SUPER PICK
SAVILA, NOTEL
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) When Notel dropped their first single earlier this month, the bandâs chilled-out, beachy instrumentals quickly made waves throughout Portland. âSun Reservoirâ is the slightly wicked, ultra-breezy track that you might play while cruising down Highway 101 in a getaway vehicle after successfully robbing a bank with your boo. Candy-coated on one end and colorfully eerie on the other, the nostalgic nod will leave you pining in the dust when itâs all over. Notel is the brainchild of several staples in the Portland music scene, including guitarists Becky Miller (Top Parts) and Peter Condra (Magic Mouth), drummer Emily Kingan (Lovers), and synthy mysticism from Lorna Krier (Lorna Dune). This monthâs Sound + Vision at Mississippi Studios will be the bandâs first-ever concert, so expect them to unveil even more material live. What better way to welcome Notel than to pair them up with the similarly moody and star-studded Savila, a psychedelic three-piece inspired by the range of Latin Americaâs cumbias and sun-kissed West Coast surf rock. Guitarist and She Shreds founder Fabi Reyna cleverly stacks dreamy riffs while vocalist Brisa Gonzalez (of the now-defunct Swan Island) hypnotizes audiences with Spanish-language tales. Itâs topped off with cowbell-friendly tropical beats from Orquestra Pacifico Tropical and Mascaras percussionist Papi Fimbres, for a smoky sound thatâs meant for stomping and swaying along. EMILLY PRADO
WEDNESDAY 5/24
COREY HARPER, DUSTIN RUTH
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Portlandâs own Corey Harper didnât make his way onto my radar until the 22-year-old singer/songwriter landed a slot opening for Justin Bieberâs Purpose Tour last year in Vancouver. While he wasnât exactly what we were concerned about at the time, I noted liking his gritty and soulful voice during his simple acoustic set. His songs sit comfortably at the intersection of Americana, folk, blues and country, sometimes giving me John Mayer and Stevie Ray Vaughan vibes. His intimate set on Mississippi is sure to be an easy and enjoyable listen. JENNI MOORE
CARDIOID, LOS COLOGNES, BECAUSE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Itâs been just two months since Cardioid left Portland for Los Angeles, but the bandâs already returning to promote their recent debut, Parts Dept. Though Lizzy Ellison only left Radiation City to join Unknown Mortal Orchestra drummer/producer Riley Geare as Cardioid last year, theyâve developed the beautifully cohesive sound of a well-seasoned outfit. Each song on Parts Dept. contains its own instantly accessible hook, and these poppy melodies are sometimes set against wistful strings. Cardioidâs music is dream rockâa surreal, angst-laden gaze into indie rockâs subconscious. These days they may call LA home, but their first album showcases the melancholy pop rock one might expect from a city thatâs often doused in rain and IPAs. ROSE FINN
T.I., COOL NUTZ, YUNGMIL, JAKE SIERRA MUSIC, DJ DROPKID
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) T.I. did good by putting a Portland stop on his Hustle Gang Tour, given the subject matter of his most recent album. Last year he dropped Us or Else, which thematically centers on the current socio-political climate that has so many people rallying in the streets. With guest spots from artists like Killer Mike (Run the Jewels) and Quavo (Migos), T.I. uses his new record as a platform to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality, and social justice. He also recently dragged Trumpâwho lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2,864,974 votesâon Twitter in defense of everyoneâs favorite weed dad, Snoop Dogg. Calling Trump a âtangerine tanned muskrat scrotum skinâ is quite possibly the best and most accurate presidential diss yet, so letâs hope he doesnât hold back once he hops onstage at the Roseland. Heâll be among like-minded people. CERVANTE POPE
THURSDAY 5/25
BLOSSOM, PHONE CALL, DNVN
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) A Blossom show is always a good time, and this one should be no different. With roots in Trinidad and Tobago, Blossom has Portlandâs hip-hop scene under her spell. Phone Call and DNVN should pair excellently with her funky soul-infused style. Phone Call is made up of two former members of Portland-based disco band Strength. They draw from their dance music past, infusing their sound with heavy hip-hop beats. CLAIRE HOLLEY
GIRLPOOL, SNAIL MAIL, SURFER ROSIE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Led by high school senior Lindsey Jordan, last year Maryland three-piece Snail Mail released an impressive debut EP last year, Habit. Itâs six tracks of lo-fi indie rock that perfectly captures the feeling of dragging your feet around your hometown and praying you donât get stuck there for good. CIARA DOLAN Read our story on Girlpool.
