THURSDAY 7/12

DENVER, SON ARC
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) See My, What a Busy Week!

FAULT LINES, ANIMAL EYES, TANGO ALPHA TANGO, DJ DOUG FERIOUS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

MONARQUES, BÉISBOL, HOUNDSTOOTH
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Monarques.

FRIDAY 7/13

KZME FEST: BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS, THE UPSIDEDOWN, 1776, BOO FROG, SLUTTY HEARTS, HAWKEYE, SHUT YOUR ANIMAL MOUTH, FANNO CREEK
(Plan B, 1305 SE 8th) See My, What a Busy Week!

OZARKS, LEISURE, PONY VILLAGE
(White Eagle, 836 N Russell) Read our article on Ozarks.

PEGASUS DREAM, AAN, FOREST PARK
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Pegasus Dream.

COCK BLOCK: MISS SHELRAWKA, MERCEDEZ, THE PERFECT CYN, MISS VIXEN
(Groove Suite, 433 NW 4th) A night devoted to raising the visibility of female electronic musicians and DJs, Cockblock has stayed true to purpose with riot grrrl style and pizzazz. The popular monthly is celebrating its one-year anniversary and shows no signs of easing up on the blistering bass and driving beats that have helped shape its stellar reputation as one of Portland's best electronic dance nights. Miss Vixen (Tracy Why), founder of the night, is characterized by a DJ style not far from what you would imagine Nine Inch Nails on acid to be like. Unapologetically dark techno that gracefully pays homage to elements of distorted industrial electronica leaves us wanting more of whatever she is giving. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

REVELATIONS OF DEATH FEST: GHOUL, WITCHAVEN, WEHRMACHT, SPEEDWOLF, WEREGOAT, LORD DYING
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) If the Revelations of Death Fest provides what its moniker claims, all bangers should cast their mortality aside and sign up for a pine box right now. Day one's lineup is guaranteed to send all in attendance screaming to Hell. Fast! The aptly named Speedwolf takes Motörhead-mean rock 'n' roll and straps jet engines to it. Their velocity won't just blow back your hair, it'll peel the skin from your face. The black-thrash assault of Witchaven will no doubt disembowel you, but it's cool because Portland's own Wehrmacht will have already replaced your insides with empty beer cans and fist-pumping, brain-mashing party thrash. Finally, Ghoul's anonymous Creepsylvanian splatterthrash will nail your coffin shut before you even have time to scream. Make sure you bring a friend to pry you out for another pummeling tomorrow. ARIS WALES

NATASHA KMETO, PLANTRAE, ADVENTURES! WITH MIGHT, SCISSORS TO TAPE
(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) Here's a night of local art and jams to make you forget about chamber folk altogether. Watching local indie-electro R&B artist Natasha Kmeto perform live is like watching someone perform brain surgery at a dance party. Bunkered behind a wall of keys, samplers, and reverb, she recreates her beats live, looping her sultry voice to create songs that she dubs "futuristic soul." Adventures! With Might play synth pop that's catchy, dark, sweaty, and grind-worthy, while electronic/classical fusion artist Plantrae will unearth a playful, viola-ridden improv set. If you make it in time for the openers Scissors to Tape, you will be delighted by the MIDI-controlled vintage table-lamp lightshow that accompanies their Figurine-esque, indie-electronic sound. ROCHELLE HUNTER

SATURDAY 7/14

MISSISSIPPI STREET FAIR
(N Mississippi from Fremont to Skidmore) See My, What a Busy Week!

WOODY GUTHRIE PORCHLIGHT CONCERT: CORIN TUCKER BAND, HOLCOMBE WALLER, RACHEL TAYLOR BROWN, BUOY LARUE, JOSH LAVA, DANNY SEIM
(Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 147 NW 19th) See My, What a Busy Week!

REVELATIONS OF DEATH FEST: AUTOPSY, BLACK BREATH, HELLSHOCK, VASTUM, ALDEBARAN, KNELT ROTE, MURDERESS, DR. LOOMIS
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) Legendary gore-mongers Autopsy, who have apparently never set foot on a stage in Portland, make attending day two of the Revelations of Death fest a no-brainer. The band's reformation has been celebrated and their most recent releases, Macabre Eternal and The Tomb Within, hold up nicely against the classics. Another treat for seasoned death metal ears is San Fran's Vastum. The band's only release, Carnal Law, is as old-school, trudging, and brutal as they come. Carnal sounds like Cannibal Corpse's The Bleeding played at half speed, without all the violence toward ladies. Besides, who would want to offend the fairer sex when (A) Leila Abdul-Rauf is in the band, and her growl is scarier than any dudes playing tonight, and (B) locals Murderess and Dr. Loomis are also in the building, ripping female-helmed, snarling crust and thrash? AW

