It’s really starting to feel like Portland spring up in here: One day you’re hiking Dog Mountain in short shorts, hitting Sugar Pine and the Sandy River on the way back into town. The next day, it’s head-to-toe rain gear hustling yourself down to Holocene to catch Crystal Quartez’s record release show after Kraftwerk at the Keller. Living in this region affords unparalleled outdoor exploration opportunities along with so many local, national, and international artists playing all the time. How do we decide what to do on any given day or night? Well, below are just a few small suggestions of how you might spend your evenings—the days are up to you to fill 🌞

Friday, April 11 

Roseblood / Mini Blinds / Phone Voice

For fans of Big Joanie, the Moldy Peaches, PJ Harvey

Kathy Foster—one of the creative minds behind Hurry Up, Strange Babes, Wly Mtn, the Thermals, and more—has been pouring herself into a newer project, Roseblood, for the last few years. The band’s self-titled debut dropped in February and it’s more twang-country inflected than what we typically hear from Foster, giving us yet another bit of proof why she’s been a perennial favorite in Portland since the early ’00s. This here’s a record release party, and Foster has wrangled two of her favorite Portland bands to get things going: Mini Blinds and Phone Voice. (Swan Dive, 727 SE Grand, Fri April 11, 8 pm, $15, tickets here, 21+)

X / the Delines

For fans of Nina Hagen, Now York Dolls, Wipers

Back when X’s famed self-titled album came out in 1980, there weren’t a ton of femme-fronted punk bands running around. Thanks to Exene Cervenka and the rest of X, there are now a ton of femme-fronted punk outfits out there making really tuff stuff, fighting the good fights. This special appearance at the Crystal is to benefit the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and the Jeremy Wilson Foundation—X are kind of an odd choice to headline an Oregon Music Hall of Fame fundraiser but I’ll take any excuse to see the punk legends. Opening this rockin’ good time (for a good cause) are the Delines. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Fri April 11, 8 pm, $54, tickets here, 21+)

Bad Mouth / Street Policy / Hesitant / Mad Choice / Suffer

For fans of Sunami, Bayway, Northwest Hardcore Fest

About 50 miles due east of LA sits Fontana—the home base of six-piece hardcore outfit Bad Mouth. Though Bad Mouth haven’t been a band for long, these dudes go harder than most who’ve been doing it for years. The vocals, breakdowns, and aesthetic of the band gives that come-fuck-with-the-set energy that’s only to be fucked with in the good way. Good luck if you tryna talk shit… Local hardcore heroes Street Policy, Hesitant, Mad Choice, and Suffer open the show (and the pit). (Ask a punk, Fri April 11, 7 pm, $13, all ages)

Saturday, April 12

Etran de Laïr / Maya Ongaku

For fans of Mdou Moctar, Fishmans, Sahel Sounds

With everything this country’s administration is trying to take away from us, we need music—live music—now more than ever. Bands like Etran de L’Aïr, coming to us straight from the mountains of Northern Niger, may not have the opportunity to tour the US much longer, making their flavor of African guitar music that much more sweet. Dubbed by westerners as desert music, the jangly soul of Etran de L’Aïr is powerfully working class in its messaging and a whole lotta fun to dance to! This truly might be the last time we get to host the band in Portland… better hop to it! Japanese purveyors of chill Maya Ongaku set us up right in the opening slot. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, Sat April 12, 8 pm, $23, tickets here, all ages)

Sunday, April 13

Death’s Dynamic Shroud / Vitesse X

For fans of Macintosh Plus, 7038634357, Sophie

There’s a lot going on in the collagest music of Death’s Dynamic Shroud, meaning there’s a lot to love. The sample-heavy electronic maximalism driving DDS’s tracks sprawl from glitched out 180 BPM bangers to the most chilled out ambient you’ve heard all week—all in the same song. You never know what you’re going to get when you pass the aux to this band but it’s gonna be good no matter what. Vitesse X, having worked with Death’s Dynamic Shroud in the past, is the perfect beginning to what is sure to be a freaky-sexy night. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, Sun April 13, 8 pm, $20, tickets here, 21+)

Tuesday, April 15

Nubya Garcia

For fans of Brandee Younger, Irreversible Entanglements, Onyx Collective

It’s not everyday that an artist as expansive as Nubya Garcia comes along. The easiest categorization one might apply to Garcia’s music is jazz, which it is, and it’s more than that. It’s a deep need for personal exploration of contextual frameworks built in the past, being built in the present, and how those frameworks will ripple out into the infinitude of the future. In her music can be heard traces of Latin textures and classical tutelage swirling with neo soul and ultra-modern production. This very special performance is being brought to you by the friends at PDX Jazz and shouldn’t be missed. (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, Tues April 15, 8 pm, $30+, tickets here, 21+)

Wednesday, April 16 & Thursday, April 17

People Into Trees

For fans of American Sign Language performances, trees, immersive experiences

These two performances will be the world premiere of Spheres, a work by Molly Joyce and Meg Day for American Sign Language and percussion. Portland Percussion Group will perform Spheres as guest artists under OMSI’s Kendall Planetarium; it’s going to be a fascinating celebration of the people and trees of the PNW. Presenters Third Angle Music have teamed-up with CymaSpace to offer attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing haptic vests that allow the music to be felt as well as heard. (OMSI’s Kendall Planetarium, 1945 SE Water, Tues April 16 & Wed April 17, 7:30 pm, $5+, tickets here, all ages)

Also very worth it…

Kim Dracula / Kaonashi at the Crystal Ballroom - April 10, tickets here

Buskathon in Downtown and Old Town - April 10-13, FREE

Citrus / Left On Read / Porch Kiss / Grolixes at Ethos Music Center - April 11, tickets here

Early Moods / Magick Potion / Seduktor at Twilight Cafe - April 11, tickets here

Wayne’s World bingo hosted by Violet Hex at Tomorrow Theater - April 11, tickets here

Turbo featuring DJ Girlfriends / Omari Jazz / xBulletNymphx at Process - April 11, tickets here

Boltcutter / Misery Whip / King Yousef / Bastard Salt / Glass Eyed Tiger at ask a punk - April 12

Baths / Fashion Club at Holocene - April 13, tickets here

Hiromi’s Sonic Wonder at Aladdin Theatre - April 15, tickets here

Tales From Grandma’s Attic featuring Rosy Boa at Hollywood Theatre - April 15, tickets here

!mindparade / Twingle / Darci Phenix at Lollipop Shoppe - April 16, tickets here

Portland Music News:

The great luminary, Michael Hurley has passed away at the age of 83—leaving a mountainous body of work for us to console ourselves with. Read our obit for Portland’s folk troubadour here.

Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 12! Though not ready in time for this week’s Mercury Music Picks, there will be a guide to the best releases of the day along with a round-up of different record stores in Portland celebrating the secular holiday. Look for that to be published this Thursday!