsible number of PBRs at the Wonder Ballroom tonight. You earned it. (Tecate is also acceptable.) And since Red Fang's playing, you'll probably see just as many cans onstage. The hometown sludge-metal heroes recently unveiled their latest music video, featuring Portlandia/Saturday Night Live star Fred Armisen and a city rife with zombies who've forsaken flesh for the sweet taste of PBRs (and Tecate). The video is for the hook-heavy and badass "Blood Like Cream," which isn't even close to being the best song from this year's tremendous-sounding Whales and Leeches. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

SATURDAY 12/28

SOUL CLAP AND DANCE OFF: JONATHAN TOUBIN, DJ BEYONDADOUBT
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE GUTTERS, HORNET LEG, ROCKOON
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) The auditory maelstrom from PDX duo the Gutters is like taking a time machine to London in the late '70s, where every tinny punk had a band and everything was snarling and snotty. But the Gutters' tongue-in-cheek playfulness cuts those spiky allusions with fun vignettes, as found on their recent release "Should We Make a 7-Inch?" 7-inch. Other hilariously punk entitlements, such as beginning the song "Born in the Gutter" with "one, two, fuck you!" hint more at the duo's willingness to parade their love affair with the old guard than attempt to build upon it. This is all a-okay; the band's sewer serenades are a breath of fresh air, and at bite-sized intervals of roughly one to two minutes apiece, the Gutters are an easily digestible, fist-pumping hoot. RJP

GILBY CLARKE, BITCH SCHOOL, RUFF HAÜSEN
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) Gilby Clarke was but a blip on the screen in Guns N' Roses, spending three years on the Use Your Illusion tour (and sticking with his boy Slash through the Snakepit years), but the dude's been slinging the axe for the better part of three decades. In addition to playing with Nancy Sinatra (yes, that Nancy Sinatra), and the band Rock Star Supernova, Clarke has released a fair amount of solo material that drips with whiskey-soaked hooks and Final Net. If you wanna escape the cold, gray weather for some sweaty Sunset Strip-inspired rock, then tonight's the night to pretend it's 1988 again. Just remember to wear a raincoat. MARK LORE

SUNDAY 12/29

REIGNWOLF, BATTLEME
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) When Jordan Cook swaggered out of machine-made fog a couple years ago, he was already Reignwolf, a seemingly fully formed blues-rock hero for the 21st century. His look is like if Bob Dylan and the Wolfman had a baby, and that baby joined a biker gang. His sound is classic, thunderous electric blues, all serrated guitar licks and scorched-earth howls. His show started out as a solo spectacle with Cook playing, singing, and stomping on a kick drum at the same time. (He has a band now, though his sets still feature some of the old one-man-band thing.) Also, he calls himself Reignwolf. Reignwolf! Like a wolf that reigns over all of the blues-rock landscape! Cook is the natural heir to the Led Zeppelin/Jack White throne, or maybe more; as a commenter at Rolling Stone's website says: "Jordan Cook is 100 percent this generation's Jimi Hendrix. Only dirtier, filthier, fuzzier, and way more badass." BEN SALMON

BUILT TO SPILL, SLAM DUNK, THE APOSTROPHES
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!

TxE, NU ERA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) If Portland were a rap group, it would be TxE. Thoughtful words, sweet, nostalgic samples, and smooth beats define this rainy-day rap group. Tope, Epp, and G_Force create a soulful delivery that can't easily be defined or mirrored; they implement the usual funky beats and rap rhetoric, but have a more accessible sound than many other alternative rap groups of their ilk. They sample and pay homage to classic rap like A Tribe Called Qwest and Biggie, but slow down the beats, reflecting on their relationships with the world, metaphorically as well as geographically. On their new one, TxE vs. Prtland, they turn their gaze homeward, sampling Portland's crop of indie pop in an expression of ardent appreciation for their hometown and what keeps them moving. ROSE FINN Also See My, What a Busy Week!

MONDAY 12/30

BUILT TO SPILL, SLAM DUNK, THE APOSTROPHES
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 12/31

BUILT TO SPILL, SLAM DUNK, THE APOSTROPHES
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) See our NYE feature, and My, What a Busy Week!

THE CALEB KLAUDER COUNTRY BAND, COPPER AND COAL
(The Spare Room, 4830 NE 42nd) See our NYE feature, and My, What a Busy Week!

MORE NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS
See our NYE feature.

FLIGHT: GUSTAVO LANZAS, JACK COLEMAN, MODAL-NODES, EASY COMPANY, ANDREW BOIE, SIMON HOWLETT, URKEL
(The Spare Room, 111 SW Ash) Five house and techno duos tag-team on the decks to give you some serious reasons to dance this New Year's Eve. The swinging grooves and deep basslines of Modal-Nodes (Chris Demetras and David Gross) knit together complex soundscapes that twist and turn with a flirtatious kind of funk. No doubt they will be dropping sultry selections from their forthcoming Undercurrent EP. Local techno heroes and label owners Gustavo Lanzas and Jack Coleman will go back to back, showcasing their discriminating musical tastes built up from years of dedication—a testament that's the perfect way to ring in the new year. CB

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WEDNESDAY 1/1

HANGOVER BRUNCH: EYE CANDY VJs
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) See My, What a Busy Week!

