THURSDAY, JANUARY 22
Fronted by Portland’s Former Best-Known
Stripper (pre-Malice) and sometime Mercury contributor Viva Las
Vegas, Coco Cobra and the Killers are out of hiding, having
reintroduced their slut rock at a handful of recent shows. Miss
’em no more. MS
w/Stumblebum; Kelly’s Olympian, 426 SW Washington, 10 pm,
$4
Bartenders from Portland’s trendiest spots stir,
shake, and muddle in the Iron Bartender Competition, a battle
for cocktail supremacy judged by legendary mixologist Lucy
Brennan. You won’t feel left out—the audience gets a chance
to taste and judge as well. Proceeds go to benefit the Children’s
Relief Nursery: inebriation for a good cause! PAC
Jupiter Hotel, 800 E Burnside, 5:30 pm, $50
He’s got a rough red beard and a rough red voice,
and at only 27, Marc Broussard‘s latest soul- and
R&B-influenced album is expected to deliver on the promise he’s
been showing since performing “Johnny B. Goode” onstage with his
father’s band at age five. MD
w/Jessie Baylin, Josh Hoge; Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie,
7:30 pm, $18-20, all ages
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23
Good lord. Thirty bands in three days? Do
you people ever sleep? The best vowel-free music festival in town,
Dmmr Bmmr, crams 10 bands per night, all weekend long, into the
intimate confines of East End. Our recommendations: the reckless rock
of Eat Skull on Friday, the Mean Jeans‘ goofy charismatic
basement punk on Saturday, and bare-bones howl of Hairspray
Blues on Sunday. Or just see ’em all and forgo sleep. EAC
East End, 203 SE Grand, 5 pm, $10 per night, through Sun Jan 25
If you haven’t yet been out to the
freshest incarnation of Disjecta, tonight’s the night to do it:
The multipurpose arts center celebrates the opening of their new
performance space with music from Sonny Smith and the Evolutionary
Jass Band. AH
w/the Sandwitches; