Up & Coming

THURSDAY 1/17

JEREMY ENIGK, BRYAN FREE & THE DOXYHAUNTS, SYSTEM &
STATION

(Dante’s, 1 SW 3rd) See Music Feature.

OM, LICHENS, SIR RICHARD BISHOP

(Berbati’s Pan, 10 SW 3rd) See Music Feature.

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!.

THE VANDELLES, GO FEVER, GREEN CIRCLES

(East End, 203 SE Grand) Post-shoegazer drug-rock bands like the
Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Warlocks typically pile on guitar
after guitar, but Go Fever proves that the power-trio format is much
more explosive. What’s more, the Portland band dispenses entirely with
the faux-blues of other trios like Cream and Blue Cheer, instead
pairing the droney sensation of perpetual lift-off with the snot-rag
punch of Angus Young. The mannered demos on their MySpace page reveal
the phoniest British accent this side of Anton Newcomb, but there’s no
room for such subtlety in the band’s powerful live show, a burly,
head-thumping brand of delight that will have your inner organs picking
fights with one another. Tonight, they open for the Vandelles, a New
York surf-goth band whose songs occasionally blister into sexy squalls
of feedback and pandemonium. NED LANNAMANN

THE MAYBE HAPPENING, INVISIBLE ROCKETS, STRANGERS DIE EVERY
DAY

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) New record alert! Wait—call
Homeland Security and break out the duct tape and plastic sheets, this
is a double alert! You won’t be leaving your stereo for some time to
come, because the bouncy pop kids in the Maybe Happening have a new
album set to hit the streets early next month. Here’s the part where
I’d normally fill you in on what it sounds like—its title, and
other pertinent information—but the band has yet to send me a
copy (hint, hint). What a drag. Moving on, the massive post-rock
orchestrators in Strangers Die Every Day are also preparing for a new
record to arrive in February. The string-heavy band just inked a deal
with the inventive California label This Generation Tapes, and they are
preparing to blanket our highways in support of the new recording,
titled Aperture for Departure. Neither album will be available
for purchase tonight—that’s what CD release parties are
for—but consider this show a tantalizing aperitif before next
month’s hearty main courses. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

CIRCLE JERKS, HIT ME BACK, LAST OF THE
BELIEVERS

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) We all know that Circle Jerks
frontman Keith Morris was the cofounder (and original singer) of Black
Flag. And we all know that Morris ditched Black Flag to form the Circle
Jerks, and that in 1980 (the year of my birth) they released one of
’80s hardcore’s greatest albums, Group Sex, containing the
perfect anthem for the self-destructive teen or twentysomething: the
minute-long “Live Fast, Die Young.” And we all know that the Circle
Jerks have broken up and gotten back together many times since then.
But what we don’t know is whether the Circle Jerks’ raw, youthful
energy of 1980 can be recaptured 28 years later—or whether it’s
worth $15 to find out. KIM HAYDEN

FRIDAY 1/18

SPINDRIFT, THE UPSIDEDOWN, HIGHWAY

(East End, 203 SE Grand) See Once More with Feeling.

ULTIMATE REALITY, DAN DEACON, DJ HOOP
DREAMS

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!, and
Music Feature.

FINCH, TERA MELOS, SOUND THE ALARM,
KADDISFLY

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) There’s a lot to be said for
(mostly) instrumental math-rock, especially the sort that veers toward
the metal end of the genre spectrum. Tera Melos’ recent Drugs to
the Dear Youth definitely fits that description, with complex drum
patterns and winding guitar workouts in abundance. What elevates this
band above so many of their contemporaries, however, is the flipside of
that sound. While Tera Melos’ talent as skilled instrumentalists is
never in doubt, they’re also willing to use that pinpoint control to
engage in quieter, more vulnerable passages. This comes to the
forefront even more in their contributions to 2007’s Complex Full of
Phantoms, a split release with Texas’ By the End of Tonight. At
their best, such as the split’s “Last Smile for Jaron,” or
Drugs‘ “40 Rods to the Hog’s Head,” the emotions summoned up by
that blend can be downright exhilarating. TOBIAS CARROLL

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL…: BOY EATS DRUM MACHINE, THE
ANTECEDENTS, ATARI TUESDAY

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) In case you’ve been completely out of
the loop for the last two years, and have not had the chance to see Boy
Eats Drum Machine yet, you might want to put on your boogie shoes and
get down to the Holocene tonight. Boy Eats Drum Machine’s days as a
threesome have come to an end, but fear not, lovers of the ones and
twos. Jon Ragel is taking the project solo, with appearances in this
future incarnation coming as soon as early March, when he will embark
on a West Coast tour ending at that rainbow of salsa and free booze
known as SXSW. ANDY YOUNG

SATURDAY 1/19

LOCH LOMOND, MATT SHEEHY, JOHANNA
KUNIN

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

ULTIMATE REALITY, DAN DEACON, DAT’R, JUICE TEAM
DJS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!, and
Music Feature.