THURSDAY 1/2

FIN DE CINEMA:NIGHT ON THE GALACTIC RAILROAD: AAN, PURSE CANDY, PHILIP GRASS, DJ SPENCER D
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

CASEY NEILL AND THE NORWAY RATS, IAN MOORE AND THE LOSSY COILS, THE DON OF DIVISION STREET
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) For many folks, the turn of the calendar from one year to the next is prime time to reflect on life, assess the present, and cast an eye to the future. I'll submit that All You Pretty Vandals, the new album from local Americana band Casey Neill and the Norway Rats, is an excellent soundtrack for such an endeavor. Not because Neill—a respected and well-connected veteran of the Portland music scene—is in a reflective mood on the record, but simply because of its sound. Vandals is trademark Neill: rootsy and gently rockin', with regular excursions into Celtic and Irish sounds. Its easygoing charm and natural warmth feels soothing and necessary, especially in the deepest, grayest part of winter. BEN SALMON

FRIDAY 1/3

LA CARRETA MELTDOWN/SISTERS OF THE ROAD BENEFIT: THE PYNNACLES, EYELIDS, HUTCH HARRIS
(La Carreta, 4534 SE McLoughlin) See My, What a Busy Week!

ZEITGEIST 2K14: DJ COOKY PARKER, HOLLA N OATES
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

SEAN FLINN AND THE ROYAL WE, RIO GRANDS, REBECCA MARIE MILLER
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The core of Sean Flinn's musical magnetism is steeped in both the traditional flashes of pop-anthem dynamism and the tenets of progressive, chamber-style Americana. With that kind of crossfire, Flinn and his Royal We have (relatively quietly) proven themselves as one of the best bands in Portland. Flinn's own pedigree, having spent time in such groups as Y La Bamba, Nick Jaina, and Jolie Holland, is indisputable, and his crackerjack band has pushed Flinn's ambitious compositions to even higher levels of timelessness. Since the summer of 2012, the band has been in and out of the studio cutting their second album, The Lost Weekend, a sprawling collection with scrappy tales of wanderlust and woe from a songwriter who most definitely wears his old soul on his sleeve. With this upcoming release, Flinn's relative anonymity could be compromised. RYAN J. PRADO

CORRECTIONS HOUSE, WREKMEISTER HARMONIES, THE BODY, ROHIT, REDNECK
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) When their respective heavy-rock bands aren't challenging the earth's tectonic plates to a ground-shaking contest, Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Bruce Lamont (Yakuza), and Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium) go full-on Voltron with their collaborative project Corrections House. Their combined sound is a more industrial one, akin to Coil or Laibach, with unnatural clacking scratching at the door while Williams barks and reads Burroughs-like poetry on the other side. If this sounds like your cup of tea, you also owe it to yourself to catch Redneck, a terrifying combination of performance art and subwoofer-heavy noise, who open up the show in celebration of a new cassette release, Possession, out on Eolian Empire. ROBERT HAM

FLOATER, SMOOCHKNOB
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) As a lifelong KISS fan, I'm familiar with the idea of a band that is unconditionally loved and simultaneously loathed. Such is the case with Floater, the longtime Portland band that for the better part of two decades has been able to easily sell out 2,000-seat theaters, while music critics give them the equivalent of the sound of crickets. They're inexplicably huge in the Northern California town where I used to live—their fanbase so blindly devoted I wondered if Floater records came with vials of Flavor Aid. In all honesty, I can get behind their 1998 concept album Angels in the Flesh and Devils in the Bone, a nerdy epic filled with proggy turns, big guitars, and psychedelic lulls. But, as with many bands, I'd rather listen to it in the privacy of my own home than brave the horde of overly faithful ghouls. MARK LORE

SATURDAY 1/4

DEAD MOON, POISON IDEA, P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S.
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Dead Moon.

RED FANG AND SCHOOL OF ROCK PLAY RED FANG
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

THANKS, BROWNISH BLACK, DJ COOKY PARKER
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) I'm not the first to point out how six-piece Portland band Thanks incorporates soul into their decidedly black-hearted indie rock. You probably aren't going to mistake their new full-length Blood Sounds for Lady Soul or anything like that, so I suppose the soul connection is just easy shorthand for saying that Thanks' music is vital, gripping, and different. Indeed, Blood Sounds is an apt name for this terrific, fiery collection, as the music is bloody and bruised, forming tightly controlled tantrums of melody and rhythm, marshaled by Jimi Hendrix's commanding voice (yes, that is her name). What none of this conveys, though, is how the end result effectively becomes fun, bright pop of a very high caliber, with indestructible, earworm-y songs, and beats that implore you to move. Consider Thanks'Blood Sounds the first great Portland album of 2014. NED LANNAMANN

BIKE THIEF, RARE MONK, SAMA DAMS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Portland's Sama Dams have more than a few things going for them. Their moniker is topical, in a 2008 sort of way, seemingly referencing the mayoral run of Sam Adams (in fact, it's the jiggered name of the band's frontman, also named Sam Adams). Much more importantly, the band possesses the ability to harness severe, atmospheric, and expansive panoramas of sound that dip into and out of whirlpools of electronic psych, plaintive OK Computer-era Radiohead realms, and beyond. The trio's 2013 release, No Vengeance, is particularly indefinable; Adams' voice captains songs like the manic "Coyote Dreams in the City" through sonic twists and turns both beautifully calming and violently jarring. It's one of the more inspired releases to come out of Portland last year, and the band should garner further attention with their upcoming album, the funding of which recently made its $10,000 goal on Kickstarter with a mere 68 (presumably deep-pocketed) backers. RJP

SUNDAY 1/5

TENNIS, POOR MOON
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) When their reminiscent, sweet-pop doo-wop suddenly set sail in 2010, the narrative surrounding Tennis was more than a ray of sun—it was the wind at their back. The story goes something like this: A couple moves aboard a boat and traverses the Eastern Seaboard while musically collaborating for the first time. They emerge with a '60s girl-pop concept and material for an album. Journalists—myself included—couldn't help themselves. And while Tennis' sweet, safe, harmonious, and meticulous comforts are indeed worthwhile, it's hard to imagine that a non-couple in a dank, wintry basement couldn't have caught a similar wave. As for Tennis, now some years in, their narrative becoming less of a buoy, the real work begins. Can they capture the same wonder without the context? Their November EP, Small Sound, seems to suggest so. If you're into swooning, boat-shoe preppy rock, then, by all means, climb aboard! ANDREW R TONRY Also see My, What a Busy Week!

