SUPER PICK
HAIM, LPX
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Itâs amazing to me when siblings A) share the same talents and B) can tolerate each other long enough to make art. In that sense, the sisters Haim are a true miracle of nature. Este, Alana, and Danielle made an excellent first impression with the 2012 EP Forever, which was solidified the following year with the release of their glossy debut LP, Days Are Gone. Most Haim songs stick to a rigid (but foolproof) formula: They sing interweaving three-part harmonies over a heavily produced, bass-forward melody with percussive guitar riffs, R&B grooves, glittering synth, and stomp-clapped rhythms. The result sounds like Belinda Carlisle and Stevie Nicks collaborating over drum machine beats. All 11 tracks on their first record are infectious and wild: âDonât Save Meâ and âIf I Could Change Your Mindâ are arena-ready anthems, and âThe Wireâ is one of the best âsorry Iâm not sorryâ breakup songs of all time. Live, they perform choreographed dance moves with lots of synchronized hair-whipping. Haim just released their second album, Something to Tell You. Itâs just as good as Days Are Gone, but in a completely different wayâthe appeal of the new, softer pop-rock sound is less immediate. Rather than soundtracking the heat of the moment, Something to Tell You deals with everything that surfaces in the days, weeks, and months after blowing an emotional fuse. This is reflected in more complex arrangements, like the RumoursÂ-esque âWant You Backâ and the monolithic âRight Now,â which expands and contracts with measured control (the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed music video shows the sisters masterfully recording a live-in-the-studio version of the track). But the recordâs standout is âKept Me Cryingââled by a swaggering bass line, the lonesome ballad wanders through heartbreak before devolving into a twangy guitar breakdown. Hereâs hoping Haim continues to evolve, because Something to Tell You builds from Days Are Gone in all the right ways. CIARA DOLAN
WEDNESDAY 8/30
MORDECAI, AMANI, AMENTA ABIOTO
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Mordecai is getting ready to embark on a European tour thatâll last through the end of November. Thatâs some serious traveling! But before they leave town, the Portland pop trioâs celebrating the release of their new album, Itâs Never Enough, with a show at Holocene. Founded by Andrew Endres (lap steel/bass) and Kate Kilbourne (violin/synth), with Nick Quiller on drums, the band takes an unconventional path to modern pop/R&B, building a typical beats-and-synth soundscape (with Endres singing his heart out) and periodically incorporating oddly effective melodic lines using lap steel guitar and violin. Add it all up and you get futuristic robo-pop streaked with hints of neo-classical and roots music, like a landlocked (and less shy) Frank Ocean. Bottom line: Mordecai is different, and different is good. See âem tonight, before theyâre gone âtil December. BEN SALMON
SURFER ROSIE, HOOP, VERSING, GUPPY RIVER
(Turn! Turn! Turn!, 8 NE Killingsworth) Two of Seattleâs best exports are stopping in Portland to showcase both ends of the guitar rock spectrum. Hoopâs self-described âsoft grungeâ preaches the gospel of restraint, with understated arrangements pushing and pulling against deceptively simple parts in clever ways, but still leaving plenty of space for the restlessness and dissatisfaction of songwriter Caitlin Robertsâ lyrics. Her almost-whispered vocals eerily interlock with those of her bandmates for an effect that recalls the Cranberriesâ best moments. Thereâs nothing soft about Versing, on the other hand. Two EPs in the last two years have seen the group fine-tune their take on the fuzzed-out guitar-pop, treading a path that sounds like Dinosaur Jr. covering Lou Reed. NATHAN TUCKER
THURSDAY 8/31
MIC CHECK: MIC CAPES, FOUNTAINE, CASH HOLLISTAH, TROX
(White Eagle, 836 N Russell) This monthâs installment of Mic Check, a last-Thursday hip-hop showcase in North Portland, will feature some of the cityâs most charismatic emcees: Mic Capes and Fountaine (AKA Mikey Fountaine). Capes is set to release his five-track EP Sheesh with producer Drae Slapz a few days before the show, and Fountaine dropped his new full-length H.F.I.L. (Hell For Infinite Losers) earlier this summer, so you can count on hearing some fresh material. A little Twitter bird also told me Fountaine plans to sell his âFuck New Portlandâ tees at the show, so thereâs that also. JENNI MOORE Read our review of Mic Capesâ new EP, Sheesh.
