THURSDAY 9/20

BUILT TO SPILL, CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN, THE DELUSIONS

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

PSEUDOSIX, THE BUILDERS AND THE BUTCHERS, DEATH SONGS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See Music feature.

NO AGE, YELLOW SWANS, EAT SKULL, LANDLORD

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) No Age, a blistering garage-punk two piece from Los Angeles, blast out songs that are unapologetically scuzzy, catchy, danceable, and concise. Their debut album, Weirdo Rippers, is a collection of five separate 7-inch records that were simultaneously released on five different labels. The poppy tracks recall Japanther, while the spazzy ones lean more toward the Hospitals. But beyond the two-minute crasher, which the band does quite well, there's another dimension to No Age: big, washing, delay-filled walls of sound. And after a few heavy stomping pop smashes, nothing feels better than a wave of pretty, spaced-out melody—it lets you catch your breath for a minute while the notes get their own chance to breathe. Joining them tonight are Portland's Eat Skull, whose name belies their upbeat sound (well, they are loud and gnarly, but in a way that makes your hips shake). The pairing couldn't be any better. ANDREW R. TONRY

FRIDAY 9/21

SONNY ROLLINS

(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

LOW, SIR RICHARD BISHOP

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

BUILT TO SPILL, CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN, THE DELUSIONS

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

ADRIAN ORANGE & HER BAND, C.O.C.O., DAVIS HOOKER

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) See Our Town Could Be Your Life.

COPY, THE SNUGGLE-UPS, DJ LINOLEUM

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Portland is losing one of its finest, as tonight marks the last show ever for the Snuggle-Ups. The band, which has unfortunately been appearing less and less these days, perfectly mixes make-your-heart-swoon love songs with catchy, danceable electronic beats. Add that to some serious man-on-man action in their live show, and really, what's not to love? This show will be bittersweet, for sure, but if nothing else, they should be remembered for delivering the most Portland-centric lyrics of all time: "Love is like organic produce/once you've had it you can't get enough." So long, Snuggle-Ups—you will be missed. ROB SIMONSEN

THE GUNSHY, S. BROOKS, TODD DEATHERAGE

(Towne Lounge, 714 SW 20th Pl) New York and Texas aren't supposed to get along. But they coexist beautifully in Todd Deatherage, the Dallas-born singer/songwriter whose five years living in Brooklyn have added a wry New Yorker's wit to his endearing big-sky romanticism. Dream Upon a Fallen Star, Deatherage's first long-player, offered a classic country sound and vocal lines that bloomed into an endless, effortless sustain. His latest, a self-titled EP produced with the help of UK remix whiz Damien Mendis, may be a pop-rock affair, but those old country roots still poke through now and then—even in the bouncy "Undone," featured on a recent episode of Veronica Mars. Deatherage rides into PDX for two back-to-back shows, tonight at the Towne Lounge and another at the Bitter End Pub tomorrow night. LIZZIE EHRENHALT

WOODEN NICKLE, A CAUTIONARY TALE, BARK HIDE & HORN

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) Spring 2008: President Bush resigns in shame, Britney Spears retires from the spotlight to focus on being a mother, and we all have jetpacks, sexy robot maids, and hoverboards. If that brief (and totally inaccurate) glimpse of the future sounds too far away for your tastes, then don't miss Wooden Nickle tonight, as this performance is their last until the spring of next year. The band just wrapped up a recording session at Jackpot, so expect a full-length of haunting junkyard love songs and other digital delights sometime next year. But after tonight, it's hibernation for the Nickle boys, so don't you dare miss it. And Bush, you can still resign if you want. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

MUTE MATH, EISLEY

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Mute Math's blend of blistering, anthemic guitar riffs and soaring, Eno-esque electro-noodles makes them stand out amidst their fellow MTV2-caliber modern rockers. They are upbeat and well spoken, and put on a dynamic, unpredictable live show. Unfortunately, their songs, including the hits "Typical" (with its rather amazing backward-flowing video) and "Noticed," have utterly forgettable lyrics and melodies. They've either been blandified by their extremely rapid ascent up Warner Brothers' corporate ladder, or they just can't write songs; either way, I forgive them because they have good energy and they take care of their fans with good shows. What I do NOT forgive them for, however, is the version of The Transformers theme song they contributed to the recent movie's soundtrack. There hasn't been a crummier, cornier, less inspired cover of a fun song since the Wallflowers barfed out David Bowie's "Heroes" in 1998. JUSTIN W. SANDERS

SATURDAY 9/22

FIR FEST: DERBY, BOY EATS DRUM MACHINE, THE SORT OFS (5 PM); LOW, PALODINE (9 PM)

