SUPER PICK

JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON, BLACK STAR RIDERS
(Tues, April 17 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N Winning Way) There’s no arguing that Judas Priest played a huge part in forging the path for heavy metal and every sub-genre that’s branched from it. Priest’s discography is full of epic peaks, dismal valleys, and everything in between. It’s an adventure, not a boardwalk bike ride. From Priest’s inception to present day, their musical evolution has been filled with risks, failures, and some of the best, most timeless rock ’n’ roll and heavy metal ever written. Between 1974 and 1977—the sexy, heavy-grooving, hard-rocking phase of Judas Priest—the band produced albums like Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny. Think less studs and black leather, and more flared pants and silken robes. Priest didn’t begin to sharpen their edge until “Exciter,” the opening track of 1978’s Stained Class, but after that, albums like British Steel and Screaming for Vengeance (which contain hits like “Breaking the Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”) showed the world, and major record labels, that heavy metal was a force to be reckoned with. There were some missteps along the way; Priest succumbed to the over-production and watered-down silliness of the ’80s with Turbo and Ram It Down. Thankfully, they were able to transform again with the thunderous anthems and clenched fists of 1990’s Painkiller. In 2008, Priest tried their hand at a grandiose concept album with Nostradamus, and depending on who you ask, it was either a success or a flaming shit-pile of a failure. For a band nearing its 50th year of activity, the power and resolution of Judas Priest’s brand-new record Firepower is completely unexpected—they should be operating in paint-by-numbers riffs and stale clichĂ©s at this point in their career. Instead, the band returns to the catchy swagger, pummeling punishment, and confidence of their heyday. Who knows what the future holds for Judas Priest, now that vocalist Rob Halford and bassist Ian Hill are the only original members still touring. But until they hang up their studded codpieces for good, the ride promises to be steely and satisfying. ARIS HUNTER WALES

WEDNESDAY 4/11

CAMILA CABELLO, BAZZI
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Though her departure from the X Factor-bred group Fifth Harmony was quite controversial, Camila Cabello’s solo career is already off to an incredible start. Last year the Cuban American pop-star dropped the underappreciated single “Crying in the Club,” and recently released her debut LP, Camila, which is packed with earworms like “Havana” and the eyebrow-raising “Real Friends” (hmm
 wonder who that’s about). CIARA DOLAN

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, HEALTH, FIELD MEDIC
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Since much of the folk music played on the radio these days is akin to Mumford and Sons, I’m wary of just about anyone associated with the genre. But San Francisco singer/songwriter Kevin Patrick Sullivan—who performs and records under the moniker Field Medic—brings synth and drum-machine beats to his warm, heartfelt blend of folk and lo-fi bedroom pop. With vivid storytelling and endearing twang, Sullivan’s 2017 album, Songs from the Sunroom, extracts all the best parts of stripped-down folk ballads. DELANEY MOTTER

THURSDAY 4/12

JADEN SMITH
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE CĂ©sar E. ChĂĄvez) Raised by the power of Will, Jaden Smith has acted in movies both decent (The Karate Kid) and stupid (After Earth). He has worn a white, full-body Batman costume to Kimye’s wedding. (“I felt as though I needed to protect everyone there,” he later explained, "and needed to have the proper gear to do so.”) He has justified the existence of Twitter with nuggets of zen like “If A Cup Cake Falls From A Tree How Far Away Will It Be From Down. #Jupiter” and “Loving You Is Like Chasing Pigeons.” And now he’s visiting Portland on his “VISION TOUR,” billed as “A North American Journey” that will likely feature Smith performing songs from his latest album, SYRE, such as “B,” “L,” “U,” and perhaps even “E.” (A$AP Rocky guests on this album! Okay!) Look, nothing makes sense anymore and we’re all going to die in a nuclear ragnarok, so what do you have to lose from going to see whatever the fuck Jaden Smith is up to? #Jupiter ERIK HENRIKSEN

FAUSTINA MASIGAT, BIRGER OLSEN
(Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta) Read our story on Faustina Masigat.

MOPE GROOVES, HONEY BUCKET, TABLE SUGAR, FANTASTIC PLASTIC
(American Legion Post 134, 2104 NE Alberta) Read our review of Mope Grooves’ new record, Vanished.

