COALESCE, THE ESOTERIC, ENIAC, THE FIRING LINE
(Meow Meow, 520 SE Pine) After a hiatus and replacing a guitarist, Coalesce, one of America's finest hardcore bands since their beginning in 1994, is back and touring, and I can attest to their continued virility. With very tough, fast, guitar lines and the staccato, throaty lyricism of Sean Ingram, Coalesce remains one of the tightest hardcore bands out there--sludgy guitars and biting melodic energy that press and crush mightily. They're playing with their guitarist's other band, The Esoteric, not to be confused with the British black metal band of the same name. JULIANNE SHEPHERD
FILA BRAZILLIA, DJS MILES, ELLIOTT
(Berbati's, 231 SW Ankeny) Fila Brazillia = FON-KAY. With a slow rub of hiphop beats, the occasional, sexy soul vocals, and a super-slick, downtempo sheen, the ten-year-old (ten years in existence, that is) half-electronic/half-instrumental duo puts a spring in your curls and a thump in your heart. They're great because they're groove-oriented, but don't condescend with sameness; at the same time, they are very "world" sounding, but not so much that you feel like you just doused yourself with a bottle of patchouli. If you like intelligent vibes, get on this shit. World-renowned KPSU DJs Miles and Elliott set the tone. JS
JONATHAN RICHMAN, NORFOLK & WESTERN
(Aladdin) If you have never seen Jonathan Richman, go. The king of charm and simplicity puts on great shows, singing sweetly and doing fan kicks while playing guitar and wearing a sport jacket. Pretty impressive. Portland's wonderful, heartfelt, country-esque Norfolk & Western open. JS
FRIDAY 4/5
DIYinPDX: DIMES, CULOTTES, ALL GIRL SUMMER FUN BAND, DESERT CITY SOUNDTRACK
(Red & Black, 2138 SE Division) In case you're still wondering, DIYinPDX is a public scrapbook complete with ten-inch record of local bands that documents DIY in PDX. Here is a benefit show they're having, with the slow, sweet pop of the Dimes, the Culottes, and the All Girl Summer Fun Band. Also playing are fairly recent Portland transplants Desert City Soundtrack, a sort of dynamic, quiet-loud-quiet emo band that has this fucking awesome drummer with a fast and distinct style that pretty much makes the band. JS
NELS CLINE SINGERS, CARLA BOZULICH
(Dante's, 1 SW Third) See Music pg 15
DROWNING POOL, COAL CHAMBER, ILL NINO
(Roseland, NW 6th & Burnside) The ascendance of Drowning Pool, the self-proclaimed "jackasses" from Dallas, Texas, either signals the beginning of the end for the nu-metal scene or demonstrates that the current appetite for heavy, dumbed-down rock is insatiable. Even though L.A. alt-metal outfit Coal Chamber shares the same producer as DP in Jay Baumgardner, its gothic, gloomy aesthetic and punk-fueled guitars add a textured dimension to its otherwise Korn-influenced metal formula. I do have to admit a guilty affection for the band's hardcore version of Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey," though, with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. New Jersey-based Latin metal sextet Ill Nino opens up this nu-metal showcase. DAVID SLATTON
THE MICROPHONES, LITTLE WINGS
(Reed, 3203 SE Woodstock) The Microphones (Phil) and Little Wings (Kyle) are on tour together, and for some reason I picture them camping out on beaches in between dates, roasting Tofu Pups, and playing acoustic songs for each other, like Frankie and Annette, only with more facial hair. Phil makes some of the most sublime pop songs in the Northwest, sprinkled like a toaster pastry with a glittered confetti of offbeat embellishments. Little Wings, who I like to think of as "The Big Kahuna," sings with the sweet cordialism of a new modern gentleman. JS
KAHIL EL'ZABAR'S TRI-FACTOR, BILLY BAND, HAMIET BLUIETT
(Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis) Amid the heat of black activism in the '60s, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) dedicated itself to both teaching jazz and experimenting with other African rhythms and instruments. The idea was to celebrate the culture of black music throughout the world, promoting the traditional and the cutting edge. Back in Zabar's day, that meant donning costumes and masks and having the music express the experiences of blacks in the US and Africa. Drummer Kahil El' Zabar is a graduate from the AACM school, and his work is a fusion of the ancient and the avant-garde. A propulsive percussionist, Zabar has a deep sense of polyrhythms and utilizes both a traditional kit and a set of African drums. Zabar's Tri-Factor project brings in Billy Bang on violin, and the great Hamiet Bluiett (also of the World Saxophone Quartet) on bass and contra-bass saxophones. Together, Tri-Factor holds true to the tenets of AACM music, expanding the realms of world music and experimental jazz in one lineup. KREG HASEGAWA
THE DECEMBERISTS, CALEB KLAUDER BAND, RICHMOND FONTAINE
(Berbati's, 231 SE Ankeny) Three of Portland's finest musical acts help celebrate the four-year anniversary and continued success of local promo co. Siren Music. JS
THE BILLY NAYER SHOW, THE MINDERS, CREEPY OLD TRUCKS
