SUPER PICKS
KYLE, CUSIN STIZZ
(Wed 4/26 at Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) KYLE, a 23-year-old rapper/singer from Los Angeles, doesnât like being compared to Drake (see âKeep It Realâ), but itâs hard not to see the vague similarities in their voices, personas, and appearances. And thatâs a compliment! His catalog is filled with summer-vibed songs, silly-but-fun music videos, and collabs with the likes of Kehlani, Lil Yachty, G-Eazy, and Chance the Rapper. The video for âiSpyâ is your typical half-nekkid-hunnies-on-the-beach situation, but Lil Yachty and KYLE tromp around with comically enlarged heads and tiny bodies. On the catchy âDonât Wanna Fall in Loveâ (which samples Jane Childâs 1990 synth-pop song of the same name), KYLE raps verses explaining why heâd be a bad boyfriend, because heâs easily hurt and doesnât want to be tied down. The video finds him on a beach date that leads to a boxing match with a baddie who hands him an ass-whoopingâbut not before he and Brick break out some super-slick dance moves in the ring. My favorite KYLE song is his collaboration with Kehlani called âJust a Picture,â which is about phone and social media addiction. Itâs got his signature Cali vibe, a valid message, and a hint of nostalgia. I promise itâll make you want to dance in unison in the sunshine. That being said, his show is likely to be uplifting AF. JENNI MOORE
DIET CIG, LISA PRANK, MINI BLINDS
(Sat 4/29 at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Itâs rare for an album to make me laugh out loud during the opening seconds, but Diet Cigâs first full-length, Swear Iâm Good at This, did exactly that. Singer Alex Luciano tells a story about dating a boy also named Alex. âIt was... weeeird,â she sings, recounting the awful sensation of calling out your own name during sex. The rest of Swear is just as goofy and giddy, creating the effect of a close group of friends sharing funny, gossipy, sometimes dirty stories at a party. The music, made with Lucianoâs guitar and Noah Bowmanâs drums, is loud but low-key, with twee, major-chord melodies (âLink in Bio,â âTummy Acheâ) presented cleanly and directly, given only just the slightest bit of punk-rock spit-slime.
Diet Cig released their debut EP Over Easy in 2015 and have constantly toured the country ever since, but for many, the first impression of the New Paltz/Brooklyn duo came from Pitchforkâs review for Swear Iâm Good at This. In a hectoring essay, the writer dictated a set of prescriptions for all feminist-leaning indie pop bands to be contained within, and found Diet Cig wanting. In between confusing jabs at the bandâs origin story and a side-snipe at Etsy stores selling âBlack Lives Matterâ patches, the piece said, âDiet Cig are the heavy-handed musical equivalent of the pussy hat: a well-meaning feminist gesture that lacks all nuance.â
In the end, Pitchforkâs review seemed more interested in putting up barriers to the perfumed garden of social awarenessââsee how woke we are?ââthan in advancing progressive issues. But whatâs more puzzling is why Diet Cig, specifically, were selected to be a referendum on these issues at all. Yes, it needs to be acknowledged that the pussy hat is a symbol with limitations, particularly its exclusion of members of the transgender community. But it also functioned, quite remarkably, as shorthand for a national statement of protest. If a band has the potential ability to communicate as widely and as directly as that, they must be doing something right. And if Diet Cig are that band, itâs because the beauty of their songs lies in their simplicity and their concision.
