J MASCIS & THE FOG FEATURING MIKE WATT, PINEHURST KIDS, BEACHWOOD SPARKS
(Crystal) With the Fog, J Mascis has exhibited unlimited smarts. First, he's gone back to the sound he's soooooo perfect at--the slightly cynical, strolling vocals and intelligent punk that was the trademark of early Dinosaur Jr. Only now, he's even better. Really! Second, he somehow located the elusive Kevin "My Bloody Valentine" Shields, presumably in a batcave located fifty-five miles beneath New York City, and got him to play on his newest album. No kidding. Third, the interminable Mike Watt is playing bass on this tour. Go, and don't hide the fact that you still listen to You're Living All Over Me... you're in good company. JULIANNE SHEPHERD
SEAN NA NA, THE VOGUE, THE SLAVES
(Meow Meow) Even if a band's not that original, if they express some level of intelligence about the music they're playing (smart/quirky lyrics, interesting passion, unexpected breaks, something, anything, please!), they'll win my heart. The smart, impassioned songwriting of Sean Na Na (former of Calvin Krime) has done just that, playing the good music/great vocals ticket cleverly enough that it won me over after a short period of hate. Now I love him, and you will, too. The Vogue is Seattle's current favorite edible young boy band, with a vocalist who sounds like he's been smoking cigarettes in conjunction with a sinus infection. If you can get over that, their super-neat keyboard-driven rock and broken riffs can be lightning-powerful. JS
ELECTRIC LIVING, SYLOUS, SPECIAL GUESTS
(Medicine Hat) Sylous is one mystery white boy who's about to let his secrets come undone. Known primarily as singer for London Suede cover boys Swayed, his handful of solo shows (post-band dissolution) have revealed an altogether different animal lover. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a satchel of poems, foppish Sylous mines for velvet gold and bares his soul, jumping between frilly originals and well-chosen covers (Depeche Mode, Van Morrison, Morrissey), his voice leaping from the deepest valleys to the highest peaks with an effortless flick of the larynx. Consider him a blooming flower, just now fumbling his way towards the light. Or a Jeff Buckley in waiting, a Lady Stardust in training, Tomorrow's Popstar Today. JAMIE S. RICH
LIVE HUMAN FEATURING DJ QUEST, 2X4 SET STARRING DJ WICKED, IZM
(Ohm) This is some cool shit. Live Human is usually just electronic--funky trip hop that sounds cool, but not incredibly original. But tonight they're playing off the plug, with a live, upright bassist and a live drummer, making music that is usually all synthetic into something organic. KATIA DUNN
ELLIOTT SMITH, GRANDADDY
(Roseland) Remember back when Elliott Smith was still good, before he got seduced into big labels, big money, and international tours? Remember his heartbreaking vocals, that sad guitar, and music that was so honest? Grandaddy is kind of like that: sad, sweet, and sincere. They're more electronic than Elliott ever was, relying mostly on keyboards to back up their vocalists' amazingly high voice. You should catch Grandaddy before they, too, are corrupted. KD
PEDRO THE LION, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, KIND OF LIKE SPITTING
(Meow Meow) Emo, emo, emo! It's Meow Meow's triumphant six-month anniversary show, and what better line-up than three of the Pacific Northwest's most shining stars? Pedro the Lion played Meow Meow's first show, enchanting Portland's most Chuck Taylored with their faithful selves. Death Cab, you know--they play tight, very listener-friendly pop rock, and they steal hearts wherever they go. The famous and talented Kind of Like Spitting, who just returned from yet another sold-out US tour is, for some reason, better known and better appreciated in every town but here. Isn't that sort of strange? Go tonight, show support for these bands, and tell Todd how much you love him for running one of the best venues ever. JS See Club Calendar pg 25
BANCO DE GAIA, STATE OF BENGAL
(Ohm) Banco de Gaia (otherwise known as Toby Marks) makes the white-people-with-dreadlocks crowd twirl with delight, but don't hate him just yet. His five albums' worth of globetrotter breaks do indeed follow the essentially-oiled path of the hippie-raver backpacker--bits-and-pieces sonic tours of South America, Far Asia, and the Middle East, but he manages to blend them quite expertly with smart, spiritual beats and other aural tingles. His latest outing, purportedly recorded partly in the Great Pyramids of Giza, leans more towards trip hop excursions and vaguely Egyptian elements. But for the faithful, he will surely recreate his usual Goa-rific full-moon-party vibe tonight. LEAH GREENBLATT
BEYOND BEAUTY PARTY STARRING THE TONY MANGINI SHOW, LARUE
