THURSDAY 3/25

AMERICAN HIT LIST, WICKER KING, THE ABRUPT EDGE
(Ash Street, 225 SW Ash) American Hit List is a typical rock band, replete with macho singing, psychedelic freak outs, and guitaring that makes you want to drink beer and smoke cigarettes. I can vouch for AHL's skill, however, which is considerable--check those guitar solos--and trumps most typical rock bands you see lumbering about. KATIE SHIMER



AMON TOBIN, KID KOALA, BONOBO, BLOCKHEAD, DIPLO
(Crystal, 1332 W Burnside) The ZENtertainment Tour contains elements from Ninja Tune's triphop past and its atmospheric future. Representing the label's early catalog are Amon Tobin and Kid Koala, both of whom were signed in the mid-'90s and are recognized as being exceptionally inventive. Tobin is more a producer than DJ, whose last CD, Out from Out Where, was ambitious and drunk with new concepts; Kid Koala, on the other hand, is less a producer than a genius DJ/turntablists. And Blockhead has made his mark as a hiphop producer. Aesop Rock, Slug of Atmosphere, and Mike Ladd, to name a few, have all worked with him, though his debut CD, Music by Cavelight, consists of moody atmospheres projected onto a variety of global grooves. CHARLES MUDEDE



VERONICA LIPGLOSS AND THE EVIL EYES, YELLOW SWANS, LORD
(3214 SE 9th) Glam queen frontwoman Rhani Remedes, backed by the Evil Eyes, brings gyrating rhythms, pants off, to a deliciously trashy free-love philosophy. And there's something innately sexy about the music, a neo-new-wave aesthetic that throbs disco beats like a busted strobe light, where guitar riffs get slimmer than a G-string or punch out like the Runaways junk-sick on PiL, and the pandemonium in the vocals can reach a climax even at a whisper. And that's even if they don't get to the track that may best sum up their music: "Deep Interactions on People's Lips." JENNIFER MAERZ



GHOST TO FALCO, DJIN TEETH (FANGS), SEX WITH GIRLS IS RAD, BAD AT MATH
(Nocturnal, 1800 W Burnside) Analogous to Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd playing Wild 'n' Crazy guys, Sex with Girls is Rad features James Squeaky (Alarmist) and Alex Merrill playing songs and, well, doing spoken word, about being desperate, antisocial, aggro, frustrated, sex-deprived losers. It wouldn't be great if it didn't ring with truth, as they take down indierockers with girlfriends, getting dumped for older guys (27!!), the PDX Pop List, and most of all, themselves. Sometimes with beats, sometimes recited in beat, probably only funny to a tiny pocket of locals who get the joke, but hey--if you can't laugh at yourself, then what do you have? JULIANNE SHEPHERD



DOA, PLAN R
(Meow Meow, 320 SE 2nd) Old school, that's for sure. Grampy Shithead's in town and trotting out the old punk rock. It's the sort of show that's almost a notch in your bedpost, like you just want to say that you've "seen" them, or whatever the polite term is these days. But the truth is there is no friggin' way this show could be as cool as seeing D.O.A. in their prime, which is the whole point of primes. MARJORIE SKINNER



FRIDAY 3/26

KATASTROPHE, LORI BUCKWALTER, CHRISTA-MARGARET, REVEREND RAFIK, DJ Zanne
(Crown Ballroom, 918 SW Yamhill, 8 pm) Rocco Kayiatos, better known as tonight's headliner Katastrophe, comes from San Francisco. Touted as number one in queer underground hiphop, as an FTM emcee, Katastrophe's lyrics reflect his experience, on such songs as "Man Enough" (about reclaiming sexiness post-op) and "Something Different" (straight-up about experiencing oppression in a transsexual-hostile society). His flow ain't nothing to shake a stick at, either! JS

