WEDNESDAY 12/11

SEED: WORDS + MUSIC
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

TALIB KWELI, BIG K.R.I.T., TOPE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Would-be emcees may be scattered all over podunk towns in the South, but like Southern soul food, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T.'s drawl-soaked verses and high-calorie hooks keep us coming back for more. He dropped his King Remembered in Time mixtape earlier this year, with the King spitting over syrupy tracks and proving he hasn't lost any edge since Live from the Underground exploded last year. He's opening for Talib Kweli, whose trip to Portland comes just before he releases his second solo album of 2013. You'll be able to download the politically charged rapper's Gravitas directly from his website starting Sunday, December 15. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

THURSDAY 12/12

THE TONY STARLIGHT CHRISTMAS SHOW
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

PERE UBU, TOYBOAT TOYBOAT TOYBOAT
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Pere Ubu.

THE WOOLEN MEN, LANDLINES, THE SAN ONOFRE LIZARDS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Portland basement-pop trio Landlines play a release show for their outstanding Loserly cassette EP tonight. The tape offers a healthy dose of lo-fi rock fresh off the Tascam four-track. These songs are destined to get stuck on repeat, whether it be on the stereo or running through the back of your head. Opening track "New Kids (The Conversation)" kicks things off with cutting jangle-pop that's every bit as cool as it is catchy, while "Hangovers in Airport Bars" slows things down to allow a bit of breathing room for some razor-sharp wordplay before bursting into an all-out shambolic explosion. The San Onofre Lizards—a new band featuring members of Olympia's Family Stoned—get things started, and the Woolen Men are sure to keep those fuzz-pop gems rolling late into the night. CHIPP TERWILLIGER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

PORTUGAL. THE MAN, WAMPIRE
(East End, 1332 W Burnside) Portugal. The Man's origins are the musical equivalent of embarrassing high-school yearbook photos. The group's creative nucleus—Zach Carothers and John Gourley—once played in Anatomy of a Ghost, one of the silliest emo bands to have ever existed. P.TM's contentious debut, Waiter: "You Vultures!" is similarly representational of early-'00s post-hardcore and barely resembles anything that came after. The theatrical, more-is-more leanings that informed the group's early output survive in the form of sometimes asphyxiating melodic stuffiness—there is never a dull moment on the group's latest, the Danger Mouse-produced Evil Friends. That's not always a great thing; seldom do the record's best hooks receive adequate breathing room. But this is still a more-than-adequate band, and cuts like the title track and featherweight rocker "Creep in a T-Shirt" may single-handedly absolve the record of its occasional incoherence. The group plays an all-ages afternoon show to benefit the Oregon Music Hall of Fame's Music in Schools program, in addition to the sold-out evening performance. MORGAN TROPER

FEDERATION X, NORSKA, DRUNK DAD
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) No one exemplifies Pacific Northwest sludge like Bellingham's Federation X. For the past 15 years, the trio have held high the tradition of bands like the Melvins and Karp, bashing out memorable, heavy riffs as if they grew on trees. Federation X quietly released their latest noisemaker, We Do What We Must, in August, and it's arguably their best. The standout cuts are not those whose riffs threaten to raze city blocks, but the ones that breathe a little, like the amazing and moody "So Tired" and "Anna Mist." We Do What We Must has been slept on, but as temperatures dip into the teens it might be time for this beast to awaken. MARK LORE

FRIDAY 12/13

YOUR HOLIDAY OFFICE PARTY
(525 NW 10th) See My, What a Busy Week!

MIDLAKE, SARAH JAFFE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE CENTURY, GLACIER PALACE
(Mississippi Pizza Pub, 3552 N Mississippi) The members of the Century are their own Portland musical entourage. Previously known as My Autumn's Done Come—and sharing a majority of its members with local pop unit Thanks—it's clear the Century has the unstoppable ability to play giant-sized rock 'n' roll. Straightforward Elvis Costello-influenced vocals by Andrew Hanna meld with quick guitar licks, solid keys, and kicking bass and drums. There's a comfort in seeing them play; it feels like going back in time to your first basement rock show (if that band actually knew what they were doing). Their sound is the core reason we grow up to love rock 'n' roll—loud and in your face, while taking moments to be emotional, sweet, and sexy. RACHEL MILBAUER

SATURDAY 12/14

DECEMBER TO FORGET: OLD LIGHT, HUSTLE AND DRONE, THE WE SHARED MILK
(Manifestation PDX, 2020 SE Bush) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE GREATEST TOY DRIVE EVER: MISTAH FAB, GRAYSKUL, COOL NUTZ, SERGE SEVERE, & MORE
Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) See My, What a Busy Week!

ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF, NOVELLER
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) As a death-fearing sissy, I was initially troubled by Swedish pianist Anna von Hausswolff's latest release, Ceremony. Just scanning through the track list was enough to send me cowering in the recesses of my apartment, and I sheepishly skipped past "Deathbed" and "Funeral for My Future Children" on that first listen. However, once I inevitably became enveloped in the soft calm of the organ's drone, and the startling beauty in the physicality of von Hausswolff's voice, that ever-present fear turned to fascination, then to reverence. And though some of her songs can certainly skulk—like "No Body," which could effectively score a highly realistic psycho thriller—vitality is restored in the life-affirming major scales of "Mountains Crave," and the unbearably breathtaking "Liturgy of Light." Ceremony is a truly lovely balance of light and dark, control and abandon, and other familiar dichotomies that will outlive us all. RAQUEL NASSER

PULSE EMITTER, ILYAS AHMED, DOLPHINITY
(Little Axe Records, 5012 NE 28th) The four tracks on Crater Lake, the latest collection of modular and keyboard synth instrumentals from Daryl Groestch (AKA Pulse Emitter), are named after satellite moons of other planets in our solar system. That may seem a little on the nose, but it's a fitting way to connect the expansive compositions—rich with rippling, droning melodies and light arpeggiated rhythms—with the inky blackness of the world outside our atmosphere and the beauty of the celestial bodies floating in it. The 39-minute LP (released on Immune Recordings) could in fact be a fine alternate soundtrack to Gravity, with tracks like "Io" mirroring the tension and fear portrayed on screen, and opener "Europa" showcasing the stark beauty of outer space. ROBERT HAM

BUTT 2 BUTT, HEARTS AND TIGERS, WORMBAG
(Langano Lounge, 1435 SE Hawthorne) If you've waited this long before getting to know Butt 2 Butt, it may be too late. Almost. The Portland duo of drummer Sarah Jayne Reynolds and guitarist Zach Dunlap boast not only a really, really terrible band name, they've also got two modest but terrific records out this year, both of which you need to track down on Bandcamp: (the equally awfully named) My Bed, My Bitch and (the significantly improved) Under New Management. Don't let any of those names fool you: This is smart, gnashing, fun, rocking pop, played point-blank and stripped of all unnecessary ornament. "Lights Out" kicks off Under New Management with a simple, snotty line you'll want to teach yourself on guitar (it won't take you long to learn), and My Bed's "Way Out" boasts Cheap Trick riffage and the immortal chorus, "Your parents fucked/Just make the best of it." It's the last Butt 2 Butt show before Dunlap and Reynolds head to South America for six months (or longer) to travel—hopefully spreading some Butt 2 Butt cheer around the continent in the process. They've finished 15 new songs, though, so perhaps we'll get another Butt 2 Butt record or two before they say farewell. NED LANNAMANN

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, BURIALS, DIMESLAND, USNEA
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) There's a good number of bands putting the Northwest on the radar when it comes to black metal. While all of them are producing quality, genre-complementing music, the real blip to watch is Portland's Burials. The band's seamless newest record, The Tide, possesses elements you'd expect from most black-metal recordings: blast beats, tremolo picking, raspy, snarling vocals, and so on. However, there is one thing missing, and it doesn't affect them negatively in the slightest. Burials have taken the scary, bone-chilling riffs of typical black metal and replaced them with a much more awe-inspiring tone. Think of standing on a vast shoreline looking out into the endless ocean, or gazing up at a towering mountain, instead of creepy graveyards and cobwebbed haunted houses. That's not to say Burials' music lacks intensity, because it definitely doesn't, but they are playing with much more then just the black-metal deck. ARIS WALES

ANA SIA
(The Rose, 111 SW Ash) San Francisco-based Ana Sia, celebrated selector and up and coming producer, is on the edge of a release on Hot N Heavy Recordings, and she touches down in PDX for more damage, sporting her signature heady, bass-driven tunes. Her DJ sets are eclectic, spanning from house and techno to Miami bass and back—offering a rich tapestry of sound for those inclined to groove. Pumping out fresh beats with more than a tinge of West Coast attitude, this gangster has been dropping some seriously funky cuts that continue to shake up the too often two-tone world of EDM. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

SUNDAY 12/15

THE DANDY WARHOLS, MODERN KIN, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
(East End, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

KING KRULE, TOPS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on King Krule.

