WEDNESDAY 11/28

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND
(Rose Garden, 1 Center Ct) See My, What a Busy Week!

GLEN CAMPBELL, VICTORIA GHOST
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) You might have visions of rhinestone cowboys dancing in your head, but no joke: Glen Campbell is the most accomplished guy in the room. As part of the legendary Wrecking Crew group of LA studio musicians, Campbell played guitar on countless hits through the '60s ("Strangers in the Night" and "Mary, Mary," to name just two). He sang uncredited lead vocal on the Sagittarius obscurity "My World Fell Down," now a fondly remembered Nuggets chestnut. He was a touring member of the Beach Boys during their heyday, taking over Brian Wilson's parts for the live show. He hosted his own TV show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and starred in movies like True Grit. Then there was Campbell's positively illustrious solo career, which tethered together pop and country for some truly excellent sides: "Gentle on My Mind," "Galveston," and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." But the biggest gem in the many-jeweled Campbell crown is 1968's "Wichita Lineman," simply one of the greatest pop singles ever recorded. Skirting the edges of pathos without quite dipping into schmaltz, the Jimmy Webb-penned tune is a gorgeous, surprisingly complex piece of music that Campbell nails perfectly. Now 76 years old, Campbell has sadly been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and this "Goodbye Tour" is exactly that—one last chance to see the man in one of his final performances ever. The chance to see the man who touched so many incredible, historic records should not be missed lightly. NED LANNAMANN

THE BABIES, HOUNDSTOOTH, CAMPFIRES
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Recording for the very good Woodsist label, Brooklyn quartet the Babies play spindly lo-fi rock with melodies that nudge you in your tender, vulnerable bits. Singers Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls) and Kevin Morby (Woods) possess thin yet moving voices that complement their fragilely pretty tunes. The pleasures from recordings like Cry Along with the Babies and House on the Hill are low-key, but it's really hard to make this type of deliberately threadbare thing sound interesting or enjoyable in 2012, and the Babies surpass most in the field at it. DAVE SEGAL

THE BE HELDS, PRISM TATS, SUN+FUN
(Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) Seattle by way of Durban, South Africa, songwriter Garett van der Crimp cranked out sophisticated psych rock with his wife Laura for years under the unwieldy moniker Koko and the Sweetmeats. It's terrific stuff, but it came to a halt earlier this year. Van der Crimp didn't sit still too long, reemerging as Prism Tats, a new solo project that maintains his knack for hooks and otherworldly noise. Over the past six months, Prism Tats has released a paper trail of singles, including a new 7-inch with "Vacant and Impatient," b/w "Haunt Me." It's 1967 meets 2050, and I have no doubt we'll be hearing a lot from Prism Tats in 2013. MARK LORE

DICK DALE, GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) People occasionally sneer when Dick Dale's name is mentioned. Maybe it's just a Portland thing, but there seems to be this common misconception that Dick Dale is an obsolete curio, that his music's significance is confined to its time. While the notion is somewhat understandable, as surf music certainly doesn't have much of a contemporary, mainstream presence (unless you count SpongeBob SquarePants), the genre—and Dale's contributions, particularly—has had a profound impact on a number of guitar heroes far more lauded than Dale himself. I should also mention that he was one of the first artists to popularize the Fender Stratocaster, arguably the most iconic electric guitar of all time. Dick Dale is a rock 'n' roll progenitor. Go to this show or you're sort of a bonehead. MORGAN TROPER

THURSDAY 11/29

AND AND AND, THE SHAKY HANDS, SUN ANGLE, MINDEN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

DEEP SEA DIVER, WILD BELLE, LEMOLO
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Deep Sea Diver.

GOODBYE TO THE NERVOUS APPREHENSION BOOK RELEASE AND STEPHEN MALKMUS COVERS NIGHT
(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our review of Goodbye to the Nervous Apprehension.