ALBERT HAMMOND JR., PINKY PINKY
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) For better or worse, Albert Hammond Jr. inspired a generation’s worth of garage-rock bands with his nervy guitar sound in the Strokes. That band hasn’t been terribly interesting in a long time, but Hammond Jr.’s solo career is an underappreciated delight, especially his terrific debut (2006’s Yours to Keep) and his brand-new album Francis Trouble. The title is an alter-ego of sorts, named after Hammond Jr.’s late twin, who was stillborn months before Albert was born in 1979. And the album is packed full of hokey retro-rock and post-punk songs that run on Hammond Jr.’s familiar, razor-sharp jangle. Stream “Far Away Truths” to transport yourself back to the Strokes’ 2001 heyday. Then return to 2018 to hear the rest of Francis Trouble, because it’s an enjoyable listen, top to bottom. BEN SALMON

FRIDAY 4/13

LOMA, JESS WILLIAMSON, LADY LAMB
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Recent Sub Pop signees Loma top this bill, but you won’t want to miss opener Jess Williamson. The Texan singer/songwriter’s excellent forthcoming LP Cosmic Wink lands somewhere between Angel Olsen, Abba, and Laurel Canyon folk—it’s pretty, mystical music with lyrics inspired by Jungian philosophy. Lead single “I See the White” showcases Williamson’s ability to marry pop hooks with her eerily beautiful voice.

BRIGHT MOMENTS, THE CAMAS HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR
(PICA at Hancock, 15 NE Hancock) Read our story on Bright Moments and the Camas High School Choir.

WOODEN SHJIPS, GALAXY RESEARCH
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Wooden Shjips’ fifth record was supposed to be something of a psychedelic summertime sĂ©ance, but the band’s attention was diverted as last summer’s Eagle Creek Fire ravaged the Columbia River Gorge. The result is V, one of Wooden Shijps’ better and remarkably more sanguine releases. Opening track “Eclipse” steadily plots a hypnotic rhythmic interplay, revealing cosmic grooves and trippy, echoing guitar over saxophone and fuzzy bass. The album’s first single, “Staring at the Sun,” clocks in at nearly eight minutes, with a psychotropic “For What It’s Worth” vibe that’s replete with swirling organs. Wooden Shijps’ new record doesn’t drop until late May, but you can get a sneak peek tonight at Bunk Bar. RYAN J. PRADO

STRESS POSITION, OVER, SSOLD, VOG
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) Calling music “post-rock” or “post-hardcore” sounds kind of diminutive—it’s like saying a band is an afterthought to something greater that came before them. Stress Position could easily fit into either of those subgenres, but they don’t really convey the meditative, heavy catharsis of the band’s new self-titled LP, released via label Nadine Records. Its 12 tracks balance general dissonance with moody harmonies, ever-shifting energies, attitudes, and tempos, and blast it all through a fuzzy filter. The result carries a stomping weight and conviction you can’t turn your back on. Plus, six of the tracks include just bass, drums, and vocals—and there’s always something to be said for a band that’s able to break out of the confines of the guitar-bass-drums-vocals formula and still sound whole. ARIS HUNTER WALES

SERA CAHOONE, LENORE
(The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th) Shortly after Sera Cahoone released From Where I Started last year, she hit the road with a full band, including violinist Alex Guy, who embellished the Seattle-based singer/songwriter’s simple Americana songs with airy string textures. (Guy releases her own hauntingly rich songs under the moniker Led to Sea.) The tones were so complementary that Cahoone decided to record a small EP with Guy at the helm on string arrangements. The Flora String Sessions highlight four songs from Cahoone’s canon, like her 2008 tune “Baker Lake,” which originally felt like a hushed, dusty folksong reminiscent of Great Lake Swimmers. This new EP has a pristine sheen; Cahoone’s voice sounds clearer and closer, and the strings slash bright aural streaks throughout, highlighting how the songs’ hope is folded in melancholy. Cahoone will be backed by those very strings tonight at the Old Church. ROBIN BACIOR

DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL, BEACH SLANG, KISSISSIPPI
(Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th) Peter Parker listened to Dashboard Confessional—this is canon. The Floridian emo band wrote what would become one of their biggest hits, “Vindicated,” for the 2004 film Spider-Man 2, but their spirit lives on throughout the trilogy. Like when Parker awkwardly pines after his next-door neighbor, then learns to tango just so he can embarrass his teenage obsession by dancing on tables at the jazz bar where she works. This infamous scene with the geeky teen-turned-superhero douchebag is forever memorialized as “Emo Peter Parker.” This was merely the cringe-worthy completion of his teenage angst arc that reflects the rise and fall of most mid-’00s emo heartthrobs. You know if high school Peter Parker—the kid who slammed his door and blasted The Swiss Army Romance on his Discman—never got his powers, he’d have grown up to be the guy who emcees Emo Nite LA. CAMERON CROWELL