CHURCH OF HIVE: APPENDIXES, SHADOWHOUSE, DJ STRAYLIGHT, DJ WAISTED
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Church of Hive, the ongoing goth and industrial DJ event that runs Sunday nights at Star Theater, hosts two great local bands that are sure to provide a great addition to the weekly showcase. Shadowhouse celebrates the release of a brand new 7-inch whose lovely B-side, "Lonely Psalm," is a sweeping slab of post-punk that finds a way to sulk low and soar high at the same time. It's the perfect document to back up the band's self-ascribed motto of "play loud, dance slow." Stick around for Appendixes, who recently released a 7-inch of their own, Neon Green Fear. The title track is a bona fide dream-pop stunner that reveals itself to the listener like the slow twist of a kaleidoscope. It's a mouth-watering teaser that hints at something great on the horizon, and here's a free opportunity to get on board. CT

JESSIE EVANS WITH OTTO NERVOUS, VICE DEVICE, OHLIGANS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) On her Facebook profile, musician Jessie Evans lists her genre as "space vamp." Trust Facebook genre fields at your own risk, but in this case, that's spot-on. The US-born, Berlin-based Evans seems like she dropped onto Earth from another planet, all angles and eyeliners and gorgeously garish glitterbomb outfits that look like a cross between a futuristic flapper dress and the most fabulous marching band uniform ever. Then there's Evans' music, an idiosyncratic mix of slinky electro-pop, with vibrant horns and global sounds befitting its maker's worldly aesthetic. The result—heard all over her new album, Glittermine—is something like M.I.A., Beats Antique, and Goat, jamming in a sweaty apartment above a European disco as the pulse of cosmopolitan cool pumps out the window and floats off into the crackling night air. BEN SALMON

MONDAY 12/16

HOLOGRAMS, TV GHOST, ARCTIC FLOWERS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

ROBBIE FULKS, CAHALEN DAVID MORRISON
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Robbie Fulks.

BENEFIT FOR TOM BEVITORI: BLITZEN TRAPPER, DOLOREAN, PORTLAND COUNTRY UNDERGROUND, JAKE RAY
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Any Dolorean show is a big deal, and this deal is even bigger: The great local band—which doesn't play in public nearly often enough for my liking—is joining several other great local bands for a very worthy benefit: Tom Bevitori, one of three singer/songwriters that front local country outfit Denver, is in need of financial aid for his recent medical expenses, including a hospital stay that resulted from Crohn's disease-related infections. Dolorean joins heavy-hitters Blitzen Trapper, nimble-pickin' all-stars Portland Country Underground, and twangy songwriter Jake Ray on a bill to raise funds for Bevitori. Denver themselves aren't on the bill, but they headline a show at the Doug Fir on Friday, December 13. Possibly by tonight they'll be itching to play again. With Blitzen Trapper headlining a small room, expect a sellout—this is a top-notch lineup for a terrific cause. NL

THIRD EYE BLIND, TEAM
(East End, 1332 W Burnside) For all the things that leap to mind when you think of Third Eye Blind, let's consider them the lesser of two evils—next to Matchbox 20. Which they are. It's true that no matter how much credibility either band attempts to carve out for themselves, they're always going to be nostalgia acts. That's not to say 3EB hasn't written some catchy songs. "Never Let You Go" and the over-over-played "Semi-Charmed Life" are earworms in the best and worst sense of the word. The fact they're still at it says something (though I'm not sure what), but it does beg the question: Who on earth goes to a Third Eye Blind show in 2013? I'm afraid to find out. ML

TUESDAY 12/17

THE RANGE, RAP CLASS, QUARRY, TABOR DARK
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The Range manages to extract cerebral meaning from the core conceit of IDM, where blissful soundscapes immerse the listener in a throwback pastiche of electronic production. Twenty-five-year-old James Hinton reinvents the obtuse soundcraft of the genre's pioneers, digitally simulating the iconographic hardware tones of yesteryear while turning them intangible with concrete dancehall samples and streetwise beats. His debut, Nonfiction, juxtaposes the stark sentiment of these found sounds with airily danceable, lite-house progressions that build up to entropic bliss. Whatever post-dubstep signifies, music like this is liberated from the staid, gloomy archetype of UK drum-and-bass while appropriating the feel of club music for a hyperreal genre amalgamation. With PDX's own chameleon of hiphop-house, Rap Class, on the bill, tonight promises to be a premonition of style for the paleo-future of electronic music production. WYATT SCHAFFNER