WEDNESDAY 11/2
NICOLAS JAAR
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Thanks to a string of daring and danceable remixes, edits, and EPs, Nicolas Jaar was already well known in the world of electronic music by age 18. But it was the Chilean American producerâs debut full-lengthâ2011âs Space Is Only Noiseâthat established him as a rising superstar proficient in both club bangers and ambitious composition. Jaarâs recent follow-up, Sirens, is murky, melodic, and unnervingly intimate, with as much attention paid to the space between sounds as the sounds themselves. A taut post-punk vibe courses throughout Sirensâclanks and clunks sit next to slippery bass lines, while distorted synths bob and weave within staticky silence. Jaar is a master of atmosphere, the kind of restless creative who couldnât stop pushing and pulling on the boundaries of electronic music if he tried. BEN SALMON
YOUTHHOOD: ANNA VO, WINE + COFFEE, DJ LAMAR LEROY, SARAH BRAHIM, AâMISA CHIU, HUIXOLA, MIA OâCONNOR, MELIKA BELHAJ, SOLEIL HO
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) What does it mean to hold space as an artist of color in Portland? Youthhood seeks to answer this question while exploring themes of home, migration, and self-recognition through music, spoken word, and dance performances. This collaborative event is hosted by curator Stacey Tran of Holding Space, an exhibit for multidisciplinary artists of color, and Natalie Figueroa, organizer of the all-inclusive community dance party YGB. Youthhoodâs lineup showcases Portland artists, including Wine + Coffee (the project between Ripley Snell and Old Grape God), YGBâs resident DJ Lamar LeRoy, IntersectFest organizer Aâmisa Chiu, Mia OâConnor of DUG, and more. JENĂ ETHERIDGE
THURSDAY 11/3
THE THESIS: KARMA RIVERA, I$$A, DMARX, VERBZ
(Kellyâs Olympian, 426 SW Washington) Forget the Pearl District art snobbery. For nearly two years, Portlandâs best bet on the first Thursday of the month has been the Thesis, the intensely local hip-hop showcase at Kellyâs Olympian. Novemberâs lineup, headlined by shit-kicking Portland emcee Karma Rivera is especially on point. DIRK VANDERHART
FRIENDS & FRIENDS OF FRIENDS 9 COMPILATION RELEASE PARTY: MO TROPER, CAT HOCH, SLOW CORPSE, ASTRO TAN, GLASYS, NO ALOHA
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Since 2007, Tender Loving Empire has painstakingly documented the talents of Portlandâs vibrantly creative residents, particularly with their annual Friends & Friends of Friends compilation. The labelâs ninth comp features 39 songs by local artists, from Mo Troperâs catchy power pop to Cat Hochâs haze-gaze to the trippy R&B of Astro Tan. You can pick up a copy at its family reunion-style release showâall proceeds from the sale of CDs at the party will benefit the nonprofit crisis line Call to Safety. CERVANTE POPE
FRIDAY 11/4
THE HEAD AND THE HEART, DECLAN McKENNA
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Real talk: My only goal in life is to die a less mediocre white lady than the one I was born. That intersectionality-heavy goal becomes more like a blaring neon air horn when this life reminds me that bands like the Head and the Heart somehow still exist. Now, thereâs nothing inherently wrong with enjoying a little earnest faux-folk as a soundtrack to your day. But when the faux-folk all-white (natch) band in question uses instrumental practices first perfected by black sharecroppers more than a century ago, and interprets tradition as a tone-deaf gull echo of lyrics like âI wish I was a slave to an age-old trade,â later naming the single from its soulless third album, Signs of Light, âRhythm & Bluesâ? Woof, yâall. Again, nothing against indie folk-pop or rehashed roots musicâI have plenty more (and much better) longhaired Americana artists to send your way. Just donât give your money to this one. KIM SELLING
BILL FRISELL
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Guitarist Bill Frisellâs kaleidoscope of jazz and folk can be bright as day or as dark and uneasy as 3 am in a cemetery. His ability to send melodies darting off in countless directions has made him a commodity for composer John Zorn and doom/drone metal band Earth, but his three-decade career has also yielded some fantastic solo work. Heâs covered and interpreted the work of artists like John Lennon, Thelonious Monk, and Hank Williams (he even made an album dedicated to reinterpreting TV and movie themes), delivering often haunting takes on the originals. Frisellâs versatility is no doubt a large part of the equation, but his unique style remains intact wherever he ventures. MARK LORE
SATURDAY 11/5
