THURS SEPT 27
Haley Heynderickx, Barna Howard, Matt Dorrien, Faustina Masigat, Ryan Oxford, Taylor Kingman
Since releasing her already beloved debut LP I Need to Start a Garden earlier this year, Portland singer/songwriter Haley Heynderickx has toured the world, played at NPR’s Tiny Desk, and returned to Oregon for two triumphant sets at Pickathon. Tonight—at her first Portland appearance since her sold-out Mississippi Studios show in March—Heynderickx will play her tender (and sometimes whimsical) folk songs about bugs, God, and the desire to plant things that will grow with her labelmates at Mama Bird Recording Co.’s Songs-in-the-Round. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 8 pm, $15-18, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
Japanese Breakfast, Ought
Japanese Breakfast frontwoman Michelle Zauner is a pop music genius—for proof, just listen to the explosive hook of her breakthrough single “Everybody Wants to Love You,” the gossamer melody of “In Heaven” (from her 2016 debut Psychopomp), or the cosmic grooves of “Road Head” (from 2017’s Soft Sounds from Another Planet). (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, $16-18, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
Mic Check: Mic Capes, Fountaine, Covi, Luvjonez, DJ O.G. One, Trox
The now-quarterly local hip-hop showcase is back this month with a killer lineup. While it’s true that Mic Capes, Fountaine, and Covi have all played Mic Check before, I’m always stoked to see these dudes do their respective things, hear their new creations, and see them grow as performers. But I’m probably most curious to catch a beat set by Luvjonez (co-founder of A Beat Happening producer showcase), who dropped the solid LP Another Level Up with VisualEyez the Poet earlier this year, laying easily digestible verses over lo-fi beats, boom bap, and mellow-but-sunny instrumentals. (White Eagle, 836 N Russell, 9 pm, $8) JENNI MOORE
FRI SEPT 28
Mudhoney, The Scientists, Eat Skull
The Scientists got their start in 1978, walking the line between power pop and punk rock before morphing into something darker and murkier in the ’80s. Either way, they’ve always done their own thing. (You could point to grunge as a possible byproduct of the Australian band and their countrymen Cosmic Psychos, who might’ve otherwise slipped through the cracks.) Now the Scientists are embarking on their first-ever US tour, with two Pacific Northwest dates opening for Mudhoney. Some like to say rock is dead, but tonight it’s very much alive and kicking. (Dante’s, 350 W Burnside, 9 pm, sold out) MARK LORE
Hercules and Love Affair
For those who love the clubs, 2008’s “Blind” by Hercules and Love Affair was the retro, post-disco salvo we didn’t know we needed. Driven by propulsive beats, horns, and the voice of Antony and the Johnsons’ Anohni, “Blind” was a Yazoo-inspired dancefloor jammer that soared to the top of lots of year-end lists. But time and dancefloors change, and with the ascent of EDM, Hercules creator/producer Andy Butler has grown as well. While his 2017 record Omnion may be darker and filled with subtler touches, there’s still plenty here with which to shake one’s bottom. Skanky ’80s electro-pop easily sidles up with the master/slave roleplay of “Controller,” while the album’s title track (with vocals from Sharon Van Etten) is a gorgeous, moody soundscape of swirling horns and beats. For Butler’s Portland appearance he promises all the hits from his 10-year career, remixed and with video accompaniment for your aural, visual, and ass-wiggling pleasure. (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $20) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Eleanor Friedberger, Pill, Deathlist
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 15 years since the Fiery Furnaces polarized the indie rock world with the labyrinthine prog-pop of their sophomore album, Blueberry Boat—a work that made relative stars out of brother-sister duo Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger. They would go on to make six more albums in the wild and woolly ’00s before putting the Furnaces on the shelf for good (so far, at least) in 2011. The current decade has yielded four solo albums from Eleanor, each imbued with her quirky songwriting style and stylish alto. This past May brought the release of Rebound, which finds Friedberger trading her traditional rock palette for drum machines and synthesizers, while retaining her gift for a sneaky earworm melody. In doing so, she pulls off a nifty trick: Rebound offers both a new sound and a familiar feel from an artist who just keeps getting better. (Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $15-18) BEN SALMON
Def Leppard, Journey