PORTLAND NOISE FESTIVAL: GRUNTSPLATTER, EMIL, NOTHING, STIMBOX, DEADLY ORIFICE, SLEEPING WITH THE EARTH, PCRV, NIKONDI; TOMORROW: DANIEL MENCHE, XOME, R HY YAU, NOTHING, PEDESTRIAN DEPOSIT, BACILLUS, OSCILLATING INNARDS, RRRON
(Liberty Hall, 311 N. Ivy) Oscillating Innards, f'real: For the following two days, it is perhaps advisable to wrap a sling around your guts so your stomach doesn't slip out. Promising a 2000-watt PA, and with more grind, harsh noise, alinear sound battery than you ever thought possible in one tiny space, only the strong will survive this off-the-richter onslaught. But the toughest will be showered with treats--not a piñata, but Gruntsplatter, whose devastating ambience and low, tight drone could indeed flatten the entirety of North Portland. JS



ONELINEDRAWING, DICIBULLY, CARDIA, ROY
(Nocturnal, 1800 E Burnside) While it may be true that The Volunteers is louder than anything we've heard from Onelinedrawing before, fans really shouldn't be surprised because, as Jonah Matranga himself says, this project has never been about being one conclusive, definable idea."I love Jonathan Richman and Slayer with equal parts of my heart, and Onelinedrawing has never been a singer/songwriter thing. When Visitor came out, it was a bedroomy record, but for me it was like one of 10 records that I put out in the last two years. So to have Visitor looked at in and of itself as this definitive artistic statementÉ it felt weird to get locked in." MEGAN SELING



SATURDAY 3/27

URBAN SOUL GRAND OPENING STARRING LADY TRINITY, PROPHET SOUL, THE PROLIFIC MC
(8957 N Lombard, 9 pm) The Urban Soul is a new "lifestyle, culture and community company" in St. Johns--their specialties seem to lie in everything from record production to body piercing, though their express raison d'etre is, simply, "blowing up the 503." The Prolific MC and The House of Gods release a CD tonight, which is a sort of amorphous, conscious, psychedelic hiphop, with Indian and reggae nodsÉ sounds interesting, though I'm mildly skeptical on the hippie/theatrical interludes. Worth checking out, if only to see if it's really going to blow up the whole area code. JS



THE LIARS, YOUNG PEOPLE, THE GET HUSTLE, NORDIC, DJ NIGHTSCHOOL
(Nocturnal, 1800 E Burnside) The Liars' CD release shows in New York were reported to be utter disasters, replete with drum-circle-like hypnosis and back-to-the-crowd anti-performance. You have to hand it to them: after banking on being one of the only dancepunk bands worth two shits, they cashed it in and started doing cold post-industrial experimentalism (also worth two shits). Songs about witches are far more interesting than songs about fading away into the wrinkles of a fad. Liars' NY comrades Young People have, too, changed their sound a bit, but in subtler ways, tiptoeing in the direction of jazz standards and torch music. JS



STARLIGHT MINTS, DEATHRAY DAVIES, DRESSY BESSY
(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) While Okalahoma's Starlight Mints live in the same swooning indie orchestra lollipop world as the Polyphonic Spree, they have about 37 less members (cowards!) and a more restrained rainbow/rockist chug. Hmmm. And then there's Dressy Bessy's beach-party xylophone boogaloo, which is background-catchy and low on irony, almost precious like everybody's finally realized the Strokes aren't--a harmless '50s spring break of feminine celebration where the lifeguards sound like the Chantels, Shonen Knife, and the Go-Go's, and the sand is made of grains of sugar. Bands like these are fun. Fresh air! GUY FAWKES



TARA JANE O'NEIL, MICHAEL HURLEY, RALF YOUTZ
(Pacific Switchboard, 4637 N Albina) You would do well to not miss Michael Hurley. This aging, loveable folk/country icon is a true rarity: a singer/songwriter who makes innovative music that is also entirely accessible. Like contemporaries Tom Waits and Townes Van Zandt, Hurley's best songs are something you've never heard before, and yet as soon as they strike your ears you realize you've been waiting to hear them your whole life. JUSTIN WESCOAT SANDERS



ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) This pack of Australians is making its North American debut, with a suitcase full of tidy pop music, working horns, clapping, and synths over your garden-variety guitars and high pitched boy/girl vocals. It sounds pretty and clean, if not terribly passionate or emotive, at times getting a little icily psychedelic, even. The show doubles as the after party for the big Seaplane Spring fashion show, too, so the carefree sweetness of the music will surely compliment whatever this year's best Spring dress is going to look like. MS