We seem to have entered a period where all social art isâat least initiallyâvalued based on its level of political consciousness. There are positives and negatives to this, of course, all of which should be plainly obvious. But what Diet Cig does to me, for better or worse, is make me briefly forget about this particularly difficult moment in time, reminding me of the shouty, sing-along pop and rock songs I loved as a teenager, and through my 20s, and even last year and last week. Make no mistake: Thereâs liberation in music like this. And while itâs not the end of the world if some choose not to share in it, itâs a shame theyâre trying to shackle it, too. NED LANNAMANN
WEDNESDAY 4/26
VIA ROSA, VINNIE DEWAYNE, KARMA RIVERA, BROWN CALCULUS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Spare yourself the 2000-mile trek to Chicago with this showcase of hip-hop, R&B, and neo-soul from artists whoâve lived in the Windy City, co-curated by Holocene and Portland-based rapper Vinnie Dewayne. Headliner Via Rosa spent her childhood touring with her reggae-playing parents, and entered the world of beat-making as a teen. Ever since, sheâs collaborated with countless producers to develop hazy, mellow tracks perfectly accented by her velvety voice. Karma Rivera shifts between spitting verses and singing hooks with her distinct delivery. Brown Calculus is the promising new project of Portland-based artists Vaughn Kimmons and Andre Burgos, who meticulously stack sounds into melodies that shimmer and vocals that reverberate in a style the duo describes as âjazzy, intergalactic soul.â EMILLY PRADO
THURSDAY 4/27
KPSU AMP FEST: MOUNT EERIE,HALEY HEYNDERICKX, WHITNEY BALLEN, STRANGE RANGER, LISA PRANK, FLOATING ROOM, CHAIN
(Parkway North at PSUâs Memorial Student Union, 1825 SW Broadway) Portland State Universityâs student-run radio station KPSU has put together a seriously great Pacific Northwest-focused lineup for its all-day, all-ages Amp Fest. Seriously. Three killer Portland bands hold down the bottom of the bill: the experimental rock three-piece Chain, the gray-pop of Floating Room, and the âyolo-fiâ post-punk of Strange Ranger (FKA Sioux Falls). Then thereâs Seattleâs Lisa Prank, who plays glitter-bombed pop-punk that could definitely soundtrack an early â00s teen dramedy. Fellow Seattleite Whitney Ballen also graces this lineupâshe just released her latest album, Being Here Is Hard, on Portlandâs Good Cheer Records. Itâs folksy, acoustic dream-pop thatâs so charged and raw, ânightmare-popâ sounds more accurate. Ballenâs strikingly pretty voice carries the weight of her existential anxieties and makes hearing them out loud bearable. The same goes for headliner Mount Eerie, AKA Phil Elverum. The prolific Anacortes, Washington, songwriterâs new album, A Crow Looked at Me, catalogs the days, weeks, and months following the death of his wife with devastating detail. CIARA DOLAN. Read our story on Whitney Ballen.
POND, KIRIN J. CALLINAN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Australiaâs Pond makes melodic synth-pop with devilishly morbid timing. â30,000 Megatons,â the opening track of their forthcoming LP The Weather, posits that humankind deserves nuclear fallout. Set to a Kubrick-esque sound meditation, it echoes the futuristic and spacey canvas of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and blots foreboding vibes into the record. Things are rescued with the sugary pop of âSweep Me Off My Feet,â a perfectly romantic number reminiscent of Portlandâs Minden. Pondâs progressive schematics are evident in song titles like âZen Automaton,â and âEdge of the World Pt. 2,â while their sense of humor peeks through on the moody pop jam âAll I Want for Xmas (Is a Tascam 388).â RYAN J. PRADO
HELEN SUNG QUARTET
(Fremont Theater, 2393 NE Fremont) While studying classical piano at the University of Texas in Austin, Helen Sung had a musical epiphany at a Harry Connick Jr. performance. Watching him play solo jazz pieces, the native Texan remembers âwanting to jump out of my own skin... He was banging on a piano in a way that I was never taught to do.â That evening was the catalyst that would lead Sung on a journey into the far reaches of the jazz universe. Whether leading her own combo or playing a supporting role in other artistsâ groups, her playing leaps forward, propelled by her splashy phrasing and willingness to try anything, from lonesome ballads to fidgety bop and even Latin-inspired tunes. Sung arrives in Portland with her longstanding quartet that includes the equally impressive saxophonist John Ellis and drummer Darrell Green. ROBERT HAM
LAURA MARLING, VALLEY QUEEN