I have a confession: In sixth grade, I thought Led Zeppelin and Def Leppard were the same band. My parents had a copy of Pyromania, and I forced myself to listen to it on repeat, thinking this would give me something to vaunt in the cafeteria. Maybe I’m just sentimental about an album that found me in my formative, less discerning years as a listener, but I still like Pyromania more than Physical Graffiti, and I still think Def Leppard occupies this weird blind spot—they lack the Star Bar DJ cred bestowed unto other likeminded groups like Slade and Thin Lizzy, and they’re disdained by fans of “real” metal for being overtly commercial. Def Leppard is somewhat overdue for critical reclamation; every song on Pyromania is a banger, and “Photograph” ranks among that era’s best pop-rock songs. (Moda Center, 1 N Center Ct, 7 pm, $97.50+, all ages) MORGAN TROPER
Chief Keef, Lingo Nation, Karma Rivera
Despite announcing his retirement in 2016, Chicago-born drill rapper Chief Keef is back in the swing of things. In 2017, he released his Two Zero One Seven mixtape, along with his Lil Wayne-inspired LP Dedication. Even though I’m not one for lyrics about guns, it’ll still be cool to hear popular tracks like “Love Sosa,” “I Don’t Like,” and “Everyday.” Portland rapper Karma Rivera will add some local heat to the bill, giving her the opportunity to perform tracks off her debut EP Don’t Sleep on This, which dropped over the summer. (Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez, 9 pm, $25-28, all ages) JENNI MOORE
FRI-SAT SEPT 28-29
Lose Yr Mind Fest: Mean Jeans, Jacuzzi Boys, The Savage Family Band, Jenny Don’t and The Spurs, Weeed, Star Club, LA Witch, Jo Passed, Sugar Candy Mountain, Kyle Craft, Cat Hoch, Kulululu, Melt
Brace your brain for the fifth annual Lose Yr Mind Fest, the beloved two-night music festival that brings together some of Portland’s favorite things: vinyl DJs, arcade games, liquid light show projections, food trucks, and psychedelic music. This year’s jam-packed lineup includes the pummeling punk of Mean Jeans, rock ’n’ roll coven LA Witch, and daydream pop experimentalists Sugar Candy Mountain. (Vitalidad Movement Arts Center, 116 SE Yamhill, 8 pm, $15-25) CIARA DOLAN
SAT SEPT 29
The Jesus Lizard, All Souls
After disbanding in 1999, legendary noise rockers the Jesus Lizard reunited in 2008, and since then they’ve been sporadically clawing through the anti-melodies of their influential catalog on several reunion tours. The band’s last studio record, 1998’s Blue, was put to tape a full 20 years ago, bookending an irreverent underground oeuvre that saw David Yow & Co. flirt with the fringes of the alt-rock explosion of the 1990s, release a split single with Nirvana, and forge a relationship with lauded engineer Steve Albini. Count on Yow’s wails to maniacally reverberate in the cavernous Crystal Ballroom. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 8 pm, $30-35) RYAN J. PRADO
Shonen Knife, Ichi Bichi, Thelma and The Sleaze
Formed by sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano and drummer Michie Nakatani, Shonen Knife has been making fuzzy pop songs about food (like cookies) and alternative rock groups (like Redd Kross and the Buzzcocks) for more than three decades. The band sounds like a cross between the Ramones (they have a Ramones tribute album), ’60s girl group the Pleasure Seekers, and Beat Happening (Calvin Johnson released a Shonen Knife compilation on his label K Records). Despite these similarities, Shonen Knife deconstructed early rock and punk and created a totally new sound. (Dante’s, 350 W Burnside, 9 pm, $13-15) ISABEL LYNDON
Pallbearer, Tribulation
Over their past four albums, Tribulation has evolved from a fairly cut-and-dry death metal band to some kind of gothic, blackened, heavy metal-meets-rock ’n’ roll phenomenon. The exceptional Swedish band’s new album Down Below takes bleak darkness and makes it sound exquisitely beautiful. Most of the credit goes to guitarists Adam Zaars and Jonathan Hultén, who sew a rich tapestry of harmonies and solos that tinkle like a haunted music box and creep like ghostly apparitions. In a live setting, Zaars and Hultén slither, leap, and bound across the stage like they’re the stars of some wicked ballet. (Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez, 8 pm, $16-18, all ages) ARIS HUNTER WALES
Ural Thomas and the Pain, Sávila
Filling a void left by dearly departed revivalists Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones, Ural Thomas and The Pain are set to embark on a national campaign to put Portland's soul music on the map. Tonight's show celebrates the release of their new album The Right Time. (Sat Sept 29, Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8:30 pm, $17-20, all ages) BOBBY SMITH
SAT-MON SEPT 29-OCT 1
Oregon Symphony, Katherine Balch, Inon Barnatan
