THURSDAY 1/21

SONGS FOR HAITI: THOMAS LAUDERDALE, STORM LARGE, COOL NUTZ, PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT, & MORE

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

SPIN THE WHEEL NIGHT: OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN, HOSANNAS, TYPHOON, MONARQUES, JEN MOON

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) What is Spin the Wheel Night, you ask? Put the names of five cuddly local bands on a big rotating wheel, give the wheel a hefty spin, and the band's name it lands on has to perform a tune. We'll hear from Oh Captain, My Captain, Typhoon, Monarques, Jen Moon, and the newly christened Hosannas—who were formerly Church, then briefly Ape Cave, but have hopefully settled on their new moniker for good. It's like spin the bottle but without all the kissing... although no one says there can't be kissing, right? NED LANNAMANN

ADAM FRANKLIN AND BOLTS OF MELODY, BLACK NITE CRASH, INCREDIBLE YACHT CONTROL, EZRA CAREY

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) While other shoegaze icons of '90s yore have long since hung up their effect pedals, the voice of Swervedriver has undergone a bit of a career resurgence as of late. Adam Franklin's 2007 release, Bolts of Melody, was a welcome return—its gloomy closing number, "Ramonesland," is still in regular rotation around these parts—which was followed by Magnetic Morning (formed alongside Sam Forgarino of Interpol, and Jimmy LaValle of the Album Leaf), and finally a Swervedriver reunion as well. Touring in support of Spent Bullets, Franklin won't stray from his signature style—moody vocals, plenty of guitar, being the coolest man in the room—which is exactly what we expect from him. Anything else would be a disappointment. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

FRIDAY 1/22

REBIRTH BRASS BAND, IVAN NEVILLE'S DUMPSTAPHUNK, PHILLY'S PHUNKESTRA

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

HORSE FEATHERS, OREGON BALLET THEATRE

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

WHITE DENIM, BRAZOS

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Music.

A.A. BONDY, WILLY MASON, HALEY BONAR

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) A.A. Bondy's second solo album When the Devil's Loose is just as good as his first, a heartfelt country-folk album in the vein of Harvest or Anodyne. The title track haunts the ghost of more than a few Dylan songs, but without Zimmerman's snide causticity, and with a smoke-flecked voice that hits more right notes than Dylan has ever hit in his life. Bondy's the real deal, as is opener Haley Bonar, who now makes Portland her home and thus elevates our city's quotient of fantastic singer/songwriters. NL

CARNIVALE AMERICANA/SCOTLAND BARR BENEFIT: TANGO ALPHA TANGO, THE SLOW DRAGS, HIGHWAY, BRIAN BERG

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) While having never met the man, I don't believe it's a stretch to declare that Scotland Barr was a real-life renaissance man, the sort of accomplished individual that deserves a tribute show that stretches over two days. Before he passed last year due to pancreatic cancer, Barr sat at the helm of Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags, he was an invaluable personality within Portland's music community, and he created the excellent Secret Aardvark hot sauce. Carnivale Americana will benefit the Human Solutions Homeless Families Warming Center, plus it'll offer your first chance to see the Slow Drags perform lost cuts from their forthcoming We Will Be Forgotten recording. EAC

FUBAR: MARC SMITH, BRENDAN FINLAYSON, GEORGE HOLLAND

(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) The organizers behind Fubar are switching it up this month with a solid lineup of techno talent from San Francisco. DJ/producer Marc Smith works for Auralism Records, which has become one of the leading sources of cutting-edge dance music in the United States and beyond, adding notable international players such as Swedish micro-house producer Mikael Stavoestrand, Berlin-based Franklin DeCosta, and New York's (and Clink Record's) Elon. Smith's musical sense has clearly shaped the sound and rising success of Auralism, and it's also gained him a reputation as a show-stealing DJ. Rounding out the Bay Area theme are Brendan Finlayson and SF-to-PDX transplant George Holland, who will be closing out the night—and raising the (fu)bar—with his trademark warehouse sound. AVA HEGEDUS