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) âSemper feminaâ is at least three things: Itâs a phrase from Virgilâs epic poem the Aeneid, itâs a pair of words tattooed onto British folk singer Laura Marlingâs leg, and itâs the name of her beautiful new record. Released last month, Semper Femina is Marlingâs sixth full-length studio album, and like its predecessors, itâs skillful, cozy, inventive, and compelling. According to Marlingâs camp, Semper Femina is âan intimate, devoted exploration of femininity and female relationshipsâ that sprouted while she was living in Los Angeles and experiencing âa masculine timeâ in her life. As such, she raises questions of how the world perceives gender and sexuality without endeavoring to provide any answers. Semper Femina is an intoxicating amalgam of deft acoustic guitar picking, generous melodies, and her warm, rich voice. Translated from Latin, âsemper feminaâ means âalways a woman.â Laura Marling is always a delight, and Semper Femina is no exception. BEN SALMON
FRIDAY 4/28
SECRET DRUM BAND, MARISA ANDERSON AND SAM COOMES, MIKE GAMBLE, SAGE FISHER, AND JOHN NIEKRASZ
(Leaven Community Center, 5431 NE 20th) Presented by the Creative Music Guild and Portlandâs chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon, the inspiration of this concert is twee as heck. Plants! This is a concert for plants. Local musicians like master guitarist Marisa Anderson and experimental indie-rocker Sam Coomes will perform original odes to our stateâs native flora while images are projected behind them. CIARA DOLAN
KANSAS
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Stop what youâre doing and look up a video on YouTube called âKansas â Live from Canada Jam: Carry on Wayward Son.â This 1978 live performance of the prog-rockersâ FM-radio staple is nothing short of a masterpiece, the kind of artifact we should be blasting into space so civilizations on other planets can judge us by our finest achievements. In this needlessly complicated piece of carefully orchestrated butt-rock, lead singer Steve Walsh performs wearing running shorts, socks, and nothing else, then whips out a wicked bongo solo mid-song. Violinist and backing vocalist Robby Steinhardt shakes the bushiest hairdo youâve ever seen, with tresses clear down to his waist. Lead guitarist and songwriter Kerry Livgren tears riff after riff out of his guitar like a demon, while rhythm guitarist Rich Williams stands motionless in the background, donning an absurd â70s-style tuxedo. This is all before Walsh starts doing handstands on his organ. It is ridiculous and sublime and achingly, stupidly beautiful. Unfortunately, most of those members of Kansas will not be present at tonightâs performanceâonly Williams and drummer Phil Ehart remain from the original lineup. Sic transit gloria. NED LANNAMANN
BEACH PARTY, BOD, SWEEPING EXITS, MALA FIDES
(The Know, 3728 NE Sandy) Three months into his presidency, youâre probably still sitting dumbfounded in your bedroom, compulsively Googling âHow long has Trump been in office?â Music will help, trust me: Try the second edition of the benefit show series âNot Without a Fight,â which hits the Know this weekend to raise money for local organizations Outside In, a crucial nonprofit serving homeless youths, and Portland Peopleâs Outreach Project, a charity providing clean injection and overdose prevention supplies to the Portland area. The grungy, experimental weirdoes of Seattleâs Bod return to town just after releasing their new EP, True Cinnamon. The excellent title trackâs angular opening riff softens as the four-piece molds the tempo to fit their bizarrely catchy purposes. Local glam-punk heartthrobs Sweeping Exits will also grace the new Know stage with densely packed and theatrically realized tales of queer empowerment. NATHAN TUCKER
ASPHYX, SKELETAL REMAINS, HELLSHOCK, SEMPITERNAL DUSK
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) Death metal giants Asphyx are aptly namedâformed three decades ago, the revered Dutch band combines machine-gun drum beats, Martin van Drunenâs dying-gasp growl, and beefy guitar riffs that sound like theyâre looking for a city to flatten. Asphyx regularly takes its foot off the gas and lets some doomy grooves creep in, but for the most part, this is brutal death metal that feels sonically suffocating, like the walls are closing in fast. The band is touring behind 2016âs Incoming Death, its first full-length since 2012âs beloved Deathhammer. Joining Asphyx on tonightâs bill are California old-school death wreckers Skeletal Remains, local crust/thrash nasties Hellshock, and local doom/death merchants Sempiternal Dusk. Please note: Extremity pulled out of its tour with Asphyx and will not play this show. BS
SATURDAY 4/29
HELIO SEQUENCE, JACKSON BOONE, ORANGUTANG
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Portlandâs favorite homegrown indie-rock band, The Helio Sequence, is playing at the Doug Fir. The Beaverton locals will be doing a show in Seattle (ew) the night before, so make sure to show them some hometown love. CLAIRE HOLLEY
DIET CIG, LISA PRANK, MINI BLINDS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our Super Pick on Diet Cig.