MĂSCARAS, JO PASSED, LASER BACKGROUND, BITCHâN
(The Know, 3728 NE Sandy) Read our review of MĂĄscarasâ new album, El MorĂĄn.
BLEACHERS, BOB, MOSES MISSIO
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Itâs been five years since the band fun. bumrushed the mainstream with its bombastic pop music. Since then, fun. has been relatively quiet, but lead guitarist Jack Antonoff has established himself as one of the preeminent behind-the-scenes songwriters and producers on Earth. He co-wrote and co-produced three songs on Taylor Swiftâs 1989. He co-wrote Sara Bareillesâ mega-hit âBraveâ and Lordeâs new single âGreen Light.â He has worked with Sia, Zayn, Carly Rae Jepsen... the list goes on and on. But as busy as Antonoff has been with other folksâ music, heâs been just as productive with his own, which he makes under the name Bleachers. The first Bleachers album, 2014âs Strange Desire, was packed with perfect summer jams, and the first three singles from the forthcoming Gone Now sound just as promising. Antonoffâs primary gift? Marrying massive, 21st-century melodies (and technology) with distinctly â80s-inspired pastel new wave vibes. Few do it better. BEN SALMON
FRIDAY 5/26
TWERK: DJ ILL CAMINO
(Killingsworth Dynasty, 832 N Killingsworth) Sometimes you just need to twerk. For me, this usually takes the form of me dancing pantsless next to a Bluetooth speaker, but hereâs a chance to let resident DJ Ill Camino take over sound duties for once, with his HQ mix of hip-hop, R&B, and bounce music thatâll aim to get all the booties shaking. Plus itâs at the spacious and appealing Killingsworth Dynasty, a spot thatâs become an experienced host to a slew of POC- and LGBTQAI-inclusive dance functions. JENNI MOORE
JAGWAR MA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The year was 2013. Rich youths ran around on coke benders at [insert music festival here] while feeling no shame for appropriating Native American-inspired headdresses. Daft Punkâs âGet Luckyâ was the song of the summer, but these folks craved mellower hits to play while actually getting lucky. Enter the phenomenon of âhipster sex music,â which presents buzz bands like the XX and Jagwar Ma the ideal market to milk: trust fund kiddos who just want something thatâs trippy, man. Some say Coachella is our generationâs Woodstock, because the 1960s were wild, radical, and free, but this new kind of freedom simply equals someoneâs ability to buy shit. Itâs 2017, and besides minor victories like the implosion of Fyre Festival forcing rich people to eat middle school lunch sandwiches for a day, these massive displays of aristocratic cultural capital remain relatively unfazed. Jagwar Ma has a new album, and it sounds no differentâI guess the beats are kind of pleasant. CAMERON CROWELL
FLYNT FLOSSY AND TURQUOISE JEEP, MAZE KOROMA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Purveyors of a genre they call EMB hip-hop (âExisting Musical Beingsâ), for nearly a decade Turquoise Jeep have brought humor back into hip-hop and R&B. The movement started with the fly moves of Flynt Flossy and the deliciously named Whatchyamacallit during a time when the standard club hits lacked comedic substance. There have been a few changes to the Turquoise Jeep roster, as theyâve said goodbye to the sultry voice of Pretty Raheem and Yung Humma, the creator of their most famous hit âLemme Smang It,â but the boys continue to churn out hilariously sensual jams. For those in the mood to get a little âLicky Stickyâ belting out lyrics about their âCavities,â Turquoise Jeep know how to bring seductive performances (which often include audience participation). Itâs no wonder theyâve managed to âkeep the jeep ridinââ for all these years. CP
TIM MCGRAW AND FAITH HILL, JOSEPH
(Moda Center, 1 N Center Court) Husband/wife duo Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are the exemplars of the modern career in the country genre. They crank out music with admirable regularity, while squeezing in time to take on acting roles, help produce television shows, serve as mentors for up-and-coming Nashville talent, and make fun investments like McGrawâs former part-ownership of an Arena Football League team. And their fans respond in turn, keeping their albums flying off the shelves and former hits like âThis Kissâ and âI Like It, I Love Itâ in heavy rotation on country radio. The pair are engaging in another joint tour this year, with the goal of firing up advance support for a new collaborative album thatâs set to drop after Soul2Soul: The World Tour wraps up in October. Being the king and queen of country music is their business, and business is a-boominâ. ROBERT HAM