(Jasmine Tree) Two of Portland's most fun and campy acts present a challenge: Redefine and recreate how you think of beauty. Here are some costume ideas: the new Versace ads, Amy Sedaris in Strangers with Candy, Joan Rivers, Patty and Selma Bouvier, Jack Nicholson. Get all ugly-pretty and have a martini, darling. JS
THE DISAPPEARER, HEART BEATS RED, MADAM I'M ADAM, OPERATION MAKEOUT
(Portland Robot Steakhouse, 6-10) Madam I'm Adam, a solo vocalist/palindromist, and Operation Makeout both hail from Vancouver, BC, where we're all going to have to relocate if Bush is our president-elect. The Disappearer plays hooky, intense rock with rolling basslines. (And they're rumored to be one of the favorite bands of Kind of Like Spitting.) Heart Beats Red, sans drummer as of now, also rock the Steakhouse with their gut-wrenching harmonies. Clench your fists and dance. STEVEN LANKENAU
BEBEL GILBERTO AND THIEVERY CORPORATION
(Crystal) Musical genius is not hereditary; this is made evident in the countless failed careers of artists like Wilson Phillips, Julian Lennon, Dweezil Zappa, Jakob Dylan. Every rule has its exception, of course, and Bebel Gilberto breaks the mold. Taking the bossa nova pioneered by her father Joâo, Gilberto adds healthy doses of downtempo techno, trip hop, and Martin Denny-style exotica to create Brazilian music that is traditional and progressive simultaneously. Thievery Corporation's dub-inflected electronica is perfect for cocktail swilling, cheeba smoking, or booty grooving. MURRAY CIZON
ELEMENT 2000 FINALISTS STARRING X-MEN, SOULS OF MISCHIEF, PEP LUV, OLDOMINION, THE CHOSEN, DJ B-MELLO, WICKED
(Pine Street Theater) No, they don't have anything to do with the recent movie, X-Men, nor the comic book. In fact, though they are still very much known as X-Men, they've formally changed their name to X-ecutioner. They're Rob Swift, Mista Sinista, Roc Raida, and Total Eclipse--old school DJs from New York who, as they say are, "fighting to keep the original brick that built the house of hip hop from crumbling under the weight of years of abuse and neglect." No MC, just mixing, scratching, body tricks, and beat juggling. Come see them and decide the winner for yourself.
JOEL R.L. PHELPS, NORFOLK & WESTERN, MARVEL ANNE
(Medicine Hat) Although this line-up is slooooooow, it is worth taking a couple Effedrine on a Saturday night and letting yourself be immersed in country-tinged, melancholy date music. Marvel Anne, back from what seemed to be an eternal hiatus, will tempt you into their slow and ephemeral driving music; Norfolk & Western will amaze with how excellent they are. Joel R.L. Phelps doesn't make it to Portland enough, so you should check out his watery gloom while you have the chance. JS
INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY, BLUETIP, THE DEADLINES
(Meow Meow) Now, I love a nice suit as much as the next gal, and I certainly love anyone, male or female, who reads books in order to expand the mind. But rock bands with political, intellectual, and fashion agendas bug the living shit out of me. The International Noise Conspiracy wear suit-like uniforms because they believe no one in their band should be singled out--they are all equals. They hate capitalism. And they like to think of themselves as a "symbiosis of the Who and Guy Debord," and, it gets worse, "the Jam and Noam Chomsky." ENOUGH WITH ALL THAT. In plain terms (and in spite of their Euro pretentiousness) the International Noise Conspiracy is a perfectly enjoyable mod band featuring former members of Refused, Separation, Doughnuts, and Saidwas. KATHLEEN WILSON
ELF POWER, THE PLACES, CAPTAIN VS. CREW
(Satyricon) In the history of crap names, "Elf Power" will go down as pretty crap. One would be forgiven for thinking these are the guys Olivia Tremor Control pick on to take out their frustrations when guys in big, beefy bands pick on OTC. (Consider the trickle down. Fred Durst slaps that guy from Orgy who kicks the dude in Pennywise all the way down to those humble indie guys with black-rimmed glasses the Mercury loves so much.) Thankfully, Elf Power has more in common with The Kinks than Fields of the Nephilim. Their latest disc, The Winter Is Coming, has the wild '60s pop abandon that made the Elephant 6 kiddies so fun in the first place--and the endless noodling that has also made them so grating. Regardless of how they are on wax, indie's finest secret society always delivers interesting live experiences, and Elf Power is likely to be no different. The Places, led by the enchanting Amy Annelle, is one of PDX's best up-and-coming bands. Their easy tunesmithery should serve as a soothing intro to Elf Power's land of magic. JAMIE S. RICH
SUNDAY 11/12