SPRINGTIME CARNIVORE, BALTO, DASHA
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See All-Ages Action!
ADULT BOOKS, THE WOOLEN MEN
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) Last year Adult Books released their debut LP, Running from the Blows, which begins and ends with militaristic drum beats and deadpan vocals. The Los Angeles three-piece put out their first demos in 2011, and then their excellent self-titled EP in 2012. Both releases are rollicking party punkâon the track âIn Love Again,â Nick Winfrey wails over crunchy chord progressions and bouncy solos. Running from the Blows tightens things up, maintaining the danceable aspects of Adult Booksâ earlier work. But the new album shifts the focus away from bratty punk vocals and onto more textured sounds, thanks to the addition of synth and Daniel Quintanillaâs bass lines. CAMERON CROWELL
FRIDAY 9/1
SIMPLE PLAN, THE BOTTOM LINE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See All-Ages Action!
THE ROOTS
(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) If the music industry were a giant board game, the Roots would be major players. Theyâve been making eclectically smooth hip-hop since the â80s, so the title of their 17th album, End Game, is definitely raising some eyebrows. In recent interviews, founding member Tariq âBlack Thoughtâ Trotter says the album will feature contributions from famed producers 9th Wonder and Salaam Remi, and that thematically itâll cover Trump, Black Lives Matter, and other important aspects of life in 2017. End Game still doesnât have an official release date, but if this is the end of the Roots, they can take as long as they need. CERVANTE POPE
1-2-3: WILD ONES, REPTALIENS, STRANGE BABES DJs
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Wild Ones are beloved in Portland, and theyâve been on the verge of a national breakthrough since Topshelf Records re-released their debut LP, Keep It Safe, in 2014. But the dream-pop bandâs been a little quiet latelyâitâs been more than two years since their last release, the five-song EP Heatwave. While Keep It Safe deals in upbeat pop maximalism, stacking layer after layer of pulsing synth and drum machines, Heatwave scales back, building momentum with more measured elements. âDim the Lightsâ is just as suited for a spaced-out, late-night drive home from the club as it is for the dance floor. Wild Ones return this fall with their eagerly awaited follow-up, Mirror Touch. If the single âParesthesiaâ is any indication, theyâve found a happy medium between Keep It Safe and Heatwave, with a catchy foundation that builds to a fuzzy, bursting-at-the-seams climax. NATHAN TUCKER
OLD UNCONSCIOUS, PETER RAINBEAU, JOHNNY BUTLER
(Turn Turn Turn, 8 N Killingsworth) Saxophonist Johnny Butler is the latest in the new breed of musicians aiming to push jazz beyond the 21st century by folding in elements of electronic and hip-hop production techniques. What sets this former Seattleite apart is his excitable use of looping technology and incorporation of laptops and pre-programmed beats into the mix. Butler visits Portland on the heels of the release of his latest and funkiest album, Hyper Violet, which incorporates live vocal turns from soul singers like Tecla, Sister Sparrow, and Raycee Jones. Joining him on the bill is Old Unconscious, a psychedelically inspired local ensemble featuring Shy Girls member Noah Bernstein and keyboardist extraordinaire Cory Gray. ROBERT HAM
SATURDAY 9/2
1-2-3: BLITZEN TRAPPER, LENORE., STRANGE BABES DJs
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Mississippi Studios, XRAY.FM, and the Mercury are hosting a blowout party called 1-2-3 to celebrate the end of summer. Itâs like a fun mantra you can whisper to yourselfâenduring seven straight months of grey and cold and rain will be as easy as one, two, three! Actually, itâs named that because there will be performances by fantastic Portland bands spread across the first three days of September. Thatâs not allâthere are 1-2-3 passes available for this triad of concerts, and theyâre much more economical than buying tickets to each individual night. Saturdayâs lineup sees folk up-and-comers Lenore. open for alt-country favorites Blitzen Trapper. CIARA DOLAN
AUTONOMICS, ICE QUEENS, DEVY METAL
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our story on Autonomics.