NUMBERS STATION, BABYSOFT, NORTHERN
(Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) Numbers Station take their name from a venerable type of shortwave radio station that broadcasts transmissions between governments and overseas spies, usually in the form of nonsensical streams of numbers, letters, or words. I don't know if Numbers Station are in touch with the Cubans, but it is an appropriate name for a band whose music is just as nerdy as it is mysterious. Meditative and surprisingly melodic, their handful of songs calls to mind Tortoise, the jazz-leaning Chicago post-rock band. The trio of veterans—Andy Fortier and Nutria alums Andrew White and Travis Feldman—have been making wordless music for just about a year now. For guitar music that is simultaneously complex and minimalist, Numbers Station is far less suggestive of algebra than you might expect—which is not to say that there aren't secret codes embedded in the chord progressions. REBECCA WILSON

THE WINDSOR PLAYER
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) Portlander Troy Stewart pays the bills by touring with Snow Patrol, but he also makes his own music under the Windsor Player moniker. The Windsor Player's self-titled debut is a wide-ranging record with moody songwriting, lots of country-twang flourishes, and appearances by Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, and many others. Released last year, The Windsor Player's songs haven't been performed live until recently, with Stewart helming a small run of local shows, including an opening slot for World Party's recent show and an in-store at Music Millennium on Wednesday, November 28. Tonight's early-evening show at the LaurelThirst sees the Windsor Player playing the new record in full, transforming from a studio endeavor into an impressive-sounding live band that includes Gregg Williams, Chris Schleyer, Lex Browning, Paul Brainard, Josh Crawley, and Jeff Bond. NL

EATS EVERYTHING, THE PERFECT CYN, BEN TACTIC
(Refuge, 116 SE Yamhill) This one is for all the house heads. Hailing from the UK, DJ and producer Eats Everything (Dan Pearce) deliciously draws together elements of UK bass, Detroit techno, early rave, jungle, and classic house in a heady recipe for success. He's already enjoyed a turbo-fired rise to popularity within the world of electronic music as one of the most charted producers of 2011, and with upcoming releases on a slew of iconic labels it seems as though Mr. Pearce is just getting started. Also on board for the evening is veteran Portland DJ the Perfect Cyn, who never fails to entertain us with an impeccable track selection emphasized by her unique talent for combining melody and rhythm into seamless masterpieces. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

FRIDAY 11/30

LOCH LOMOND, BLACK PRAIRIE
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See My, What a Busy Week!

FEDERALE, POINT JUNCTURE WA, THE SHIVAS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Inspired by the slow-burning, low-desert imagery of Ennio Morricone's vast catalog, Portland's Federale have taken the tenets of the spaghetti-western soundtrack to even more rambling heights. Their brand-new third album, The Blood Flowed Like Wine, slithers like a Mojave rattlesnake through dark, deeply textured cuts of western epics, vaudevillian vignettes, and some eerily Victorian-sounding psychedelia. Guest appearances abound, including vocal contributions from Alex Maas of the Black Angels and KP Thomas of Spindrift. In addition, a whole slew of new instrumentation has been added to the already bloated spectacle of the band's live setup, with French horns, oboe, and flute making time between the lines. Spooky? Yes. Worth being spooked out a little bit by? Definitely. RYAN J. PRADO

CALIFONE, REBECCA GATES AND THE CONSORTIUM
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Over three years ago, Califone released their ninth album, the nominal soundtrack to a ghost movie written and directed by Tim Rutili. That All My Friends Are Funeral Singers is their most recent album is an indisputable fact; that it is their best album is an opinion (held by me) that can and will be debated by Califone fans continuously until their next album comes out. Hopefully this will happen soon. Until then, it's a testament to Rutili's universe—a backwoods cabin crammed full of the anxieties of post-ism and endless percussive elements—that both the album and the fights on message boards feel as fresh and thought-provoking as they did three years ago. To tide us over, meanwhile, Portland label Jealous Butcher has just reissued Califone's 2002 album Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People on vinyl. Rebecca Gates and the Consortium are opening, and they're fellow devotees of meticulous production and the art of the album. Their latest, The Float, ranges between loungy pop and soulful blues. RW

SUTTON SORENSEN, KIT TAYLOR, MICHELE VAN KLEEF
(Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th) Sutton Sorensen's debut album Long, Long Time is a collection of originals and inventive covers of well-known songs, highlighted by Sorensen's cool but involving voice. The arrangements are smooth as silk, designed to leave most feathers unruffled—this is adult-contemporary territory, to be certain—but there's a confidence and assurance to Sorensen's delivery that gives the album a winning, personal feel. Some covers fare better than others; U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" feels lacking in urgency and Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is more or less by-the-numbers, but Sorensen's take on Joni Mitchell's "Carey" is a bull's eye, and her version of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" is delicate and warm. Sorensen celebrates the new album at tonight's release show. NL

SATURDAY 12/1

DEATH GRIPS
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Read our article on Death Grips.