REID SPEED, DIGDUG
(Level, 13 NW 6th) Reid Speed's drum 'n' bass mixes show tons of talent, with each one different from the next. It won't be another night of bobbing to the same monotonous beat for three hours, since Speed mixes uptempo and speed, throwing in voice samples that take the music from eerie to fun. Dance folk, you will hop tonight! KS



REVOLVER STUDIOS OPENING PARTY: THE STORES, MICHAEL THE BLIND, THE ROULETTES
(Revolver Studios, 420 SW Washington, Room 201) Smashed in between hotspots Kelly's Olympian and Gallery 500 is Revolver Studios. Plans for the space include not only recording, but art, live music, and indie film nights, so you may want to scout it out early if that's sounds like something you'll want to snuggle up to later. Plus, check out some of the bands these folks have worked with, like for instance the Stores and their pretty, pretty serious, reflective rock. Then expect the good times to roll, hopefully along with some good records. (Hello, Jackie? Ma Ford?) MS



SUNDAY 3/28

THE MOTIVE, OFFICER MAY, SCIENCE OF YABRA
(Twilight, 1420 SE Powell) Officer May might just be as close to Nirvana (Burning Brides notwithstanding) as anyone's gonna get without porking Courtney Love. Just about every hack with a pair of working eardrums and a hundred or so words to kill in their local alt-weekly is saying this Boston power trio's debut, Smoking in a Minor (Ace Fu), is the best goddamn Bleach (or Incesticide) rip-off, like, ever. You can roll your eyes all you want, but close 'em for a minute, andÉ well, it's pretty fucking close, you have to admit--and not too shabby at that. Chuck in some Big Black and maybe Sonic Youth, and you're there. Which means Officer May's racket is either exactly what you want or exactly what you don't want, depending how high your pedestal is these days. J. BENNETT



CART!, SUNNY GREY, ELEMENT, CASWELL, STARK 5
(Meow Meow, 320 SE 2nd) Cart is one of the sweetest local bands circling the scene today. They play skillful math rock--you can't be half-assed at math--and do math problems with the speed and efficiency of my friend Bob* (*not his real name) putting back a fifth of Old Crow. Spring is in the air, and it's time to leave the house, so why not make it an occasion and party hearty with Cart!-y. (Ugh, sorry.) KS



BLONDE REDHEAD, SECRET MACHINES, LOW FLYING OWLS
(Crystal, 1332 W Burnside) The latest album by New York City's Blonde Redhead, Misery Is a Butterfly, is simply gorgeous. Not beautiful, or pretty, or charming, but gorgeous. It is fuller than their last effort, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons, which was pretty, vacant, and hypnotic. All in all, the singer Kazu Makino, like the singer for Stockholm's Koop, Yukimi Nagano, is the real prize of the band; I, as with any other critic who has been seduced by Makino, would happily spend 10,000 or more words attempting to capture the essence of her mesmerizing voice. CHARLES MUDEDE



MONDAY 3/29

ODDJOBS, SIRENS ECHO, HURT BIRD, DJ SNEAKERS
(Ash Street, 225 SW Ash) Many might know Oddjobs, a five-man crew from New York/Minneapolis, as the group that has toured with the likes of Atmosphere, Eyedea & Abilities, and Zion I. They have a pretty extensive catalog considering they have no distribution--like many unsigned hiphop crews, they use tours as their system of distribution and recognition. One of the emcees, Crescent Moon, has frequently been hypeman for the likes of Slug and Eyedea on their respective tours. Check it out with Portland's premier hiphop group Sirens Echo. SAMUEL CHESNEAU



TUESDAY 3/30

ROCK AGAINST BUSH 2004: NOFX, ALKALINE TRIO, JELLO BIAFRA, AUTHORITY ZERO
(Roseland, NW 6th & Burnside, 8 pm) The fact that Ian MacKaye from Fugazi is against George Bush is not shocking news. The fact that NOFX are against George Bush is indeed shocking. Even more importantly: in terms of this year's all-important presidential election, NOFX's opinion is more valuable than MacKaye's. Here why: Fugazi fans are already neck-deep in a Chomsky-an world of Bush hatred; their November ballots are all but cast. But NOFX fans are generally made up of upper-middle-class suburban kids (the Lake Oswego punk if you will), whose vote is dearly needed this fall. Generally, this is a substratum of kids who never even bother to vote, a fact perfectly embodied by Urban Outfitters' horrific "Voting Is For Old People" T-shirt. This tour is part of the PunkVoter.com campaign to register over a half-million new Bush-haters, making it not just an all-star punk gathering, but a blessing to the future of this country. EZRA ACE CARAEFF



