THURSDAY 4/22

DAN BERN, COMMON ROTATION (EARLY SHOW)

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) See Music.

THE WEDDING PRESENT, GIRL IN A COMA

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Music.

SOUL'D OUT MUSIC FEST: DEAD PREZ, DAM, ILLMACULATE, MIC CRENSHAW

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Dead Prez are undoubtedly prolific, even if their output never quite meets the expectations of their loyal, raised-fist fanbase. It's been a decade since the duo put hiphop in its place with Let's Get Free, but a worthy follow-up (2004's RBG: Revolutionary but Gangsta was not it) has yet to emerge. Instead we've received a few mixtapes of various quality (the latest of which, Pulse of People, is quite excellent), a scattered collection of solo/collaboration/live recordings, and a vegan soul food cookbook. In our interview last summer, stic.man was confident that the long-awaited Information Age (originally scheduled release date: February 2009) would be out shortly. Nearly a year later, the record is not even mentioned on the band's website, but there is information about their new exercise book: RBG Fit Club: A Revolutionary Beginner's Guide to Fitness, Nutrition, and Getting Goals Accomplished. At this rate we'll all be ripped when that record hits the streets. EZRA ACE CARAEFF Also see My, What a Busy Week!.

NEW CENTURY SCHOOLBOOK, WOW AND FLUTTER, PAPER BRAIN

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) The glowing tones of an electric piano highlight each of the three songs on New Century Schoolbook's new 7-inch single "The Happy Detective," which was recorded in late 2008 but is finally making its appearance on vinyl. With peppy beats and poppy melodies, New Century Schoolbook aren't reinventing the wheel, but they are spinning it with infectious enthusiasm, whipping up a sunny-afternoon sound that's tough to resist. They've got their second full-length in the works, which is as yet unnamed but they're unlikely to be able to top the title of their debut: The First Album Was Better. As we wait, the 7-inch is a fine springtime holdover. NED LANNAMANN

FRIDAY 4/23

CASCADE COMMUNITY RADIO LAUNCH: HEAVY NOVA, SUN SHIP, YLANG YLANG, & MORE

(Eagles Lodge, 4904 SE Hawthorne) See My, What a Busy Week!

DR. DOG, SEAN BONES, PEPI GINSBERG

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

REBECCA GATES, SEA OF BEES, SHOESHINE BLUE

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) Mark your calendars now because Songs for the Ravens, the debut full-length album from Sea of Bees, comes out on June 1, and it is, without a doubt, fucking fantastic. Following up last year's The Bee Eee Pee EP, Sea of Bees—the project of Central Valley's Julie Baenziger—have crafted a haunting, ravishing record that contains infinitely sumptuous layers. Baenziger's voice ranges from a child's meow to a wise old woman's incantations, while the songs' gorgeously bone-chilling backdrops feel like a sturdy house being restored to its former beauty after years of neglect—there's some dust and rot and maybe some overgrown vines creeping their way up the walls, but the foundation and frame are as strong as ever. Songs for the Ravens is bound to be one of this year's finest records; as soon as you hear it you're not going to be able to shake it. NL

SOUL'D OUT MUSIC FEST: MAD PROFESSOR

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Dub music is a unique musical genre that is often examined more for the musical waves it has left in its wake than on its own merits. DJ Kool Herc brought the neighborhood sound system setup from Jamaica to New York City and helped ignite the birth of hiphop, while Mad Professor was more focused on the studio aesthetic in England, creating stripped-down tracks heavy with bass, drums, and echo in his Ariwa Sounds studio. Causing a ripple effect, these recordings would create a dub scene in England and Europe that now towers over its Jamaican origins in size and scope. Tributaries have since trickled down into everything from punk, jungle, drum and bass, and even into the arts of sampling and remixing. Local studio wizards should rejoice at this rare stateside opportunity to go straight to the source. RYAN FEIGH

HUTSON, YELTSIN, RAVISHERS

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) Reland, the seven-song EP from local band Hutson, sounds like the work of a band with many releases under their belt, but it's actually Hutson's first offering. Strutting a swath between road-trip-ready power-rock and alt-country, they've found a sound that will please fans of Richmond Fontaine and Ted Leo equally. "AM Station" has a flitting, über-catchy guitar riff, while "Dying Dreams" is sweetened by some heart-achy pedal steel—as is the desolate "Failing Street," proof that Hutson can handle the dust-broom acoustic ballads as well as the uptempo rockers. NL

AH HOLLY FAM'LY, BLAKE MACKEY, JAMES YEARY, THE SAXOPHONES

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) In the tightly knit Portland music community, the decadent music of Ah Holly Fam'ly is synonymous with size. They are large in number, larger in sound. The Fam'ly's textured, sweeping arrangements peaked with last year's delicately assembled and gorgeously performed Reservoir full-length. Well, no more. Singer Jeremy Faulkner has reeled back the once eight-member band to focus more on a new direction, one that the former Idahoan describes as "the story of country music." Jimmie Rodgers? Gene Autry? Johnny Cash? Brooks & Dunn? That's a lot of music for one story, but if you are as intrigued as we are, perhaps tonight's show shall answer all our questions. EAC