BLACKWITCH PUDDING, BLACK WIZARD, BLACK SNAKE
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) If stoner rock as a genre can lord anything over its other heavy brethren, it's the sensuality baked into its slinky riffs and its palpable sense of humor. What else could explain why the three members of Blackwitch Pudding refer to themselves as wizards, named their debut album Taste the Pudding, and play songs with titles like "Gathering Panties" and "Super Sluts from Outer Space"? Laughable, yes, but damn if the trio doesn't make it seem absolutely crucial to hang onto every Hawkwind-inspired guitar solo, or get wrapped up in vocals that move from winking to growling in a matter of seconds. RH

MONDAY 1/6

Happy 33rd birthday, Houston rapper Mike Jones! Your music hasn't aged a day.

TUESDAY 1/7

THE MONT CHRIS HUBBARD BONUS SHOW
(Tony Starlight's, 3728 NE Sandy) See My, What a Busy Week!

PICKWICK, LOST LANDER, MAGIC FADES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Nothing is as satisfying as seeing a cheap show, especially when the show is actually good, and not just a family jam band playing at the local burger joint in matching Goodwill sweaters. This $3 show includes local favorites Lost Lander and Magic Fades, with Seattle's Pickwick headlining. Those who like Fleet Foxes and lots of vocal reverb will enjoy the smooth aural caresses of Lost Lander. Magic Fades plays tasty, spliced slow jams that define so much of EDM-informed R&B. Then there's Pickwick, who sound like the Black Keys after they Fitzed and Tantrumed their way to become poppier and more uptempo. The show's caveat is that you have to RSVP with Red Bull first—and even that won't prevent you from potentially ending up at the end of a very long line, shaking in the cold as you wait to head down the Doug Fir steps. ROSE FINN Also see My, What a Busy Week!

NO BIRD SING, HIVES INQUIRY SQUAD
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) No Bird Sing is a three-piece group from Minneapolis that features emcee/vocalist Joe Horton rapping and singing over soundscapes provided by a guitarist and drummer duo, who double as producers in the studio. It's telling that they've toured with Doomtree's Dessa and are signed to the label run by Sage Francis, as No Bird Sing's music attacks with a visceral wave that descends from the same unique corner of indie-rap. For tonight's show, they reached out to Portland's Hives Inquiry Squad, former Midwesterners who shared a bill with them back in the day. Emcee Lucas Dix's partner and Hives collaborator Gavin Theory sadly passed away in April of 2012, but he's working on a final Hives project rapping over some of the last beats that Gavin made. Dix will debut that material live tonight, alongside songs from his Jellyfish Brigade project. RYAN FEIGH

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WEDNESDAY 1/8

PATTERSON HOOD, WILLY VLAUTIN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Patterson Hood.

LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE, SHELLEY SHORT
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

THURSDAY 1/9

CALIFONE, THE LUYAS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) In 16-some years, Califone haven't really changed. Which is to say they've had no need for reinvention. Unlike surfers of the stylistic zeitgeist, Tim Rutili's rusty, warm, tactile, vagabond folk continues to crack with the utmost distinction. Like a hobo's fire, the Chicago group's vast catalog warms and warbles, flickering in haunted harmony. Whether it's the singular production, the numerous collaborations, or the places they play—sometimes in living rooms, sometimes at music festivals on a farm—Rutili is a true auteur, his vision all-encompassing. And like many other such greats, he's had help, including his former Red Red Meat bandmates Brian Deck and Ben Massarella. Califone remains reliable almost to a fault. Indeed, we may be too comfortable with their presence. God forbid they should go, but let's not wait until that day to show our appreciation. ANDREW R TONRY Also see My, What a Busy Week!

SUMMER CANNIBALS, HURRY UP!, SPOOKIES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Summer Cannibals have a new EP, and since we're into winter at this point, your flesh should be safe should you choose to go to their release party on Thursday. As a bonus, the first 50 show-goers through the door get a free copy of the four-song Make You Better cassette. The sweet-and-salty set takes fuzzed-out blasts and makes them better with pinches of '60s girl-group pop. It's a warm sound played with a nervous energy—sunny but not necessarily carefree. The Cannibals are joined by Hurry Up! (with members of the Thermals and Bangs) and the lo-fi all-stars in Spookies. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

THE CENTURY, NO GOOD LOVERS, SURFS DRUGS
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) When I asked Berg Radin (lead vocals/guitar in Surfs Drugs) if he had any new tracks I could listen to, he sent me a video of himself playing a song in his room wearing an Indiana Jones hat and Mickey Mouse hands. If this is any indication, he makes music that's warm and playful, with a trippy, guitar-driven vibe and veiled, distorted lyrics. You might know Radin from Portland's beloved basement-rockers And And And, and while Surfs Drugs has traces of that band's thrashing rock 'n' roll momentum, their music is a little more fuzzed out, like it decided to go for a long drive and get high. Catch this rad lineup for free at the most world-famous bar in Portland. RACHEL MILBAUER