With selections from four different centuries, tonight’s program promises to be a delicious auditory buffet. The fourth and final symphony of Brahms serves as the main course, but it might be a world premiere from composer Katherine Balch that steals the show. Or perhaps Copland’s 1926 piano concerto will hit the spot with its unique design, anguished beginning, and jazz-infected finale. Personally, I’m preparing to have my soul satisfied by Franz Joseph Haydn’s brilliant Symphony No. 83, where Portland’s finest string sections will burn brightly with snap precision and wry emotion in one of the most goddamn delightful works the composer ever concocted. (Sat Sept 29 & Mon Oct 1 7:30 pm, Sun Sept 30 2 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, $25-125, all ages) BRIAN HORAY
SUN SEPT 30
The Brothers Billygoat
The painstakingly crafted stop-motion animation of the Brothers Billygoat is a mind-blowing thing to behold on a normal everyday screen, but tonight they’ll be projected on the massive dome at OMSI, where they will be absolutely transcendent. The duo will also perform their lovely avant-pop soundtracks as live accompaniment, making this the head trip of the season. (Kendall Planetarium at OMSI, 1945 SE Water, 8 pm, $15) NED LANNAMANN
MON OCT 1
The Beths, Mere Mention, Olivia Awbrey
Don’t worry about placing the Beths within a larger trajectory of New Zealand music. Sure, the Auckland four-piece has a few things in common with the influential “Dunedin sound” and the reservoir of remarkable bands that made up the roster of Flying Nun Records, but the Beths’ sterling debut album Future Me Hates Me is closer to power-pop than jingle-jangle. From the opening track, “Great No One,” the band delivers a smorgasbord of hooks, with fuzzy guitars, soaring choruses, and irresistible melodies stacked high on top of each other. There’s also a magnanimous sense of congeniality, courtesy of singer/guitarist Elizabeth Stokes, whose self-deprecating lyrics and unaffected delivery make her sound like a close, fast friend whose understanding and humor help you make sense of the world. Future Me Hates Me’s title track doesn’t contain a single wasted second, with enough melodic twists and turns to fill an entire album. “Little Death,” meanwhile, is peppy without being frantic, impassioned without being overwrought. And “Happy Unhappy” is pure vitamin D, a ray of sunshine beaming directly into your ears. The musicians that make up the Beths are all former jazz students, but there’s little evidence of their education apart from an assured competence on their instruments. Future Me Hates Me exists in a warm, cozily seductive place that’s not quite twee, not really punk, not exactly pop, and not too rock—it’s a place that can only be described as the Beths, and it stands a pretty good chance of being your favorite new place to hang out. (Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $10-12) NED LANNAMANN
TUES OCT 2
Graham Nash
Every member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young is responsible for a solo album that’s better than anything they ever did together. For Crosby, it’s 1971’s honeyed folk-psych masterpiece If I Could Only Remember My Name. For Stills, it’s the first Manassas record. For Young, it’s basically everything he recorded up ’til 1979. And for Graham Nash, it’s 1971’s Songs for Beginners, a folk-pop classic that contains the British-born songwriter’s most indelible songs: the deceptively jaunty “Military Madness,” the grandiose baroque folk-pop gem “I Used to Be a King,” and the achingly vulnerable lullaby “Simple Man.” Nash is bound to play some of these fantastic tunes tonight, as well as songs from CSNY and, with luck, even a Hollies song or two. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $63.50-395, all ages) NED LANNAMANN
WED OCT 3
First Aid Kit, Julia Jacklin
Over much of the past decade, Swedish duo First Aid Kit have lived in the same fertile valley between classic country and contemporary pop that artists like Kacey Musgraves are currently exploring. (This past June, First Aid Kit buddied up with Ryan Adams to play Red Rocks, a show I very nearly harvested a kidney to get to.) With 2012’s The Lion’s Roar, 2014’s phenomenal Stay Gold, and three releases in 2018 (the Portland-recorded Ruins, the Tender Offerings EP, and the Live from the Rebel Hearts Club EP), sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg are putting out livelier, more heartfelt Americana than most Americans. Last time the Söderbergs played Portland, they sold out the Roseland; now they’re playing the Schnitz, and what the show will lack in intimacy it’ll likely gain in a setting that somehow feels more fitting for their elegant compositions and ever-climbing harmonies. (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 8 pm, $30-45, all ages) ERIK HENRIKSEN
THURS OCT 4
The Thesis: Mat Randol