THE GET-UP KIDS, RECOVER, ROCKY VOTOLATO
(Aladdin, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Okay, so I haven't completely written off the Get Up Kids, but their brand-new record, Guilt Show, sure does a great job convincing me that they're no longer into the rock and roll so much as they're into writing some songs while sitting around a fire roasting marshmallows or something. But to TGUK's credit, they've always been an impressive live band--really fun energy, great sound--so even if they are less rock these days, you still might have a good time bobbing your head and singing along when they pull classics like "No Love" and "Close to Home" out of the vault (which, hopefully, they will do). MEGAN SELING



N*E*R*D*, THE BLACKEYED PEAS, SPYMOB
(Crystal, 1332 W Burnside) Somebody should tell N*E*R*D* to "do you first." While Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams (AKA the hottest man alive, and "looking"! according to a recent issue of Teen Vogue) have made some of the most remarkable production in pop and hiphop music history, they're always giving it up to everyone else. Certain recent beats ("Change Clothes," hello) have skeptics wondering if they're falling off, or at least stuck in a pattern. N*E*R*D* is, of course, their rock band (both were trained as jazz musicians), but it may fall victim to a similar fate: the most memorable part of their recent single, "She Wants to Move," is not a piece of music but a lyric: "Her ass is a spaceship I wanna ride." Far be it from me to refuse! But it'll be interesting to see how Chad and Pharrell deal with this bend in the road. JS



WEDNESDAY 3/31

THE CAPITOL YEARS, LET IT RIDE, JACKIE
(Berbati's, 231 SW Ankeny) Let It Ride are like classic biker bar rock revived. They even say "little mama." They could make a really cool music video with blondes in daisy dukes and tractors. It seems like every six months or so Jackie has changed some element of their lineup and sound. As of last weekend, however, they are sounding incredible. The singer has the most nasal voice humanly possible, and he sings as though he's being smothered with a plastic grocery bag. MS



HEATHER PERKINS, CARLA MANN, NEENA MARKS
(Contemporary Crafts Gallery, 3934 SW Corbett) Heather Per kins is an electronic sound sculptor, but her compositions aren't all up in the visceral, ambient slow build that term may connote. Her music is squished and stretched, samples of animals or humans pieced together playfully and cleverly. It's a very visual type of composing, onomatopaeic and bombastic. JS



STEREOLAB, MANITOBA
(Crystal, 1332 W Burnside) For his new record, Toronto-born Dan Snaith--the man behind Manitoba--ditched the glitches and jazzy breaks and began crafting music inspired by both his formidable collection of old psychedelic vinyl and the densely constructed sonics of My Bloody Valentine and Mercury Rev. Live, Snaith and his two touring accomplices dash around a stage cluttered with guitars, keyboards, melodicas, a glockenspiel, two drum kits, and loads more gear to recreate the album's freewheeling vibe. "Hopefully by the time it's over the place will be flattened and there'll be shit everywhere," Snaith laughs. "The best shows are when everything's broken by the end." MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG



ROCK 'N' BOWL: MONA REELS, THIS IS A PROCESS OF A STILL LIFE, BURKE JAM, DJS AMPHETAMINE BLUE & BACKSTREET BRAT
(Grand Central Bowl, 624 E Morrison) Sometimes the Mona Reels sound just like a number in a modern musical. When you listen to the polite and pleasant instrumentation behind the expressive yet gentlemanly vocals you can just picture some twit in a three piece hamming it up in a stage gazebo. Which is just great! This Is A Process Of A Still Life composes songs as long and atmospheric as they sound, almost a hipper version of Joe Satriani, with less penis, and more sensitivity. Plus, the latest DJ acquisitions to the Bowl are tag-teaming the best of bubblegum (hint: one of them used to be an Exploding Heart). MS