LA DRUGZ, LUNCH, WOUNDS
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) If you slept on Lunch's cassette full-length Quinn Touched the Sun last year, here's another chance to get acquainted with the local punk-rock quartet. The band kicks off the year with a new 7-inch release containing remastered takes on four of the strongest tracks from Quinn. The upbeat opening title track, "Johnny Pineapple," might have been tuned up a bit for this re-release, but its urgency and scrappiness still shines through. On the flip side,"Monochrome Lust" sees the group slow things down a bit, flexing their sound as they dip into post-punk territory. While competent garage-rock bands continue to spring up just about everywhere you look, Lunch finds a way to stand out in that pack, thanks to the infectious gung-ho spirit that drives their live shows and recordings. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

PORTLAND METAL WINTER OLYMPICS: SATYRESS, MURSA
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) Two years ago, Portland's most enthusiastic headbanger, Nathan Carson, created the Portland Metal Winter Olympics as a way to introduce budding local heavy-rock bands to the city's tastemakers and fans through the guise of a friendly, single-elimination bracket-style competition. After a year off with Carson concentrating his efforts on his band Witch Mountain and his day job as a booking agent, the PMWO is back. If tonight's lineup is any indication, the field of competitors this time around is deep. Going head-to-head is Satyress, a female-led group of Sabbath/BÖC-worshipping doomsters, and the creeping, growling sludge of Mursa. Keep your hands warm and your devil horn salute at the ready, metalheads; the winter looks to be long, dark, and loud. ROBERT HAM

FRIDAY 1/10

THE BUILDERS AND THE BUTCHERS, TIBURONES, OLD AGE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

HOVERCRAFT RECORDS SHOWCASE: LA DRUGZ, HORNET LEG, CHARTS, MYTHOLOGICAL HORSES, BURNT THRONES CLUB, SEALION, VASAS, HONEY BUCKET
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

DAN LURIE, NATE WEY
(The Waypost, 3120 N Williams) Following up 2011's super-amiable Spirit of '98, Dan Lurie's latest is a just-as-charming collection of songs he originally released on a series of digital EPs. Postcard Club's 12 tunes were recorded on a Tascam cassette eight-track recorder in Lurie's spare bedroom, and then sent to Virginia for co-producer Daniel Dominic Mancini to add his own shading. The result is an intimate but fully ripened album of Lurie's terrific tunes, packed with chunky folk turns and sweater-warm melodies. Lurie has released Postcard Club—the songs derived their inspiration from a series of thrift-store postcards—on cassette (fittingly) in a limited edition of 50. Tonight's release show is your surest bet to get one before they're gone forever. NED LANNAMANN

WHITEY MORGAN AND THE 78S
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Whitey Morgan makes outlaw country music, and he looks the part, too. Photos of the Flint, Michigan, singer/songwriter are a parade of black T-shirts, mean-mugs, greasy ballcaps, forearm tattoos, and leather vests. But Morgan is more than just a sound or a look; he revels in playing the kind of rebellious character made famous in the '70s by honky-tonk legends like Waylon, Merle, Hank Jr., and the Man in Black. None of this stuff would matter much if Morgan couldn't deliver musically, but his 2010 self-titled album on alt-country super-label Bloodshot Records is a well-played and engaging exercise in "real" country music, with shuffling rhythms, swooping steel guitar, and Morgan's powerful, whiskey-soaked baritone as far as the ear can hear. It's all so authentic, you might find yourself with a little skip in your step as you enter Dante's tonight, lest the saloon doors hit you in the ass on your way in. BEN SALMON

SATURDAY 1/11

THAO AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN, SONNY AND THE SUNSETS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

OLD RUSSIAN NEW YEAR: CHERVONA
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

OREGON SYMPHONY, EMANUEL AX: BACH AND STRAUSS
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) There's a shit-ton of reasons to be stoked about this particular show: Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 on the program; Emanuel Ax at the piano; Carlos Kalmar atop the podium. I could certainly devote all these words to any of those supreme joys, but here's a little secret: It doesn't matter what the fuck is on the program, or who the hell happens to be at the piano, or atop the goddamned podium. Why? Because after witnessing every classical concert the Oregon Symphony's performed the past three seasons, the one constant that can always be counted on is the band itself, in all its 76-piece glory. In this town, where any inked yahoo with a washboard can call himself a "musician" when he's not whipping up a mocha soy latte, it's utterly inspiring to behold these crazy, brave masters of music on the Schnitzer stage, who week in and week out guarantee blown minds and broken hearts. Resolve to start the new year off right by witnessing brilliance for once in your worthless life. ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

UFOFBI, THE WOOLEN MEN, SPOOKIES
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) The tagline for new record label Space Cassette is "pop music by the unpopular," a praiseworthy sentiment if ever there was one. Tonight, the folks behind this imprint—former Shaky Hands members Mayhaw Hoons and Alex Arrowsmith, with the Minders' Martyn Leaper—bring that notion to glorious life with this show. It's a celebration of the release of a new split 7-inch featuring the ragged garage pop of Spookies and the ever prolific Woolen Men, and the night also includes a likeminded batch of freaks from Stockholm known as UFOFBI. The trio call to mind the tossed-off, lo-fi sonic experiments that would cut through the rock triumphalism on early GBV releases. UFOFBI calls it "dreamtrash," I call it my new favorite band. RH