ANDREW OLIVER SEXTET, TRIO SUBTONIC

(Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th) If you're a lover of soul-jazz it's safe to assume that Trio Subtonic are already your favorite Portland band. Composed of bassist Bill Athens, keyboardist Galen Clark, and drummer Jesse Brooke, the group formed in 2005 and has been laying down fresh grooves ever since. While Trio Subtonic's recorded output (2007's The Aqueous and 2009's Cave Dweller) is solid, it's their live show that really expresses the energy and potential of the group. Supplying the melodies, Clark is a spastic elf, leaping out of his seat to pound the keys as Brooke's drumming holds it down as the funkiest in all Portland, bar none. GRAHAM BAREY

SATURDAY 1/23

JAY FARRAR, BEN GIBBARD, JOHN RODERICK

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

CARNIVALE AMERICANA/SCOTLAND BARR BENEFIT: STEVE WILKINSON, THE REDEEMED, ROB STROUP AND THE BLAME, MIKE COYKENDALL, CASEY NEILL, LITTLE SUE

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) See Friday's listing.

INFINITE FRONT LAUNCH: CASTANETS, GHOST TO FALCO, OHIOAN, DRAGGING AN OX THROUGH WATER

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) There's a new label in town. Infinite Front's launch party will be celebrated with a split 7-inch from all four artists performing tonight. The 7-inch has two songs per side, but they play simultaneously; you'll need to pan your stereo to the left or right speaker to hear each song individually. There's more: both Ghost to Falco and Ohioan are releasing new albums tonight, and they're both excellent. Ghost to Falco's Exotic Believers tromps all over a moody, craggy landscape with stoner rock jags, warped folk mumbling, sonic squeals, and smooth strums. It's a stormy record, but not a dark one—Ghost to Falco's Eric Crespo knows the value of properly illuminating those rolling, boiling clouds with enough light so you can see 'em in their full, dramatic intensity. Meanwhile, Ohioan's new record High Country is a sumptuous, sun-struck lope with country and orchestral overtones, and a shit-ton of weird noise for good measure. High Country's moments of gracefully gnarled beauty are cloudless, like gazing into the sun for a fraction too long before everything goes white. NL

HELLGRAMMITE, DIESTO, HONDURAN

(Ducketts Public House, 825 N Killingsworth) Make sure you pay Ducketts a visit now, because there is little guarantee it will be standing after tonight's three-band metallic wrecking crew. Honduran's brand of grinding, spastic metal could shatter all the glassware in the place, and their dueling gravel and gurgle vocals might chip the paint off the walls as well. With elements of black, doom, and crust, the progressive metal of Seattle's Hellgrammite is impossible to predict, yet powerful enough to bring down the place. And finally, Diesto's crushing slab of sonically devastating doom should take care of what's left of the foundation. Bring a helmet and a shovel to dig out your friends. ARIS WALES

AKRON/FAMILY, AU, WOW & FLUTTER

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Two-thirds of Akron/Family have recently moved to Portland, and their first show as a local band is a free, all-ages affair. I'd say they're starting on the right foot. Actually, guitarist Seth Olinsky and drummer Dana Janssen told the Mercury that they're hoping to do a lot more free, all-ages shows, possibly even playing some basements around town. And don't you worry about Akron/Family going broke by giving their live shows away for free—they've found an effective way to supplement their dwindling income. At the Quizissippi pub quiz at Mississippi Pizza last week, Olinsky and Janssen won the cash prize, despite their remarkably poor track record at bar trivia. (The winning answer? Finnegans Wake.) Tonight's free, all-ages show starts early; don't miss it. NL Also see Our Town Could Be Your Life.

