THURSDAY 11/25

J. COLE, CJ HILTON, K. MICHELLE, COOL NUTZ

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Verse by verse, cameo by cameo, J. Cole has kicked up quite the buzz for an emcee without a full-length under his belt. Blessed by the gilded touch of Hova himself, J. Cole's much-delayed Cole World will command the FM airwaves in about a month (or a year, depending on who you ask) and will likely be the sort of breakthrough album that propels the North Carolina emcee into the hiphop stratosphere. But until that happens, the man who stole the show with a few lines on The Blueprint 3's "A Star is Born" (clap for him) just dropped the Friday Night Lights mixtape, which features "In the Morning," his collaboration with Drake that is the hiphop "Afternoon Delight" for early risers. These days J. Cole's motto might as well be "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose." EZRA ACE CARAEFF

FRIDAY 11/26

GWAR, THE CASUALTIES, INFERNAEON, MOBILE DEATH CAMP

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE TAXPAYERS, NUN CHUKSKY, TINY KNIVES, KREAMY 'LECTRIC SANTA, THE ANGRIES

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) Read our article on The Taxpayers.

JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE

(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Slightly—just slightly—less cringeworthy than Dweezil Zappa's flogging of his pop's mustachioed legacy, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience relives the classic rock act's music through the eyes, and drumsticks, of Bonzo's kid. But worry not: The elder Bonham makes an appearance tonight—from the grave!—in various video montages his son plays along with. While it's hard not to think that the younger Bonham is desperately clinging to the coattails of his father's band, and has been for a few decades now (naming his solo band "Bonham" is akin to Jakob Dylan calling the Wallflowers "Dylan"), if you are longing for some sort of Zep tribute in your life that isn't Dread Zeppelin, I guess this is for you. EAC

CLIMBER, BOY EATS DRUM MACHINE , RAVISHERS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) By all accounts the members of Portland's Climber are a pleasant group of guys who make pleasant music. They've almost become outcasts in a city where lofty ambitions (at least when made without reservation) can be looked at as tragically unhip. Seven years in and the members-turned-family men are still looking ahead. Their latest record The Mystic shows Climber taking full advantage of the studio to create pristine pop that perpetually emits a soft glow. Metaphorically speaking, there's not a single hair out of place. "The Simians Speak" sounds like a lost Bee Gees track from the '70s (there are a few Bee Gees moments, come to think of it). Even when things really get "rocking" on "We Are the New Man" Climber is about as abrasive as a fresh cotton swab. Top 40? Better them than Taylor Swift. MARK LORE

SATURDAY 11/27

8 1/2 DJS ALL STAR NIGHT: DJ BEYONDA, DJ E*ROCK, MIRACLES CLUB, LINGER & QUIET, COPY, DJ LINOLEUM, DJ ZAC ENO, LINCOLNUP

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) My, What a Busy Week!

PAPER OR PLASTIC, BRAINCLOUD, AM EXCHANGE, ALL THE MONEY

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) It used to be a staple, but the saxophone has all but disappeared from the modern rock band. That's not the case with Paper or Plastic, onetime Oregonians who graduated high school and are now trying their luck in New York City. Back home for a Thanksgiving gig, the band is separated from the pack by Ian Christensen's tooting sax, bringing back memories of the Champs, the Viscounts, Lee Allen—and, of course, Clarence Clemons. Otherwise, Paper or Plastic are driven by the electric piano and vocals of David Pollock, with a warm, slightly swanky '70s lounge rock vibe and watertight melodies. Their new EP, Ron Save the King, shows the band's newfound confidence, highlighted by the closer "Low Budget Film." NED LANNAMANN

ARTISTERY BENEFIT: WAMPIRE, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, GHOST TO FALCO

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) In a year that saw Portland lose three more all-ages-friendly music venues (The Parlour, Berbati's, and most notably, Satyricon), it's more important than ever to lend a hand to the Artistery. A beacon for local (and on occasion, national) music tucked away underneath a house on SE Division, the Artistery has been hosting shows without age restrictions for over eight years now. The struggles of running an all-ages show space are not lost on Rocky Tinder, as Wampire's frontman used to hold the reigns for the Hush, yet another Portland venue that shuttered its door far too soon. Dig deep—the cover is only six dollars—and enjoy this triple bill of local talent, knowing your support will (hopefully) keep the Artistery above water for another year. EAC