(Blackbird, 3728 NE Sandy) Even if you've already seen them, the Minders are always a good show, as they're happy, bright, and positive, three qualities that we rarely, rarely see in music. If you haven't heard them, they're kind of '70s, kind of emotional, and definitely unique. Plus, what other bands can claim to be both local and British? KD
SATURDAY 4/6
LOOTPACK, LONE CATALYSTS, DECLAIME
(B Complex) See Music pg 15
POM POM MELTDOWN, THE CHASE, MS. WONDERFUL
(Red & Black) Tough lady glitz and glam: The Chase, with their electric bass, cello, drums, and other amenities of rock, feature Engrid Slow/Teratoma on drums. Also, reports back from some of their early shows say that not only are they very good, but they are also "supercute." Hmm. Also supercute is the secret acoustic guest, "Ms. Wonderful." JS
PRINCESS SUPERSTAR, SYNDEL
(Dante's) Sexpot emcee Princess Superstar will be doing her normal rap thing, which is kind of good, but also kind of vapid and superficial. She's a white, Jewish, female rapper, and when you first hear/see her, you think she's kind of kidding. But she's not. Beforehand however, our very own Syndel, the emcee from Oldominion, aka the next big thing, will be spitting her modest but brilliant tracks. At least there's enough female emcees that we're starting to have stratification within the world of lady rappers, rather than just a few who all sound the same. KATIA DUNN
A.C. COTTON, BELLA FAYES
(Blackbird) All the charm of whiskey rock: Hammering guitar chords, simple melodies, talent, and fun. A.C. Cotton helps the Siren Music Company celebrate four years of low-key and high-quality music promotion. PDB
DEAD MOON, ALL OUT, TURN ME LOOSE
(Meow Meow) Dead Moon, the longest-running punk rock band in the entire universe, shall be playing all-ages tonight, which doesn't happen often. JS
SUPERSUCKERS, JESSE DAYTON
(Berbati's) The Supersuckers have got whip-smart sarcasm, catchy cowpunk songs, and a way of making fans show up to all their live gigs, even though it's been god knows how many years since they wrote some new shit (that recent album doesn't count--it's all live). The only bunk Supersuckers gig I've been to was when they pulled out all the country tracks, but even the country stuff sounds good when mixed with the right kinda booze. JENNIFER MAERZ
POLKACIDE, SAMSONITE & DELIGHT-YA, THE POLKADOUBTS & DJ WOIJEE
(Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th) Let's start with: I'm from Wisconsin. I love polkas. When I was growing up, during halftime at the football games, the university's band would play 15 minutes of non-stop polkas. It was usually the highlight of the day. (Sadly, after the hardcore polka stomping caused seismic damage to the stadium, university officials banned several of the more rollicking polka songs.) All this is to say, I love a good polka. It is invigorating, like a double nostril-snort of cocaine and sauerkraut. But, like coke, polka is best when it is pure. At times, the hosts of today's Polka Party are a bit too tongue-in-cheek for my tastes, almost apologizing for enjoying polka. But often, the polka here is the best in the Northwest--confident and intoxicating. Tonight includes a retrospective of the past 17 years of the annual polka party. PHIL DOT BUSSE
SUNDAY 4/7
CROONIE-OKE: AN EVENING OF KARAOKE WITH WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
(Blackbird) Hello. I'm Wm. Steven Humphrey, editor of the Portland Mercury. And though I have fallen under criticism in the past for using my own newspaper to further my karaoke career, to those people I say, "Eat my ass." And I don't say this to be flippant, but rather to simply convey the enthusiasm I have for the karaoke arts in general and my night of karaoke in particular. For example, tonight's installment of Croonie-oke will be funner than ever, because 1) we have TWICE as many songs, 2) TWICE as many PRIZES and smartass COMMENTS, and 3) a great new karaoke game called "Dr. Kevorki-oke," which would be like "suicide karaoke" except it's more like "assisted suicide karaoke." Does that make any sense? No? Well, screw it. I'll explain it to you later. The point is that nobody gets drunker or hornier than we do at Croonie-oke, and if you don't believe it, come down and see for yourself. Thank you for your time, and please enjoy the rest of this week's Portland Mercury. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
BELLFURIES, WHISPERIN' PINES, PAUL GALAXY & THE GALACTICS, REEL DEE-JAY MURPHY
(Conan's, 3862 SE Hawthorne) Austin, TX's Bellfuries blend together rockabilly and Brit-pop, fronted by the jizz-worthy vocals of Joey Simone and backed by a standup bass and six-string and pedal steel guitars. If you haven't checked out Conan's yet, this is a great opportunity. It's a fun place to drink, and hey, there's eye candy: One of the bartenders almost made me turn lesbian. KATIE SHIMER
THE INTIMA, TAMI HART
(Disjecta, 117 NE Russell) A benefit for some kids who are starting an urban farm, which is neat. JS
DJ SWAMP, DEEJAY P, WICKED, MESTIZO, CLAN OF THE CAVE MACK