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) With highly theatrical stadium rock presentation and neo-classical fretboard fireworks, Swedish guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen grabbed the shredder centerfold torch from Eddie Van Halen in the mid-â80s and provided the blueprint for subsequent axe superheroes like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani to enjoy mainstream success. By relegating the lead singer to sideman and directing the center stage spotlight onto his iconic Stratocaster, Malmsteen injected glam-rock sex appeal into his searing arpeggios with Amadeus-level virtuosity that wowed huge crowds, sold many albums, and inspired young heshers like myself to dive headfirst into hours of private lessons and bedroom noodling. Copious amounts of my time and lunch money were spent collecting magazines adorned with his leonine mane and daydreaming about attaining even half of the face-melting abilities of the great âIng-vay,â possibly the most recognized first name in heavy metal guitar culture. CHRIS SUTTON
ANGELA DAVISE, REDRAY FRAZIER, LIBRETTO
(The Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Though her name immediately calls to mind the firebrand activist, feminist, and college professor, Portlandâs Angela Davise is more akin to the mellow folk and pop music of Joan Armatrading or Tracy Chapman. Tonight the singer and songwriter celebrates the release of her new album, What Will Remain, with local soul-rock virtuoso (and former David Byrne backup singer) Redray Frazier, fresh off his TEDx Portland performance. Whether heâs performing solo or with his band, onstage at the Keller Auditorium or at the neighborhood dive, Frazier does not disappoint. Also on the bill is veteran Portland MC Libretto, still reintroducing himself to his adopted hometown after years locked away in federal prison, and still every bit as hungry as he was back in the Misfit Massive days. While the acts are dissimilar in style, tonight is a rare opportunity to see three unique local talents collaborating with and vibing off each other in an intimate setting. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY
SATURDAY 5/27
WHAT WAS SOUND: DIIV, WOODS, EL TEN ELEVEN, FRUIT BATS, SMALL LEAKS SINK SHIPS, BED., JUJUBA, SUNBATHE
(Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 1020 SW Naito) Having trouble scoring tickets to Sasquatch, bro? Fear not, as the combined efforts of local startup Sub Rosa Curation and the Portland Rose Festival promise to make your Memorial Day weekend a noisy one down at the waterfront. For $28 per ticket, What Was Sound brings a musically diverse slice of indie artists together under one banner for a one-day, all-ages mini-fest. And with the lineup featuring the neo-psych punch of Woods, the twisted Americana of Fruit Bats, and the shimmery pop of DIIV, youâll hardly give a rip about the potentiality of âfest folksââlike Croc-wearing poseurs or weekend bridge-and-tunnel jocksâharshing your mellow. Locals on the bill include the Nigerian juju of Jujuba, rockers Small Leaks Sink Ships, the fuzz-forward trio bed., and Sunbathe, the solo project of Genders frontwoman Maggie May Morris. Bring sunscreen and donât be a jerk. RYAN J. PRADO
THE POSTCARDS, SMALL FIELD, BODY ACADEMICS
(Kellyâs Olympian, 426 SW Washington) Thereâs not a whole lot of information available online about Portland-based baroque-pop band the Postcards. The âAboutâ section of their Facebook profile includes no bio and no band membersâ names, and there isnât an official Postcards website. Their Bandcamp does, however, feature a full stream of the bandâs new, debut LP, This Green Hill, which offers a peek at the Postcardsâ interests. Namely: jangling, psychedelic, â60s-style pop music, heavily influenced by Brian Wilson and his work with the Pet Sounds/Smiley Smile-era Beach Boys in the late â60s. This Green Hill sounds carefully constructed out of hooky melodies, lush harmonies, layered production, and a toolshed full of instruments, some conventional to pop music and some not so much. Not only is This Green Hill the Postcardsâ first album, tonight is their first-ever show. Intriguing, right? BS