THE FRAMES

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Remember that movie-musical Once, starring the Frames' frontman/sweetheart/baby cheeks/widdle ickle cutesybottom Glen Hansard? I wish I didn't: Once was too much. It introduced me to a world of saccharine Irish vanilla-rock that made me a little ashamed of my people for a minute. First I thought things couldn't get any worse than the sanctimony of latter-day Bono. Then there was Boyzone—that had to be the nadir, right? WRONG! Hansard might be a saint in person, but he sings like a sensitive beardo in some college dorm room trying to make the girls swoon with his Sarah McLachlan impression. "I don't know you, but I want you/All the more for that/Words fall through me and always fool me/And I can't react." Please. Spare us. BRENDAN KILEY

ANNE, ORCA TEAM, YOUTH

(Rip City Skate, 1532 NE 37th) Local four-piece Anne is releasing Mixtape One, a four-song EP that brims with skyscraping guitar and reedy synths, a fusion of late-'80s influences that now sounds more in vogue than ever. With the guitars bouncing between C86 jangle and Loveless thunder, and the synths sounding like thrift-store throwaways, Anne's mixture of forceful and fey is oddly compelling. It makes one curious to hear what the band has in store for next year, which reportedly includes a split 7-inch with American Gods from Memphis and a 7-inch EP of their own as well, to come out on Austin label Withdrawal Records. In the meantime, the EP release show takes place at Rip City Skate Shop, along with the gloriously retro sounds of the mannered Orca Team and the basement rock of Youth. NL

UNSANE, MONGOLOID VILLAGE

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) I've never been so lucky as to see Unsane perform live. All I remember about them is that they were HARD-HARD-hard-EST-core noise-rock screamers of the early '90s, with a devoted-as-all-hell cult following. I also remember that they had a record cover with a picture of a decapitated guy lying on some train tracks in a pool of blood. I think I also remember reading that their original drummer died of a heroin overdose, and that the lead singer was stabbed a million or so times in the guts on a European tour. I shoulda seen 'em when they toured with Slayer. Back then, I was one of those nut jobs that just stood around chanting "Slay-YERR!" instead of paying attention to any opening band. I'm pretty sure I'm not hardcore enough to listen to any of Unsane's six albums at home anymore—not old stuff or the three brand-new tracks released this month via Coextinction Recordings. I am still hard enough, however, to go see them play live. Any self-respecting punk or metalhead should do the same. KELLY O

WORLD'S GREATEST GHOSTS, JARED MEES AND THE GROWN CHILDREN, BLACK WHALES

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Straightforward pop rock songs aren't in vogue these days, but local musical hero—and co-owner of adored label Tender Loving Empire—Jared Mees is still a believer. His latest effort with the Grown Children, Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money, goes down like a spoonful of sugar. Standout track "The Tallest Building in Hell" is immediately infectious; it's essentially just a chorus repeated for what might be the shortest five minutes of your life. Time races by when you're having fun. Mees' vocals ring similar to Conor Oberst's at certain points, but unlike the Bright Eyes frontman, Mees is a happy man, and you can practically hear him smiling as he sing lines like "I drink pots, and pots, and pots, and pots of strong black coffee." Caffeine, Alcohol is an old-fashioned pop record, and a pretty classic one at that, but there are enough musical peculiarities to make it an enjoyable listen for the in crowd, too. MORGAN TROPER

TEENAGE MURDER SCHOOL, SKIP ROXY, PROBLEMS?, LEATHER TOM AND THE DIRTY DUDES

(East End, 203 SE Grand) The duo of Judge Bean and Ashley Mudra worked on the first Problems? record for the past two years, and the resultant You Have to Hold On is a stunning success. A rich, whirring collection that shifts before your ears, its five songs contain uncommon sounds, based on a bed of sparse guitar plucks and stargazing synths. Every now and then, like midway through the otherwise placid "Birds," everything goes haywire. It's consistently fascinating. The songs are lifted by their obvious emotional resonance, which—to this ear—sounds like they're dealing with loss and grief through both delicate sound-structuring and tribal thumping; for example, the winning "Death Machine" sounds both devastated and triumphant. The album can be downloaded from their Bandcamp page, but the band is asking that instead of paying them for the EP, you send your money to the medical fund of Deftones bassist Chi Cheng, who entered a coma following a car accident in November 2008. That's a pretty extraordinary gesture. NL

BIG BLACK CLOUD, KREAMY 'LECTRIC SANTA, BLOOD BEACH

(The Saratoga, 6910 N Interstate) For Portland's Big Black Cloud, this has been a year to drop things as if they were hot. They dropped the first three words of their name (Here Comes a...) and some exclamation points as well. They dropped some members, shaking down to a three-piece that throttles with the terrific force of their face-melting synchrony. And they have dropped some records—including their excellent Dark Age—via their Stankhouse Records imprint, which is approaching its two-year anniversary. Proprietress and bass player Soo Koelbli said that from their experience as a band, they were well aware that putting out records was a money-losing adventure, but decided to take it to the next level and become a label anyway. For this, the rest of us are lucky, and thankful. MARANDA BISH

SUNDAY 11/28

NO AGE, LUCKY DRAGONS, DANGEROUS BOYS CLUB, DJ VISION QUEST, DJ STONED WEREWOLF

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Read our article on No Age.

