WEDNESDAY 3/12

NICK WATERHOUSE, FRIENDSHIP CAMP, DJ COOKY PARKER
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

PDNEXT: MIKE Q, GHOST DUB, DANNY CORN, GRAINTABLE, PLUMBLYNE
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Voguing had its moment in the pop-culture sun more than two decades ago, thanks to Madonna's 1990 hit dedicated to the New York-originated dance. But house music acolytes know that it has never gone out of style. One reason is that producers like Mike Q (AKA Michael Cox) are still cutting incredible tracks that bring added heat to the still thriving vogue/ballroom scene. Head of the label Qween Beat, the New Jersey-based DJ and musician offers up catty, sweaty tracks that are unashamedly forward about their intended audience of sexy gay men and the people that love them. Stay well hydrated on Wednesday; the temperature at Holocene is gonna be boiling. ROBERT HAM

LAKE STREET DIVE, THE CONGRESS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) If you're anything like me, you recoil at the sound of a lead singer with a wimpy, flavorless voice. However, a singer that sounds constipated doesn't work, either (see: Creed). Luckily, Lake Street Dive lead singer Rachel Price belts out a rich, gooey resonance that could have fallen from the height of Motown. The band's style fits right in with the recent reemergence of soul and old-school R&B, mixed with elements of blues, pop, and jazz. From the group's tight harmonies, the female upright bassist (a rare treat), and the occasional trumpet part, it's no surprise to learn the band met while studying at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Their latest album, Bad Self Portraits, is a great example of how well they've honed their unpretentious, unapologetic sound. ROSE FINN

THURSDAY 3/13

GAYTHEIST, MOLDY CASTLE, ORDER OF THE GASH
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND, GRAVES, MOTHERTAPES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The over-the-top psychedelic rock played by Portland's Wooden Indian Burial Ground can break through even the most jaded cross-armed stance. My introduction to WIBG came a few years ago at the (World Famous) Kenton Club. As the band walloped a blend of warped surf rock and fuzzed-out psychedelia, a man wandered front and center and transferred the excessive energy into an inspired dance routine. The band bent strings and yelped through reverb, and the dancer dropped to his knees and rotated his body backward with the deft composure of a gymnast. It was impossible not to become transfixed by the strangely sensual movements, set to tripped-out, molten garage rock. Even without the mesmerizing dance accompaniment, WIBG always manage to deliver enthralling live shows. Tonight is the last chance to catch them in town until summer, so don't miss out. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

FRIDAY 3/14

WILDFANG ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: HURRY UP, THE GHOST EASE, DJ HERO WORSHIP
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) See My, What a Busy Week!

SPIRIT LAKE, MELVILLE, OLD AGE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) On their second album, The Biggening, Spirit Lake don't shy away from the oil-slick muscle rock that characterized their earlier stuff—tried-and-tattered, bruised-and-battered biker rock in the vein of Blue Cheer (the strain of acid and the band). But The Biggening might be the Portland band's Led Zeppelin III, as there are some mellower digressions and even a few acoustic guitars here and there. Starting with the peaceful, easy feelin' of "Santa Ana Winds" and continuing through the early-morning comedown of "I Want a Love" and "The Town That I Died In," Spirit Lake lets their bluster blow soft, aiming for gentle ripples rather than whitecaps. The overtly country influences are a good fit for the band, but they're still at their best with bluesy, bong-ready blowouts like the swaggering title track. NED LANNAMANN

CON BRO CHILL
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) It's Monday morning and I'm watching Con Bro Chill videos, trying to identify all the different pieces of pop-culture detritus floating by. The Portland band's visual aesthetic is part LMFAO's dayglo Spandex style complete with Bedazzled codpieces, part OK Go fake-mustache dance-off, and part Saturday Night Live winky-winky snicker-fest, all garishly maxed out to cover every square inch of your preferred viral-video screen. The music is a mishmash of sugary synthpop, throbbing EDM, and Andrew WK's punch-the-air party-rock. Mix in some Gaga-like fan engagement (Con Bro Chill has its own "Neon Army"), a Kickstarter with an "Awesome Sauce" pledge level, and a pro lacrosse player for a frontman, and you've got Con Bro Chill. It's like the most annoying parts of the internet from 2007 came back to life in musical form. (Postscript: I just visited CBC's Facebook page. Their influences? "'80s dance music, Freddy Mercury, LMFAO, Andrew WK's attitude, Blink 182, OK Go's videos." One thing Con Bro Chill doesn't do is mystery. Also... it's spelled "Freddie.") BEN SALMON