HOOPS, PARTS, NO LALA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Bloomington, Indiana, dream-pop outfit Hoops is a collaboration between Drew Auscherman, Keagan Beresford, and Kevin Krauter, three songwriters who craft catchy, laidback pop nuggets that almost coercively make you think of summer. Some might be turned off by the suspiciously chill affect that permeates their 2017 debut, Routines, all warm vintage synths and shimmering Roland jazz chorus casting a layer of impenetrable cool over the proceedings. Hoops is best, though, when they accidentally let their guard down. Standout âOn Letting Goâ serves as a jaded kiss-off to lost love that doesnât seem to even convince its writer, Beresford. Mumbled over a wistful breakbeat thatâs somewhere between Moby and Prince, the songâs dismissive refrain of âI donât even care, I donât wanna knowâ is immediately undercut by Beresfordâs concession: âI admit I doubled back when I told you I donât write love songs.â NATHAN TUCKER
SUNDAY 5/28
SPARKLE BITCH BALL: SKULL DIVER, FOXY LEMON, RARE MONK, BUCKMASTER
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Get ready to sparkle, because all the kings, queens, âand everything in betweenâ will be at Holocene to celebrate tonightâs Sparkle Bitch Ball. Besides maximum fabulosity, one can expect the release of psych rock outfit Skull Diverâs new album Chemical Tomb, as well as the debut of their music video â8 Pack 8 Legsâ starring your host and local drag queen royalty Patrick Buckmaster. Joining the fun will be more music from Rare Monk and Foxy Lemon⌠and you (bedecked in glitter, sequins, and ready to stun). WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
DIGABLE PLANETS
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Yep, beloved â90s hip-hop trio Digable Planets is still reunion touring, and yep, weâre still excited about it. Ladybug Mecca, Doodlebug, and Butterfly last took the stage at the Crystal last August, meaning even if you attended youâre probably gonna need a post-Trump palate cleanser. Yes yes, yâall! DIRK VANDERHART Read our story on Digable Planets.
RODRIGUEZ, ARUM RAE
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) The story of Sixto Rodriguez is one of the greatest and most heartwarming in rock ânâ roll history. A Mexican-American hippie from Detroit records two radically charged folk rock albums in the early â70s, and then fades into obscurity until a reissue label and fledgling filmmaking crew dig up his gilded treasures. The 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man exposed Rodriguezâs unsung magic, particularly on his debut LP, Cold Fact, to a public instantly enraptured by his heady mixture of Bob Dylanâs poetic wizardry and Neil Youngâs fearless Americana, all wrapped up in the broken bricks-eye view of Motor City depression. Itâs reassuring that such enriching and incendiary music can get that type of belated appreciation. CS
MONDAY 5/29
CROOKED BANGS, CONDITIONER, SEX CRIME, WAY WORSE
(Black Water Bar, 835 NE Broadway) On their new album Crooked Bangs II, Austinâs Crooked Bangs expose the recesses of dark punk. Lead by bassist/vocalist Leda Ginestra, the bandâs no-frills thrash sounds like the punk record you used to hide from your parents as a preteen for its dangerous undertones. Ginestraâs often French-sung vocals lend a nebulous layer to the bandâs otherwise rollicking merits. Songs as undeniably great as âRabbit Holeâ put the band in the company of pioneering â90s grungers like Mudhoney, had they been pitting with Dead Kennedys in a dank Northwest basement all night. Crooked Bangs II is a really good punk record, and you should buy it and hide it from your parents, no matter how old you are. RJP
TUESDAY 5/30
SOUND + VISION: SAVILA, NOTEL
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Taking its name from the Spanish word for aloe vera, cumbia three-piece Savila is singer Brisa Gonzalez, guitarist (and She Shreds founder) Fabi Reyna, and alternating guest drummers. Like the plant, their music is a salveâthe Portland group seamlessly weaves together psychedelic guitar, Gonzalezâs echoing vocals, and intricate percussion, for a result thatâs blissed-out and sun-dazed. CIARA DOLAN Also read our super pick.