THRONES, SURVIVAL KNIFE, DANIEL MENCHE, DJ DENNIS DREAD
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Daniel Menche is nothing if not prolific. The Portland musician has released a stockpile of material over the past two decades, creating languid and lurking soundscapes that can corrode your inner circuitry. It pairs well with choice chemicals. Menche shares the bill with shrapnel-makers Survival Knife and Joe Preston's doom-personified Thrones. Survival Knife (featuring Justin Trosper and Brandt Sandeno of Unwound) released a pair of 7-inches on Sub Pop and Kill Rock Stars last year that are filled with hooks and plenty of other twists and turns to keep you off balance. And Thrones continue to sporadically release material while swallowing up cities and decimating eardrums—more importantly, Preston is celebrating 20 years under the moniker. Earplugs and a diaper recommended. MARK LORE

THREE FOR SILVER, WILL KIMBROUGH, BERGERETTE
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) The first time I saw Will Kimbrough, he was playing guitar with Todd Snider and opening for Jimmy Buffett in front of tens of thousands. The last time I saw Kimbrough, he was at the old Berbati's Pan, playing alongside Rodney Crowell as Johnny Cash in Crowell's "I Walk the Line (Revisited)." Kimbrough's worked with Guy Clark, Rosanne Cash, John Prine, the Jayhawks, Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staples, and on and on. He's an all-star's all-star. All of which risks overshadowing his solo work, which is consistently as good as any in the genre. Three for Silver, with Lucas Warford and his five-string bass banjo, headline. Opener Bergerette sings, in its words, "French pop music straight out of 700 years ago." RYAN WHITE

RABBITS, GAYTHEIST, JONNY X AND THE GROADIES, POLST, THE GOUT
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) Gaytheist's last album Hold Me... But Not So Tight was easily one of my favorite local releases of last year. Coming just eight short months after their equally excellent 2012 offering, Stealth Beats, the noise-rock trio delivered the textbook definition of a one-two punch. I'm able to keep coming back to these releases because it's just so refreshing to hear music as heavy as this paired up with vocals that can effortlessly be deciphered and appreciated right out of the gate. Sure, guitarist/vocalist Jason Rivera's lyrics are packed with wit and humor, but they also have the ability to strike a serious subject with laser accuracy. Tonight Gaytheist shares the stage with the chaotic sludge-rock sounds of Rabbits for an all-ages affair that should feel like a bit of a reprise of last year's delightful Eolian Empire cassette compilation release shows. CT

LONG HALLWAYS, APPENDIXES, MONTHS
(Foggy Notion, 3416 N Lombard) Most of the first track on Long Hallways' new album, Live from Dystopia, paints a gorgeous, mellow, walking-paced picture of this two-year-old Portland band. "David the Lion" is a churning chunk of post-rock spiked with interstellar guitar explorations that climb ever heavenward as the song gains momentum; Explosions in the Sky—an acknowledged influence, per Long Hallways' Facebook profile—would be proud. But in its last 30 seconds, the song detours into a quick post-punk-ish groove that foreshadows the more aggressive sound of the rest of the album. From there, Dystopia bounces around the world of instrumental, experimental rock, never passing on an opportunity to ride jazzy bass lines, crescendoing guitars and occasional electronic embellishments to an emotional climax. On Saturday, Long Hallways will celebrate the album's digital release—they'll have download cards!—at Foggy Notion with shoegaze group Appendixes and the unGoogleable band Months. BS

SUNDAY 1/12

HYLAEUS PARTY: THE SECRET DRUM BAND, DUBAIS, MARISA ANDERSON, ALLAN WILSON
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

BEN DARWISH
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

OREGON SYMPHONY, EMANUEL AX: BACH AND STRAUSS
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

MARIA TAYLOR, ST. EVEN, PJ BOND
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Party Damage Records has seen fit to give St. Even's spectacularly great second, self-titled album a widespread digital release, following its super-limited physical issue on Gorbie International (which was accompanied by a harrowing memoir by Alan Hefter, father of Steve Hefter—that's St. Even to you). St. Even was one of the best local releases of 2013, and with Party Damage's re-release, it's poised to be one of the best of 2014, too, with 14 sharp, sturdy, at times ingenious compositions boasting gorgeous arrangements by co-conspirator Jake Kelly. So many of these songs are already unkillable classics in my book: the subtly twisted "A Light Goes on in My Car," the gracious "Home Is Where You Hang Your Head," the curvaceous "Worth the Wading," and the wrenching, album-closing "Forest Fire." If Hefter plays even one of those songs tonight, it's worth going. NL

ANDY MCKEE, CRIS LUCAS
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) I have a pretty high tolerance for musical stupidity—Load is (by far) my favorite Metallica album and I am an unabashed (pre-Poodle Hat) Weird Al fan—but I find Andy McKee and all of his Candy Rat Records compatriots completely, unbearably, peerlessly idiotic. First off, I hate that thing that twinkly, "technical" acoustic guitarists do where they tap their fingernails on the body of the instrument and act like this is somehow a viable musical technique. It isn't, and it sounds like shit. Secondly, this is ultimately very cerebral, calculated music masquerading as sensitive and impassioned (song titles include "Drifting,""Ebon Coast," and "Song for My Father"—ew). Lastly is McKee's self-righteous opposition to drugs, and here I quote: "I too have never touched weed, pills, blow, or needles. I'm always insulted when people find that hard to believe. 'How can you write such insane music straight?!?' Frick! Some of us are just creative using only the chemicals already present in our bodies." Pfft! See ya after class, nerd! MORGAN TROPER

