THURS APRIL 11
Sasami, Slut Island
Last month, self-described “synth queen” (and former Cherry Glazerr keyboardist) Sasami released her self-titled solo debut—10 simmering, meticulously arranged indie rock songs that she has said are about “Everyone I fucked and who fucked me last year.” It’s got an understated power and some seriously great synth solos (see “I Was a Window”). (Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $12-14) CIARA DOLAN
Girlpool, Hatchie, Claud
In a 2018 interview, Hatchie (AKA Harriette Pilbeam) told Pitchfork, “I’m not very good at guitar!” But an openness to experimentation is what led the Australian musician to develop her signature dream-pop sound. Hatchie’s debut EP, Sugar & Spice, sounds like Lush or Cocteau Twins with an extra dose of sweetness and some millennial whoop-style choruses. Hatchie shares this bill with LA duo Girlpool, whose latest album, What Chaos Is Imaginary, centers on subtly heart-rending harmonies. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8:30 pm, $17-20, all ages) ISABEL LYNDON
FRI APRIL 12
Chanticleer
Armed with the sword of harmony and a panoply of pristine voices, Chanticleer has been combatting toxic masculinity for more than 40 years. Originated in San Francisco, this choral ensemble consists of 12 male voices ranging from soaring countertenor to thundering bass, creating a sound that has toured the globe and collected awards for decades. Tonight’s program is based on their most recent recording, a celebration of the group’s repertoire that encompasses the Renaissance polyphony of Palestrina, the jazz of Gershwin, hits from the Judeo-Christian tradition, and a host of music in between. (Kaul Auditorium, 3203 SE Woodstock, 7:30 pm, $30-55) BRIAN HORAY
The Plastic Harmony Band, Guillotine Boys, Thee Last Go Round
Paul Haines knows his way around a jagged but snappy garage-pop song, having done time in local basement-psych duo the Bugs and West Coast fringe-indie greats Trumans Water. The Plastic Harmony Band, however, is where he goes to really get bent. The group’s 2016 album Voyage of the Angernaut delivers 12 lo-fi tunes that are concise, off-kilter, and easily likable. Tonight Haines & Co. will celebrate its follow-up, Taking Naps to Make Music to Take Naps to. It’s sometimes poppy (“Snowglobe”), sometimes noisy (“What the Clouds Say”), sometimes groovy (“World World”), frequently catchy, and always interesting. (Turn! Turn! Turn!, 8 NE Killingsworth, 8 pm, $5) BEN SALMON
SAT APRIL 13
Mdou Moctar, Lithics, Marisa Anderson
There are around three million Tuareg people living in the Saharan region of Africa, and they turn out an impressive number of musicians who find audiences in other parts of the world. There’s Tinariwen, Bombino, Tamikrest, and Imarhan, and now it’s unquestionably Mdou Moctar’s turn. The Nigerien guitarist first made a name for himself on African MP3-sharing networks and has raised his international profile over the past several years with a series of excellent albums released on the Portland-based Sahel Sounds record label. His newest—this year’s Ilana: The Creator—is an intoxicating fusion of hypnotic rhythms and searing guitar work that will go down as one of 2019’s best releases in any genre. (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $15-18) BEN SALMON
SUN APRIL 14
PG.99, Majority Rule, Old Year, Portrayal of Guilt
The magpies in Pg. 99 didn’t necessarily define an era, but the Virginia band’s turn-of-the-century output did expertly synthesize the most potent strains of hardcore that preceded it. 2001’s majestic Document #8 is like a ’90s primer for neophytes working their way backward through the punk canon, a frayed gateway opening onto the Locust’s proggy powerviolence, Angel Hair’s squealing post-hardcore, and In/Humanity’s explosive emo-violence. Those genre tags ultimately describe the same thing: transcendent intensity, that feeling of a brain on fire with hope and fear. It is pure punk beauty, wound up and wild. (Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy, 8:30 pm, sold out) CHRIS STAMM
MON APRIL 15
Maggie Rogers
Since her song “Alaska” went viral in 2016, Maggie Rogers has described the experience as overwhelming, and not necessarily in a good way. On Heard It in a Past Life—her debut LP, released in January—the rising pop-star reclaims her voice across 12 tracks of soulful, danceable electro-folk. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 8:30 pm, $30, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
TUES APRIL 16
Earl Sweatshirt & Friends, Liv.e, Mike, Black Noise
LA rap is going through an incredibly fruitful phase, with MCs like 03 Greedo, Vince Staples, Nocando, YG, Busdriver, G. Perico, and, of course, Kendrick Lamar illustrating the depth and diversity of the city’s scene. And then there’s Earl Sweatshirt, who has a large and loyal following, can flow with any of ’em, and seems to exist entirely on his own island. Earl has always marched to his own beat, but never more so than on his third studio album, 2018’s Some Rap Songs. With 15 tracks that fly by in less than 25 minutes, it’s an unruly collection of jazzy vibes, unorthodox rhythms, noisy samples, sketchbook ideas, rock-solid rhymes, and very few hooks. It’s dark, disorienting, hopeful, and thrilling, all at the same time. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 9 pm, $27.50-45, all ages) BEN SALMON
