Thereâs a little something for everyone this week, as this January feels MUCH more lively than those of the last couple years. Weâre looking forward to local shows featuring country, hip-hop, and R&B: Night Heron and Seance Crasher collaborated on a vibey new song, Jenny Donât and the Spurs hit the road once moreâhow are SZA tickets still available?! Read on for more of what you can Hear In Portland.
MUST-SEE:
Canât miss upcoming events.
Jenny Donât and The Spurs
Portland country rock band Jenny Donât and the Spurs has been slaying stages around the stateâand globeâfor the last decade. In 2022, the group's drummer Sam Henry (also of the Wipers) tragically died, and Dean Miles briefly took up the post. Now, as the Spurs prepare to leap into a US and European tour, which kicks off at Lollipop Shoppe, the group has welcomed Buddy Weeks to keep the beat. Jenny Donât and the Spurs are for music fans who want to feel like they're in a Spaghetti Western, scored with garage- and desert rock-infused tracks, like âHaunting Rhythmâ from the bandâs newly released EP, Lovesick Crawl. We're still tremendous fans of their 2021 Fire on the Ridgeâlisten to it below. Dreamy pop and psych-rock outfit Ezza Rose and eclectic singer-songwriter Lindsie Feathers open the show. (Sat Jan 28. 8:30 pm, Lollipop Shoppe, 736 SE Grand, $11-13, tickets here, 21+)
MUST LISTEN:Â
New release(s) from a Portland-relevant artist.
âPitchfork Revue,â Night Heron, Seance Crasher
We sing the praises of Portland-based soul- and R&B-influenced groove band Night Heron on the regularâincluding earlier this month, when we recommended their Feb 17 show with Isabeau Waia'u Walker. However we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the group's brand new single (the first release since 2021's Instructions for the Night) with Seance Crasher, AKA "slack pop" singer-songwriter Kevin Rafn. Cheekily titled âPitchfork Revue,â Night Heron describe the song as âin some ways about being your own harshest critic, but then learning how to love yourself despite it all.â Whatever itâs about, it certainly makes for a lovely, slightly moody wind-down at the end of the day. (Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside, Fri Feb 17, 8:30 pm, $15, tickets here)
ADDED TO THE QUEUE:Â
Some upcoming music buzz to put on your radar.Â
Karma Rivera
As part of the Lollipop Shoppe's reimaginingâunder the former owners it was Dig A Ponyâthe venue is expanding the shows audiences can expect at the corner of SE Belmont and Grand. So while, at opening, we saw a move from sweaty dance club to rock and roll hall, we're also delighted to spy more hip-hop on the calendar. This particular show focuses on locally based Latinx artists without necessarily saying it does. Portland-based rapper Karma Rivera is the main attraction, while fellow Portlander DJ Lapaushi and Seattleâs DJ Tremenda Diosa add even more strength, vibrancy, and party to the lineup. Riveraâs latest single, âTo Rico,â is a collaboration with Lapaushi (also featuring bilingual rapper Julimar), so itâs possible (fingers crossed!) the evening will see them join forces onstage. Weâre also hoping to hear Riveraâs new dance-centric house-informed single, âYou So Nasty.â (Lollipop Shoppe, 736 SE Grand, Sat March 4, $12-15, tickets here, 21+)Â
SZA
Just when I thought no album could compete with BeyoncĂ©âs Renaissance to hold my attention, another R&B trendsetter, confessional queen, and vocal icon, SZA, released a long awaited follow-up (to her exceptional 2017 studio debut CTRL). SOS is chill-inducing from the opening title track, wherein SZA begins her masterclass in stunning and soulful delivery. The eclectic album is almost as long as it is repeatable. And over the 23 songs, the influences are varied, and the highlights never end. Seriously, SOS is no-skips. Some of my personal favorite tracks include âKill Billââthe sped-up version is also a favâas well as âSnooze,â and âGone Girl.â The pop-punk realness on âFNF,â cannot be ignored and âSmoking On My Ex Packâ sees your girl spitting bars for the first time. Heartfelt ballads like âNobody Gets Me,â and âOpen Arms,â and the righteously toxic anthem "I Hate Uâ will be fun to belt out passionately while flanked by thousands of other SZA fans. Miraculously, there are still tickets to her long-awaited arena tour stop in Portland. (Moda Center, 1 N Center Ct, Sat March 18, 8 pm, $450-525 via Ticketmaster, but as low as $90 on Stubhub, all ages, w/ Omar Apollo)