SUPER PICK
JAY-Z, VIC MENSA
(Moda Center, 1 Center Court) Thereâs a very famous rapper, businessman, and husband performing at the Moda Center Thursday night, and considering the number of mega-popstars who pass through our fair burg, thatâs something to be excited about. Jay-Z is a legend, plain and simple, and if youâd like to know more about him or his solid new album, 4:44... I donât know, Google it? But if youâre going to the show, be sure to get there on time so youâre not one of those folks wandering in during the opener. Vic Mensa is probably the biggest young MC not named Chance to come out of Chicago in recent years. Mensa and Chance the Rapper are old friends and collaborators, and they share some attributes: artistic ambition, social awareness, a knack for melodic hip-hop, and singing voices they arenât afraid to use. But while Chance pushes his rhymes through a positive, faith-based perspective, Mensa explores darker and harder-edged themes. He broke through in 2013 with an excellent full-length mixtape called Innanetape that showcased his jazz-hop interests and limber flow, then followed that up with a couple of EPs before dropping his official debut, The Autobiography, in July. Itâs not perfectâreleasing rap albums in the Kendrick era is tough, manâbut itâs a perfectly enjoyable tour of Mensaâs strengths. The guy picks solid beats, some built from old soul music (âSay I Didnâtâ), others based on Weezer songs (âHomewreckerâ), and still others with a hard funk feel (âRollinâ Like a Stonerâ). No matter what kind of track heâs rapping against, Mensaâs rhymes touch on insecurity, addiction, despair, sex, violence, street life, and rockinâ âleather like a punk.â In fact, Mensa seems obsessed with the rock-star lifestyle. He makes punk flyers for his concerts, wears studded jackets and Casualties T-shirts, and his shows are apparently wild-eyed, high-energy spectacles. Bottom line: The guy comes at rap music from an interesting, thoughtful, and talented place. BEN SALMON
WEDNESDAY 12/13
COLD WAR KIDS, THE AUTONOMICS
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Long Beach, California, rock band Cold War Kids is known for fusing sparkly, modern aesthetics with soulful sounds. Nowhere is this successful clashing more apparent than on their new album, LA Divine. From the rambling, retro âLuck Downâ and âOrdinary Idolsâ to the sticky-sweet âCan We Hang On?â and âLove Is Mystical,â Cold War Kids display unrelenting fervor that will undoubtedly translate to a spectacular live performance. DELANEY MOTTER
THURSDAY 12/14
THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Life doesn't have many hard-and-fast rules, but here is one of them: Never pass up a chance to see the Mountain Goats. John Darnielle has been killing it in the literary scene the past few years (if you haven't already, hit Powell's and pick up his acclaimed, haunting novels Wolf in White Van and Universal Harvester), but the best way to be thrilled and moved by his clever, melancholy tales is to hear him sing them into a microphone over guitar and drumsânot many bands are this smart, and not many bands are this fun to see live. Plus, all proceeds benefit the nonprofit Oregon Institute for Creative Research. ERIK HENRIKSEN
JAY-Z, VIC MENSA
(Moda Center, 1 N Center Court) As I look at the swath of ridiculously affordable seats still available for Jay-Zâs â4:44â tour on Ticketmaster, Iâm gonna assume Portlanders arenât familiar with just how monumental Sean Carterâs career has been. Let me guess: You havenât gotten around to listening to 4:44 yetâyouâre too broke to afford Tidal, too lazy, or simply donât careâand in any case youâre mad at Hov for needlessly putting Queen Bey through hell. While thatâs totally valid, 4:44 is the Brooklyn rapperâs most honest, âconsciousâ masterpiece yet. And I mean, for godâs sake: This is the man who gave us âBig Pimpinâ,â âHard Knock Life,â âRun this Town,â â99 Problems,â and âPublic Service Announcementââjust a few of roughly 30 hits heâll be performing on Thursday. So take it from someone whoâs seen him in concert twice: Snatch a ticket and go watch a true master take the Portland stage for the first time in over a decade. Itâd be great if Portland didnât have a stereotypically lame turnout, especially when thereâs a possibility BeyoncĂ© will beâHALP! Someone hand me a paper bag to breathe into! JENNI MOORE
RITUAL VEIL, TERROR APART
(Killingsworth Dynasty, 832 N Killingsworth) Take the electronic, synth-drenched fervor of new wave â80s acts like the Cure and Depeche Mode and add in despondent vocals, frank sexual overtones, and sexbeat sounds, and youâve got Ritual Veil. On their debut EP, Wolf in the Night, the new Portland trioâcomposed of members of Steel Chains and the now-defunct Smoke Ringsâtips their chained biker caps in homage to the dark romanticism of the past without sounding clichĂ© at a time when leather-and-lace goth subcultures are the latest social media craze. This show is both a Pacific Northwest/Canada tour kickoff and a video premiere party for the EPâs title track. CERVANTE POPE
FRIDAY 12/15