WED APRIL 17
The Pixies Doolittle Tribute: The Prixies, Surfer Rosie, Melt
It’s been three decades since the Pixies dropped their landmark sophomore album Doolittle, and what better way to celebrate the occasion than with a full-night tribute at Mississippi Studios. Portland’s leading tribute to the Boston alternative rock pioneers, the Prixies, will preside over the festivities, and they’ll be joined by fellow Pixies disciples Surfer Rosie and Melt to tear through the classic LP along with an array of other hits and rarities. (Wed April 17, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, $5) CHIPP TERWILLIGER (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, $5)
Kadhja Bonet
According to her bio, Kadhja Bonet “was born in 1784 in the backseat of a seafoam-green space Pinto. After spending an extraordinarily long time in her mother’s plasma, she discovered the joys and gratifications of making noise with her hands and face while traveling at maximum velocity through intergalactic jungle quadrants.” A little fantastical, but that’s just how Bonet rolls; her psychedelic soul music transcends space and time, simultaneously channeling the iconic vocalists who came before her—specifically Minnie Riperton—and some undiscovered galaxy that’s currently just a twinkle in humanity’s third eye. The singer’s stunning 2016 debut, The Visitor, should definitely be revisited for the beauty of songs like “Honeycomb,” in which her sweet repetitions of the phrase “all the stars burning in the sky” warp and fade like a vinyl record melting right off the turntable. Bonet’s latest album, 2018’s Childqueen, expands into strange new horizons and finds something extraordinary. If you’re not hooked after the haunting opening track, “Processions,” we really must be living in different galaxies. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9 pm, $20, all ages) CIARA DOLAN
THURS APRIL 18
Ex Hex, Feels
Over the past three decades, indie rock icon Mary Timony has played with some of the genre’s most influential bands: Helium, the short-lived Autoclave, and supergroup Wild Flag. Ex Hex—Timony’s latest project with bassist Betsy Wright and drummer Laura Harris—abandons the abrasiveness of her previous work in favor of power chords and huge choruses. The trio’s new sophomore album, It’s Real, is the Platonic ideal of fun, invigorating power-pop. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $20-22, all ages) BEN WEINSTEIN
Leikeli47, Yung Baby Tate, Jamesdavis, Raquel Divar
Leikeli47 is known for her mysteriousness—her face is always concealed with a bandana or balaclava—but she should be known as one of the dopest MCs out. You may have heard songs like “Attitude,” “Girl Blunt,” and “Mulita” on the soundtrack for HBO’s Insecure, or the bouncy 2017 single “Money” from her excellent debut LP, Wash & Set. The Brooklyn rapper/singer/producer’s latest release, Acrylic, is the second in a trio of albums (the “Beauty Series”) that focus on normalizing Black beauty standards and celebrating Black safe havens, like hair salons and HBCUs. She’s more than proven herself as a lyricist and MC, but Leikeli47’s recent NPR Tiny Desk performance shows she’s got some serious chops as a vocalist as well. Leikeli47 is the sole femcee headlining at this year’s Soul’d Out Music Festival, and with local support from rapper Raquel Divar, this show is not one to miss. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell,, 9 pm, $20, all ages) JENNI MOORE
Makaya McCraven
A meticulous but mystical alchemy is at work in the jazz of self-described “beat scientist” Makaya McCraven. On his 2018 double album, Universal Beings, the Chicago drummer/producer captures the hypnotic feeling of daydreaming with rhythms that run wild like uncensored trains of thought and settle into contemplative grooves, only to take off again without warning. You never know what to expect, and that’s what’s so exciting about McCraven’s music—that there are endless possibilities for what could happen next. His approach is warm, joyful, vibrant, and complex, especially on the harp-forward “Young Genius” and the anxious trill of “Tall Tales.” McCraven’s late-night set at the Jack London promises to be a transformative experience. (Jack London Revue, 529 SW 4th, 11:55 pm, $20) CIARA DOLAN
Eric B. and Rakim, Makaya McCraven