PALS FEST FUNDRAISER: FANNO CREEK, TIGER HOUSE, TALKATIVE
(Firkin Tavern, 1937 SE 11th) PALS Clubhouse is a near and dear house venue to local music enthusiasts. It's wedged inconspicuously next to the train tracks in Southeast Portland, with shows curated by musicians and fans alike, who create a genre-bending array of lineups that usually end in early-morning bonfires, dance parties, and fuzzy bike rides home. On top of their gracious open-door policy, the PALS family hosts PALS Fest, a celebration and sampling of some of the best music Portland has to offer. A huge amount of work goes into planning this event, which will be hosted at numerous venues over the course of a week this summer. The fact that these shows are always free is the cherry on the pie, and is all the more reason for you to go out tonight for a good cause—your pals making great music. RM

THE KNOW'S NINTH ANNIVERSARY: GRAVES AT SEA, HELLSHOCK, THE SIEGE FIRE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Tonight the Know celebrates its ninth birthday and it's doing it as few others would: with a slate of gnarly, scrawling doom metal. But the point isn't so much the bands, which, in turn, is precisely the point. For nearly a decade, the Know has offered a stage to musicians who don't always have one. That might mean players of caustic punk, metal, and noise, or simply those without fans or credentials—to put it another way: the hungry and/or the awful. (I know. I've been parts of both, and we took that tiny stage.) And if Portland continues its buzzing, quirky growth and indeed wants to maintain its reputation as fertile ground for artists of all stripes, venues like the Know become ever more important (RIP, the Artistery). In a land where gourmet food carts, bullshit sake bars, and new condominium developments sprout overnight, we must keep our eyes—and our hearts—on the stalwarts of the ground floor: the places bands go to learn something, to play for no one. Where the beer is cheap and the soundman nonexistent. Where mettle is tested without the help of a hip, new, shiny veneer. A place, for good or ill—but always without prejudice—to just get down to it. Even if that shitty next-door neighbor with the over-sensitive ears makes sure things end early. Cheers to the Know, and here's to 99 more. ART

MONDAY 1/13

BEN DARWISH
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

OREGON SYMPHONY, EMANUEL AX: BACH AND STRAUSS
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturday's listing.

CARCRASHLANDER, GRAVES
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Carcrashlander's latest, A Plan to Tell the Future, surfaced online last May, but tonight Cory Gray's macabre dirges receive physical release, as the album comes out on vinyl through Jealous Butcher and tape via Curly Cassettes. (What, no CD? It's like Sam Goody circa 1982 in here!) Gray, the main man behind the Carcrashlander moniker, has collaborated with dozens of Portland musicians, but his own work carves out unique territory, and the album is a subterranean folio of keyboard-driven compositions that at times buzz with futuristic electricity and at others seem exhumed from centuries past. The daring, dark A Plan to Tell the Future won't make your winter any brighter, but it will inject it with some tumultuous excitement. NL

TUESDAY 1/14

BEN DARWISH
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

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WEDNESDAY 1/15

PATTERSON HOOD, FERNANDO VICICONTE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Since co-founding Drive-By Truckers more than 15 years ago, Patterson Hood has cranked out hundreds of songs and logged countless miles across the country. Hell, this will be his second of three solo performances at the Doug Fir this month alone. It seems Hood has taken a liking to our city, perhaps bolstered by the fact that he's struck up a kinship with local author/Richmond Fontaine frontman Willy Vlautin. In fact, the Truckers' new single "Pauline Hawkins" (which will appear on the band's forthcoming record English Oceans, due out in March) is named after a character in Vlautin's new book The Free, which comes out February 4. There's a good chance you'll hear that one, along with other classic Truckers beer-swillers, and choice material from Hood's equally raucous and introspective solo joints. There will be lots of tears and beers tonight. MARK LORE

LAZY MAGNET, NOISE NOMADS, DUNGEON BROADS, TETHER
(Habesha, 801 NE Broadway) If Jeremy Harris sticks to his word, this year will be the last for his Lazy Magnet moniker. In an interview last year with Impose, he said that he would mark Lazy Magnet's 20th anniversary by ending the project, which has amassed a mountain of tape, CD-R, and vinyl releases, with no part of it beholden to any particular genre. He's dabbled in electro-pop, ambient, folk, power electronics, and anything else that fits his fancy. Instead of continuing with Lazy Magnet, Harris says he plans to devote a different project to each of these disparate interests. The Habesha show, which also features a host of other touring noise acts, is presented by Experimental Portland, the music blog run by Mercury contributor Robert Ham. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

RANDY BEMROSE, EDWARD BEAUDIN, NICOLE PERRY
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) To those who haven't been here very long, the premise for tonight's show—a musical tribute to the year 2007, curated by cultural connoisseur and OPB contributor Arya Imig—may seem deeply esoteric. But this isn't sentimental twaddle, at least not entirely. In terms of Portland music, 2007 is a year that was immensely significant: The all-ages scene (of which Imig has long been an integral proponent) was bustling and inspired, generating incredible young bands at an unprecedented and subsequently unrivaled rate. Many of the era's bands have gone on to become our brightest stars, such as Starfucker and Typhoon. Tonight's bill features Randy Bemrose of Radiation City (who will presumably be playing songs from his indefinitely inactive power-pop band Junkface), ex-Southern Belle songstress Nicole Perry, and Edward Beaudin of the Bustling Townships and Zoogirl, whose impossibly literate, heartsick anthems will surely remind me of being 15 years old and thinking I was much sadder than I actually was. MORGAN TROPER

