WEDNESDAY 2/24

PARQUET COURTS, THE WOOLEN MEN
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Portland scene vets the Woolen Men have come a long way since their early days as unwavering lo-fi adherents. Their latest record, last year's Temporary Monument, was a pop dork's ultimate fantasy that blended everything from nervy '77 punk and the classic Flying Nun canon, to post-punk and Wire worship. Highlight "After the Flood" ranks among the catchiest songs released by a Portland band last year. MORGAN TROPER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

SCARFACE, COOL NUTZ, BAD HABITAT
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) If there were a Mt. Rushmore for gangsta rap icons, one could definitely make a case for the inclusion of Scarface. His iconic voice and knack for consistently delivering soulful vitriol through a hardcore Houston, Texas, lens have made Scarface a virtual deity in the South, and his influence on hip-hop is celebrated just about everywhere else. Any lyricists who dabble in audacity, insanity, or reality owe him at least a nod of recognition—and only a precious few will be able to match his intelligent, street-level storytelling. Timeless classics like "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" from his Geto Boys days and solo anthems like "My Block" prove that his ghetto psychosis never strays from Southern-fried funk, making Scarface's hall-of-fame résumé all the more sonically potent. CHRIS SUTTON

COLOSSAL: RAFAEL, STRATEGY, DYLAN STARK, ACID FARM, VISIBLE CLOAKS, RAP CLASS, & MORE
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Portland has a longstanding reputation as a haven for indie rock, and not without reason. But in the last few years, the city's electronic scene has started popping in a big way. Holocene, of course, has always boosted this scene, and with Colossal, tonight's carefully curated "one-night festival," the venue will show off the depth and breadth of their love as well as their recently improved sound system. It's set to be a heavyweight barnburner, equally amenable to jacking and chin stroking. Whether you vibe more on the dream-squelch of Visible Cloaks or Rap Class' neo-classicist house moves, or even if you don't roll deep and just want to learn and dance at the same time, there are much worse ways to spend a Wednesday night. DUSTIN KRCATOVICH

SISSY SPACEK, ROHIT, PROLIX DESTRUCT, PURITY OF ESSENCE, REDNECK
(Panic Room, 3100 NE Sandy) John Wiese is a font of bewildering sounds, both as a solo artist and in his band Sissy Spacek. Previous incarnations of Sissy Spacek hewed a little closer to Wiese's own harsh noise work, but the noisecore/grindcore version of the band that presently assaults stages for 10 to 15 minutes at a time is an entirely differently beast. It includes Charlie Mumma, who was the onetime drummer for Portland grind extraordinaires Knelt Rote, plus a slew of other metal and noise projects. Mumma, Wiese, and a rotating cast of vocalists have pushed Sissy Spacek in a more bludgeoning direction. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

INDIGO GIRLS, LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) To most, the Indigo Girls are more punchline than band—a punchline that extends from early internet memes to at least a half-dozen sitcoms, also epitomizing the larger joke of Lilith Fair. While their catalog has no shortage of painful moments, the fact that they've come to represent a hollow, humorless, second-wave singer/songwriter archetype that they never—or at least rarely—embodied is a little unfair. When Amy Ray and Emily Saliers started their career 30 years ago, they were a gay, politically radical band from the South that sang songs about Native rights and Virginia Woolf in Reagan and Bush's America. They've only gotten more outspoken over the years, haven't changed what they do to fit anyone else's idea of cool, and have somehow shrugged off (and often laughed along with) all jokes at their expense. If nothing else, it's worth considering why we've made a punchline out of queer activists who have been standing up for marginalized communities for the last three decades. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON

THURSDAY 2/25

GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH, MEAN JEANS, WARPFIRE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) See My, What a Busy Week!

BRIAN BLADE AND THE FELLOWSHIP BAND, ALICIA OLATUJA
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) When Brian Blade isn't busy being one of the world's great jazz drummers, he leads a group called the Fellowship Band. Productive in fits and starts—two albums released in 1998 and 2000, two more in 2008 and 2009, and another in 2014—Blade's band is a fascinating peek into the fertile mind and creative ambition of a man best known as a master of backbeat. As a bandleader, he is ambitious but patient, pushing his combo to explore not only jazz but also folk and rock. 2009's Mama Rosa is Blade's version of a pop album; it puts Blade on vocals and incorporates ambient sounds into more conventional song structures. On 2014's Landmarks, the Fellowship Band travel skillfully along the ridgeline between dusky gospel and rootsy jazz. Tonight they'll share a bill with Alicia Olatuja, a commanding jazz/soul singer from New York City. BEN SALMON