Eric B. & Rakim are one of the most influential hip-hop duos in history, and Rakim is universally recognized as one of the greatest—if not the greatest—MCs of all time. In an episode of the Netflix docuseries Hip-Hop Evolution, Shad K. asserts that “Rakim’s rhyme style would singlehandedly set the tone for what hip-hop has become today.” Later in the episode, Rakim explains that since he grew up listening to jazz and learning to play saxophone, he always tried to rhyme like John Coltrane played the sax. In contrast to rappers like Run-DMC and Chuck D., who were energetically shouting on the mic, Rakim’s approach was more methodical. His clear, concise style is the definition of flow; some say he may have even been the one to make “flow” a thing. After dropping legendary albums like Paid in Full, Follow the Leader, and Let the Rhythm Hit Em—with unprecedented performances on the title tracks, as well as “Microphone Fiend” and “Lyrics of Fury”—Eric B. and Rakim split in 1992 following legal troubles with the MCA label. The duo reunited in 2016 and have been touring for the last couple of years, but their show at the Roseland could be one of our last chances to see this genre-defining hip-hop duo onstage together. (Roseland, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, $38.50-50) JENNI MOORE
THURS APRIL 18-SAT APRIL 20
Stumpfest 8: Elder, Ancestors, Baptists, Hair Puller, Atriarch, & More
Stumpfest returns for the eighth year in a row to spend a weekend celebrating all things heavy and eclectic. Thursday’s lineup features the gothic post-doom of ceremonialists Atriarch and the disjointed hardcore gnarl of Baptists. On Friday the aptly named Feral Ohms will kick out the jams with some fuzzy, unhinged rock ’n’ roll, with Earthless finishing off the night with their psychedelic, stomping grooves. The festival wraps up Sunday with the jangly garage-rock of the Lavender Flu and the synth-driven, Steely Dan-tinged Once and Future Band. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 8 pm, $25-30) ARIS HUNTER WALES
FRI APRIL 19
Aldous Harding, Yves Jarvis
Aldous Harding’s voice is a weird world, some sideways place where everything is always melting and morphing. It’s a slippery and enchanting marvel that glances the hermetic realms of Scott Walker, Marianne Faithfull, and Anohni, but it remains its own odd thing. It is a prism refracting midnight vibes—childlike wonder and stricken desire, brand-new glee and ancient menace. Harding funnels it into recognizable pop forms, but it is too much, and so it spills past the lip of the common to claim the space beyond what is known. To hear it is to believe in something you will never touch. (Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, 9 pm, sold out) CHRIS STAMM
SAT APRIL 20
Horrendous, Of Feather and Bone, Witch Vomit, Villainous Temple
For those who like to bang their head and get groovy, Horrendous provides the neck-snapping mayhem of quality death metal while twisting your brain into a pretzel with their unnatural rhythms and time signatures. Though they’re known for their uncanny musicianship, the Pennsylvania band’s technical prowess never eclipses their hooks and melodies. If your hazy mind craves more of a sonic devastation than a ballet, there’s opener Of Feather and Bone, who forgo melody for a tornado of dark, bleak, flagellating death metal. Think less about the science that builds the rocket, and more about the chaotic explosions that propel it. (High Water Mark, 6800 NE MLK, 9 pm, $10-13) ARIS HUNTER WALES
SUN APRIL 21
Ghost-Note (Prince Tribute), NPG Horns, MonoNeon, B-Slade
Though it’s still hard to cope with his passing, the best way to honor Prince is to bathe in the majesty of his music. On the third anniversary of Prince’s death, Ghost-Note will do just that. The future-funk band’s adventurousness makes them worthy torchbearers of the Purple One’s legacy, though it also helps that they count incendiary multi-instrumentalist MonoNeon, who was a member of Prince’s touring band, among their ranks. Prone to extended jams and rooted in the super-tight, Grammy-winning percussive backbone of Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth, Ghost-Note is a force that’s steeped in jazz, funk, and brass-forward soul. Swagism, the band’s 2018 album, is a one-stop party playlist with some of the most impressive musicality you’re likely to hear in any working band. Featuring special guests and Prince collaborators B.Slade, Philip Lassiter, members of the New Power Generation, and DJ Sesqui, this ought to be a monster of a performance. As Prince used to say, “School’s in session.” (Star Theater, 13 NW 6th, 9 pm, $20) RYAN J. PRADO
DakhaBrakha, Yemen Blues, Soriah
When you stop and think about it, it’s pretty wild that only a century and a half ago, if you lived in, say, Denver and wanted to go west to Portland, you’d need to take an expensive, uncertain, weeks-long road trip that could very well end in death atop some inhospitable mountain pass. Since then, of course, advancements like air travel and the internet have shrunk our world and insta-connected its residents. As a result, we have bands like Yemen Blues, whose highly danceable fusion of Middle Eastern melodies, West African repetition, Caribbean rhythms, American blues-rock, and universal jubilation is created by musicians from Tel Aviv, New York, Uruguay, and beyond. At the center of this global sound is Israeli singer and composer Ravid Kahalani, a charismatic frontman who brings a heavy dose of human energy and warmth to this band’s blend of influences. As such, Yemen Blues works as both an ethnomusicological deep-dive into the interplay between disparate styles and, well... a damn good party. (Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 8 pm, $25, all ages) BEN SALMON