FORM THE HEAD: ETBONZ, LE STING, JT COLLINS, MINIGORILLE
(Black Book, 20 NW 3rd) Form the Head is a monthly event focusing on techno, deep house, and experimental music that features local DJs and live acts. The night is specially curated so that you can expect to see performers who present a fascinating and not often heard side of the genres. This month Le Sting (Jonas Rake and Jef Drawbaugh) will do a live improvised techno set utilizing the secret powers of drum machines, synthesizers, and sequencers to create a sleek atmosphere of auditory bliss. The spaced-out live parametric visuals of Minigorille (Lysandre Follet) are a perfect backdrop for this A/V midweek blast. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

THURSDAY 1/16

EAR CANDY: WL, SOFT SHADOWS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

WOODEN SHJIPS, PLANKTON WAT
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Wooden Shjips.

CHAIN AND THE GANG, THE SHIVAS, THE HIVE DWELLERS
(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) Ah, Ian Svenonius... former "Sassiest Boy in America," current music theorist (check out his philosophical quasi-self-help book Supernatural Strategies for Making a Rock 'n' Roll Group), and one of the all-time greatest frontmen in the underground punk scene. His singular path has taken him through the worlds of agitprop punk (Nation of Ulysses), gospel-inspired soul (the Make-Up), free-range psychedelia (David Candy), and funked-up pop (Weird War). Svenonius' current musical project, Chain and the Gang, manages to find the thread that connects all of the above styles. It's a weird, woolly sound that relies on minimalist grooves and proselytizing lyrics that deconstruct power, wealth, youth culture, and the current state of pop music. If that all sounds too heady for you, don't fret—just bring your dancing shoes and get lost in the beat. ROBERT HAM

FRIDAY 1/17

GENDERS, HOLIDAY FRIENDS, THE COMETTES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

PWRHAUS, US LIGHTS, CORONATION, DJ ALWAYS READY
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) With a flair for the epic and an ear cupped toward the sentimentality of '50s rock 'n' soul, Portland's Pwrhaus have claimed their very own creative corner. At eight members strong, the sheer size of the band is imposing; their capacity for capturing moods within strong songwriting that utilizes chamber and baroque sensibilities is a bit of an anomaly for the bar/club set, but the band has steadily transcended their outsider status to bigger stages, including a fantastic set at last year's PDX Pop Now! The band's new self-titled record is a fantastic, dream-like undertaking, melding the velvety vocals of frontman/guitarist/pianist Tonality Star with a wall of foggy, mildly dark instrumentation. There probably isn't one bad song on the record, and in the live setting, the band's attention to the same intricacies it hones in the studio remains present. That translates to good, good things. RYAN J. PRADO

D.R.I., WORLD OF LIES, VULTURES IN THE SKY, ROADKILL CARNIVORE, WARKRANK
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) There was a time when punk and metal didn't coexist peacefully. Sure, you had your Motörheads that everyone could agree on, but for the most part, thrash and hardcore developed not just independent of each other, but at odds with one another. Somewhere down the line, the punks started messing around with metal riffs and getting heavier. Then, Houston's D.R.I. released Crossover in 1987, which gave the sound a label: crossover thrash. It's still as good a Rosetta Stone for the genre as has ever been released, and the Dirty Rotten Imbeciles are still grinding it out well into their third decade. MWS

M.A.R.C., DRAMADY, NEEDLES AND PIZZA
(The Foggy Notion, 3416 N Lombard) Dramady and Needles and Pizza are both duos able to create music that sounds much larger than the sum of its parts. The rock songs on Needles and Pizza's debut cassette release Soft Opening are built on the drumming and synth loops of Carl Sherman (AKA Pizza) into the bass riffs of Elena Kettwig (that's Needles). Combined, the two create swirling, in-your-face grooves while tackling vocal duties together. Their lyrical subjects range from a tribute to dog-turned-basketball star Air Bud, to the trials and tribulations of concealing a NuvaRing from a guy named Frank. Amanda Mason Wiles and Zacery Quintin Stanley of Dramady ensure the fun doesn't end there. With Stanley behind both drums and keyboard, and Wiles adding bass lines and saxophone, they craft sprawling pop songs on their recent album Answer Only to the Sea. The duo's ability to recreate these full recordings in a live setting demands to be seen. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

SATURDAY 1/18

PHIL ANSELMO AND THE ILLEGALS, AUTHOR AND PUNISHER, HYMNS, PROVEN
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our Q&A with Phil Anselmo.

CLOUD CONTROL, BODY PARTS, BRAINSTORM
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Cloud Control moved from Australia to the UK to make their second album, and ol' Blighty certainly agreed with them. Dream Cave is a delirious, sparkling bauble of melody, with just-about-perfect pop songs stitched neatly together: the walking-a-knife's-edge infatuation of "Promises," the skipping-stone bounce of "Scar," the subterranean slow-dance of the closing title track. The quartet stopped by Mississippi Studios last August right around Dream Cave's release, and gave their terrific new songs a live treatment that was appropriately thrilling. The opportunity to see 'em again in what's become one of the band's favorite venues should not be missed. NED LANNAMANN

