THURSDAY 6/26

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, B-SIDE PLAYERS, SIREN'S ECHO
(Roseland, NW 6th & Burnside) Arrested Development came out in the early '90s with a string of hits that had a very positive message. Their most popular song, and by far their best, is "Tennessee," which was accompanied by an equally excellent music video. The main rapper of the group, Speech--whose aggressive attempts to launch a solo career in the second half of the '90s produced consistently disappointing artistic and financial results--introduced at this time (which was the end of the hiphop bohemian period that began with the Jungle Brothers in the late '80s) a new flow that was mellifluous and honest. Indeed, Speech can be considered one of the great, if not altogether one of the first, "brohemians" (a sensitive brother). CHARLES MUDEDE



JUKEBOX MUTATION CD RELEASE: edIT, SENOR FRIO, ROSHI, DJ RYU
(Holocene, 1004 SE Morrison) Only 125 copies of xoxmag.com's Jukebox Mutation comp were made, so if you're at all interested in the varying degrees of modern electronic music (i.e. house by Matt Wright, downtempo by Ainu, humpy break shit by Professor Krupky), you should pile all yr friends into the clown car and chug it over to Holocene. Included on the double three-inch CD is a track by Dublab alumnus edIT, called "4 am in 4 Parts," where a spiral of natty whirs launches into a dramatic, shapeshifting array of synths. edIT's produced tracks for LA hiphop luminaries like Busdriver, Dr.Oop, and Sole; later this year, he'll release a solo record on Planet-Mu. But for tonight, he will confound us all with his take on melodic electro and massacred beats, which often speed past with the purposeful velocity of Arnold Schwarznegger escaping the fake feds in Total Recall. JULIANNE SHEPHERD



POLITE FICTION, ROSS & THE HELLPETS, DJ GENIA
(411, 411 SE 6th) Ross and the Hellpets' quirky sand volleyball party/backyard BBQ jams generally clock in at under two minutes and mirror bad Elephant Six band formulaics, only pureed through a late-era Talking Heads blender. This is the 19th band that Ross Beach, the owner of said Hellpets and a founding father of E6, has been in, the only notable one being his stay at the Neutral Milk Hotel in '94. Beach's drawly M. Stipe delivery rests atop his bandmates' pop antics awkwardly, making a hay-covered bubblegum wad that's curious, if not completely appealing. The band's lackadaisically cheery 'tude is a bit like that of Detroit's Fred Thomas; if Beach and Thomas joined forces, the "I'm bored and sad, but I'm happy" meter would bust. JOAN HILLER



YOUR HEART BREAKS, LAUREN K. NEWMAN, AMY ANNELLE, THE PLACES
(Red & Black, 2138 SE Division) Rarely does a band's name forecast an activity that will actually take place at its concerts. If it did, Bowling for Soup shows would be a lot more entertaining. But rest assured, when you hear emotion-wringing singer/songwriters Lauren K. Newman and Amy Annelle, it's likely that, as headliner Serena's alter-ego promises, your heart will break. (Degree of breakage will vary by listener.) Your Heart Breaks tweaks the one-woman, one-guitar format with tambourines, clarinets, and kazoos; Annelle and her cast of collaborators filter their creations through a kaleidoscopic psychedelic filter; and Newman veers from acoustic angst to robust rock. ANDREW MILLER



JOEY HARRINGTON & THE HARRINGTON FAMILY FOUNDATION STARRING JASON MRAZ, JOHN POPPER, CHAN KINCHLA
(Crystal, 1332 W Burnside) Of all the former U of O quarterbacks, I trust Joey Harrington's opinion on pop music the most. Rumor has it that he even chose to be drafted by the Detroit Lions in order to be closer to that city's vibrant music scene. White Stripes, Eminem, hell, the guy even likes Electric Six! But with tonight's show Joey really fumbled the ball. John Popper will be there, you might know him as the fat harmonica playing singer from Blues Traveler who is no longer fat--because he had that stomach staple surgery--which is a total cop-out, because few things are more entertaining than a big fat guy playing a small instrument. Also performing is Jason Mraz, a poor man's Jimmy Buffet for the Abercrombie & Fitch contingent. Oh Joey, how could you do this to us? CARMELO MARTINEZ