Mat Randol’s new LP, Art of Allowing, is remarkably listenable, with cohesive production and gorgeous featured vocals. There are way too many gems to include here, but “Be Friends,” “Birthright,” “Seasons Change” (which Randol released a music video for in June), “Incredible” (with a sample from Francis and the Lights), and “Come Through Me Pt.1,” which includes a shout-out to the late Star Chile, are all immediate favorites. Not to compare, but Randol’s delivery and robust, gravelly tone sort of remind me of J. Cole’s flow—in a good way. Art of Allowing can play all the way through, with no skips necessary. Randol is set to headline this October’s Thesis showcase, where you can hear him perform some of these excellent new tracks live. (Kelly’s Olympian, 426 SW Washington, 9 pm) JENNI MOORE
Junglepussy, Kari Faux
I didn’t know about the epic wonders of New York rapper Junglepussy until hearing her song “Bling Bling” on HBO’s Insecure (“Bling bling bitch, do my own thing bitch/Fuck a wedding ring, that ding-a-ling was just a fling bitch”). With lyrics about empowerment, sexual autonomy, vigilant self-care, and financial independence, the Jamaican and Trinidadian MC is the epitome of a bad bitch. Music videos for songs like “All of You,” “Me,” and “Dear Diary” are fierce, fun, and fearless in their feminism and simultaneous sexiness. In one of the most logical lineups I’ve seen in a while, rapper/singer Kari Faux (who’s also landed her music on Insecure) and Portland industrial/booty house rapper Maarquii open the show. I can only imagine the slayage that’s about to ensue. (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $15) JENNI MOORE
THURS-FRI OCT 4-5
Shellac, Buke & Gas
When Shellac toured through Portland a couple years back, the intimacy of their performances made the band’s cantankerous songs uncomfortable in all the right ways. Led by the famously no-bullshit Steve Albini, Shellac still projects that attitude, and in their third decade of existence, they’re still capable of leveling full city blocks with their clunky, minimalist onslaught. Shellac’s most recent album, 2014’s Dude Incredible, sounds pissed off, warm, and huge, thanks in no small part to the insistence of the band’s all-analog recording regimen. It’s up there with Shellac’s more ballyhooed earlier releases, like 2000’s 1000 Hurts. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, sold out) RYAN J. PRADO
FRI OCT 5
Shannon and The Clams, Sávila, Fantastic Plastic
The 1950s seem like they sucked, but Shannon and the Clams salvage all the good stuff from that strange decade with their modern doo-wop revival. Well, at least the good stuff from the movies: shiny cars! Milkshakes! Knife fights! The Oakland band plays music that’s fit for high school gyms and greasy-faced backseat makeouts. There’s something sinister about Shannon and the Clams’ bubblegum-pop, like it’s laced with shards of glass, but that’s probably what catapults them beyond the swamp of nostalgia that drowns less-talented retro bands. Frontwoman Shannon Shaw (whose voice is a national treasure) has had a busy year: She and her Clams released their fifth LP Onion, and she also dropped her stunning Dan Auerbach-produced solo debut, Shannon in Nashville. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 9 pm, $16-18, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
The Social Stomach, The Vardaman Ensemble, Cosmonox
On their recent split cassette with fellow Portland noisemakers Sea Moss, the Social Stomach come close to capturing the pummeling force of their live shows, but there’s still no better way to experience the duo than in the flesh. As cyborg-like TJ Thompson splits his body and mind between drums and electronics, vocalist Diana Oropeza conducts an exorcism of language, her torrent of words crashing into and arcing above the legible chaos summoned by her bandmate. It’s not noise. It’s not punk. It’s not poetry. It’s not rock ’n’ roll. It’s not dance music. It’s all of those things. It’s none of those things. It’s something else entirely. It’s the Social Stomach. (Firkin Tavern, 1937 SE 11th, 8 pm, free) CHRIS STAMM
Oh Sees, Malaikat dan Singa, Møtrik
The howling garage rock of Oh Sees (who now perform without the “Thee”) just keeps getting better and better, and their latest album Smote Reverser is a wild trip into phantasmagoria›s vast, lysergic canyons. With dueling drummers and a huge back catalog to plunder, they’re one of the most ferociously great bands in the country. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 9:30 pm, $22-25, all ages) NED LANNAMANN
SAT OCT 6
Screaming Females, Kitten Forever, Piss Test
The first few seconds of Screaming Females’ absolutely killer new album All at Once announce the New Jersey punk band’s return with short, controlled bursts of noise from a roaring electric guitar and crashing drums. That chaotic but restrained energy courses through the whole 15-track record, from Marissa Paternoster’s guttural vibrato on “I’ll Make You Sorry” to the blistering opening guitar riff on the ode to abstract painter “Agnes Martin” to the double drum attack (featuring Brendan Canty of Fugazi) on the anthemic standout “Soft Domination.” (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9:30 pm, $15-17) CIARA DOLAN