ELUVEITIE, WINTERSUN, VARG
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE Cesar E. Chavez) Read our article on Wintersun.

BRAINSTORM, HOSANNAS, GRANDPARENTS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) As someone who loved Brainstorm's 2009 debut album Battling Giants and the string of gymnastic, tropical dance-pop releases the Portland band's released since, the excitement over their new album Heat Waves was muted slightly by its inclusion of re-recordings of several of their best songs. Battling Giants and the "Beast in the Sky" and "Flat Earth" singles were each mined for their best tracks, leaving only three new Brainstorm songs to round out Heat Waves: "Maybe a Memory," "Death Bells," and "The Crown Caves In." But the truth is, these updated versions sound terrific and the new songs are just as good, and Heat Waves is cogent and coherent, feeling very much like its own album rather than the result of cherry picking. Brainstorm's playing has never been better—and it was always great—and the newly expanded lineup with bassist Tamara Barnes gives them even greater flexibility. Brainstorm were out of town when Heat Waves was released by Tender Loving Empire on October 2, but this is the long-overdue hometown record release show. NL Also see My, What a Busy Week!

THE BE GOOD TANYAS, HUCK NOTARI
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Back in 1999, when O Brother, Where Art Thou was still in production and before today's legion of banjo players could drink or vote, the Be Good Tanyas began reviving traditional Americana sounds. Evocative of the Carter Family, the Canadian three-piece are folk purists of the highest order. Like many groundbreakers, their output has been frustratingly sparse, but they have just released their fourth album, A Collection (2000-2012), a 16-song retrospective with two new tracks, including the highlight "Gospel Song." For trendsetters, Frazey Ford, Samantha Parton, and Trish Klein have avoided the spotlight, though not necessarily the signifiers of pop-cultural prestige: Their dark cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Waiting Around to Die" was memorably featured in the second-season episode of Breaking Bad in which Walt wanders naked around a supermarket. Parton was in a scary car accident back in September, and this show is part of a string of make-up dates. RW

NASALROD, HONDURAN, TINY KNIVES
(Katie O'Brien's, 2809 NE Sandy) Pity the record store clerk who is given the job of filing Nasalrod's new 7-inch Steward into the appropriate section. The record contains four songs that are wholly different from one another, but somehow have cohesion. The first track, "Hype," has some Talking Heads quirk pushed by a lot of ferocious intensity. Track two, "Hello Ello," is a smile-inducing anthem that's capped by an ending fit for an interpretive dance—although what that dancer might be interpreting would be tough to pin down. On side two you'll find "What D'ya Say" and "Join," two tracks that also have plenty of danceability to them, in a David-Byrne-in-a-giant-suit kind of way. All together, Steward is a fantastic Nasalrod ride that must be heard to be understood. Well, if not understood, at least enjoyed thoroughly. ARIS WALES

KINSKI, SURVIVAL KNIFE, STLS
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) I saw Kinski perform earlier this year, opening for White Hills. It had been years, and I was quickly reminded how powerful the band is live, a perfect mix of controlled chaos and off-the-hinges improv. They leave no open space, constructing a massive wall of sound that can lay waste to a city block. That said, the Seattle four-piece has been relatively quiet over the past few years (and it's been five years since their last full-length Down Below It's Chaos). That's all about to change. The band signed with Kill Rock Stars after a decade on Sub Pop, and will release a new batch of material in March 2013. Until then, recall Kinski's power tonight when they no doubt annihilate the cozy confines of the Record Room. ML

SUNDAY 12/2

THE OCEAN FLOOR, HOT VICTORY, YOUNG HUNTER, GRAPEFRUIT
(Velo Cult, 1969 NE 42nd) Read our article on the Ocean Floor.