HILLSTOMP, OTIS HEAT, THE GIT RIGHTS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) During the decade or so that blues-punk duo Hillstomp have been worshipping at the altar of R.L. Burnside, they've managed to expand very little, despite deft musicianship from Henry Kammerer's skillful gee-tar and John Johnson's trashcan percussion. Their brand-new album, Portland, Ore, might be the moment all that changes. Although the duo still breaks into white lightning nouveau-blues on tunes like "Santa Fe Line," the emphasis is not on the player, but the game, with ear-catching, pensive epics like "The Cuckoo" offering more hallucinatory fare. Kammerer's banjo performance on "Undertow" is a feel-good change of pace in spite of the song's tale of a man's last thoughts before drowning. Kammerer and Johnson are still extremely capable of the bullhorn-vocaled, backporch blues-rock that made them such a formidable talent, and songs like "Henry Oh My Henry" are exemplary. This will not be the least bit boring. RYAN J. PRADO

JO DEE MESSINA
(Ponderosa Lounge, 10350 N Vancouver) Though she's hit number one on the country charts and has a couple of platinum albums under her belt, Jo Dee Messina is facing the future without the assistance of any Nashville power players. The Massachusetts native's new album, Me, was funded via Kickstarter and is being released on her own label, Dreambound. It's as good an allegory as you're likely to find for the country music industry's tendency to push aside older established female artists in place of pretty young things. Hopefully, the world will embrace the sass and brass of Messina's latest album, filled as it is with bold proclamations of independence ("I'm Not Dead Yet") and clear-eyed views of modern romance ("Love on a Maybe"). RH

THE PYNNACLES, VACILLATORS
(The Foggy Notion, 3416 N Lombard) Featuring members of Satan's Pilgrims, Big Elf, Paradise, and Crackerbash, the Pynnacles' lineup boasts one of the most stacked résumés in town. Indeed, the entire group has played key roles in Portland's rich music history; I've heard numerous tales of frontman Sean Croghan and the energy of his live performances, with some accounts that would give Bill Brasky a run for his money. Even with all the history surrounding the Pynnacles, the band's ability to mesh together on stage and deliver their authentic, commanding take on classic '60s garage rock took me by surprise when I saw it in person. Tonight's show serves as a benefit for the Peninsula School K-8 Library, giving you all the more reason to pack the Foggy Notion and dance the night away. CT

THE PROTONS, KING GHIDORA
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Following their 7-inch released last year, instrumental space-surf-garage band the Protons have a full-length at the ready, and Out of Phase is an atmospheric cruise on an interstellar wave. There are traditional surf numbers, complete with plenty of watery reverb and tremolo-bar guitar swoops; there are go-go monster mashes and space-cowboy dance parties; and there's even a wonky math-rock extendo-jam ("The Explanatory Gap"). With tunes bearing titles like "Attack of the Cybermen," "My Robot Is Drunk!" and "Be Prepared for a Fantastic Adventure into the Future," it's clear that the Protons' "sci-fried" take on surfy garage rock is out of this world. NL

SATURDAY 3/15

XRAY LAUNCH: URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN, OLD LIGHT, REV. SHINES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on XRAY.FM, and see My, What a Busy Week!

STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS, SUN FOOT
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Read our article on Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.

TADA, KELLI SCHAEFER, OLD AGE
(Red & Black Café, 400 SE 12th) Read our article on Tada.

SHIRLEY NANETTE
(Heathman Hotel, 1001 SW Broadway) Read our article on Shirley Nanette.

HILLSTOMP, RIN TIN TIGER, ROOT JACK
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Friday's listing.

BAYSIDE, FOUR YEAR STRONG, DAYLIGHT, MIXTAPES
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) The recent surge in popularity of rock music rooted in and/or inspired by the 1990s has swept up both young bands whose members grew up listening to Jimmy Eat World and Jets to Brazil, and older bands that started back then and have been at it ever since. Bayside, from Queens, New York, falls into the latter category. The quartet formed in 2000 and spent the next dozen years with its nose to the underground grindstone, releasing four albums via punk stalwart label Victory Records, playing tons of Vans Warped Tours, and otherwise touring its brains out, gathering legions of loyal fans, if not major mainstream success. The band's sixth album, Cult, is a reliably catchy collection of workmanlike pop-punk and emo that probably won't convert the masses, but should please those among us who've been eagerly awaiting a new Bayside record. BS