RINGO DEATHSTARR, FUTURE DEATH, HOLLOW SIDEWALKS, LIQUIDLIGHT
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Austin, Texas, three-piece Ringo Deathstarr have consistently released new material almost every year since forming in 2007, including their most recent, last year's Pure Mood. Along the way they've fine-tuned an impressive sound that features washed-out fuzzy guitars and hypnotic, slightly jaded vocals. Although most often compared to My Bloody Valentine, their style conjures many celebrated acts, including the Cure and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Ringo Deathstarr have a modern take on bygone alternative and shoegaze eras that fans of gritty psychedelic pop can really sink their teeth into. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

SAMUEL HERTZ, LL LL, CHRISTI DENTON, JESSE MEJÍA
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Samuel Hertz is one of those wonderfully unsettled artists who refuse to direct his or her efforts toward one discipline or tonal field. In recent years, the Oakland composer and performer has worked on pieces for a saxophone quartet, surround-sound installations, and his own fragmented and enveloping electronic soundscapes. That leaves the door wonderfully ajar for Hertz to visit Portland this week and surprise us with laptop excursions, or his collection of prepared or modified instruments, or something potentially even more daring. He's joined on this adventurous bill by the equally challenging composer Christi Denton, who stirs up deep wells of emotion using everything from processed guitar to unsettling field recordings, and the Portland debut of LL LL, an electronic collaboration between artists Lucy Lee Yim and Sean Christensen. ROBERT HAM

FRIDAY 2/26

FROM BEBOP TO HIP-HOP—A NIGHT OF BLACK AMERICAN MUSIC HISTORY: MIC CRENSHAW, THEORY HAZIT, COOL NUTZ, DJ OG-1
(Rosewood Initiative, 16126 SE Stark) See My, What a Busy Week!

SHARKMUFFIN, WATER WATER, THUNDERING ASTEROIDS
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Brooklyn duo Tarra Theissen (guitar) and Natalie Kirch (bass) started their garage-rock band Sharkmuffin after jamming together at Kirch's family beach house on the Jersey Shore during the summer of 2012. Three months later, Hurricane Sandy came along and wiped out the house. Fortunately, Sharkmuffin's roots were already laid down, and the band has continued to weather any storm thrown their way. When Theissen and Kirch hit the studio to record their debut album, Chartreuse, their drummer suffered an injury, which left them scrambling for a last-minute replacement. Former Hole and current Upset drummer Patty Schemel came to the rescue for the recording session. Chartreuse finds Sharkmuffin delivering frantic, blistering, psych-infused power-pop. With most songs clocking in around the two-minute mark, the whole thing is over pretty quick, but it still manages to throw plenty of boisterous gut-punches along the way. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

LIGHT THIEVES, FOG FATHER, BUD WILSON
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Fresno-based bandits Light Thieves have a field day playing with post-rock and psych pop, referencing the old and new to create a playful and outside-the-box sound. Recalling the Doors and the Mars Volta, their hard-hitting drums propel waves of synth keys and whirling guitars into the cosmos. As they float between the driving and the introspective, the four-piece have proven their worth as songwriters and musical astronauts on their most recent release, Spirit Home. If you're looking forward to Boise's Treefort Festival in March and are compiling a must-see list, this will be a preview for Light Thieves' show at the Pacific Northwest's version of SXSW. Paired with the slow jams of Fog Father, who make their festival debut at Treefort this year, and Bud Wilson of Portland's swoon-worthy staple Aan, it's a night to wear your best and take in the magic. JENI WREN STOTTRUP

THE BLOODTYPES, THE BIRTH DEFECTS, DON'T
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Portland band Don't plays pure, blistering rock 'n' roll in its sincerest form. Tonight the group celebrates its newest release, Fever Dreams, nine songs of unhinged rock driven by dynamite riffs at breakneck speeds, with vocalist Jenny Don't at the steering wheel. Her voice is equal parts fierce and controlled, effortlessly cutting through the band's electric storm. Standouts from Fever Dreams include the haunting, punk-infused track "The Chase Is Better," an ode to rock 'n' roll's days of yore called "Wrong Generation," and the scorching title track, two minutes of complete sonic destruction. CIARA DOLAN

