“Everyday the 14th!” or so claims Cupid Valentino, AKA André 3000, on one of the sexiest Outkast tracks out there. Saint Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year, an excellent excuse for Portland (and you) to pop off extra hard all weekend in a month that can otherwise feel a bit sleepy. There’s a lot to choose from, so we here at the Mercury have compiled a list of our favorite live music gigs happening from February 14-16, throwing in a couple all-nighters if you wanna pull double duty and dance after the shows. It doesn’t matter if you’re boo’d up, single and ready to mingle, or your polycule is looking for some fun, these shows are for everyone!
Friday, February 14
Karma Rivera / Nonbinary Girlfriend
For Fans Of Princess Nokia, Ms Nina, Bijoux Cone
You like queer hip-hop out of Portland by a strong femme emcee named Karma Rivera? I know that’s right! If you’ve been sleeping on Rivera, you’ve got some ’splanin’ to do! Her silk-smooth brand of hip-hop cross-pollinates the raw sexy of reggaeton beats with flow and vocabulary that can go round for round with any of ‘em. Opening this mixed bill is the Portland indie darling, Nonbinary Girlfriend. Both of these local acts, in my humble opinion, will be blowing up shortly–seeing them in this intimate setting will absolutely be a “you had to be there” moment. DJ Aspen will be there doing vibe curation on the ones and twos. (Show Bar, 1300 SE Stark, Fri Feb 14, 8 pm, $15, tickets here, 21+)
The Motels / Bow Wow Wow
FFO Bananarama, Thompson Twins, Adam & the Ants
If you’re a new wave head, this is 100 percent your holy grail show for the year! It’s not often that three bands from the original late ’70s/early ’80s new wave scene pull up to Portland—this is gonna be a real treat. Berkeley babes the Motels invoke big city grooves while the Brits in Bow Wow Wow are the originators of literal brat summer (the lead singer, Annabella Lwin, was 13 when the band was formed). Both bands bring a danceable femme energy that’s deeply needed while in the throes of late winter. Opening this international bill are the Welsh goth-glam rockers Gene Loves Jezebel. Also exciting, this is one of the first shows to be hosted at the newly christened Nova (FKA Bossanova Ballroom)! (The Nova, 722 E Burnside, Fri Feb 14, 8 pm, $37.50, tickets here, 21+)
Judy On Duty
FFO queer dance parties, safer spaces, Valentine cruising
Judy wants to see you wiggle that booty! The Judy on Duty crew has been consistently pulling the grooviest, queerest DJ’s for their monthly parties for a minute now, and their V-Day soirée is no exception. The headliner is Seattle icon, Stas THEE Boss (of KEXP and Black Constellation fame), and she’ll be bringing her Black futurist beats along with. As if you need any more excuses to throw it back with the shes, gays, and theys of Portland, rounding out the bill are local DJs Lapaushi, Casual Ana, Troubled Youth, and the Judy crew! This Judy is reporting for duty 🫡 (White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8TH, Fri Feb 14, 9 pm, $12-17, tickets here, 21+)
Saturday, February 15
Charlie Brown Quartet
FFO John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus
Portland’s Charlie Brown III has yet another sizzling jazz project? Good grief! CBIII is a driving force in Portland’s rapidly growing and diversifying jazz landscape, boasting a CV including collaborations with the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, Portland Center Stage, and more. This night, CBIII will be pulling together three other Portland jazz-giants, Machado Mijiga, Garret Baxter, and David Hagen, to perform the songs of tenor sax legend Wayne Shorter. To sweeten the deal, this show is FREE and will be hosted at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center! (Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 5340 N Interstate, Sat Feb 15, 8 pm, FREE, all ages)
Mount Eerie / Ragana
FFO Grouper, Wolves in the Throne Room, prison abolition
Phil Elverum, the world-builder behind Mount Eerie and the Microphones, has been through it, and brought us along every step of the way. Dwelling largely on and around the San Juan Islands in Washington State, Elverum has released his and a tiny handful of other musicians’ music on his small label for years. That DIY ethos and his constant communing with big water/big nature permeates every guitar drone, every whispered mantra of grief and healing on every single one of his many expansive records. To make this SOLD OUT show even more worthy of surfing the resale ticket market, Mount Eerie isn’t the only I-communicate-with-constellations-and-write-noisy-music-about-it band on the bill. Ragana, the Olympia-based anarcho-queers, unleash a disdain for what is and a rallying cry for what can be through strained screams, over reverb-heavy black metal as openers. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, Sat Feb 15, 8 pm, SOLD OUT, all ages)
Extradition plays Goldstein
FFO John Cage, Fluxus, 45th Parallel Universe
Composed of avant-garde and classically trained luminaries, the Portland-based ensemble, Extradition, often stages performances by composers that otherwise wouldn’t be heard in our fair city. Case in point, their Extradition Plays Goldstein series, of which this is the last performance. Since the late '50s, Malcolm Goldstein has been a cornerstone in North American experimental composition and dance music. Goldstein’s works can be challengingly harsh, which also means they can be extremely rewarding if you listen deeply, allowing yourself to relinquish control. Though he is still alive, Goldstein himself won’t be performing. Maybe next time? (Leaven Community, 5431 NE 20th, Sat Feb 15, 7:30 pm, $12, tickets here, all ages)
Werm
FFO Nowadays, OHM, Basement
Werm, the roving rave, has been unleashing real-deal underground dance culture on Portland for the last couple years now, receiving national attention and truly putting PDX on the map. Pulling DJs from all over the globe, the semi-regular party has become known as a safer space to explore hard techno, jungle, deep house, and grip of artists not adhering to strict genre guidelines. Headlining their February 15 rave is NYC’s DJ Miss Parker and if her Instagram handle (@thebussycatdoll) is anything to go by, it’s gonna get nasty…. Her multiple appearances on the Lot Radio confirm that she only spins high energy floor-fillers that demand body movement. We’ll also be treated to LA’s hero of house, DJ Warning with head Werm himself, Plus, opening. FYI, you won’t know where the rave is going down when you buy tickets, you’ll be informed day-of-show. (Location TBA, Sat Feb 15, 10 pm, $25, tickets here, 21+)