FRIDAY 6/27

THE JOGGERS, MAHJONG, THE LIGHTS
(Blackbird, 3728 NE Sandy) Chicago's Mahjong is totally amazing--a rhythmically oriented, sometimes p_st-p_nk/ glitchy band combining electronics, synths, and weird shit like xylophone and mega-delayed vox--but doesn't sound awkward. There are definitely certain moments where you're like, "Oh, wow, that part sounds like Josef K. Huh." But then you're all, "Shit, the bridge is an altered time-signature electro breakdown, and it totally sounds like the most perfect and relevant part imaginable." The CD-R I have runs the gamut from glitchy, bass-driven rhythms--some are Latin in origin--and then gets freaky on "Bishop Desmond Tutu," vaguely experimental hiphop style, but not like those half-wack Anticon ripoffs that have popped up as of late. Aforementioned CD-R is unlabeled, so I don't know what the fuck is really happening, except I feel utterly compelled to see what Mahjong will do in a live setting. You should, too. JS



THE MEANS, MEXICAN BLACKBIRDS, FRUIT OF THE LEGION OF LOOM
(Twilight, 1420 SE Powell) What's that aroma coming out of Tacoma? It's the redolent stench of the Mexican Blackbirds' balls-out two-guitar rock and roll! Their singer could snap Jack White's spine... and I like that. Yet they are also men (and the kick-assest female drummer) of culture, with an apparent appreciation for "the classics"--the Ramones, Stooges, MC5 et al... and if I just lost your attention, remember this is a ROCK show, a-DOY! The Means also roll in from Chicago with their clever, slightly twisted rock. Ah, but does the end justify them? (Yuk, yuk.) ROLAND COUTURE



TRANSYLVANIA SQUARE DANCE
(Liberty Hall, 311 N Ivy) Christ, we hardly have enough pages in this newspaper to write about all the square-dances, but this one sounds better than the rest (if only because I have an unhealthy obsession with all things Hungarian). Headed up by one of the Dickel Brothers, expect Hungarian, Transylvanian, and other alien sounding Eastern European dance music. Oh, and polkas. Played with upright bass, electric organ, fiddle, and gardon (a cello-like instrument that you beat like a stick), it's an evening of something else. KATIE SHIMER



GEOFF WHITE, JASON NAGY, CHIP MCCLURE
(Holocene) Amid the hordes of cows and obnoxious OSU students, an experimental electronica scene blooms in Columbus, Ohio. High-IQ party rockers like Geoff White that Amurricans can keep pace with tech-house innovations hatched by the Germans, Swedes, and Canadians. Geoff White has risen mercurially to tech-house royalty, issuing subtly grooving mind-benders for Force Inc., Traum, Morris/Audio, and his own Edit label. Sadly, his best album, Nevertheless (for Jasper/Kit Clayton's Cytrax Records), hangs in distributorship limbo. Undaunted, White promises to unleash all new material on your privileged ass. DAVE SEGAL



CHROMATICS, METALUX, BIG TECHNO WEREWOLVES, DUCT YELLOW SWANS
(Million, 126 NE Russell) While I've had some reservations with Chromatics' music in the past, they're really starting to come together live. Much of this can be attributed to the addition of drummer Ron A (Get Hustle, Holy Molar), whose high-caliber rhythmic prowess is essentially untouchable. The other reason being they've just upped the amount of humidity in their angled guitar-and-bass melodies, which are generally very simple ("minimal") but are lent a better context with each breathy drop of sweat. Metalux features members of Nautical Almanac and Bride of No No playing the soundtrack to time travel: twisted-up, decidedly a-narrative beats and samples; vocals resemble the sound of a kewpie doll melted in a microwave. It's composed without release, so the "violent, extreme beer-jock" faction of Portland's noize scene may feel more alienated than usual. JS



DJ CHEB I SABBAH, AS FAR AS, DJ E3
(Medicine Hat, 1834 NE Alberta) Veteran DJ Cheb I Sabbah has been mixing world music since the '60s! Grampy Sabbah incorporates African, Arabian, and Indian music, as well as American soul and the kitchen sink into his spinliciousness. JUSTIN WESCOAT SANDERS