COUNTRYSIDE RIDE
(Landmark Saloon, 4847 SE Division) It's more than just fashionable fools donning cowboy hats and bolo ties—the music of classic country has also been in the throes of a pocketed resurgence. Indie musicians in their 30s have started paring down their layers, adding pedal steel, and discovering folks like George Jones, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard—songwriters who did more with less. The johnny-come-latelys would do well to take a gander at Countryside Ride, who aren't old-timers, but spot-on, honky-tonk preservationists capable of teaching a master class. The Clark County, Washington, group knows what it takes to make a great bar band: For a decade they've played mostly covers with easy, ego-less finesse and aplomb. From the plunking stand-up bass, to the swinging, minimalist drums, to the crisp, plucky Telecaster twang, to the love-sick croon and hootin' hollers, Countryside Ride is as timeless and sturdy as their vernacular. ANDREW R TONRY

MR. BONES
(Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside) In just a year, Mo Troper (writer of our All-Ages Action column) and XRAY.fm DJ Blake Hickman's Good Cheer Records has carved out a space for the local power-pop underground, with releases from bands like Little Star, Sabonis, and Sancho. Mr. Bones' self-titled debut kickstarted it all as Good Cheer's first release. Now, almost exactly a year after the label's inception, Mr. Bones will follow up their first album with Bites, another collection of sugary, lo-fi pop. On single "12," songwriter Leland Brehl channels the echoes of power-pop masters like Nick Lowe, Matthew Sweet, and Fountains of Wayne, like Luke Skywalker seeing the ghosts of former Jedi mentors around a victorious bonfire (except that all the aforementioned artists are still alive). CAMERON CROWELL

SATURDAY 2/27

ALICE COLTRANE TRIBUTE: UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS, PHAROAH SANDERS
(Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

BASIA BULAT, THE WEATHER STATION
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Canadian singer/songwriter and autoharpist Basia Bulat's voice reverberates with clarity and power. Her just-released fourth LP, Good Advice, is the sweetest, saddest sort of breakup album. Bulat's heartsickness bubbles to the surface in the form of 10 mournful but celebratory pop songs, each punctuated by an overwhelming sense of hope. On "Infamous," she pleads, "Come back/Or don't," while "Long Goodbye" recounts the slow death of a relationship gone sour. The album's standout is "La La Lie," a sunshiny soundtrack to Bulat's throes of grief. CD

THE GHOST EASE, GOLDEN HOUR
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) A buzz has been gathering around the Ghost Ease in the last two years or so, and with a close listen to their infectious sound, it's easy to see why. Right away, the intriguing interplay between bassist Laurence Vidal and drummer Nyasi Mantigou demands your attention. Their rhythm section's magic twists and turns under the guidance of guitarist/singer Jem Marie's intricate chord yet retains an achingly solid foundation. Gliding over the top of this well-constructed grind is Marie's plaintive voice, which yearns with fragility that draws on inner strength wholly her own. These musings are juxtaposed with her distinctive guitar style, thrusting delicate shards through the air like diamond saws spinning in slow motion, echoing PJ Harvey and Blonde Redhead's most haunting works. The Ghost Ease carefully approach their music with serious dynamics in mind, and the results are irresistibly powerful. CS Also see My, What a Busy Week!

BEACON, NATASHA KMETO
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Changes in Natasha Kmeto's personal life over the past few years have occurred as she's simultaneously pushed her music in daring new directions. What's emerged is a confident and brilliant woman whose music has often become the conduit through which she's examined her relationships. Musically, Kmeto—one of the most respected electronic music producers out there—has also satiated her love for pop music. 2013's Crisis and last year's Inevitable are both mixed, intricate soundscapes and beats with danceable hooks. In other words, it's cerebral ear candy that could find its way into mainstream R&B radio. No one does it better. MARK LORE

PORTLAND'S NOT DEAD: DIVERS, THE MINDERS, THE CENTURY, FEEL YOUNG, WHITE GLOVE
(The Spare Room, 4830 NE 42nd) It's been slightly over a year since Portland punk-rock quartet Divers unleashed their long-awaited debut album, Hello Hello. The album harnesses the band's all-or-nothing stage presence, while frontman Harrison Rapp's dramatic lyrics and cinematic imagery take listeners for a ride along the scenic landscapes of America's heartland. Hello Hello was never far from my car stereo last year, and I swear there were occasions when the cheap beer and sweat stench from the band's live show found a way to seep in through the ventilation system. A mechanic might point to the air filter, but I'm fairly certain it's a bit of both. Divers have a dynamic sound that matches their ability to thrive in any setting. While they continue to play dive bars and house shows, sets at the Crystal Ballroom and MusicfestNW prove just how fit they are for bigger stages. CT

SUNDAY 2/28

VINCE STAPLES
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our article on Vince Staples.

