Hawthorne Hip-Hop Showcase
A lineup of all-local hip-hop at the Hawthorne on a Friday is a rarity, but with a bill this good and diverse, they might just pack the place out. In addition to six-piece hip-hop/soul/funk band Speaker Minds, there will also be a set by cannabis enthusiast/rapper Stevo the Weirdo, relative newcomer [E]mpress (their 2018 project HeartBreak Hotel is rock-solid), YungShirtMane of the Naturally Grown Misfits crew, and Mat Randol, who released the truly excellent and cohesive full-length Art of Allowing last month. (Fri Oct 19, 8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE Cesar E. Chavez, $10-12)
Mic Check Pop-Up
Okay, I know I just covered Mic Check in the last installment of Sneaker Wave, but here they are again, doing another thing:
Though the passing of StarChile caused the Mic Check crew to make their once-monthly concerts a quarterly event, this October, the local showcase is hosting a “pop-up” show at its usual spot. The pop-up will feature a beat set from Portland instrumental hip-hop artist Free Tillman; the Half&Half crew from Rapid City, South Dakota; Seattle rapper Onry Ozzborn; and Portland’s own Stevo the Weirdo. (Wed Oct 24, 7 pm, White Eagle, 836 N Russell, $8, w/Trox, OG One)
The Internet
Obviously you know neo-soul band the Internet’s major 2015 hit “Girl,” from their Grammy-nominated album Ego Death, right? RIGHT!? (“Girl/If they don’t know your worth/Tell ’em you’re my girl/And anything you want is yours.”) Yeah, that’s what I thought. Their follow-up LP Hive Mind, also their first studio album to not be associated with the Oddfuture label, is basically a masterpiece. I’ll be shocked if this album isn’t nominated for a Grammy, but then again, the Recording Academy can’t even be trusted to bestow Beyoncé’s Lemonade with Album of the Year, so… yeah. Hive Mind highlights include lead singles “Come Over” and “La Di Da,” the sultry “Stay the Night,” “It Gets Better (With Time),” and “Look What U Started.” Pretty much all of these songs would make a smooth and easy soundtrack for late-night laptop work, and a logical addition to your lovemaking playlist. Their music just feels good, and seeing them live sounds like the perfect date night out, even if you just take yourself. (Wed Oct 24, 8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, $32.50-37.50, all ages)