ORCHESTRA BAOBAB
(Aladdin, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Singers/percussionists Bala Sidibé, Rudy Gomis, and Ndiouga Dieng and guitarist Barthlémy Attisso all answered the call for this Orchestra Baobab comeback tour. There are other important distinctions between this Senegal-based outfit and, say, Journey: Baobab challenges instead of panders, inspires footloose frenzies instead of lighter lofting and breaks down borders instead of encouraging listeners to go their separate ways. Baobab's first foray out of Senegal, back in 1978, was a financial fiasco, but these days fans worldwide await its Latin-tinged rhythms, native instrumentation, and multilingual lyrics. AM



SATURDAY 6/28

STRATEGY CD RELEASE, LOSCIL, RANDY JONES
(Holocene) Randy Jones is going to do an electro-oriented DJ dance set that will make your armpits moist. Strategy will be doing a laptop dance set commemorating his super new CD, Strut, on OMCO, which is full of visceral synth embellishments and straight-up sparkling ingenuity. Vancouver's loscil stuffs his laptop with music ranging from ambient to more dance-worthy underground electronic. Sip martinis and consider yourself jaunty. KS



XIU XIU, DEVENDRA BANHART, HOLY SONS, MADISON UNDERGROUND
(111, 111 SE Madison) This bill offers an all-acquired-tastes buffet. Xiu Xiu frontman James Stewart sounds like Robert Smith undergoing primal scream therapy, his gothic cries coiling into fetal balls. And Devendra Banhart sounds like Kids In the Hall's white bluesman, at least until he unleashes his freakish falsetto. Both acts establish intriguing melodies, then work feverishly to sabotage them with feedback fizz and rhythm-challenged pacing. Such atonal outbursts frighten away comfort-food fans, but these acts' cult followings crave esoteric flavors. Holy Sons previews his upcoming CD on FilmGuerrero. AM



LOU REED
(Roseland) If we could all love ourselves as much as legendary Velvet Underground frontman LR does, Stuart Smalley would be out of a job and the human race would die off thanks to a global shift away from intercourse and towards masturbation. Recent quotes: 1) "If it has more than three chords, it's jazz." (In Style) Really? 2) "Some even claim that I'm a terror and a dictator, and they're right." (NY Rock) Is that a good thing? 3) "I said, don't ask me personal questions." (The Guardian). Louie's also said that "My bullshit is worth other people's diamonds," and while that may be true, it's not true enough to make the entirety of this year's Lou Reed: NYC Man retrospective release on RCA shine brightly through and through. Lester Bangs loved to hate him, and so do we all--enough to shell out FORTY-FIVE SMACKERS. JOAN HILLER



BLOOD BROTHERS, MINUS THE BEAR, THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES, COMMUNIQUE
(Nocturnal, 1800 E Burnside) Blood Brothers are totally up in Portland's grill, considering they've played here like eight times in the past two months, and it's like that dude you're sleeping with but only into on a peripheral level--it's hot for awhile, but when he starts calling all the time, the magic simply dissipates. Luckily, new Jade Tree signees These Arms are Snakes (ex-Botch and Kill Sadie) bust out the moody semi-hardcore guitar jams, Oakland rockers Communique bump us inna synthy stylee, and Minus the Bear (also ex-Botch and Kill Sadie) noodle prettily into the moonlight. Don't say you didn't get freaked. JS



SUNDAY 6/29

BLONDE REDHEAD, BUFFALO DAUGHTER, KING COBRA
(Aladdin Theater) Whenever I hear Blonde Redhead, I feel immensely guilty. Couple years ago, I saw Blonde Redhead play with Fugazi, and BR blew 'em off the stage. Now, I love Fugazi (who doesn't?) and Ian and his boys remain a constant beacon of integrity, but I drove away from that show thinking, "God, Fugazi kinda sucked, but Blonde Redhead was amazing!" And it makes me feel like a damn dirty ape, and a discredit to the punk world but, like ol' Abe Linc said, I cannot tell a lie. I mean, shit, Kazu played guitar with a damn drumstick and made it sound downright ethereal! Sorry Fugazi. Please don't hate me. I mean well. ADAM GNADE



WORLD'S LARGEST GUITAR BAND
(Pioneer Square, 2 pm) Pay $10, then take your guitar to Pioneer Square and play the three chords of "This Land is Your Land" for one hour with like 9000 other people. Set a Guinness Record, while benefiting Sisters of the Road. C'mon... ten bucks is a nominal fee to annoy the shit out of weekend Nordstrom shoppers for an hour. For more info, visit sistersoftheroadcafe.org. JS