DIRTY MITTENS, DJ BEYONDA, DJ HANUKKAH MIRACLE, (late show)

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Hallelujah and praise to the musical powers that be: Dirty Mittens are finally putting out a full-length. Since taking the town by storm in 2007 with beloved summer anthem "Mid-July," the Mittens, led by extremely charming frontwoman Chelsea Morrissey, have threatened to become Portland's quintessential indie band: zany, stylish, community minded, fun loving, and big hearted. Their latest EP Pinky Swear laid the foundation for their whimsical, celebratory pop, not without a bit of pensive postulating. One hundred demos will be up for grabs tonight; make sure one ends up in your hot little hands. MARANDA BISH

THE GODDAMN GALLOWS, SAWYER FAMILY, THE LORDY LORDS

(The Knife Shop at Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) Sawyer Family have slicked-back hair, cuffed jeans, leather jackets, a stand-up bass, and songs that are probably more inspired by Bela Lugosi and Dario Argento than Elvis. All those things combined, with the occasional burst of punk and speed, put Sawyer Family strongly into the psychobilly genre. However, this Eugene band is not to be pigeonholed; they incorporate elements of surf, traditional rock and roll, and rockabilly into their music, yet their tunes are often so dark and haunting that you can't dance or spin your gal to them. Sawyer Family are just too creative to be classified. ARIS WALES

SATURDAY 4/24

ANDAZ: DJ ANJALI AND THE INCREDIBLE KID

(Fez Ballroom, 318 SW 11th) See My, What a Busy Week!

LEP ROCKS BENEFIT: JACKIE GREENE, POINT JUNCTURE WA, DIRTY MITTENS, BOY EATS DRUM MACHINE, HURTBIRD, (Early Show)

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See My, What a Busy Week!

SOUL'D OUT MUSIC FEST: BONOBO, YPPAH, ANOMIE BELLE

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

GROWING, ERIC COPELAND, GUN OUTFIT

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Growing have certainly seen some changes in the decade since they started, moving from Olympia to Brooklyn and picking up new member Sadie Laska along the way, joining the ranks of founders Kevin Doria and Joe Denardo. New album Pumps—not to be confused with the 1989 Aerosmith opus Pump—is perhaps their most dance-floor ready, but it's still way out there, with glitchy shards, bitsynth farts, and, processed voice doing its best to avoid a conventional melody. When the album works, as on the aptly named "Highlight," the band's methods are concealed by a fascinating blurp of sound. Elsewhere, the band's technique is too transparently the point of their music—it feels like a coupla dudes fucking around with effects pedals, and while that's what it is, it would be nice if it weren't so obvious. NL

NOTES FOR NETS: DAVID BAZAN, SHANNON STEPHENS

(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) After narrowly avoiding the worst record in NBA history, the downtrodden New Jersey Nets franchise are the worthy beneficiaries of this fundraising concert... oh, my apologies, it turns out there is a charity far more deserving than Yi Jianlian's jumpshot. Notes for Nets will raise much-needed funds in order to purchase mosquito nets for women and children of Mali. With over 800,000 annual cases of malaria in this West African nation, the omnipresent disease is mostly preventable thanks to fairly inexpensive netting which tonight's $15 door charge will help cover. Your reward for such charitable giving? A set from the supremely gifted David Bazan, who'll regale you with heavy-hearted tales of faith, loss, and redemption. It might not be an uplifting experience, but at least you aren't on the Nets. EAC

JAPANTHER, WAMPIRE, DIAMOND LIARS, THUGGAGE

(Satyricon, 125 NW 6th) There are a few things you can count on when you see Japanther live: They will set up on the floor, the venue will be jam-packed, and you will—no matter who you are—spend an hour and a half jumping up and down like an idiot to amazingly catchy pop hooks. Oh yeah, and the crowd will be slightly stinky. The audience at Japanther shows are always a little ripe. Because while this outing may be a lighthearted weekend jaunt down to the local punk rock show for you, it's a pretty good bet that a majority of the crowd in attendance will be die-hard followers that have been prepping for this show by jumping up and down beside their stereos and singing along to every word of Japanther's infectious jams for the past couple weeks or so. MATTEY HUNTER

