On god, this is the last time I claim this to be the most poppin’ week for live music in Portland! Because I reckon every week from now until October will be The Most Poppin’ week for live shows in Portland. That said, this coming week does have one of the gigs of the year, if not thee gig of the year. This week in picks: There’s hardcore, there’s hip-hop, there’s queer/femme country, there’s so much! I’ve got a gig almost every night the next two weeks, WBU?

Thursday, April 24

Andrew Pekler & Jan Jelinek / Patricia Wolf / Strategy

For fans of KMRU, Omni Gardens, Visible Cloaks

Not ones to shy away from a good joke, Andrew Pekler and Jan Jelinek have astutely named their lone collaborative album Greatest Hits. As you sit with the album—letting its warbles and fractured melodies play monkey bars with your sonic expectations—it becomes abundantly clear that the two Berlin-based sound collagists have an exceedingly good time when creating their rabbit hole musicscapes together. The clear choice for a local opener is Patercia Wolf, and now that we’ve had three years to soak in her lush album See-Through, all of Portland is asking… What's next Patricia? A Strategy DJ set sets the setting for the set-sational evening. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, Thurs April 24, 8 pm, $25, tickets here, 21+)

Saturday, April 26

Help / Anthers / 22RE

For fans of These Arms Are Snakes, Orchid, Idles

Politically outspoken about what we should all be politically outspoken about, Help has been going hard the last couple years and shows zero signs of letting up. They released a ripper album last year, just finished a hefty west coast run with fellow Portlanders Machine Country, and are now about to skip the pond for a massive European tour with Whores. This show is the perfect tour sendoff: it’s at subterranean favorite Shanghai Tunnel, the opening bands Anthers and 22RE are crushers, and I’m going to be there. Come correct or don’t come at all. (Shanghai Tunnel Bar, 211 SW Ankeny, Sat April 26, 8 pm, $15, tickets at the door, 21+)

Wonder Women of Country

For fans of Jenny Don’t & the Spurs, the Judds, Patsy Cline

The Wonder Women of Country trio is a prime example of the super-group trend that’s been sweeping the nation. Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh, and Melissa Carper team up for some of the most refreshing country music being sung out these days—a country music that’s queer, femme, fun, and downright catchy. The classic Western tropes are all present: heartache, lonesome nights, the bottle, and big big love. What’s different about these super gals is that their stories and punchlines uplift femmes, queers, people of color, etc. Boy howdy does it feel good listening to powerful women in a genre so fraught with sexist, racist white dudes with big egos and little… boots. (Showdown Saloon, 1195 SE Powell, Sat April 26, 8 pm, $25, tickets here, 21+)

Friday, April 25 & Saturday, April 26

Beacon Sound and Apa Kabar at the Sou’Wester

For fans of Nala Sinephro, Black Decelerate, DJ camp

Experimental record label Beacon Sound along with Apa Kabar have programmed a weekend of concerts at charming, vintage trailer stronghold the Sou’Wester Lodge. The two-day gathering promises five left-field artists from around the PNW: Luke Wyland, Omari Jazz, the OO-Ray, Limanjaya, and Dashka. It’s a trek, I know, but with your two-night stay at the Sou’Wester, admission to the shows is free! Sounds like the perfect excuse to skip town and breathe some salty air! (Sou’Wester Lodge, 3728 J Pl, Seaview, WA, Fri April 26 & Sat April 27, 7 pm, book here, all ages)

Sunday, April 27

Cyberplasm / Slant / Fashion Change / Atomic Prey / Lazer Bullet / Retirement

For fans of Whatsdysmorphia, Prison Religion, Pharmakon

We are looking at a strong contender for gig of the year! I repeat, GIG OF THE YEAR! We were all unsure what it meant when half of Cyberplasm moved from Olympia to NYC a couple years ago, so this bill truly is a sight for sore eyes. Experiencing the trans-cybertronic-hardcore that is Cyberplasm has the capacity to change a body for the rest of its life… you’ve been warned. Joining in on the desecration of Ming Lounge are the femme-fronted South Korean punishers Slant, with Seattle’s Fashion Change rounding out the touring acts. Local huns Atomic Prey, Lazer Bullet, and Retirement sow the initial seeds of destruction for the night. “So you tellin’ me the gig of the year has six bands—three touring, three local—for $15 at a Portland institution?” “Yeah kid, that’s exactly what I’m tellin’ ya.” (Ming Lounge, 222 NW 4th, Sun April 27, 8 pm, $15, tickets at the door, all ages)

 Monday, April 28

Takashi Makino presents New Constellations featuring Liz Harris

For fans of cosmic Japanese short films scored by PNW ambient mainstays

In this house we deeply stan Liz Harris, the Hollywood Theatre, and now, by proxy, experimental filmmaker Takashi Makino. For one night only, Hollywood will screen three shorts by the Tokyo-based abstractionist: Anti-Cosmos, Constellation, and the world-premiere of his newest work, Imagination. Liz Harris (Grouper, Nivhek, Helen, et al.) will live score Constellation for the sold-out main theater. Makino’s cosmic visual textures make the perfect backdrop for Harris’ lush sustained drones. I’m not saying you should take mushrooms, ketamine, LSD, etc. for the screening, but I’m also not saying you shouldn’t take your substances of choice while in attendance. (Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, Mon April 28, 7 pm, SOLD OUT, all ages)