FRUIT BATS, SONNY AND THE SUNSETS

(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) Fruit Bats have a serious sheen about them; their guitars are bright and shimmering, though never weak, while their instrumentation drives and pulses through unusual changes and blends into a blissful strain of pop while frontman Eric Johnson's soulful voice soars above the din. The music of this Sub Pop act—Johnson splits his time as a member of the Shins—is the aural equivalent of a gentle breeze or the spray from a waterfall; absolutely refreshing and affecting. And "Singing Joy to the World" (off of their latest record, The Ruminant Band) is unspeakably heartwarming and references Three Dog Night. RAQUEL NASSER

HERB ALPERT, LANI HALL

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Trumpeter Herb Alpert (the A in A&M Records, his share of which he sold in 1987) can use Benjamins for toilet paper: He's moved over 72 million records while scoring eight Grammys, 14 platinum albums, and 15 gold ones. In the 1960s, Alpert and his Tijuana Brass band pumped out breezy mariachi and pop tunes that snared much radio and television play. Alpert went solo when the group split in 1969 and continued to rack up hits, most memorably with the 1979 instrumental yacht-funk gem "Rise," which was sampled by the Notorious B.I.G. for "Hypnotize" (that bass line is unfuckwithable). Now 74, Alpert appears at the Aladdin with his vocalist/wife Lani Hall (ex–Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66), as they support their standards-heavy 2009 album Anything Goes. DAVE SEGAL

HAR MAR SUPERSTAR, DAT'R

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) He's a chubby, balding white guy who wears saggy briefs and tube socks while thrusting his pelvis to songs about drunk dialing and knocking boots—seemingly just another ironic performer of our time. But Har Mar Superstar has proved himself to be more than a fleeting trend. For over a decade he has dedicated himself to the one-man electro-synth/faux-R&B craft, known for his spot-on R. Kelly croon and an unbridled, tongue-in-cheek sexuality. Har Mar has crisscrossed the globe alongside the Strokes and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, written songs for J.Lo, and recorded duets with Karen O and Beth Ditto. His latest single "Tall Boy" (supposedly it was originally penned for Britney Spears, but was turned down) was just performed live on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and I get the feeling we have hardly seen the last of this man's pasty thighs. MARANDA BISH

JARED MEES AND THE GROWN CHILDREN, AGES

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) At their very best, the rumbling troubadour songs of Jared Mees joyfully unravel like a ball of string at the losing end of a kitten's paws. While some artists aim for the heavens with masterfully assembled material compiled with pristine structure, Mees takes great pride in dismantling everything he touches—more wrecking ball than disco ball. Backed by his motley lot of Grown Children, Mees' disjointed folk numbers shuffle, ramble, and come crashing down with a fervent glee. You're going to want to get your mitts on the band's forthcoming tour EP, since this is music that just always seems to sound better when you are singing along at the top of your lungs. EAC

ALEATORIC: HELIOS, MAP~MAP, GASP, MIKE JEDLICKA

(Fez Ballroom, 316 SW 11th) Aleatoric is the li'l experimental/IDM night that could. First left homeless by the sudden closure of the short-lived avant-garde club Apotheke, then lost in the shuffle of Someday's booking, the night has persevered, finding refuge for their quarterly ambient showcase at Fez Ballroom. The winter edition features live sets from Helios, map~map, and Gasp, along with intermittent sounds from Aleatoric resident DJ and co-founder Mike Jedlicka. The collective aesthetic is stunning and subtle, introspective and delicate—perfect for this time of year in Portland, when there's no end in sight to the gloom and drizzle. AVA

ANTHONY B, ESCORT SERVICE, ZELLY, PALE SOUL, SICK AURA, SYNTHESIZER VOICE, JAGGA, CHRONICLE, & more

(Peter's Room at the Roseland, 8 NW 6th) An uncommon sight on Portland stages, Seattle Oldominion-ite Pale Soul is one of his crew's strongest members. Pale Soul may not shine as much as fellow emcees Sleep and Onry Ozzborn, but his music is no less earnest, and in some cases, it's better realized. As a producer he's supplied bangers for a pantheon of rappers, but on his magnum opus, 2004's Fear Is the Mind Killer, it's his own voice that resonates loudest over the meticulously designed instrumentals. That album, a true hiphop cult classic, is slept on, but maybe if you ask Pale Soul real nice at the Roseland he'll dig one out of the trunk of his car. Probably not, though. GB