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

IMPERIAL TEEN, BELLA

(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) I love YouTube. Like, a lot. And when I'm not spending my days trolling the site for videos of cats doing funny things, I'm tracking down old indie videos from the height of 120 Minutes, filling in missing influential gaps that I wasn't old enough to appreciate the first time around. And you know what I've discovered? I really like Imperial Teen. Chances are the band is old news to you, but I just can't seem to get enough of them these days. With a brand-new album (The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band) recently released, the band sounds more mature, more sophisticated, and, for a band that's now pushing 15 years old, pretty damn good. RS

GOWNS, CEXFUCX, VALET, TENSES

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) California's Gowns clearly belong in Portland. Gowns are self-released, pretty-but-weird, mixing hushed folk strums and electronic elements in some sort of precision-perfect blender. Their songs build slowly, gradually, yielding music that feels far too rainy for the predictable sunshine of California. The rest of this show seems poised to be a bit louder, with our faves Cexfucx (not to be confused with Cex, or Fuck) playing their thrown together/strewn about instrumentals, and the layered drones and sighs of Valet rounding things out. Rotture can be a tricky place to see a good show—there are more moustaches and mullets than at your typical truck stop—but when the lineup resembles that of a house show, the vibe there (warm, friendly, ready to party) seems to follow suit in the best possible way. HANNAH CARLEN

MAGIC CHRISTIAN, THE NICE BOYS, FRANK RANK, ARI SHINE

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) At a time when the San Francisco music scene was busy conning a generation with "free love" and the absurd belief that the Grateful Dead made good music, the Flamin' Groovies were leading a much smaller, and noisier, garage-band movement of their own. It wasn't just that the Groovies sounded different than their Bay Area peers (they did), it's that they looked unlike any other band of that era. Their fuzzy garage pop might not have ever truly crossed over to the masses, but to those of us fortunate enough to have borrowed our older brother's (or dad's) copy of Flamingo, they are the real deal—an unforgettable band from a forgettable era. Groovies frontman Cyril Jordan is back on the touring circuit, this time with Magic Christian, where he has wisely stacked the band's roster with some younger ringers. In comparison, the Christians are quite a bit more polished than the Groovies, but the sharp-voiced Jordan sounds as good as ever. As far garage rockers go, Cyril Jordan is a resident, while everyone else is just a tourist. EAC

SUNDAY 9/23

AGAINST ME!, MATT & KIM, DAVID DONDERO

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!; and Once More with Feeling.

GUSTER, TALLY HALL

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) It continues to confound me that Guster—these beacons of mediocrity, of capable musicianship and music-theory wankery—continue to get more (and more and more) famous, selling out auditoriums and now conquering mainstream radio. Didn't they used to be a poor man's jam band? Weren't they what people listened to when they quit smoking pot and just couldn't bear to listen to Phish or the String Cheese Incident anymore? By that measure, I suppose, they could fill auditoriums, even arenas, but still, it's not right. So go, young masses, to see the harmless Coldplay of the jam band circuit, and try not to feel old when half the crowd's moms are picking them up after the show in their Astrovans. HC

TIME OF ORCHIDS, HOTELS, BODHI

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) There's something gloriously surreal about the music made by New York City's Time of Orchids, now touring behind their brand-new release, Namesake Caution. They're the sort of band whose eclecticism is worn proudly—they've released an album on John Zorn's Tzadik Records—and the scope of their work doesn't necessarily lend itself well to thumbnail sketches. Their music suggests the constantly fraying edge of an urban landscape, sprawl with barely repressed tension below the surface. Musically, fans of everyone from Slint to Blonde Redhead to Shudder to Think will find much to like here—and on occasion, the group's keyboard player and rhythm section break into workouts that suggest the presence of more than one prog album in their collective record collection. Plus, at times they're downright heavy to boot, and at their best they can be breathtaking. TOBIAS CARROLL

TU FAWNING, DEATH SONGS

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) The first time I heard "I'm Gone" by Tu Fawning, I didn't listen to another song that entire evening. The endless repeat listens were buffered by me removing my headphones, taking a few much-needed deep breaths, regaining my composure, and then throwing myself back into the haunting song one more time. It's emotionally exhausting, but well worth it just to hear the soft vocal interplay of Corrina Repp and partner Joe Haege (of 31Knots, the Captain to Repp's Tennille). No word on if this is just a side project, or if a record is on the way, but whatever happens, I'll be there, doing my very best to avoid using a "fawning" pun when describing my love for this band. EAC

MONDAY 9/24

OAKLEY HALL, WHALEBONES, JOHN WEINLAND

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

HOT HOT HEAT, BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH, DE NOVA DAHL