(Meow Meow) So my co-worker Brodie and I just had an argument about whether Karate is a good band name. Brodie's pathetic argument went something like, "'Karate' is like buying into the whole Jackie Chan/Bruce Lee/Everybody's Kung Fu Fighting phase of six to ten years ago, and it's soooo typical for a trio of honkeys to call themselves 'Karate.'" My retort: "Well, at least it sounds cool and isn't like Bush or the Corey Feldman Band or something, I mean maybe they really like karate. Are all the Dolemites black? Is Paul Newman all attractive older men with beautiful blue eyes? I don't think so." In conclusion: As proven through this scholarly debate, you should definitely go see the mellow blended wizardry of Boston's Karate and their fabulous openers, 31 Knots and The Planet The. If you miss it, you're a big, fucking, diaper-wearing loser. KATIE SHIMER
ZULU AS KONO, LAST OF THE JUANITAS, THE OWNERS
(Medicine Hat) You know when somebody says a band "fucking rocks," and then you see go see them and they are, in fact, good, but they do not fucking rock in the explicit sense of the phrase? Well, I can honestly say that Last of the Juanitas fucking rock in every, tough, powerhouse instrumental aspect of that term. Headliners Zulu as Kono play into the semi-spooky, heavy changes-and-foreboding attack with a ragged-edged mix of guitars and drums. This show is not for the faint or lame of character. JS See Music pg 19
MELT BANANA, VAZ, BLARK
(Pine Street Theater) Simply put, Melt Banana is the best female-fronted Japanese noise metal band in the world, period. Miss this show and you're a big, fucking, diaper-wearing loser. KATHLEEN WILSON
YOUSSOU N'DOUR
(Aladdin) The '90s were supposed to belong to Youssou N'Dour. He sang backup on Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes," co-headlined the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! tour, and dueted with everyone from Paul Simon to Wyclef Jean. N'Dour's five-octave voice defies description, and the mbalax he plays--an up-tempo combination of African, Caribbean, and pop rhythms--is trance-inducing party music of the highest order. His US tours are rare, and you owe it to yourself to see what Senegal and the rest of Africa already knows--that Youssou N'Dour is a musical and cultural treasure. MC
SUNSHINE, THE PRIDS, SOFT ROCK RENEGADES
(Medicine Hat) The Czech Republic's Sunshine makes dark, aggressive, art-punk ("Go on! Go on! Kiss my lips!") that is the sexiest thing I've heard all year. Think Joy Division, all revved up and rougher. Think the Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen if they were making fuck-me punk rock in the year 2000. Imagine the high-end, guitar-saw action, and plenty of sexy, feminine testosterone. Now go to this show or you're a big, fucking, diaper-wearing loser. JEFF DeROCHE
ANGER MANAGEMENT TOUR STARRING LIMP BIZKIT, EMINEM, PAPA ROACH, XZIBIT
(Rose Garden) The white boys of rap have teamed up to make millions, and wouldn't you know their tour is called "Anger Management." Of course! What else would you be, if you were an overnight success, than angry? Eminem's obviously gone through all the other sensational emotions--psychopath (the song about murdering his wife), hatred (lyrics about hating gays and feminists), self-pity (My own mom is suing me!). There's not much left now except flat-out anger. KD
SHANE MACGOWAN & THE POPES
(Crystal) The last time Shane was to play, the show was cancelled--something about a revoked passport and a housemate's OD. The time before that, he made it on stage, kinda, staggering to the mike, distractedly hitting tambourines, muttering to himself. The time before that... we-ell, to the best of our knowledge, that was the closest Portland's ever come to the living (sort of) legend, though his former band once played Kell's on St. Paddy's Day while their ousted leader sold out Madison Square Garden. The Pogues were the most important Irish band ever--blending poetic grace, drunken sentimentality, and raw aggression with all the visceral Celtic abandon of a shitfaced Yeats atop a car bomb. And Shane MacGowan, odd instrumental aside, was The Pogues. The new band's more than decent, and, upon occasion, the man himself can still muster the focus of old, spitting out incendiary ballads to make a strong man fight, weep, or piss himself. See the show. If recent health rumors are at all accurate, he shan't return. JAY HORTON
GAZA STRIPPERS, THE CATHETERS, TUULI
(Satyricon) The next installment in a series When Good Band Names Actually Happen to Good Bands. The Gaza Strippers feature former Didjit Rick Sims (who also served a short stint playing guitar with the Supersuckers) and anyone who was a fan of the Didjits knows that this should be one heck of a good time. The Strippers have a new album, 1000 Watt Confession, just out on Lookout!, so if you're looking to put a little fun (and a lot of good old-fashioned punk rock) back into your diet, this'd be the show. BARBARA MITCHELL
GOING TO SEATTLE?
Thurs 11/9: Elf Power, the Minders, The Places (Crocodile)
Fri 11/10: Source of Labor, Live Human, Candid, DJ Quest (Sit & Spin); Karate, Juno (Paradox)
Tues 11/14: Melt Banana, Vaz, Biography of Ferns (Crocodile)
Wed 11/15: Sunshine, Billy Shook (Graceland)
For more info, visit www.thestranger.com