Ty Segall and White Fence, The Lavender Flu
Rock ’n’ roll titan Ty Segall joins White Fence to play songs from their new collaborative album Joy. Though it seems like the prolific Segall should’ve already mapped every shadowy corner of the psychedelic garage, his work with White Fence frontman Tim Presley proves there’s plenty left to explore. The record plays like the extended jam session of two geniuses bouncing off each other, but there are distinct twists and turns: the strangely satisfying 30-second drum breakdown in “Beginning,” the bleary harmonies of “Body Behavior,” and the startlingly simple beauty of closing track “My Friend.” Segall will return to Portland later this month to play an acoustic show at the Aladdin Theater all on his lonesome. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 9 pm, $28-30, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
SUN OCT 7
Kikagaku Moyo, Weeed
Japanese psychedelic folk-rock band Kikagaku Moyo was one of my top acts I saw at this summer’s Pickathon, but even after getting in line early to try to catch their second set at the Galaxy Barn, it was already at capacity and I never got in. But! From what I heard, the five-piece Tokyo outfit puts on a mind-blowing, life-changing show. So it’s a blessing that they’re bringing their signature blend of psychedelia to Portland this October. Funky bass lines, wah-wah guitars, and droning sitar shine on songs like the seven-minute “Dripping Sun,” “Tree Smoke,” and “Gatherings.” Their music is the perfect soundtrack to a day trip (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8:30 pm, $15-17) JENNI MOORE
MON OCT 8
Alkaline Trio, Pangea, Sharp Shock
As frontman for Alkaline Trio, Matt Skiba establishes himself as a vital voice in the ever-growing army of middle-aged men who worship at the altar of scruffy veterans like the Lawrence Arms and the Menzingers. On his band’s new album, Is This Thing Cursed?, Skiba trades Blink-182’s goofball shtick for a darker sound and worldview. The results will alienate diehard Blink fans hoping for Enema of the State: Part Two, but Skiba might just be on to something here. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 7 pm, $25-28, all ages) CHRIS STAMM
Beak>
Have you ever heard someone say they’ve got an itchy brain? That’s what Beak> sounds like. The English trio inhabits a strange intersection of post-punk and rock music that’s fuzzy, dubby, and percussive, touched by electronica’s buzz and indebted to krautrock’s pace. There’s very little out there that sounds like this band, which is a good thing. Members include Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, bassist Billy Fuller (who has played with Robert Plant and Massive Attack, among others), and Will Young, but together they play as one living, breathing, sometimes gentle, sometimes menacing organism that just happens to be buried somewhere under your blankets. Beak>’s first two albums—2009’s self-titled and 2012’s >>—are worth hearing, but first, check out “Allé Sauvage” on their new record, >>>. It’s a weird and wobbly chunk of sound that’ll leave you discombobulated and maybe even scratching your skull. (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $20) BEN SALMON
TUES OCT 9
Cut Worms, Michael Rault, Charts
Max Clarke sounds like a lost Everly Brother. He must’ve done some witch a favor to get a voice that smooth. Clarke records midcentury folk ballads under the moniker Cut Worms, which comes from a line in the William Blake poem “Proverbs of Hell” (“the cut worm forgives the plow”). His 2017 debut EP Alien Sunset is spectacular, especially the track “Like Going Down Sideways”—although it contains my least favorite instrument (the cursed xylophone), there’s also a gently cascading guitar riff, honeyed Fab Four harmonies, and lyrics repeated like lovesick mantras (“You never had a dream/You never had a love, it seemed”). Clarke repurposed some of the Alien Sunset songs for his twangy debut LP Hollow Ground, released by Jagjaguwar in May. (Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $14) CIARA DOLAN
WED OCT 10
Natasha Kmeto, Small Million, Siren and The Sea
Tonight Portland synth-pop duo Small Million celebrates the release of their new EP Young Fools, a follow-up to 2016’s Before the Fall EP. Though it retains the bubbly, propulsive hooks of their debut, Small Million’s latest expands their scope with moodier melodies and lyrics that contemplate romance, isolation, and violence. They’ll be joined by local pop pillar Natasha Kmeto and Siren and the Sea, the oceanic moniker of songwriter Cristina Cano. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $10-12) CIARA DOLAN