Tuesday, April 29

Clipping. / Counterfeit Madison

For fans of Moor Mother, R.A.P. Ferreira, WHYH Nailgun

One of the hardest hitting, most politically-minded rap outfits playing out right now has to be Clipping. The LA three-piece consists of the MC Daveed Diggs and production duo William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes and they do be comin’ for your preconceived notions of what the hip-hop genre can be. Diggs’ flow can reach breakneck speeds hard to understand—they’re so fast!—which are then woven into a production style that pulls from noise, jungle, hardcore (both punk and UK), and so much more. It’s a challenging, exceedingly rewarding listen. Interestingly, Counterfeit Madison is opening, with their music akin to Black spirituals with pop sensibilities. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, Tues April 29, 8 pm, SOLD OUT, all ages)

Obituary / Nails / Terror / Spiritworld / Pest Control

For fans of Morbid Angel, Jarhead Fertilizer, Madball

Oof, it's a massive lineup with this one. Crawling to us from the literal and political swamps of Tampa, Florida are Obituary with their heavier-than-thou churn of southern-fried death metal. SoCal’s Nails—hands down the best band on the bill—take all the most brutal bits of grindcore, crust, and death metal, run it through their septic meat grinder, vomiting it forth for us mere mortals to lap up. The old school NYC-style hardcore heads in LA’s Terror tear it up in the middle slot with the Spiritworld and Pest Control shredders opening this chaotic-evil set (and pit) the fuck up. (Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th, Tues April 29, 6 pm, $27.50+, tickets here, all ages)

Wednesday, April 30

Circuit des Yeux / Leya

For fans of Hercules & Love Affair, Eartheater, Lucy Liyou

As sexually punishing as any dominatrix, Circuit des Yeux’s flavor of experimental pop is underscored by the devastating yearn oozing from vocalist Haley Fohr’s four octave vocal range. CdY’s approach alchemises elements of rave, experimental electronics, traditional Middle Eastern sounds, and gothic pop to create beguiling dance music as sensual as it is demanding. Brooklyn’s Leya match the energy of the headliner to a T—I predict they’ll be opening for bigger and bigger acts, as soon as late this year, with a lengthy US and EU headlining tour manifesting in 2026. Catch them while you can. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, Wed April 30, 8 pm, $23, tickets here, 21+)

Also very worth it…

Tarnish / Giveaway / All Hype / Chlorine / Crush at Ethos Music Center - April 25, tickets here

Finnish Postcard / Pileup / Splinterhead / House of Warmth at No Fun - April 25, tickets at the door

Intro to Ableton Live workshop at Synth Library Portland - April 26, tickets here

Musique Plastique grand opening at Musique Plastique / Partly - April 26, FREE

Night Mirror / Koallaby / Many Waters at Kelly’s Olympian - April 26, tickets here

Melissa Ferrick at Polaris Hall - April 26, SOLD OUT

Witch Ripper / Breath / Manthus at Twilight Cafe - April 26, tickets here

Skelm / Adipocere / Shellshock / Hesitant at Ethos Music Center - April 26, tickets here

Synth Library Portland Spring Concert at Synth Library Portland - April 27, tickets here

YHWH Nailgun / Morgan Garrett at Holocene - April 28, tickets here

Portland music news:

Casual Hex—initially formed in Seattle in the mid-2010s, now with Portland-based members—announced their first album since 2018’s Zig Zag Lady Illusion. The new album, iconically named Zig Zag Lady Illusion II, is a continuation of their last full length in sound if not aesthetic. The album’s first single, “the System,” is streaming everywhere now with the entire effort dropping June 13. Stay tuned for an imminent feature on the band and their new album.  

Long-lost, long-loved Homie Fest is back this summer and announced their initial lineup last week. The festival’s seven year hiatus has only sharpened the booking chops of Papi Fimbres, the head behind the FREE shindig. This first round of acts includes Ural Thomas, EMA, Puerta Negra, Non-Binary Girlfriend, Terror/Cactus, Mattress, and more. This lineup is already so stacked, who are they going to announce next??

The very same Sou’Wester being taken over by Beacon Sound this weekend also recently announced their spring/summer show lineup. Happening at 8 pm most Saturdays, between May 3 and August 30, the music-filled coastal nights are something special to be sure. Some highlight performers include Saloli and Mimi Gilbert—check out the full lineup and dates here.

Michael Hurley, Portland’s folk troubadour, passed away on April 1 at the age of 83. A public memorial is being held for Bad Mr. Mike at Cherry Sprout Park (sandwiched between Mississippi Records, Sweedee, the Red Fox, and Cherry Sprout Produce) on Monday, May 4 from 12-4 pm. Sing a song, tell a story, and remember the unmistakable music of Doc Snock. Read our obituary for him here. 

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