THE BE GOOD TANYAS, HUCK NOTARI
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See Saturday's listing.

LAWRENCE ARABIA, ANDREW KEOGHAN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) New Zealand's Lawrence Arabia (AKA James Milne) is one of those chameleonic artists whose optimistic creative bents beg comparisons to visionaries like John Lennon. It's a tall order, but on Lawrence Arabia's new album, The Sparrow, Milne's vaguely orchestral leanings and ululating melodic refrains dribble so much late-'60s mop-pop you half expect to hear the squeals of 200 screaming women creep through. When Milne veers toward more contemporary muses, as on the excellent "The 03," his quirky tunes take on new wave whims. "The Bisexual" shivers in a bossa nova boogie with plodding pianos, heavy horns, and a lounge-y vocal delivery narrating the inner monologue of a nightclub denizen struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. It's in songs like this that the full spectrum of Milne's storytelling and songwriting abilities are showcased, and the moment when you're likely be bowled over. RJP

DEATH SONGS, GRAVES
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) Death Songs' music is not what you would immediately anticipate based on their name. Nick Delffs (of the Shaky Hands) writes rustic, folky songs that are simultaneously elegant and simple, mellow and upbeat. The balance achieved in these compositions creates a fluid sound that, upon first listen, feels comforting and familiar—maybe because it's easy to relate to the honesty and yearning in the lyrics. Their music has a raw country western twang, combined with a poppy Paul Simon personality. Pedal steel guitar, compact rhythms, and Delffs' husky, warbling vocals come together to craft a graceful arrangement of music. Sung Inside a House, Death Songs' excellent new album, is due out in January on the Post-Consumer label. RACHEL MILBAUER

3 INCHES OF BLOOD, HUNTRESS, THE HOOKERS, ON ENEMY SOIL, WERESQUATCH
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE Cesar E. Chavez) And now, the question that has plagued LA's Huntress and their legitimacy in the metal world since they surfaced: Would the band have gotten anywhere without singer Jill Janus and her enormous store-bought cans prominently displayed in every press photo? The answer: Yeah, maybe, they just would've had to work a little harder to get fans' attention. Their new album Spell Eater isn't groundbreaking, but it isn't horrendous, either. The band has decent heavy-metal sensibilities, tough dueling guitar riffs, and solid drums to go along with Janus' passable range and witch-like rasp. But still, critics and cynics alike can't get past the shadow that Janus' "endowments" cast over the band. What if she was a little homelier, maybe with a big hairy mole or two? Would that help push their music into the foreground and get people to stop referring to them as "false metal?" Who knows. Whatever the case, tonight the band features local boy Anthony Crocamo of DarkBlack fame filling in on guitar. So if you can't support Janus' assets, at least go and root for the home team. AW

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
(Dolores Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway) Did you grow up with hippie parents? Did they have Sweet Honey in the Rock albums? Maybe this is not universal. But I remember poring over the album cover for the Good News album—which was designed to look like the front page of a newspaper—as a kid, and I remember sitting next to our big old record-player cabinet listening to their crazy-good harmonies. And yeah, maybe it's kinda cheesy, but hey: If you can think of something cooler to do with your Sunday evening than go see a decades-old all-female, all-black a cappella group started by civil-rights activist/scholar/musician Bernice Johnson Reagon, I guess you're just too cool for me. C'mon—take your mom on a mom date! ANNA MINARD

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, FIXED NYC
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) British duo Simian Mobile Disco are great, adventurous DJs willing to drop cuts by Moondog, Conrad Schnitzler, SND, Raymond Scott, and the Walker Brothers into their mixes. They're also fascinating producers who thrive in a live setting, using mostly analog gear. This is uncommon. SMD's latest release, the EP A Form of Change, shuffles and pulsates on an understated techno tip and proves that they have maintained their special talent for making dance music that's unconventional and unconventional music that's danceable. DS

MONDAY 12/3

BLUE SCHOLARS, BROTHERS FROM ANOTHER, THE PHYSICS
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE Cesar E. Chavez) See My, What a Busy Week!

METRIC, SHADOWS ON STARS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 12/4

JOHN CALE, CASS MCCOMBS
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!