THE WINEBIRDS
(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) The Winebirds make the type of '70s-modeled pop-rock that sometimes falls out of fashion, but never falls out of your favorite, most-revisited playlists. The Portland five-piece's second album, Tales of Love and Happiness, finds that happy hunting ground where Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, Elvis Costello, and Stevie Wonder all hang out cheerfully on the radio dial. Although burnished soul vamps and folk-flecked strums ornament the Winebirds' homey, heartfelt songs, the band manages to sound refreshingly out of step with just about everything else that's happening in the Portland music scene right now. Perhaps the title of Tales of Love and Happiness is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but the Winebirds offer genuine, embracing comfort in these easygoing songs. NED LANNAMANN

SUNDAY 7/15

THE GOLDEN BEARS
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

CENTAURPALOOZA: THE LAST REGIMENT OF SYNCOPATED DRUMMERS, BURNSIDE HEROES, PALE BLUE SKY, BEYOND VERONICA, MORMON TRANNYS & MORE
(Centaur Guitar, 2833 NE Sandy) Portland is teeming with loads of boutique music stores, but few—if any—host their very own annual outdoor summer mini-festival. Thankfully, the kind and able Centaur Guitar has come to the rescue, transmogrifying its parking lot into a weekend-long, free showcase running the gamut of the up-and-comer set. On day two of this year's fest, street-fair staples the Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers round out a formidable lineup of everything from punk-rock pupils Burnside Heroes, to Mormon Trannys (who, you may have guessed, dress like Mormons on mission with wigs), to the straightforward rock of Pale Blue Sky and Beyond Veronica. NE Sandy in summer has never sounded more appealing. RYAN J. PRADO

RAY DAVIES
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) This city is really, really excited about Ray Davies' appearance. I mean, for chrissakes, Mayor Sam Adams has officially declared Sunday, July 15 to be "Ray Davies Day" in Portland (effectively keeping this city weird). In addition to performing at the Aladdin tonight, Davies will host a reception at the Hollywood Theatre preceding a matinee screening of his film Return to Waterloo, and Holocene will celebrate with a Davies-themed event of their own that will undoubtedly be off the hook. What about his music, though? Well, I'm no scholar—hell, I only graduated from high school because I had a "chill" principal—but I will say this: Ray Davies' merit and influence as a singer and songwriter are indisputably colossal; he single-handedly invented that highly literate, definitively British brand of pop music that everyone dismissed in the late '60s but is somehow all the rage now; and, lastly, he's a bastard for writing "Days," the most heartbreaking song of all time. Oh, and it's pronounced "Davis," so try not to make a fool of yourself. MORGAN TROPER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL STARR BAND
(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) It must be hard being the least popular Beatle. But I can't imagine it keeps Ringo Starr up at night as he snores the night away on his Tempur-Pedic (that's what rich people sleep on, right?). The legendary septuagenarian bops into town with his All Starr Band, AKA the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, with Mr. Mister's Richard Page, Toto's Steve Lukather, and Todd Rundgren's Todd Rundgren. Expect "Yellow Submarine," "With a Little Help from My Friends," and "Octopus's Garden," and once the Beatles-lite fare is over, maybe beat feet so you don't get caught in an All-Starr shitstorm of "Rosanna" and "Black Magic Woman." The sooner you stop calling for encores, the sooner Ringo can go back to getting some shut-eye on his Pegasus feather pillow (again, my knowledge of the wealthy is limited). COURTNEY FERGUSON

KELLI SCARR, HARLOWE AND THE GREAT NORTH WOODS, KITES AND CROWS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The tale's been told before: singer/songwriter moves from sleepy West Coast burg to the gaping maw of New York City, finds self, makes records. Kelli Scarr took it one step further, not only by releasing her debut, Piece, in 2010, but by being nominated for an Emmy that same year for her score to Jeremiah Zagar's documentary In a Dream. After hearing Scarr's second LP, Dangling Teeth, released June 5 on Silence Breaks, her penchant for imagery is understandable. The album, recorded in Woodstock (yes, that one), is an atmospheric hodgepodge. The warm, flat accents of lap steel and fluttery guitar permeate the title track, while "Our Joy" is paced by a "train's-a-comin'" rockabilly ditty, replete with fiddle-dee-dee violins, smart picking, and man... that voice! Scarr's gifted pipes are open, vibrant vessels, part Mazzy Star daydream, all lassos-'n'-spurs, quasi-country delight. RJP

CAROLINE, COTTON, BARRY BRUSSEAU, THE TORN ACLS, BETH WOOTEN, BLIND LOVEJOY
(Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) The band name thankfully isn't where the charm ends with the Torn ACLs (even if it is a hilarious and creative one)—they're simply one of the most solid and unpretentious pop bands in the Pacific Northwest. The LP they released earlier this year, Make a Break, Make a Move, is overflowing with gems that, in some preferable alternate reality, are topping the charts right now, particularly opener "Two Four Six Eight" and "Can't Say No to Friday," the latter being a dangerously infectious ode to the week's most desirable day. Hopefully the Seattle band will forgive me for being selfish, but I wish they would move to Portland so I could see them more often. They play the closing night of the inaugural Goat's Head festival, named for a SE house music and arts collective. MT