OREGON SYMPHONY: BEETHOVENâS PASTORAL SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Think of Beethoven, and you probably think of that glowering visage, those tumultuous chords, those many-spired orchestral monuments to angst and melancholy. But olâ Ludwig Van always let in a bit more light than most people give him credit for, and his sixth symphony, the so-called âPastoral,â is among his gentlest, warmest creations. Its five interconnected movements depict an easy stroll through a bucolic countryside, and its jaunty main theme is bursting with carefree joy. The music goes on to encounter a meandering stream, a clumsy village dance, and a brief but deafening thunderstorm before its finale of gratitude and resolution. Considered by some to be the most lightweight of Beethovenâs major symphonies, the sixth is nevertheless a work of exquisite beauty and depth, and a demonstration of unparalleled musicalityâthis Beethoven guy really knew how to stitch a few notes together. Tonight the Oregon Symphony, with guest conductor Hans Graf, tackles the masterpiece, along with an orchestral work by crazy old Bob Schumann and a rarely heard wind concerto by Swiss/Dutch composer Frank Martin, a piece the Symphony hasnât performed since 1959. NED LANNAMANN
ALICE BAG, HURRY UP, SEX CRIME, MACHO BOYS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Legendary Latina musician, artist, and author Alice Bag got her start fronting the Bags, one of LAâs first punk bands. Sheâs done a whole lot throughout her 40-year career, but this past June brought the release of her self-titled solo debutâ11 tracks that soulfully blend punk, doo-wop, glam, and traditional ranchera. CIARA DOLAN Read our story on Alice Bag
GENDERS, MĂSCARAS, LAURA PALMERâS DEATH PARADE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) If Portland had a house band, itâd probably be Genders. The four-piece plays around town all the time, tours nonstop (with Built to Spill, no less), and cranks out new music like a goddamn machineâmost recently an EP called Phone Home that theyâre celebrating tonight. Its five songs are catchy, riding the line between hazy guitar-rock and sunshiny Coke-commercial pop like theyâre on autopilot. Theyâve mastered a sound thatâs sweet and mild, with a foundation built on honeyed harmonies and layers of reverb-heavy guitar. It sounds great; I canât say I dislike any Genders song. But on Phone Home, the band stays in the same lane theyâve been in since forming four years ago, and I canât help but wish theyâd pull the rug out from under themselves and try something wild. A few months ago I saw them do a blistering cover of a Sheryl Crow song at Mississippi Studios, and it was delivered with the kind of gory emotional rawness that subverts predictability. This EP is another link in Gendersâ daisy chain of solid releases, but hereâs hoping theyâll weave in something thorny soon. CIARA DOLAN
SUNDAY 11/6
OREGON SYMPHONY: BEETHOVENâS PASTORAL SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturdayâs listing.
A$AP FERG, PLAYBOI CARTI, ROB $TONE
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) A$AP Fergâs father made a living creating custom apparel for the likes of Bell Biv DeVoe and P-Diddy, so itâs easy to understand the Harlem rapperâs career trajectory. On his latest album, Always Strive and Prosper, Ferg calls upon the genreâs greats (Missy Elliott, Migos, Chuck D, and more) to illustrate a narrative thatâs laced with nostalgia and references to rapâs yesteryear. He shares stories about home and family without losing his signature edge (âHungry Ham,â an ode to his neighborhood, is a banger in the truest sense of the word), and raps about navigating the lifestyles of the rich and famous. The A$AP Mob oozes coolness, so itâs nice to hear a member of the hip-hop collective reminding us that heâs just a normal guy who used to work day jobs before he started donning Alexander Wang and meticulously curating his Instagram account. EMMA BURKE
LUBEC, ALIEN BOY, HELENS, FLOATING ROOM
(Lolaâs Room at the Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) When it comes to emo music, I have very particular taste: I want SoCal-accented vocals that arenât too whiney, lyrics about scorned ex-lovers that arenât too corny, guitars that thrash but also make me want to weep, and a perfect mix of humor and sincerity. Alien Boy fulfills all of these very specific qualifications as a rock group tailor-made for the current pop-punk climate. The Portland bandâs new EP Stay Alive rounds out their sound without losing the catchiness required for impassioned sing-alongs. Its members clearly draw inspiration from other bands they admire, like the Smiths, Joyce Manor, and Wipers. But Alien Boy doesnât sound derivativeâinstead traces of these influences show up in their songs like indirect love letters. EMMA BURKE
PWR BTTM, BELLOWS, LISA PRANK
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) While most of Oliver Kalbâs music released under the moniker Bellows conjures the acoustic intimacy of Elliott Smith or Sufjan Stevens, âOrange Juiceâ (from his September release Fist & Palm) is a game-changerâhere the Brooklyn musician/producer sings through heavily auto-tuned vocals over electronic backbeats. âSpring, Summer, Autumn, Winterâ resonates with Aaron Cop- land-esque grandeur, and âA Sordid Endingâ cuts loose over aggressive guitars and percussion as Kalb recalls hot-blooded encounters with an emotionally unhinged father figure. On her debut full-length, Adult Teen, Robin Edwards of Lisa Prank captures the biting wisdom of adolescence, especially on songs like âLuv Is Dumb.â WILLIAM KENNEDY
MONDAY 11/7
OREGON SYMPHONY: BEETHOVENâS PASTORAL SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See Saturdayâs listing.