MIRAH, BRYCE PANIC, ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO, JAMES BEATON,
REBECCA PEARCY

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) There’s a strange sort of portal
opening tonight. It leads to Olympia. It drops you off right at the
door of K Records. You see, three of K’s most solid, and regular,
performers are getting together tonight; this includes the
always-quirky and ever-so-sweet Mirah, the throat-singing wild-man
Arrington de Dionyso (of Old Time Relijun), his former drummer Bryce
Panic (who has also played with Mirah, the Blow, and others), and
Rebecca Pearcy. Hell, maybe even Calvin Johnson will show up and dance
around like an ass (in a good way). You never can tell. But you can be
sure this will be an intimate night with a lot of collaborative
potential. So all aboard the quickest, easiest, cheapest trip to
Olympia. Only this time you won’t have to deal with all those slacker
weirdos from Evergreen. Hah! Now if only we could stop over at Dumpster
Values… ANDREW R. TONRY

PIERCED ARROWS, THE FAMILY GUN, THE
WIRES

(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) The breakup of Dead Moon in late 2006
just didn’t seem possible. Clackamas’ venerable three-piece had come to
represent not only Northwest DIY spirit (rock ‘n’ roll will never die!)
and our idealized vision of senior living (that might be us someday!),
but Oregon itself. For nearly 20 years, the band lived garage
rock, cutting their own vinyl masters on a mono lathe and gigging
around the world. They did us well. And then, just as their greatest
hits were digitized, they pulled the plug. Luckily, the breakup wasn’t
entirely permanent. Last April, Fred and Toody Cole regrouped,
recruited a new drummer, and gave themselves a new name: Pierced
Arrows. On “Caroline,” from their debut 7-inch, that old cowboy-shirt
warmth is back, fitting us as perfectly as ever. MIKE MEYER

CITAY, WHITE RAINBOW, TRES GONE

(Towne Lounge, 714 SW 20th Pl) There are two kinds of hippie music:
the good (Lennon, Hendrix, Black Moth Super Rainbow) and the
insufferable (String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, the Dead). And
even though they come from San Francisco, Citay fall into the desirable
category. They do it with shimmering, earthy, floating harmonies and
tons of plucky, weaving guitars. At times, the big band from the Bay
push it up a little higher, toward the Rocky Mountains, but mostly they
stay pretty plush—closer to the creeks and the fields. Along on
the campout tonight is White Rainbow, who’ll set up his little glowing
tent and peace this whole thing out even further. So, uh, you know,
relax and, like, breathe, man. ART

FERNANDO, LAEL ALDERMAN

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Having lived in Portland
since 1994, the Argentina-born Fernando Viciconte has refined a
distinct sound heavily inflected with both the bright melodic strains
of ’60s-era Beatles pop and the brooding, melancholy qualities of
Northwest indie-cana (that’s independent rock plus Americana, in case
you’re curious). His music is enriched by his versatile dusky croon and
his penchant for occasionally singing in Spanish. While his last album,
2006’s Enter to Exit, garnered him the best reviews of his
career, and he has more than enough talent and charisma to hit it big,
Fernando has mostly just stuck with intimate shows at places like the
Mississippi and the Laurelthirst. He truly plays music for the love,
and for that, he is to be treasured. JUSTIN W. SANDERS

SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9, SUB ID

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) The last time Sector 9 came through town, after
an opening set of loopy atmospherics, the second half of their show
turned into a surprising, guitar-shredding rage-o-rama. It’s common for
the Bay Area quintet to teeter between swoop-and-whoosh coffee-shop
electronica and dead-on, dub-inflected breakbeat electro. When they hit
the latter, the music they make is almost certainly beamed in from some
other-dimensional space rave light years away. The music—purely
instrumental head candy—ain’t for everyone, but with two shows in
town this time around, it’s clearly for a lot. To paraphrase the title
of a recent cinematic masterpiece: There Will Be Drugs. JONATHAN
ZWICKEL

SUNDAY 1/20

H.E.R., LEMON BEAR

(Valentine’s, 232 SW Ankeny) See My, What a Busy Week!

SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9, DJ JAMES
CHRISTOPHER

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See Saturday’s
listing.

SCREAM CLUB, THE GAY DECEIVERS, DO N DUDES, DJ
GIRLFRIENDS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Scream Club are known for their zany
performances. With a message falling somewhere between the unapologetic
feminism of Le Tigre and the electro-sexual barrage of Peaches
(queer-style), the Olympia pair spazz out onstage while rapping amateur
lyrics over pre-recorded tracks. Local act the Gay Deceivers follow
suit with their own brand of “Look, Ma!” programming, erratic vocals,
and an ability to get the crowd fired up. Rounding out the theme to
perfection are Do N Dudes (with Marius Libman, AKA Copy, behind the
beats), paying homage to divas of dance music from a pro-gay sex
platform. AVA HEGEDUS

MONDAY 1/21

REPORTER, SWALLOWS, DJ NATE C

(Tube, 18 NW 3rd) For a band without a record, Reporter sure have
kept their calendars full. So far they have amassed tons of glowing
press, a tour with the Thermals, and plenty of buzz around town. The
band—essentially just art-punks Wet Confetti with a new name and
a crisper sound—has been recording material for an LP over the
past few weeks, but the trio is keeping quiet about any release dates.
Feel free to shake them down for information at the show, but tread
lightly, since any band who pens a song after famed Big Trouble in
Little China villain Lo Pan should be handled with extreme caution.
EAC

SARAH WINCHESTER, SONNY FIELDS, JACK
BOUBA

(Valentine’s, 232 SW Ankeny) To call Sarah Winchester the kinder,
gentler half of whisper-folk duo A Weather is to assume that her
singing partner Aaron Gerber is some sort of deep-voiced brute. Not
true, and if anything, Winchester has the darker voice of the two.
Sorry, Gerber, but tonight you’re staying home. As a solo artist,
Winchester’s songs are a bit more experimental and far looser than her
intertwined vocals in A Weather, emphasizing her soft delivery and
ability to stretch and tug a melody throughout each and every song.
EAC

TUESDAY 1/22

THE DECEMBERISTS, THE DEAD TREES

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

2 X 4: MOODRING, SMOKE AND MIRRORS, OMEGATONE, LIGHT
WHITE

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) Tonight’s 2 X 4 is a window into the
often overshadowed and underappreciated world of experimental music in
Portland. Each local duo has a peculiar presentation of unconventional
sounds, ranging from ambient IDM to psychedelic rock. Smoke and Mirrors
(singer Rhenne M. Taliesin Miles backed by Strategy’s Paul Dickow)
create cryptic soundscapes with sparse percussion, eerie vocal echoes,
and despondent resonance. Headliners Moodring mosey in and out of
traditional song structure with layers of bleary electronics and
organic instrumentation distinguished by a psychedelic tone.
Appropriately booked at Someday Lounge on a Tuesday night, this show is
about mindful listening and immersion. AH

WEDNESDAY 1/23

THE DECEMBERISTS, PSEUDOSIX

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!.

BEN KENNEY, DJ KILMORE

(Roseland Grill, 8 NW 6th) Multi-instrumentalist Ben Kenney saw his
career take off thanks to two choice associations with venerable rock
and hiphop bands. The Roots—for whom he served as bassist and
guitarist—raised his profile, and Incubus (whom he joined in
2003) solidified it. Reared in punk and seasoned in soul, the New
Jersey native also did duty as a session musician for various
Philadelphia neo-soulsters, an experience that lurks behind his
rhythm-driven rock music. Long accustomed to restraining his impulses
to serve someone else’s artistic vision, Kenney let loose on his two
independent releases and is preparing to drop another. Although an
expert at articulating grooves, his pedestrian voice doesn’t convey
much but earnestness. JALYLAH BURRELL

MUSEE MECANIQUE, MICHAEL HURLEY, MBILLY

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Like the artifacts housed in the San
Francisco museum from which they take their name, Musee Mecanique’s
songs are intricate, delicate creations of many moving parts. The band
quickly latched onto the familiar Portland sound of hushed vocals,
arpeggiated guitar picking, and lyrics ripe with historical references.
They’re at their best and most inventive, however, when the keyboards
of Sean Ogilvie come to the forefront, charting unknown territory with
otherworldly sounds. The music boxes and zoetropes you’ll find in the
museum were originally crafted for fun, but the band’s intensely
self-conscious music is not nearly as whimsical. There’s a hint of
sadness over the proceedings, as if these toys are still inhabited by
the ghosts of all the children who’ve played with them. NL