SIR RICHARD BISHOP, ALVARIUS B, DJ FRANK SUMATRA

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) From his days with Sun City Girls to his more recent forays into Egyptian-influenced music, Sir Richard Bishop has always done pretty much whatever he wants. That usually involves changing things up from record to record, while at the same time maintaining an underlying air of black magical mystery to everything he does. Bishop has opened for Animal Collective, collaborated with Dylan Carlson's Earth, and more recently has dedicated an entire album to Egyptian guitarist Omar Khorshid. Musical schizophrenia often comes off as bland or hamfisted, so it's all the more impressive that a guy can take music from the far reaches of the globe and consistently make it sound fresh, unpretentious, and even catchy. MARK LORE

RED FANG, SUBARACHNOID SPACE, NETHER REGIONS

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) The guys of Red Fang know that metal fans come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, as demonstrated by their stated support of the Westview Metal Club, new this year at Westview High School in Beaverton. Unfortunately, it is also known that metal seems to mainly thrive in the dark and dank setting of 21-plus establishments. Tonight's all-ages show will be a rare opportunity for young 'uns to enjoy one of Portland's best metal bands live—possibly the only time this year, as the band notes on their blog, although they also assure readers that beer will be available for legal drinkers. Word is they just wrapped up recording a new album, produced by omnipresent music man Chris Funk—stay tuned for details. MB

SUNDAY 4/25

CAMERA OBSCURA, PRINCETON

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

GRASS WIDOW, NUCULAR AMINALS, MAGIC JOHNSON, RAINBOW BRIDGE

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) It's an easy path to compare the grrls of Grass Widow to the days of Kill Rock Stars, Stars Kill Rock, and Rock Stars Kill compilations, dog-eared fanzines, and hearing the rumors that Bikini Kill used to beat down men at their shows. While the San Francisco trio's no-frills, early-'90s sound might snarl and snap at times, ultimately Grass Widow is rooted more in pop music than punk. Think Go Sailor instead of Huggy Bear. All of this is, of course, a welcome fit for the Kill Rock Stars lineup, and the Portland label will release their debut full-length (recorded by Alex Yusimov of Mississippi Records fame) this August. If their exhilarating January show at the Artistery is any indication, Portland and Grass Widow are about to embark on something wonderful together. EAC

NEIL INNES, GIDEON FREUDMANN

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Is there any more respected musical comedian than Neil Innes? His droll absurd songwriting won him both friendship and admiration from the Beatles and a spot as the "seventh Python" in Monty Python's last season. Innes' work in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and beyond, is typified by an ear for imitation, respectfully deflating giants like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. A lot of new interest is percolating around Innes this year thanks to a new documentary on the man making the film festival rounds. Think of this tour as a well-earned victory lap for one of the funniest men in music. DAVE BOW

MONDAY 4/26

Happy birthday, T-Boz from TLC. You are 41 years old today.

TUESDAY 4/27

SHEARWATER, WYE OAK, THE HOSPITAL SHIPS

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

WEDNESDAY 4/28

IAN MOORE , CAROLYN MARK, BUTTERCUP

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Trust us, you know Carolyn Mark. She was the onstage charisma that loosened up Neko Case's concerts, she's a Juno Award winner (along with "Sir Dave Coulier"), a cookbook author, and the owner of one incredible voice. It's her soulful, husky delivery that is the centerpiece behind Let's Just Stay Here, her recent collaboration album with N.Q. Arbuckle. It's a perfectly acceptable pairing, although you'll end up craving more Mark, less Arbuckle, in short time. Tonight you'll get your wish, as Mark's solo sets are a wondrous mix of soul-crushing country and off-the-cuff comedic charm. You'll get just enough of both. EAC

CARPET CULTURE: WHITE FANG, GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH, ORCA TEAM

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Living in Portland during the fall/winter/spring, one often finds oneself believing that life is perpetual darkness, coldness, and rain. Guantanamo Baywatch exist to remind us that there is a beach party somewhere out there and that, yes, there is a sun shining above it. It is a hard concept to grasp in our weakest moments but those who keep the idea alive should be commended for their efforts. Guantanamo Baywatch are a surf band in a beach-less world, a band that chooses to hold a throwback jamboree in the face of ultimate darkness. When you were a dumb early-twentysomething and moved here, this is what you came for. So buck up, get your ass off the couch, and brave the hangover 'cause this show is gonna be fun! MH

THE PONYS, DISAPPEARS, METH TEETH

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Man, I was worried the Ponys had ridden off into the sunset, never to return. The Chicago garage rockers sort of fell off the face of the earth about three years ago, not long after their first album for Matador Records, Turn the Lights Out, sold over 20,000 copies, and not long after playing a Lollapalooza mainstage and doing successful American and European tours with the Fall, Spoon, Deerhunter, and the Black Lips. It seemed curious that Ponys guitarist Brian Case was in new band Disappears, and singer/guitarist Jered Gummere and bassist Melissa Elias (now married) had done shows as the backing band for the Duchess and the Duke. Whatever the reason, I'm just happy they're back. Ooh, and they're back with a brand-new EP, Deathbed Plus 4. KELLY O