JOHN MAYALL
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) England always had more respect for American blues than its own homeland ever did, and John Mayall is the patron saint of the British branch of the blues. Or he would be, if he ever died; now at 82 years old, Mayall is still chuffinâ and grindinâ and steaminâ over those same 12-bar progressions. His band Bluesbreakers was an incubator for legions of British rock stars that rose to prominence during the â60s and â70s. Without him we wouldnât have had Fleetwood Mac, Cream, or Mick Taylor-era Rolling Stones. That Mayall is still devoted to those electrified one-four-five chord progressions of American blues pioneers like Muddy Waters and Howlinâ WolfâMayallâs latest album Find a Way to Care sounds very much like all his other albumsâis something to be celebrated. NL
MAMA, THE RUBS, LADYWOLF, MOONDRAKE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) MAMAâs official press photo looks like it was taken 40 years agoâitâs faded and grainy, featuring four dudes, some feathered hair, lots of denim, and Thin Lizzy and T. Rex T-shirts. This all makes perfect sense given MAMAâs musical output, which draws heavily from the power pop and hard rock of the â70s and â80s. Get in, crank out some killer riffs and sweet melodies, and get out before the clock hits 180 seconds. Thatâs MAMAâs thing, and theyâre darn good at it. The band is on a big olâ tour with fellow Windy City rockers the Rubs, who are a little more Elvis Costello and a little less Cheap Trick. BEN SALMON
BOZ SCAGGS
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) Like mushrooms after rain, vinyl copies of Boz Scaggsâ Silk Degrees tend to sprout up overnight in peopleâs record collections. âJeez, I donât remember buying this,â every record collector has said at one time or another, suspiciously eyeing the iconic album cover with Scaggs on a park bench looking either drunk or dejected as a manicured lady hand suggestively reaches into frame. The former Steve Miller Band guitaristâs blockbuster 1976 album is a swankfest from bygone days, a surprisingly ambidextrous collision of string-laden R&B, gently discofied beats, singer/songwriter introspection, and Springsteen-esque bar-band bravado. And its two hit singles couldnât be more different: âLowdownâ was, probably, sexy for its time, with its Barry White groove and burning-cool jazz flute; nowadays it sounds immeasurably creepy. But âLido Shuffleâ has a McCartney-worthy melody, a Thin Lizzy quick-shuffle rock beat, and the soaring sing-along chorus of your karaoke dreams. Scaggs has apparently recorded dozens of other albums that youâve never heard, and presumably heâll play songs from some of them tonight, but expect those Silk Degrees jams to be the meat of the set list. NL
TUESDAY 11/8
TORY LANEZ, JACQUEES, KRANIUM, DJ VEECEE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Add yet another Canadian hip-hop/R&B sensation to the list: 24-year-old Tory Lanez, whose lead single, âSay Itâ has helped hoist him into the national spotlight. Plenty of cosigns later, his debut studio album I Told You was released in August. Itâs a âswaveyâ mix of moody knocks like âFlex,â âTo D.R.E.A.M.,â and dancehall tracks like âLuv.â Lanez also has some associations locally: Portland rapper-singer ISSA recruited him to be featured on âSleep On You,â another dancehall jam thatâll make you want to move those hips. JENNI MOORE