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) After catching a couple frustratingly sexy Hot Hot Heat shows around the start of the millennium, I predicted (with much conviction) that this band was the future of modern-rock music. Miss Cleo, your job is safe. Thankfully, I was wrong, as Hot Hot Heat have turned into a bloated pop machine hawking the same soulless records (now with extra Pro Tools sheen!) as their neighbors slumming it in the new new-wave gutter. Their musical demise can be credited to the absence of guitarist Dante DeCaro (who wisely high-tailed it out of the band and into Wolf Parade in 2005), and the mesmerizing perm of singer Steve Bays. It's the exact same haircut that a stylist at Fantastic Sams tried to pawn off on me in 1986. If I wasn't buying then, I sure as hell am not now. EAC

TODAY IS THE DAY, TAI-PAN, DEFCON 4, CHRISTINE, ROANOKE, BLOWUPNIHILIST

(Mt. Tabor Legacy, 4811 SE Hawthorne) Steve Austin has led the maniacal post-everything noise-rock outfit Today Is the Day for 15 years. Not only has the group been a proving ground for folks like Brann Dailor (drummer for Mastodon), TITD also single-handedly laid the blueprint for the style of arty hardcore that quality disciples like Converge have taken to the masses. Ceaseless double-bass drumming, crunching melodic guitar riffs, and plenty of synths and screams adorn album after album. Austin continually taps into his musical nightmares, assembles insanely gifted players to help him realize his ambitious compositions onstage, and then hits the road. Come watch a master at work. This evening also features a special reappearance of local doom warriors Roanoke. NATHAN CARSON

TUESDAY 9/25

THE BESNARD LAKES, THE UPSIDEDOWN, STARVIN HUNGRY

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Music feature.

HELMET, DUB TRIO, THE MEDIAM, FLUID

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) See My What a Busy Week!

JOSH ROUSE, JASON COLLETT

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) I pity the poor struggling Canadian musicians not in Broken Social Scene. The Toronto band keeps propelling their members and collaborators into rock stardom, as Feist, Metric's Emily Haines, Stars' Amy Millan, and of course, Jason Collett, have all done time in the Scene. And much like the others, the talent and charm of Collett was lost in the shuffle of a much larger band. He's an enigmatic solo artist with a fantastic voice (think Jeff Tweedy), a gift for writing great songs, and he's a blast in the live setting. EAC

LUCKSMITHS, EUX AUTRES, KISSING BOOK, FRED ASTEREO

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Nearly 15 years after their humble beginning, and the Lucksmiths are still one of the very best pop bands Australia has to offer. Naturally, they often go overlooked here in America. The Lucksmiths are quite possibly the epitome of pure indiepop, as they write stylish, heart-on-the-sleeve gems that—much like country-mates the Go-Betweens—have the potential for being giant hits, yet never quite make it there. If you've ever claimed loyalty to the Smiths, Belle and Sebastian, or Orange Juice, I assure you that the Lucksmiths have the potential of being your new favorite band. They don't come to town too often, so make sure not to miss what will be an amazing show. RS

MANCAMPUS: CIRCLE, GRAILS, ASSEMBLEHEAD IN SUNBURST SOUND, DJ JOE PRESTON

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) It's far too easy to cite Circle as the Acid Mothers Temple of Finland. The collective has been around since 1991, revolving around main madman Jussi Lehtisalo. His many musical whims have resulted in hybridizations of avant-garde rock with nearly every other imaginable style. Longtime fans will be excited to hear that the newest Circle album, Katapult (they've already released several other discs in 2007), harkens back to their more metallic days; minimalized thrash riffs glide over the pulse of Kraut rock rhythms and tasteful electronic tones. Bands like Circle have constant spurts of mediocrity due to the high turnover rate of band members and the prolific nature of their recordings. It would seem this particular incarnation is a career highpoint that should not be missed. NC

WEDNESDAY 9/26

THE MAGNIFICENTS, RAHZEL, MC SUPERNATURAL, DJ JSI

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) See My, What a Busy Week!

OLD TIME RELIJUN, CEX FUCX, BRYCE PANIC

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) See Music feature.

THE COPS, THE RAINY STATES, CURIOUS HANDS

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) When first seen in concert, the Cops lead singer Michael Jaworski somehow reminds me of better-known musical frontman Brett Daniels. It might be the way they dress, or their stiff-backed, onstage persona, but there is a definite air of similarity between the two talented artists. Yet the similarities violently halt when the music starts to blast, because Seattle-favorites the Cops have a weapon unknown to Brett Daniels' mopey crew—they can fucking rock. When Jaworski leans into the microphone, body tensed, vocals tearing a hole in the ozone, he is a musician unto himself. A taut-wire musical force backed by an upbeat shower of machine-gun power chords and growling bass—a veritable tsunami of energy, powerful enough to wipe the memory of a certain famed singer/songwriter frontman right off the gray matter. NOAH SANDERS