MONDAY 6/30

THE CAPITAL YEARS, THE HIGH STRUNG, NIK FRIETAS, JACKIE
(Blackbird) If you're like me, you love that raw, junky sound that comes out of Jack White's guitar, but you hate how passionless and overplayed it is. So go see Jackie, a band that blends their dirty pop sound with vocals so glammy you can't help but shimmy. KATIE SHIMER



ROLLINS BAND, LONGSHOT
(Roseland) Henry Rollins has never given me any reason to believe he's anything but a hypocritical jackass, but in light of his passionate support for the West Memphis Three, I'll pipe down momentarily. Rollins' relentless touring and generosity has raised $10,000 for the legal defense of three young men convicted of a triple homicide in the mid-'90s--a conviction I and a broad grassroots coalition of supporters (including Tom Waits and the late Joe Strummer) believe was based on coerced confessions and stereotypes about the then-teenage boys' preference for rebellious music. If you're unfamiliar with the case, I strongly urge you to visit www.wm3.org and learn more. HANNAH LEVIN



TUESDAY 7/1

BOB MOULD, THALIA ZEDEK
(Aladdin) Few things are better than the primary author of your high school mix tapes still performing after all these years. But what tops that is that Bob Mould, like his anti-buddy Paul Westerburg, never really bottomed out like so many of their peers did. While his DJ sets are shaky at best, Mould's solo live performances are a solid blend of old/new hits, all performed with the sincerity of a guy who only seems to sound (and look) better with each passing year. Now if only I could say the same thing for Dave Pirner. CM



THE BOARD ROOM: ATARI WITH SEOUL BRO #1, 1ATOM13
(Nocturnal) Old-school Atari games for the playing and hiphop tracks for the listening; DJ Seoul Brother #1 and 1Atom13 spin the soundtrack to your highest score. KS



WEDNESDAY 7/2

RADIOACTIVE PROTEST STARRING MR ROMO, DAVE ALLEN, DJ FRESH, DJ IZM, DJ MILES, DJ MATT KELLY, MORE
(Seven Stars, 205 NW 4th) On June 2, the FCC narrowly passed allowance for further media deregulation--a move which, worst case scenario, will lead to the gross consolidation of news and entertainment outlets in the areas of radio, print, and television. While a Senate Panel Committee has voted to overturn the decision (to quote Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson [R-TX], the FCC's vote is "potentially dangerous to media diversity in this country"), there's a winding road ahead (to quote Sheryl Crow, which I can do thanks to the current hegemony of mainstream radio). The bands and DJs on this bill, many of whom are associated with KPSU, would like to make their voices heard on the issue, and protest the FCC's decision. For more info on this issue, visit fcc.gov and futureofmusic.org. JS



JUMBO'S KILLCRANE, 400 BLOWS, WADSWORTH
(Blackbird) Jumbo's Killcrane tunes hit like a semi driving through the wall of a meat locker, which puts them in a certain flag-waving category of rock bands that keep the Midwest noise rock sound alive--along with popular disgruntled favorites Shellac, Unsane, and a host of smaller bands comprised of really angry people. NATHAN CARSON



ANTIBALAS AFROBEAT ORCHESTRTA, MARCH FORTH, HIGH PLANES DRIFTERS
(Medicine Hat) While I was listening to Antibalas' wonderful CD Talkatif a few minutes ago, my coworker heard the big and booming Fela Kuti-like beats and asked, "What are you doing, Charles? Having a party?" There is no better way to describe the Afro sounds of this 15-piece band from Brooklyn. Even better yet, it could be called carnival music--more social than personal, more outside than inside, more flesh than spirit. If you want to dance and lose yourself entirely in a blazing tropics of horns and conga drums, there is no better place to go than Antibalas. CHARLES MUDEDE



LET IT RIDE, COCAINE UNICORN
(Berbati's, 231 SW Ankeny) These fine folks play rock and roll, though it's not the kind of rock and roll Neil Blender used to do at Sadland's or Skilly's ramp; that was sweet. This is pure rock raised from years of drug abuse and stealing cars. So go see 'em. You wont be sorry. I missed the last few times they played and I started to get this rash across my body. Coincidence? I think not. CHRIS REED