LA LUZ, THE GHOST EASE, HOODED HAGS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) On the last leg of La Luz's recent tour opening for Of Montreal, the band got into a terrible accident on their way home to Seattle. The collision destroyed La Luz's merch and a ton of gear, but luckily none of the musicians suffered major injuries. Over the past year, the female four-piece has made Portland a kind of second home, having played everywhere from MusicfestNW to a Sunday session at Rontoms. Tonight they bring their badass surf-rock sounds to the release party for issue #4 of She Shreds, a Portland-based magazine dedicated to women guitarists and bassists. As tradition has it, the night will highlight some majorly talented women musicians, and will kick your butt in a good way. While you're there, pick up the latest copy of She Shreds. RACHEL MILBAUER

CLUB TROPICANA: IBQT, NATURAL MAGIC, KRYCEK, KITCHEN DJ, BREAK MODE
(The Knock Back, 2315 NE Alberta) Existing somewhere between variety show, indie rave, and R&B slow-jam dance party, Club Tropicana is pulling out all the stops for its debut. The first night of this new party series is hosted by Chanticleer Tru of Magic Mouth and features some of Portland's favorite DJs, with party portrait artist Michael Horowitz in the mix—plus, it's headlined by self-proclaimed boy band IBQT, a force that can turn the hardest hearts into believers of love. If anyone can pull off such an assortment, it's Club Tropicana's hosts, the Bed of Roses crew. The members of the equally new record label/collective have firm roots in the Portland club and house party scene and affiliations with the world-renowned Dropping Gems crew. In short: They know how to throw a party and tonight could be one for the history books. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON

LEFT COAST COUNTRY, THE MOONSHINE, RENEGADE STRINGBAND
(Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta) Following the release of his 2012 album Are's and Els, Michael the Blind—the performing name of gifted Portland songwriter Michael Gerard Levasseur—formed a rootsy plucker of a band, taking his name off the bill in the process. Levasseur and his four fellow pickers call themselves the Moonshine, and there's a bit more than your typical huggy, hand-holding folk tucked away in their autoharp and banjo strums. Songs like "Never Know" and "Flood," from the Moonshine's brand-new album And Now..., play closer to gospel than Lumineers-y fashion folk, dealing with themes of mortality and finding hope in the darkness—and the band's massed chorales don't hurt a whit. The Moonshine play a record release show tonight with two of Portland's most venerable stringbands. NL

BASTARD FEAST, COLD BLUE MOUNTAIN, ROLLING THROUGH THE UNIVERSE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) The last time Cold Blue Mountain came through Portland, the five-piece band squeezed into a tiny alcove directly next to the small bar at the Old Town dive Tube, and proceeded to decimate the eardrums of the entirety of the space. It's something of a calling card for the Chico doom-metal ensemble, rendering their audience deaf and blinking in a kind of sublime stupor. The band's self-titled debut was released last year on vinyl via Gogmagogical Records, and received favorable attention for its lava-low riffage and apocalyptic howls. Those guttural bellows belong to Brandon Squyres, whose turn on this season of The Amazing Race (often with a Cold Blue Mountain T-shirt on) courted even more attention for the band. They stop through town on their 10-day West Coast tour, the first since Squyres' premature dismissal from the show. RJP

SUNDAY 1/19

THE HARMONY MOTEL, THOUSAND ARROWS, DAVID RICARDO, RACHEL BROACH
(Corkscrew, 1665 SE Bybee) The Harmony Motel isn't really a live band, but who knows? Maybe that will change after tonight. It's the songwriting/recording project of Stanton Hall, bassist for the Zags; instead of that band's bubblegummy power-pop, the Harmony Motel operates within a cadre of careful, calculated baroque-pop suites. Not to say that it's no fun: The new Harmony Motel single, "Straight to My Head"/"Dead Bird," is a succulent, addictive double whammy, bringing to mind songwriters like Andy Partridge, Paddy McAloon, and David and Peter Brewis. It's available on Bandcamp for free (and if you download it, you get five bonus demos in your zip file). Tonight Hall enlists the other members of the Zags—each a songwriter in her or his own right, including Pete Schreiner of Magnolia Electric Co., performing as Thousand Arrows—to join him in playing solo sets for the single's release. NL

MONDAY 1/20

CROOKS ON TAPE, XDS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our article on Crooks on Tape.

THE ABIGAILS, THE LONESOME BILLIES, JENNY DON'T AND THE SPURS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Tons of young shitkickers set their sights on the outlaw-country sound of the '70s­—that raw, funky take on down-home tunes popularized by folks like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings—but few have come as close to the core spirit as the Abigails. The LA-based outfit's approach is a little more ramshackle and occasionally out of tune, something that their influences wouldn't have allowed (in the studio, at least). But there's something about the way Warren Thomas & Co. sing about the blurry lines between the whiskey- and weed-fueled good times and bad times that make the Abigails feel like the natural heirs to the country-rock throne. RH

TUESDAY 1/21

COLIN MELOY, JOHN RODERICK
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

DISAPPEARS, SUN ANGLE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Disappears.

SUPERHUMANOIDS, JAMES SUPERCAVE, HANDS IN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The music of Superhumanoids is pretty. Period. It's plush and polished and airy, a carefully constructed amalgam of dream pop, electronic rhythms, and the kind of lightweight R&B currently en vogue across the indie/internet-sphere. The Los Angeles trio's debut album, 2013's Exhibitionists, is quite listenable, which is a good thing, except that I just streamed it for an hour or so and I can't hum a single tune I heard. Which is not so good. You see, there is a fine line between precious and forgettable, and Superhumanoids flirt with the wrong side of it too often. One exception is a cover of Nine Inch Nails'"March of the Pigs" on the band's Soundcloud page that turns the original inside-out, stripping it of its industrial thrash and replacing Reznor's rage with synth-soul cooing. It works beautifully. BEN SALMON

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