TUES APRIL 23
Critic’s Pick: Kero Kero Bonito
One of the more surprising (and glorious) musical reinventions of 2018 arrived in the form of Kero Kero Bonito’s sophomore album, Time ’n’ Place. The British indie-pop band’s earlier releases—2014’s Intro Bonito and 2016’s Bonito Generation—were characterized by chiptune instrumentation, manic song structures, and unabashedly tasteless production choices. Beginning with 2018’s TOTEP EP, Kero Kero Bonito ditched the programmed drums and Super Mario 64 samples in favor of more “traditional” instrumentation—guitars, vocals, bass, and drums. (Though many of the band’s newer songs remain ornamented with their signature glitchy synths.) To say the group’s latest LP delivered on the promise of TOTEP would be an understatement; Time ’n’ Place is damn close to being a perfect pop record. It’s fun without feeling lightweight, indelible without ever becoming cloying, and meaningful without seeming pretentious. Time ’n’ Place is also noticeably darker and more organic than the band’s previous work (which nonetheless feels like a very silly thing to say about Kero Kero Bonito). Singer Sarah Midori Perry’s songs reference trees, rivers, and sunshine, and these themes poetically mirror the band’s newfound penchant for more rock-oriented arrangements. Midori Perry’s lyrics also hint at a nostalgic aching for childhood—particularly one unencumbered by modern technology or the ineluctable crumminess of adult life (making Time ’n’ Place something of a Skylarking or The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society for scores of millennials reared on PlayStation 2 Japanese role-playing games and Sprite Remix). “I set a watch for five o’clock/I think of rivers and trees as I’m drifting off,” she sings on the album’s catchiest single, “Make Believe,” which sounds like a long-lost Xanadu outtake transmitted to Earth from another dimension. “All my life I tried to find the time to make believe/But now as certain as the seasons I know real life will get in between.” It’s a pithy sentiment, but one that feels especially poignant in the nightmarish present. Sometimes beautiful pop music is all you’ve got. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, Tues, April 23, 8:30 pm, $18-20, all ages, w/Jaakko Eino Kalevi) MORGAN TROPER
Critic’s Pick: Träd, Gräs och Stenar
Many, many bands have tried, but few have successfully captured the raw, elemental sound of pagan ritual. Träd, Gräs och Stenar remain pioneers in that regard, and the Swedish band’s wild, spontaneous jams are darker, earthier, and more hypnotic than virtually all other hippie music that came out of the 1960s counterculture movement. The band arose out of a shape-shifting Swedish collective that released a series of albums under the names Pärson Sound, International Harvester, and Harvester; Träd, Gras och Stenar—it translates to “tree, grass, and stone”—was actually the musicians’ move toward the mainstream, and their 1970 debut under that name includes lengthy deconstructions of “All Along the Watchtower” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” But this music is still the polar opposite of accessible, full of drones and meandering instrumental explorations that evoke, at various points, lazy summer days, midwinter bonfires, and slowly shifting continents. The band broke up in 1972 but has reunited several times over the years, with members old and new. Most recently, an outfit centered around guitarist Jakob Sjöholm and featuring Dungen’s Reine Fiske on lead guitar released an album under the modified moniker Träden, playing several live shows under that name as well. The sound was more polished and modern, but its trancelike gravitational pull was just as strong. Now Träd, Gräs och Stenar—using the band’s original name once again—is playing a few more shows in the US, including a rare date in Portland. It has every indication of being the most psychedelic event of the year. (The Liquor Store, 3341 SE Belmont, Tues April 23, 9 pm, $15, w/Møtrik, the Galaxy Research) NED LANNAMANN
WED APRIL 24
King Princess, Banoffee
It’s not often that a mainstream pop song has the word “pussy” in its title, but King Princess isn’t your average pop singer. Since releasing her first single, “1950”—an ode to closeted queer love—in just a year she’s become a gay icon. Her debut EP, Make My Bed, packs textbook pop tracks with soulful vocals layered over warm, flowing synth tones. “Pussy Is God,” her most recent single, is a sample-heavy, unabashedly sultry track complete with a groovy bass solo that solidifies King Princess’ rising star status. (Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8 pm, sold out, all ages) ANNA KAPLAN