SUNDAY 3/16

SANCTUARY: REFLECTIVE SURFACES, TEMPLE MAPS, NO PARADES, TIM WESTCOTT, MIKE JEDLICKA
(Lightbar, 1401 SE Morrison) Psychedelic ambient sounds under neon lights, guiding you toward the outer reaches of the galaxy—what could be more relaxing on a Sunday night? The Sanctuary Sundays series has been finding gems hiding under rocks for a while now, presenting some of Portland's most interesting (albeit obscure) ambient electronic artists in Lightbar's trippy atmosphere. This month, No Parades gives us a taste of meditative ecstasy with drone-filled atonal escapades. Their cinematic oeuvre will leave you on cotton cloud nine when you finally awake from your trance-induced daydream. Reflective Surfaces bring a more playful vibe by way of heavily effected synthesizers and prank call madness. Temple Maps offer a divinely pulsing collage of subliminal space messages. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

THE CRY, CONTACT CLUB, VERNER PANTONS
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) For better or worse, the Cry is the type of band that can't help but propel the essence of rock 'n' roll from the very core of its being. They've got some pretty killer chops, and their take on three-minute power-pop constructs is appealing, if well worn. The quartet's sophomore album, Dangerous Game, weaves a similar quilt of big-riff rock from the '70s, paying homage to artists like Marc Bolan, Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, and perhaps most significantly, beloved and short-lived PDX band Exploding Hearts. Songs like opener "Discotheque" fold doo-wop, Motown, pop, rock, and punk into a seemingly effortless burst of fist-pumping glory. Despite the channeling of paint-by-numbers rock idols, the Cry remain an energetic new blip on the radar screen, and ought to push the intimacy of Valentine's to the brink of destruction for tonight's album release. RJP

MONDAY 3/17

HARRY SMITH NIGHT: MARISA ANDERSON, DRAGGING AN OX THROUGH WATER, LORI GOLDSTON, JOLIE HOLLAND, MICHAEL HURLEY, JESSIKA KENNEY
(Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy) See My, What a Busy Week!

HORNET LEG, THE WOOLEN MEN, CARSICK CARS, FLAVOR CRYSTALS
(Habesha, 801 NE Broadway) On first listen, you may not notice that Carsick Cars aren't always singing in English. The Beijing band's new album, 3, is filled with Anglo rockisms like motorik groove, Kiwi jangle, and Yo La Tengo guitar-pop swirl—in other words, the sorts of things that make music writers and record dweebs swoon. Since I fall safely into both categories, I can happily tell you that (a) of course, the album is absolutely fucking fantastic, and (b) there's far more than simple appropriation of Western rock tropes to Carsick Cars—they've got a unique, genuine, and entirely fascinating element of cross-pollination going on. No wonder they're cultural lightning rods in China. The band has opened for Sonic Youth in Europe, and the new album was co-produced by Spacemen 3's Sonic Boom and the Clean's Hamish Kilgour, but you don't need to rely on Carsick Cars' upstanding pedigree and associations—just take a listen to "15 Minutes Older" and try to resist canceling your St. Patrick's Day plans in favor of seeing this band in the flesh. Throw some of Portland's best garage bands on the bill, and this is the absolute can't-miss show of the week. NL

THE SWORD, BIG BUSINESS, O'BROTHER
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Austin, Texas, retro-metal outfit the Sword's initial traditional approach of black-light-poster medieval imagery and chugging doom riffs was cliché but well-executed, but 2010's Warp Riders and 2012's Apocryphon took different approaches in terms of both sound and thematic content, ditching the Dark Ages for outer space and other mythological subjects, and moving to a more classic-sounding hard-rock style. Though this new stuff isn't necessarily better than the old, the band seems to be doing something right, as they have recently been featured on soundtracks of big-budget Hollywood films and released their own line of hot sauces and beers (so metal). Seattle's Big Business manage to do way more with less—that is, make louder, better-sounding records with fewer members/publicity moves. MIKE RAMOS

TOWERS, NORTH, DIE LIKE GENTLEMEN
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) "Hell," the opening track off Portland two-piece Towers' latest record, II, is an absolute mindfuck on multiple levels. Clocking in at just over 11 minutes, it's what you might imagine a traipse through the nine circles of Hades sounds like. First try to figure out what solar system these guys are from, then wrap your head around the fact that the noise you're hearing is solely the work of drums and bass. Bassist Rick Duncan and drummer Darryl Swan are going on five years as Towers (they played with garage-dwellers the Troglodytes before that), and they have perfected a sound that's like nothing else. Heavy sludge meets stranger warped-bass delicacies. A word to the wise: When Towers perform no one can hear you scream. MARK LORE

TUESDAY 3/18

THIS WILL DESTROY YOU, SILENT LAND TIME MACHINE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

PURLING HISS, LANDLINES, HAVANIA WHAAL
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our article on Purling Hiss.