JAMES DEAN KINDLE AND THE EASTERN OREGON PLAYBOYS

(East End, 203 SE Grand) Mind your tongue if you believe that Eastern Oregon is little more than methamphetamines and rodeo. James Dean Kindle and the Eastern Oregon Playboys roll through town like a tumbleweed, dispensing their haunting sound (think Nick Cave from high desert country) along the way. The Pendleton-based band is touring in support of Campfire Pop Abstraction, a soulful recording that covers a massive swath of musical real estate (Americana, pop, and just about everything in-between) and proves that there just might be life beyond our precious city limits. EAC

SUNDAY 1/24

PHOENIX, THE SOFT PACK

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See Music.

PRISM INDEX RELEASE PARTY: ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO, ALPS, OHIOAN

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Tonight's show is an opening party for Prism Index, a limited-edition book of art, writing, and music. Over 50 artists' and writers' work is in the 80-page book, which was handmade and silkscreened, and includes a DVD and CD. It sounds like quite the object, and Editor Jeffrey Bowers hopes to do future issues of Prism Index in the future; you can learn more at prismindex.com. In the meantime, some local musicians play tonight's release show, including Ohioan's Ryne Warner, who was a Portlander for a while, and is now going to live in New Mexico. This marks one of his last Portland shows for now, as well as his second show this weekend coinciding with the release of the terrific new Ohioan record High Country (see Saturday's listing.) NL

MONDAY 1/25

HYPNOSE, REVOCATION, BINARY CODE, DEVERRA

(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Revocation's recent album Existence Is Futile features a song entitled "The Brain Scramblers." Judging from that song, and the rest of the album, brain scrambling is what Revocation does best. This trio provides a lesson in controlled chaos; a majority of Existence's content is reminiscent of Atheist, or Sound of Perseverance, the final album from Death. They are a thrash band playing death metal dusted with jazz-fusion breakdowns, and unfortunately, a bit of hardcore. Fear not, hardcore haters, Revocation's breakdowns are definitely overshadowed by their blinding technical ability. This Boston band may be influenced by a lot of diverse metal and hardcore bands, but it seems like their parents may have forced them to listen to some Weather Report records as well. AW

TUESDAY 1/26

BOWERBIRDS, JULIE DOIRON

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See Music.

JOHAN THE ANGEL, JUSTIN POWER, CANNONS AND CLOUDS

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The arrangements of Portland six-piece Johan the Angel are both complex and orchestral. Out of their banjos, cellos, and whispered vocals come waves of sound that gracefully swell and ebb. What makes Johan so listenable is not that they have discovered how to create the restrained size of a symphony, but that they use it as a tool to evoke a level of euphoria and melancholy that never comes across as forced. It would be nice if this backdrop carried catchy melodies that got stuck in your head, but Johan's melodies aim for the gut instead. DAVE BOW

WEDNESDAY 1/27

KOOL KEITH, FOREIGN OBJECTS, GRAY MATTERS

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

CARPET CULTURE: WAMPIRE, TUNNELS, GOLDEN RETRIEVER

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Hope you like Wampire. Hope you really like Wampire. Tonight you'll get a double dose of Eric Phipps and Rocky Tinder (plus the latest Wampirest, drummer Cyrus Lampton), as the band performs a live set, plus stars as the subject of the opening Into the Woods video segment. Into the Woods takes an artist (Wampire), and mercilessly tosses them (and their friends) into the wilderness (Government Camp) and films the results. Basically it's like the Penny Jam, with increased odds of a violent bear attack. EAC