MT. PORTLAND RELEASE PARTY: AND AND AND, JOEL MAGID, CANDACE, BOONE HOWARD AND MICHAEL FINN
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) Read our article on Mt. Portland.

RAMZI, REGULAR FANTASY, SAYLES, SAME SAME, WOMEN'S BEAT LEAGUE
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) It's 2016—synthesized music has existed in popular and experimental forms for the better part of a century. We're living in a time when electronic music doesn't have to be exploratory; the tools that society thought would soundtrack a glorious future now can be used to analyze our present. Vancouver, BC's 1080p is a record label with a catalog of intimate, inquisitive electronic music built on the detritus of turn-of-the-century new age and house music. Ramzi and Regular Fantasy both turn synthesized music's exploratory motives inward, scoring rich secret worlds to be found in the refuse of rave and awkward early computer sounds. They are joined by performers from the Women's Beat League, a combination performance-and-education dedicated to creating space for female-identified performers in electronic music. MAC POGUE

JOHN MORELAND, LILLY HIATT
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Raised on a steady diet of DIY punk and hardcore, Oklahoma singer/songwriter John Moreland eventually found his voice in the Americana whiskey barrel of Steve Earle and John Prine. He first raised eyebrows on his 2011 release, Earthbound Blues, an enchanting album of poetry and poised folk/country that brought to mind the better days of Townes Van Zandt and the rest of the Heartworn Highways crew. Moreland's most recent album, High on Tulsa Heat, isn't all ballads and roadhouse bangers; its title track offers a spacey maze that belies the tenderness you most often hear in his heart-wrenching compositions. Joining Moreland on this tour is up-and-comer Lilly Hiatt, herself a prodigal songwriter as the daughter of the legendary John Hiatt. Her second album, Royal Blue, stirs the pot with moody alt-country and a decidedly '90s-underground-rock patina that packs a refreshing punch. RYAN J. PRADO

MONDAY 2/29

PRIVATE ROOM, RABBITS, STRESS POSITION
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Iron Lung Records, a small outfit based out of the Seattle area, makes specialty punk records. Each caters to a specific, fiendish sect of punk rock's shattered lineage: White Wards build on Japanese hardcore's feral animus, Flesh World narrow their crosshairs on literary C86 dream-pop, Odd Man Out constructs straight-edge hardcore. Private Room, the latest project featuring label honcho Jensen Ward, settles on pretty much one band: Man Is the Bastard. Private Room run with the oblique riffage and contorted anger of those hardcore pioneers from the '90s, mangling the usual rhythms of punk and hardcore into something freakish. The cover art for Private Room's debut 7-inch serves as partial statement of intent: a plain white expanse, marred only by a jagged crack, revealing a black maw inside. MP

TUESDAY 3/1

CARLY RAE JEPSEN, CARDIKNOX, FAIRGROUND SAINTS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on Carly Rae Jepsen.

DAN DAN, THE WILD BODY, BANDA FEARH
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) A love letter to Pittsburgh synth duo Zombi, Portland band Dan Dan is a soundtrack-y prog trio with NO VOCALS. Do not even try to expect vocals. Just be chill—but also full of high-tempo energy, like Dan Dan. Founded by Sarah Mckenna with Eric Burch of Portland post-punk band Slow Screams, Dan Dan is brand-new to this world, so be kind. If you're into ambient jam synth, Dan Dan is guaranteed to make you lose time. Also on the bill is the Wild Body, a new project including Bitch'n's Rebecca Rasmussen. SUZETTE SMITH

EMMY THE GREAT, GRACIE AND RACHEL
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) While Emma-Lee Moss was trying to come up with the money to make her third album as Emmy the Great, she worked as a journalist, interviewing artists like King Krule and Dam-Funk and writing for Vice and the Guardian. Most people who write about music, of course, are vile creatures with no redeeming qualities. But not Moss. As Emmy the Great, she makes beautifully understated electronic folk-pop that flutters like a late-night Cate Le Bon and heaves and sighs like a low-key Postal Service. On Second Love, Emmy the Great's aforementioned third album, Moss delivers a dozen songs about love, loss, and life in the 21st century with incredibly easy charm. BS