(Cobalt, 32 NW 3rd) It's pretty much deejay all-star night tonight at the Cobalt, where local deejays Wicked, Mestizo, and various members of Clan of the Cave Mack, will be welcoming newly arrived DJ Swamp and DeeJay P, who are also all-stars. P is arriving from Springfield, MO, where he was a regional champion at the DMC Championship, and Swamp was a deejay for Beck, of all people. Their names will certainly start showing up on all kinds of music schedules and calendars, so mentally pencil them in. KD
MONDAY 4/8
SAGE FRANCIS, EDAN THE HUMBLE MAGNIFICENT, GRAND BUFFET
(Meow Meow) So I read this article in the New York Times last Sunday that talked about how, last year, underground hiphop stayed conservative (clinging to "keeping it real" and preserving a tried-and-true feel of beats) while mainstream hiphop has gone increasingly avant-garde (i.e., everything Timbaland ever touched). True, production-wise, but the article overlooked the basic element--rapping, and how the beats mold themselves to the rhymes these days, as everybody tries to make a new language for themselves. (Also, apparently the author of that article has never heard a recording by Anti-Pop Consortium.) Anyhoo, there are four ways, lyrically, the underground is still bettering the mainstream: 1. making weird ways of rhyming--turning the voice into an oddball instrument of sing-speaking--like Dose and why? did at last week's fucking awesome cLOUDDEAD gig, 2. being political, 3. having a good sense of humor, and 4. actually being somewhat articulate (the Aes Rock vs. Jay-Z argument). Sage Francis, of Anticon, embodies all of those things--rhyming well and intelligently about such subjects as September 11 (on his forthcoming album, Personal Journals), he also has lines such as "Taking an acid bath, pissing on the shower curtain/The gal just laughs and starts dissing my towel turban." Grand Buffet takes the humor aspect to another level, which is sort of ironic but entertaining nonetheless. And Edan, the Mic Manipulator/Humble Magnificent, ain't lying. He's from Maryland, and just pulls out the smooooooth beats and dopeass rhymes, so you might melt all over the concrete. Seriously, his style is amazing. JS
TUESDAY 4/9
HRVATSKI, GREG DAVIS, E* ROCK, NICE NICE
(Blackbird) As someone pointed out, tonight's Carpark/Omco showcase features that rarest of instruments: the guitar. Action-Packed Mentalist Brings You the Fucking Jams is the title of Kid606's new record (the best album title ever), and Nice Nice interprets this sentiment through organic, thumping improvisation that is somehow bass-heavy without any actual bass. (Bass-heavy in sentiment, perhaps?) Greg Davis' extraordinary new record, Arbor, is laced with crystal beats that jut out over the dreamy, scratchy melodies of his guitar playing. Hrvatski blends non-computer instruments with computer ones, punching up his beats with wildly heavy melodies, aggressive video game style. Czech it, and for the love of god, excuse the pun. JS
ART ALEXAKIS
(Aladdin) In between making pro-Portland travel commercials, writing his regular Mercury column, "Curing Your Streptococcus," and personally answering gobs of fan mail, Art Alexakis (the most famous Portlander behind Gus Van Sant, Ursula LeGuin, and Jeff Gianola) makes records with his band, Everclear. But when he's not doing any of those things, he finds time to write songs by himself, with that sort of raspy, surfer-by-way-of-the-suburbs, everyguy voice of his. This concert is a showcase of those solo songs. JS
WEDNESDAY 4/10
PLEASURE FOREVER, LOVE LIFE, GET HUSTLE, ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
(Blackbird) Danse Manatee, the most recent album from the Animal Collective, is like a horror movie for the blind. The group's mysteriously named members combine anxious/breathy lead vocals, echo-y/angular guitar lines, unnervingly childlike chants, skittering free jazz rhythms, pulsing electronic soundscapes, and a maniacally warped pop consciousness to create one of the most frightening and engrossing albums of 2001. Last year, The Animal Collective toured the US in support of Black Dice, and the then-trio of Avey Tare (guitar and vocals), Panda Bear (percussion), and Geologist (electronics) quietly stole the show from their fellow New Yorkers' absurd bombast. The addition of a fourth member, Deacon, promises to expand and convolute the Collective's giddy, damaged psychedelia, and reports from New York attest that they're better (and creepier) than ever. OWEN ASHWORTH
THE CHURCH, SUMERLAND
(Roseland) The Church: a staple of my junior high school days spent smoking cigarettes in my mom's basement and watching MTV's 120 Minutes. To anyone who ever had an affinity for the dark side, this one's for you. May we all join together in our melancholia. JS
GOING TO SEATTLE?
Sat 4/6: New Pornographers (Crocodile); Carla Bozulich (I-Spy); One Man Army (Paradox)
Wed 4/5: Thrones, Pink & Brown, Crictor (Graceland); Greg Davis, Hrvatski, E*Rock, Lamplighter (Crocodile)
For more info, visit www.thestranger.com
New Releases April 9: Julie Doiron*, Imperial Teen, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Nina Nastasia*, Need New Body, Pretty Girls Make Graves*, Queers, The Shins, Strung Out, Superchunk *=may actually turn out okay
