Hey Portland music freaks,

Yeah, I’m talking to you. You, with your headphones on as you walk the street, dazed by the magnificence of a brisk Portland autumn as the colorful leaves hit the ground and Halloween is just around the corner. I hope you’re gearing up to see what kind of funny, strange, and well-planned Halloween cover sets are coming our way this month. I’ve always wanted to do one, and this year is still not my year, but I’m betting there are some good shows on the horizon!

Speaking of good shows, I’ve marked a few for y’all to check out this week! It’s a pretty indie-heavy moody mix, which seems to fit the season-changing, Venus-in-retrograde moment we’re finding ourselves in collectively. I’m pretty partial to jazz myself, and will be frequenting the 1905, but it’s good to know that every night of the week there’s at least one, if not a mountain of good shows to attend in our ever-talented city. I don’t have much banter to offer you this week, but I can offer you some tunes! Let’s vibe!

Wednesday, October 14

Renny Conti

For fans of Hovvdy, Alex G, Horse Jumper of Love

Renny Conti’s “San Francisco, 2005” is a snapshot of the past, released right here and now. Conti’s work is folky in that raw, downtrodden sort of way, which lends itself to processing grief in the company of others. The Bay Area-based artist, long based in Brooklyn, has returned home to California, sitting with the reality of a breakup and the loss of his brother to addiction. His songs are slow, somber, yet with just a tinge of sweet hope that feels like something twinkling in the dark. (Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 8 pm, $19.27, more info, 21+)

Thursday, October 15

Kerry Politzer and Bossa PDX

For fans of Eliane Elias, Astrud Gilberto, Diana Krall

I’ll admit, I have actually been following Kerry Politzer’s work since I was living in São Paulo and am excited to finally get a chance to see her play live. The Portland-based pianist plays in the tradition of Brazilian sound, leading Bossa PDX, which has been playing in residency at the 1905 since May 2024. Paying homage to jazz and bossa nova, Bossa PDX features a different Brazilian composer every week. Head on down to the 1905 this Thursday to see who it’ll be! (The 1905, 830 N Shaver, 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm, $25, more info, all ages)

Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra 

Wait, that guy? Yes, Jeff Goldblum, his tinted lenses, and his tailored suit will slide on stage with his band, the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (named after his close family friend, if you’re curious), to deliver “contemporary arrangements of classic jazz and American Songbook standards.” The world is a warmer, more charismatic place with Goldblum in it, so this show—which will include tunes from the group’s brand-new LP, Night Blooms—is sure to be a little goofy and uplifting. Take your parents. (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 7:30 pm, $42+, more info, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Rin

For fans of Beabadoobee, Soccer Mommy, Olivia Rodrigo

Rin has been writing lofi pop love jams since 2023. An instant online sensation, the internet took to Rin’s vulnerable sincerity with the demo track “just me.” Sweet and earnest, she released her first album, fawn, in 2025, allowing listeners into her world. Now, she’s taking to the stage with her Dearest Diary Tour, taking the bedroom pop out of the bedroom and out on the road. (Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 8 pm, $28.25, more info, 21+)

Friday, October 16

Dos Santos

For fans of Money Chicha, Combo Chimbata, Los Pirañas

I’ve been inexplicably listening to Dos Santos for at least a year now without realizing it, their track “City of Mirrors” popping up regularly on my suggested songs. The Chicago five-piece sits somewhere between psychedelic cumbia and contemporary jazz, recognizable yet genre-defying. Their work is deep-rooted in community, and their songs speak to the complexity of the Latine diaspora in the U.S., including themes on immigration, loss, and the duality of living on either side of the border. Their complex sound touches on the intricacies of identity, weaving heart through complex rhythm and soulful instrumentation. (Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 8 pm, $26.20, more info, 21+)

Hovvdy

For fans of Alex G, Pinegrove, Slaughter Beach, Dog

In the stylistic tradition of bands like Alvvays, Hovvdy lives in the aesthetic ether as one of those how-do-you-say-their-name kind of bands. I think, earnestly, that it’s “howdy” with a clever spin on a double v = w situation, but the only way to be sure is to catch this indie-folk duo’s live set. Made up of Charlie Martin and Will Taylor, the Nashville-based outfit is hitting the road, traversing North America in the name of their recently-launched sixth album, Big World. Mellow, pensive, with a tinge of playful charm, Hovvdy offer a coveted folk-flavored sound that goes down smooth. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $34.38-$92.89, more info, all ages)

Seffarine

The Portland-based Moroccan American sounds of Seffarine are coming to the Reser! And they’re offering a truly unique multimedia performance that stretches far beyond the bounds of sound. This immersive experience, which includes music, film, and field recordings, marks the release of their new album, Abraz, which comes out the very same day. During Abraz’s recording, Seffarine’s Lamiae Naki and Nat Hulskamp journeyed to an oasis town in southern Morocco called Mhamid El Ghizlane, where they documented their travels and recorded with local musicians. Join Seffarine on this one-of-a-kind album release that explores and expands on Saharan musical traditions.  (Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, 12625 SW Crescent, Beaverton, 7:30 pm, $40-$50, more info, all ages)

Saturday, October 17

Femmes to the Frrront

It’s nice when you can do the right thing, and all you did was go to a free all ages show with a bangin’ bill. Monumental rhyme queen Karma Rivera and mistress of synthpop Bijoux Cone top this lineup that [checks notes] ALSO INCLUDES Nonbinary Girlfriend, Angel Marie, Privateer, and DJ Lapaushi? Dang. If you are young and/or broke, just have a blast in the name of femmes. If you have some means, door donation proceeds go to nonprofits Brown Girl Rise, Adelante Mujeres, and Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington. (The Off Beat, 8440 N Interstate, 4 pm, FREE, more info, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH

Sunday, October 18

Imperial Teen and Kids On a Crime Spree

It’s been 30 years since San Francisco punk poppers Imperial Teen dropped the seminal Seasick, a liberating record that announced songwriter and queer icon Roddy Bottum as a megaphone for the disillusioned. On their seventh LP, All Over You, the band picks up the thread of its buoyant, dirty rock oeuvre, wedging their trademark boy-girl harmonies into dreamy sonic alcoves on songs like “Get You Home” and the dance-y “A Single Chair.” The four-piece’s sardonic pop takes still sizzle, so consider yourself a lucky duck they’ll be scorching through the intimate confines of Swan Dive this week, along with Kids On a Crime Spree. (Swan Dive, 727 SE Grand, 8 pm, $27.11, more info, 21+) RYAN J. PRADO

But wait! There’s more! Also check out…

Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18

The Princess Bride in Concert

The Oregon Symphony performing Princess Bride live in concert?! Inconceivable! JK, totally conceivable—try not to miss it! (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Oct 17 and 18 7:30 pm and 2 pm Sunday matinee, $20-$125, more info, all ages)

Sunday, October 18

Diles Que No Me Maten

Ambient experimental liquid sound. (Show Bar, 1300 SE Stark, 8 pm, $19.27, more info, 21+)

Monday, October 19

Flower Face

Soft-sounding yet strange, Flower Face is gothy dream-pop all the way from Montreal. 

(Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 8 pm, more info, all ages)

Tuesday, October 20

Dummy

Glitchy alt-ambient-post-rock drone. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 8 pm, $26.20, more info, 21+)