CAPPELLA ROMANA
(St. Maryâs Cathedral, 1716 NW Davis) Over the course of her 34-year reign, Catherine the Great expanded the Russian Empire not only geopolitically, but also culturally through her patronage of Europeâs leading painters and musicians. Tonight the homegrown, mind-blowing vocalists of Cappella Romana bring the late 18th century back to life by performing Russian Orthodox choral works from the Imperial Court Chapel in St. Petersburg. If you think hearing the sublime, polyphonic compositions of the Venetian masters Catherine employed, sung live and unplugged by an elite choir in a reverberating cathedral might be totally kickass, Iâm here to say you are absolutely correct. BRIAN HORAY
SUNDAY 4/30
RED FANG, THE PYNNACLES, MAXIMUM MAD
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) Local heavy-rock stalwarts Red Fang routinely fill Portlandâs biggest rooms, but tonight they take over the newly rejuvenated Tonic Lounge for a deafeningly intimate blast of Sunday-night rawk. With garage-rock party-starters the Pynnacles (featuring Crackerbashâs Sean Croghan) and noise rockers Maximum Mad kicking things off, this is a night that you may rue on Monday morning but shall live in infamy thereafter. NED LANNAMANN
BASS AND FLOW II: GANGSIGNS, KARMA RIVERA, RASHEED JAMAL, CHRIS BOWER, BOTTLE KIDZ
(Lolaâs Room at the Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Portland hip-hop is finally getting the attention it deserves, despite our cityâs lack of representation over the years. Thankfully, more shows and dance nights are cropping up in devotion to whatâs perhaps the wokest genre. KPSUâs Bass and Flow showcase gives some love to Portlandâs electronic producers and DJs, and with the seriesâ second installment, the focus is at the intersection of hip-hop and electronic. Powerfully provocative local rapper Rasheed Jamal will share the stage with Karma Rivera, producer Gangsigns, the rambunctious DJ duo Bottle Kidz, whoâll hopefully throw more beats than bottles, and Vancouver, Washington, newbie Chris Bower, whoâs dropping his first release this year. CERVANTE POPE
TIM KASHER, ALLISON WEISS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Unlike the majority of songwriters operating within the âsad guy plus guitarâ paradigm, Tim Kasher is more knowing antagonist than perpetual victim. Itâs probably why heâs never had the same mass appeal as his adorable counterpart, Conor Oberstâwhy waste sympathy on a solipsist? Kasherâs willingness to magnify his innumerable faults is equal parts alluring and repellant. (Think: train wreck.) Nowhere is this more apparent than Kasherâs defining artistic statement, his band Cursiveâs emo masterpiece Domesticaâa concept album about a crumbling marriage that hurts so good. (Robert Christgauâs review of Domestica is one of the funniest things heâs ever written: âGuitar rageboy marries too young, gets concept album out of it.â) Cursiveâs follow-up, The Ugly Organ, which is also a concept album about art or something, is an early â00s bro-intellectual essential. But Kasher is at his best when heâs tackling his enduring obsession with dysfunctional domesticity, a theme heâs revisited often with his side project the Good Life, and most notably, on his underrated 2010 solo debut, The Game of Monogamy. MORGAN TROPER
MONDAY 5/1
AYE NAKO, BRAVE HANDS, LONGCLAW, ALIEN BOY
(Black Water Bar, 835 NE Broadway) With films like Moonlight and bands like Brooklynâs Aye Nako, the LGBTQ and Black experiences may at last be finding a voice in mainstream popular culture. Speaking of representative voices, Silver Haze welcomes Jade Payneâs voice to Aye Nako as full-fledged co-songwriter alongside Mars Dixon. (Payne contributed guitar and background vocal work to 2015âs Blackest Eye.) The result is bracing and vital â90s-era guitar rock with elements of pop punk and enough messy, open-chord Sonic Youth-style tunings to goose Thurston Moore from his middle-aged stupor. As bands like Aye Nako and PWR BTTM explore personal experience with fresh voices, opportunities arise for next-generation songwriters. WILLIAM KENNEDY
TUESDAY 5/2
DAVID CROSBY
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Read our story on David Crosby.
KEHLANI, ELLA MAI, JAHKOY, NOODLES
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Kehlaniâs SweetSexySavage tour is hitting Portland. She recently made a surprise appearance in town for friend (and Portland native) Amineâs show, so maybe heâll return the favor and come drop a few bars. Theyâre a winning combination. Either way, this is a show you donât want to miss. CLAIRE HOLLEY Read our story on Kehlani.
PILE, GNARWHAL, HANG THE OLD YEAR
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The pure joy I feel every single goddamn time I listen to the track âBaby Boyâ by Boston-based rock band Pile is comparable only to the pure joy I felt leaving my high school after graduationâitâs a rush of independence and elation. The way Pile embeds tension into their songs is so affecting, their live performances so electric, and lead singer Rick Maguireâs vocals so guttural, itâs hard not to be overcome by surges of adrenaline while listening to the bandâs melancholy shredding. In March they released A Hairshirt of Purpose, which slows down the cacophonous guitars and growls. Even with a change of pace, Pileâs energy is unparalleled. EMMA BURKE
ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES, TOGETHER PANGEA, KID CONGO AND THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Itâs been 20 years since Me First and the Gimme Gimmesâ one-album experiment somehow turned into a punk rock institution. The super group has rattled off seven studio albums, a live record, and a score of singles, applying a skate-punk sheen to covers of show tunes, Japanese pop, Motown, and everything in between. The bandâs popularity shouldnât be that hard to fathom, thoughâcomposed of members of California punkâs Fat Wreck Chords family (NOFX, Lagwagon, Swinginâ Utters, and Foo Fighters... yes, them), Me First and the Gimme Gimmes allows at least two generations to access music they might not have heard. Often sporting Hawaiian shirts or schlocky suits, they look like like rock ânâ roll uncles playing a cruise ship nightclub. RJP