BARR BROTHERS, ANGELO DE AUGUSTINE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Canadian/American group the Barr Brothers use elements of folk and rock as jumping-off points for immersive, atmospheric songs that donât quite sound like anything else. The inventiveness of the brothersâwho also boast a non-brother, harpist Sarah PagĂ©, among their ranksâis evidenced on the Barrsâ impressive third album, Queens of the Breakers, and as a live act, theyâre practically peerless. NED LANNAMANN
I CAN LICK ANY SONOFABITCH IN THE HOUSE, BOMF AND THE ANGRY LISAS, CHRIS MARGOLIN
(Danteâs, 350 W Burnside) Itâs strange to think itâs been 15 years since the release of I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the Houseâs Creepy Little Noises, but, as Stephen King writes, time is a face on the water, and weâre all tumbling toward our mortal coils one way or another. Creepy Little Noises was the Portland juggernautâs ferocious country-punk debut, anointing frontman Michael Dean Damron as one of the cityâs most fearless outlaw songwriters. The group practically lives at Danteâs when theyâre in town, and even released a live album recorded at the venue in 2006, so itâs a fitting setting to celebrate the anniversary of their debut. The bandâs last studio album, 2013âs Mayberry, was perhaps their finest yet, merging Mike Dâs matter-of-fact political screeds with nostalgia for America of yesteryear. Expect a raucous sing-along with plenty of raised tallboys. RYAN J. PRADO
BADBADNOTGOOD, 1939 ENSEMBLE
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) Badbadnotgood is technically a jazz group, but the Toronto outfitâs music leans more toward post-bop, trip-hop, and instrumental hip-hop. With cool confidence and mellow precision, the foursome builds off of each otherâs energy in wild live showsâitâs no wonder theyâve collaborated with hip-hop giants like Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah, and Danny Brown. Also unsurprising? Their Portland show is completely sold out. CP
SATURDAY 12/16
XRAY HOLIDAY GLAM AND GOTH BALL: VICE DEVICE, BOYS KEEP SWINGING
(Spare Room, 4830 NE 42nd) Join the great non-profit radio station for a non-lame holiday party in this season full of incredibly lame holiday parties. Itâs time to get creative, too, as youâre encouraged to head to the Spare Room with some combination of, you guessed it, both colorful and non-gender-conforming glam and all-black goth styles. Think you can pull off Ziggy Stardust and Siouxsie Sioux, at the same time? DDDJJJ666 will be spinning records and Bowie cover band Boys Keep Swinging will be rocking out. It should be fun.
CAM, LOGAN MIZE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE CĂ©sar E. ChĂĄvez) Read our story on Cam.
RED FANG, PUSHY, ACID WASH
(Danteâs, 350 W Burnside) Itâs been a long time since Red Fang was any kind of secret, but that doesnât mean they canât pretend theyâre still digging around in the trenches. The Portland metal bandâs world domination has been ruthless, their path paved with the bones of nonbelievers. Truth be told, the foursome has cultivated a following based not only on explosive riffage, but also a commitment to the underground they came from. When theyâre not touring across the globe, theyâre pretty much free to play wherever they want in the Portland area, which is why theyâve spent their downtime haunting intimate venues like the Know and White Owl. The bandâs live shows are great, and their tight interplay only gets stronger the longer theyâre together. This show at Danteâs will be your chance to catch them up close and personal if you havenât had the chance to before. RJP
PEDRO THE LION, ADVANCE BASE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Pedro the Lion only released four albums, but boy did people connect with them deeply: sad kids (and adults) who didnât dig the aggression of emo. Folks with a taste for melancholy melodies. Pacific Northwest indie scenesters. Christians looking for an alternative to mainstream Christian music. Fans of top-shelf storytelling. From 1995 to 2006, David Bazan was the creative force behind this faith-curious indie-rock band, by all accounts a modestly successful venture with a passionate, medium-sized fan base. But since Bazan shuttered the project to focus on his solo work, interest in Pedro the Lion has grown, and now a whole bunch of people are stoked for reunion shows and new recordings. Thatâs why the bandâs three-night Portland stand is totally sold out. BEN SALMON
FRONTFLIP
(Anarres Infoshop, 7101 N Lombard) Thereâs something so satisfying about hardcoreâs ability to express extreme emotions, and that even the least aggressive listeners can find catharsis in its energy. The music of Frontflip features all of the genreâs typical trappings: abrasive vocals, driving power chords, and violent yet tightly controlled percussion. Despite its somewhat stereotypical sound, the band stands out with lyrics discussing identity politicsâunusual subject matter for hardcore. Maybe if more bands were able to drop the hypermasculine act, the genre as a whole would be less of a toxic wasteland. This show is a benefit for No! to Rape Culture, a local organization that âaims to dismantle patriarchal structures within the punk/hardcore/metal scene.â DM
BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Whatever your take on Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, youâve got to give the band props for sticking to neo-swing revivalism two decades after the fad passed. Back when men called each other âmoneyâ and wore porkpie hats without a trace of irony, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy were the among the biggest rock stars of the retro swing craze, with multi-platinum record sales, TV and film appearances, a Grammy nomination, and a live performance at the 1999 Super Bowl alongside Stevie Wonder and Gloria Estefan. But that brief period is now like an embarrassing high school yearbook photoâbetter not mentioned at all. And yet Big Bad Voodoo Daddy continues to carry the torch for swing revival (or is it now swing revival revival?), with their latest album, Louie Louie Louie, a collection of songs by the great purveyors of swing: Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, and Louis Prima. The band has also released three Christmas albums, so itâs a fair bet that this show will feature plenty of swinging carols to get you dancing and prancing and jingling around the clock. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY
VIOLENCE CREEPS, TOYOTA, VOG, NEGATIVE OPTION
(The Know, 3728 NE Sandy) Many contemporary punk bands journey into darkness and despair by following behind the behemoths of â80s post-punk, and too often the results are wan reflections of cold terror, familiar ghosts that comfort instead of spook. Oaklandâs Violence Creeps also scout the past for sounds charged with malice and dread, but theyâre more likely to end up in the primal zone described by the Germsâ âShut Downâ and Flipperâs âSex Bomb.â With the right tour guides, this can still be legitimately scary territory, and Violence Creeps knows exactly where the gnarliest pockets of slime and grime still thrive. The band is at its best when it gives itself over to mid-tempo meltdowns, viciously simple songs that throb with baleful promises of mutant shapes and startling new versions of death. It isnât pretty at all. But have you noticed the world lately? This is the soundtrack it deserves. CHRIS STAMM
SUNDAY 12/17
JENNY DONâT AND THE SPURS, JOEY BRIGGS, RYAN SOLLEE, IKE FONSECA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Portlandâs own Jenny Donât and the Spurs are headlining this foot-stompinâ feel-good holiday show filled with punky Western-style get downs, and itâs for a good cause to boot! This fifth annual toy drive (titled Rock for Reason) will benefit Portlandâs Ronald McDonald House, and will also feature the Builders and the Butchersâ Ryan Sollee, LAâs Joey Briggs, and local singer/songwriter Ike Fonsecaâand all you have to do is bring a new, unwrapped toy, and a thirst for a good-time, downhome night of C&W fun. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See Saturdayâs preview.
PORTUGAL. THE MAN, HUSTLE AND DRONE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) One of the strangest musical stories of 2017 must be the mainstream breakthrough of Portugal. the Man. For those in the dark, hereâs a quick catch-up: A couple of high school friends from Wasilla, Alaska, formed a band in the early 2000s and eventually moved to Portland, where they started building a following that dug their vibrant, proggy psych-rock. Over the past decade theyâve released eight studio albums, signed to Atlantic Records, worked with stars like Danger Mouse and Mike D, and, earlier this year, scored a number one hit on a few of Billboardâs alternative and rock charts. The song is called âFeel It Still,â and itâs a snappy little faux-soul number that you mightâve heard in an iPad or Vitamin Water commercial. Itâs now nominated for a Grammy and the band is bigtime, so this show at the Crystal has been sold out for a while. BS
MONDAY 12/18
PEDRO THE LION, ADVANCE BASE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See Saturdayâs preview.
TUESDAY 12/19
SOUND + VISION: FRANKIE SIMONE, SIREN AND THE SEA
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) This monthâs free, Mercury-sponsored Sound + Vision show features sets from two sickeningly talented Portland-based artists who also happen to be women. Thereâs pop musician Frankie Simone, a queer Puerto Rican powerhouse whoâll be flanked by her two backup dancers, and multi-instrumentalist Cristina Cano who performs her aqua-tinged electro-pop under the moniker Siren and the Sea. From what I can tell, this lineup might have enough sunny vibes to melt your icy winter heart. JM
EVANESCENCE
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) When I was in fourth grade, my teacher assigned a research project on Arkansas. The most important fact I learned was that the state capital is Little Rock, where Evanescence formed in 1995. Since then, the bandâs lineup has changed frequently, but singer/pianist Amy Lee remains. Her intense, moody voice and lyrics set Evanescence apart from other goth-rock bands. You might remember the radio hit âBring Me to Life,â a song I still find terrifying, perhaps due to the tinkling horror movie piano intro. Evanescence will play the Schnitz with a full orchestra Tuesday night, which seems like an appropriate venue, considering Lee always reminded me of the opera-singing alien from The Fifth Element. ISABEL LYNDON