SATURDAY 4/14

URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN, ELDRIDGE GRAVY AND THE COURT SUPREME
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) If you’re missing soul revivalists like Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley (may they rest in peace), then seeing Portland’s own vintage soul and R&B outfit Ural Thomas and the Pain is a no-brainer—especially when it’s hosted at one of Portland’s most pleasant, least musty venues. “Funk juggernaut” Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme also graces the bill, so what in the hell are you waiting for? JENNI MOORE

SUNDAY 4/15

Y LA BAMBA, KERA, BROWN CALCULUS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Luz Elena Mendoza’s folk-art-rock project Y La Bamba reveres Mexican tradition, with songs touching on themes of humanity and higher faith in ways that are relatable and enjoyable to the ears they fall upon. After putting the project on a hiatus, Mendoza thankfully returned to examining the intersections of her cultures with 2016’s Ojos Del Sol, and she’s giving us another chance to feel the intimacy of her performance before hitting the road on a co-headlining tour with SoCal folk band Kera. With Brown Calculus rounding out this bill, there’s much to absorb and appreciate when it comes to the works of great musicians of color. CERVANTE POPE

MONDAY 4/16

LO MOON, KRAUS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Lo Moon is in a tough spot. The cosmopolitan LA trio wrote and released a killer single (“Loveless”) in late 2016 that caught a lot of attention for its sumptuous fusion of silky R&B falsetto and faux-indie vibe. The band hired a powerful publicist, toured the country, and lots of websites wrote about the song, and then there was... nothing, more or less, for about a year. In February, Lo Moon released its self-titled debut LP, which features a bunch of songs cursed with the expectation that they’ll live up to “Loveless.” (They don’t.) Lo Moon isn’t bad, and Lo Moon isn’t bad, they just set themselves an awfully high bar to clear. Opening for Lo Moon, however, is Kraus, whose new album Path is a promising marriage of experimental drones, claustrophobic rock, and noisy shoegaze. BS

TUESDAY 4/17

JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON, BLACK STAR RIDERS
(Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N Winning) Read our Judas Priest super pick.

CAM
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) You can’t knock Cam’s hustle. It was only about five months ago that this California-born country artist was here to play the Hawthorne Theatre. Though performing at the smaller Doug Fir Lounge might seem like a step backward for her, this feels more like a little treat for fans to catch her in a more intimate setting than, say, the arenas where she’s been opening for George Strait and Harry Styles. The show also serves as an appetite-whetting for anyone who has been quietly hungering for Cam’s new album. The only taste fans have received as of late has been “Diane,” the spirited single inspired by Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and sung from the perspective of a mistress as she begs forgiveness from the woman she unknowingly wronged. It’s plenty good, but definitely not as satisfying as a new record will be. ROBERT HAM

HAYLEY KIYOKO Tues 4/17 Wonder Ballroom Atlantic Records

HAYLEY KIYOKO
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Hayley Kiyoko has been in the spotlight since her childhood—with film roles, TV appearances, and even a tour opening for Justin Bieber as a member of pop group the Stunners all on her resume before she was of legal drinking age. Still, her solo debut Expectations feels like our first true up-close-and-personal look at Kiyoko. Turns out her hit 2015 single “Girls Like Girls” paved the way for the new album, which finds Kiyoko singing plainly about lesbian relationships and sensuality to the sound of electronic dream-pop. While there are more openly gay pop stars than ever, it’s still rare—and vital, and wonderful—to hear a young woman singing about women. “I think it’s just important for people to lead by example,” she told Billboard last month. “My motto is to help people love themselves sooner.” BS

LUKE COMBS, ASHLEY MCBRYDE, DREW PARKER
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) This double-barreled night of country music represents the platonic ideal of how to book a concert. He’ll be joined by Ashley McBryde, an up-and-comer from Arkansas who just released her debut album Girl Going Nowhere, a sharp collection of tunes informed as much by the old school of outlaw artists (Merle Haggard, Townes Van Zandt) as it is by the ’90s school of empowered female artists (Melissa Etheridge, Dixie Chicks). Headlining is Luke Combs, a young ginger who’s been pushing ably against the tide of pop-star-minded country gents with the sleek, brash tone of the beer-quaffing, heartbroken tunes that populate his first full-length, This One’s for You. Both are on their way to bigger stages and brighter lights. This is as up close and personal as you’re bound to get with them. RH