MONDAY 7/16

THE GOLDEN BEARS
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

SUCKERFORLIGHTS, WL, MIRA LOMA, SPACE WAVES
(Plan B, 1305 SE 8th) SuckerForLights is bringing back the old new-wave sound for us. Vocalist and synth player Olivia Voss and guitarist Bryan Brunt have been working on music together since 2007, but only officially put out the first EP last year. Their latest single, "To Love, We Swore" from their upcoming debut LP, is reminiscent of Cocteau Twins, with sweeping vocals, atmospheric synths, and understated guitar hooks. WL (pronounced Well) is the beautiful and mysterious project coming from Misty Mary, Michael Yun, and Steven Nistor (members of Blouse and Houndstooth). The nearly one-year-old demos on their Bandcamp and their recent resurgence of playing more frequently makes me wonder (hope) a full-length is on its way. RH

SPRAYPAINT, SAD HORSE, GUTTERS, LIGHT BRIGADE
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) I don't know what you're doing right now, but I bet Geoff Soule and Elizabeth Venable are having more fun than you. The two make up the giddy, sloppy, frantic, sorta-rock thing that is local band Sad Horse, and they've just released a new LP called Purple on Purple Makes Purple on the local Water Wing label. Bashing out 14 songs over 19 minutes, the pair shrieks, yells, and has mumbled conversations with each other as Venable's drums and Soule's snakelike guitar weave tight, undeniably catchy songs, each one feeling like a disorienting head rush. This is the kind of party where shit definitely gets broken, but there's a kindness underneath Sad Horse's mischief that indicates they'll probably stick around to help you clean up. NL

OPEN MIKE EAGLE, CLOUDY OCTOBER, RAFAEL VIGILANTICS
(Ted's, 231 SW Ankeny) It's telling that Open Mike Eagle is a member of the venerable Project Blowed collective, as his expert level of lyricism and progressive art-rap style fits the group's ethos well. He adds his own distinct brand of melodic playfulness to the mix, which is not only uncommon in contemporary rap, but also downright refreshing. Rafael Vigilantics brings his genre-bending mix of punk, country, and hiphop, celebrating a welcome return to his home base of Portland. Tonight finds him performing his first local show in quite some time, following a long sojourn through South America, Mexico, and Texas. Cloudy October is similarly coming off a four-month hiatus of performing locally, although a recent art-gallery set proved he is currently at the top of his game as an extremely charismatic live performer. RYAN FEIGH

TUESDAY 7/17

THE GOLDEN BEARS
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

ANALOG HEAT, DEEP TIME, BOUQUET
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Where once there was Yellow Fever, now there is Deep Time. The Austin duo of Jennifer Moore and Adam Jones have renamed—if not reinvented—themselves, and their new record, the self-titled Deep Time, is a stunner. Boasting slinky, coiled, torchy tunes interwoven with dryly jagged pep-rock, the band's music is deceptively weighty, offering layers of drama beneath a cucumber-cool surface. With only two members working in perfect tandem, Deep Time are capable of a precision that bigger bands can't muster, not to mention a subtlety that almost entirely evaporates the more you inhabit their almost disturbingly catchy tunes. Deep Time is smart, savvy pop that never plays down to the listener. It's also one of the year's most appealing and rewarding albums. NL Also see My, What a Busy Week!.

KRACK SABBAT, ARMED FOR THE APOCALYPSE, INTO THE OPEN EARTH, BATTLE AXE MASSACRE
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Armed for Apocalypse have once again set to decimate every waking skull in their path with a new West Coast tour and a still-under wraps sophomore release for Ironclad Records. Following the moderate success of their 2009 debut, Defeat, the Chico four-piece is busy mixing The Road Will End, a filthily composed opus of bowel-opening sludge and menacing thrash. The band's affinity for exploring all points of the metal spectrum has earned them underground accolades and a frighteningly loyal fanbase; for every Down-inspired vocal-bass breakdown or Crowbar-dirty groove, there's still more than enough intuitive crunch in the guitar tandem of Kirk Williams and Cayle Hunter to cement legitimately unique forays. RJP

WEDNESDAY 7/18

THE GOLDEN BEARS
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!

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

TWELVE HOUR TURN, COMPANY, OLD JUNIOR, JOHN SUTHERLAND
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) 1970's Self Portrait is frequently maligned as Bob Dylan's worst album—well, at least until he did that Christmas album—but it's not without its charms: some lovely, smoothly crooned covers, some live tracks from the Isle of Wight, and best of all, a couple wacked-out instrumentals. The instrumentals on Portland guitarist John Sutherland's new, similarly titled Self-Portrait aren't nearly as odd, but they're just as evocative. Alternating between florid strumming and delicate fingerpicking, Sutherland makes subtle, soothing watercolors of sound, the strongest of which are "The Lofty & the Beautiful" and "On the Shores of the Cosmic Ocean," both of which stretch comfortably out over more than 10 minutes. With a release show that also includes a reunited Twelve Hour Turn, the spirited punk-holler of Company, and the thunderous tree-trunk stomp of Old Junior—who remain simply one of Portland's best bands, period—this should be a feast for lovers of all kinds of guitar playing. NL