THE BLACK ANGELS (3 PM)

(Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside) Read our article on Black Angels.

BLACK MOUNTAIN, THE BLACK ANGELS

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on Black Angels.

ARIEL PINK, OS MUTANTES, DIVA
(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) There probably aren't many people who predicted a second life for Os Mutantes. Part of Brazil's late-'60s Tropicália movement, the band released a handful of brilliant records that took their bossa nova roots on an acid trip with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles—their place in history among music scholars is firmly set. But mutants never die. Co-founder Sérgio Dias revived Os Mutantes in 2006 (with a new lineup) and played a handful of well-received shows, which ultimately led to last year's Haih or Amortecedor, their first record in more than three decades. Though not as strong as their early work, the album does capture some of the band's arty wildness. Set them loose with lo-fi pop recluse Ariel Pink and there's a good chance the weirdos will come crawling out of the woodworks tonight. ML Also see My, What a Busy Week!

PIGEONS, WAX FINGERS, WHAT HEARTS, TEETH

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) With their debut, The Talking Wire, Pigeons have recorded one of the best albums to come out of Portland this year. A blurry, hazily gorgeous collection of songs, The Talking Wire is packed with highlights: "Autumn Sound" begins things with a stately gait, while the epically scaled country-punk of "Valiant Down, River Wide" manages to be both laidback and full-throttle at the same time. Meanwhile, the smoldering guitar and unhinged howl of Justin Ready haunts songs like "A Thousand Miles" and "Cinderella." There's even room for a murky backwoods folktune, "Send a Mountain to My Valentine," which sounds like it was found underneath a hollow log. With the impressively off-kilter math-pop of Wax Fingers, the easygoing folk of What Hearts, and a performance from avant-dance troupe tEEth, this is going to be a night of Portland talent that couldn't happen in any other town. NL

MONDAY 11/29

BATTERY POWERED NIGHT

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!.

BONOBO, TOKIMONSTA

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

KING LOUIE AND THE MISSING MONUMENTS, THE MEAN JEANS, LEADERS, THE SPIDER BABIES

(East End, 203 SE Grand) Last time we saw King Louie was February's Slabtown Bender, and the native son of New Orleans rocked out in a Saints jersey, maybe because they had won a big game or something. The King is back with a new project, an unsurprising development from the man who has been making music for over two decades and has participated in over 35 different releases. King Louie is an unflagging performer, the patron saint of the revered Goner Records and a man who won't let the party spirit quit, even among the tragic loss of friends and bandmates (from Portland's Exploding Hearts to Jay Reatard). On those worried nights when you're just not sure if rock and roll will make it, know that it rests safely in the hands of King Louie. MB

TUESDAY 11/30

PORTUGAL. THE MAN

(Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside) Next week you'll have a serious dilemma on your hands: Should you go see the always incredible Portugal. The Man at the Crystal Ballroom along with tired alt-rockers Cake? It's a tough call, a great musical experience versus the band that unleashed the horror that is "The Distance." But we are here to solve this perplexing dilemma, since PTM has just announced an in-store appearance at Music Millennium. Free and open to all ages, the band will surely play all the hits from this year's American Ghetto, and maybe if you are lucky they'll debut some material from their major label debut due out next year. Actually this is what you should do: see this show, buy a copy of American Ghetto, and then head down to Pambiche for some (literal) cake—after one slice of their La Selva Negra, you will forget that terrible band from Sacramento once and for all. EAC

WEDNESDAY 12/1

PASSION PIT, MISTER HEAVENLY, WE BARBARIANS, PEPPER RABBIT

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

PASSION PIT DJ AFTERPARTY: PASSION PIT, RUDE DUDES

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE QUEERS, KEPI GHOULIE, THE RIPTIDES, THE BLOOD TYPES

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) My brief fling with the Queers came with Love Songs for the Retarded and sizzled out a few albums later with the less appealing Punk Rock Confidential. During the '90s Joe Queer was the regionally dispersed Joey Ramone disciple for the East Coast (Dr. Frank represented the West Coast, while the flyover states had Ben Weasel) and despite sporting the unconventional look of leather jacket and baseball cap, Queer played—and looked—the part, right down to the vocal snarl and Chuck Taylors on his feet. They said it best: Fuck the world, I'm hanging out with you tonight. EAC.