The Return of the Tonic Lounge: Fred & Toody, Tallwomen, Aubrey Debauchery
Portland musicians Fred and Toody Cole rocked together for decades in bands like Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows, and the Rats. And while the husband-wife duo have left the rocking in the past, their stripped-down unplugged sets remain unmissable. Catch the legendary pair tonight when they stop by the Tonic Lounge for a headlining set celebrating the venue's grand re-opening.
Mar 24, 9 pm, Tonic Lounge, $10
Slay
A hip-hop dance party designed specifically for minorities, LGBT, and open-minded people? To that I say: YAS KWEEN! Hosted by Bart Fitzgerald and Blaine Provancha, sounds will be provided by DJ Ronin Roc (resident DJ of Ante Up’s ongoing Tribute Night series) and the established DJ Automation, who curates Killingsworth Dynasty’s Cake PDX community dance party. Queer, trans, people of color, and allies can reserve a “fast pass” (in before 10 pm), and pay a discounted door fee. Sounds like a pretty good deal, especially considering there’s no way this playlist isn’t Beyoncé-heavy. JENNI MOORE
Mar 24, 9 pm, Holocene, $10
Sige Records Showcase: Mára, Thalassa, Nordra, Daniel Menche
This weekend Sige Records, an experimental ambient label based in Vashon, Washington, presents an all-ages showcase featuring artists that appear on its imprint at Leaven Community Center, a space that lends itself to facilitating connection between spiritual communities. Mára, the project of the label’s co-owner Faith Coloccia, captures the essence of dream-pop with gentle harmonizations between voice and piano. Prolific abstract sound musician Daniel Menche will perform as well—his form of aural exposition defies categorization. Densely layered dronescapes cascade into infinity, providing an interactive experience that can be different every time. Menche’s latest release, Sleeper, encourages listeners to tune into the films that play behind our eyes within the province of the mind, a space that even in slumber presents endless opportunities for exploration. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD
Mar 24, 8 pm, Leaven Community Center, $10
Death Valley Girls, The Shivas, The Tamed West
Los Angeles’ Death Valley Girls play music that’s so wild, furious, and unholy, the Liquor Store’s basement might just cave in and reveal a fresh portal to hell when they play there this weekend. Last year the freaky four-piece released Glow in the Dark, 10 tracks of rock ’n’ roll that sounds like it’s repeatedly ramming a fork into an electrical outlet. CIARA DOLAN
Mar 26, 9 pm, The Liquor Store, $8
Local Pavlov, Xurs, Mini Blinds
Spokane's Local Pavlov serve up a thick, fuzzy slab of lo-fi dream pop.
Mar 25, 8 pm, The Know, $7
Mope Grooves, Honey Bucket, Marcy's Band, Nick Normal, Super Hit, Toxic Slime Records, Cool Schmool
Mope Grooves plays a slick slice of grimy slacker-rock, boasting endearingly out-of-tune vocals from Stevie Sensitive (formerly of Youthbitch) and mean lead guitars. RYAN J. PRADO
Mar 24, 7:30 pm, American Legion Local 134, $6-10
Hurry Up, Cool Schmool, Loveboys
Kathy Foster, Westin Glass, and Maggie Vail bring their raw and raucous punk trio Hurry Up up to St. Johns for a Saturday night show at the Fixin' To.
Mar 25, 9 pm, The Fixin' To, $5
The Crenshaw, Stray Dog Song
The Crenshaw are a double bass/drums/electronics duo that adeptly ride the sometimes thin line separating jazz fusion and triphop. ROBERT HAM
Mar 25, 9 pm, Fremont Theater, $5
VCR TV: DJ Kyle Reese, DJ Ken Lauten
Ever watch The Terminator and think "all this suspense and murder is fun, but you know what would be really cool? If this neon bar they're dancing in was a place I could dance in!" Well guess what.
Mar 24, 8:30 pm, Quarterworld, $3
Oro Azoro, Tig Bitty, M. Francis, The Lungs
A night of operatic R&B and soul from this Portland-based duo.
Mar 24, 8 pm, The Lombard Pub, free