YASIIN BEY, JALLAL
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Portland fans will remember Yasiin Bey (FKA Mos Def) for cancelling his 2015 show with Bad Brains hours before his set. A series of ups and downs since then eventually led to Beyâs decision to retire. He teamed up with producer Ferrari Sheppard for their project Dec 99th, the first in a triad of albums he planned to release before calling it quits. Beyâs end of Dec 99th wasnât well receivedâthe disconnect between him and his lyrics was the most memorable aspect of the album. Itâs still unclear if or when the other two albums, Negus in Natural Person and As Promised (a collaboration with Mannie Fresh), will ever be released. CERVANTE POPE
WIZARD RIFLE, ROBOTS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, TIME RIFT, STRESS POSITION
(High Water Mark, 6800 NE MLK) There was a time when the two dudes in Wizard Rifleâdrummer Sam Ford and guitarist Max Dameronâlived in Portland. Then theay moved to Los Angeles, and now their Facebook profile lists Brooklyn as home. But I think we ought to keep claiming them as ours, because Portland can always use more heavy weirdness, and heavy weirdness is what Wizard Rifle delivers. The bandâs most recent album, 2014âs Here in the Deadlights, is a chaotic collision of sludgy grooves, thunderous drums, battle-axe riffs, math rock rhythms, wild-eyed melodies, punk rock throb, and the overarching philosophy that making things gnarlier and noisier is always better. Hereâs hoping Wizard Rifle will be doing that soon on a follow-up. BEN SALMON
SHE WANTS REVENGE, WILLIAM CONTROL, JACK BRUNO
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) At the very bottom rung of the mid-2000s post-punk hierarchy is where youâll find She Wants Revenge. They never quite achieved the resonating lyrics of Interpol or the catchy melodies of the Killers, but even in their failings, the SoCal bandâs attempts at nouveau goth are endearing, especially on the dark and driving hit âTear You Apart.â Throughout their discography, they rip off contemporaries and play up genre tropesâmoody synth, heavy bass lines, and innuendo-laden lyrics. Waving a She Wants Revenge flag definitely wonât get you much cred, but what the band lacks in originality, they make up for in (some) technical talent. EMMA BURKE
SUNDAY 9/3
BEY DAYâA CELEBRATION FOR THE QUEEN: DJ RONIN ROC, DJ NATHAN DETROIT, HOUSE OF ADA
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Worship at the altar of Queen Bey on the occasion of her birth at Holoceneâs extra-special celebration of Her Flawlessness, Bey Day: A Celebration of the Queen. There will be a YoncĂ© costume contest, DJs playing all of Her Majestyâs deepest cuts, and on-theme video art. Practice your âSingle Ladiesâ moves and get ready to bow down, bitches. MEGAN BURBANK
1-2-3: ORQUESTRA PACIFICO TROPICALE, EDNA VAZQUEZ BAND, STRANGE BABES DJs
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The end-of-summer blowout party goes out with a bang Sunday, with Edna Vazquez Band and the always-energetic Orquestra Pacifico Tropicale. CIARA DOLAN
CONOR OBERST, M. WARD
(Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon) See All-Ages Action!
MONDAY 9/4
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEYONCĂ! Bad bitch contest, you in first place.
TUESDAY 9/5
HAIM, LPX
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Read our super pick on Haim.
SO PITTED, SLEEPING LESSONS, SURFS DRUGS
(The Liquor Store, 3341 SE Belmont) When a bandâs introduced as a âgrunge/noise rock outfit based in Seattle,â I rarely inquire furtherâthose are a dime a dozen. But not So Pitted, whose live performance proves the trioâs ability to smash their way to the front of the crowd. They donât prioritize melody, and instead focus on making music thatâs as noisy and fuzzy as possible, marching forth into territory not yet explored by their contemporaries. So Pitted can switch up the energy, rhythm, and tone multiple times within the same song without losing momentum. Even the most accessible songs on their 2016 debut, Neo, occupy a dark, loud spaceâand it fucking rules. EB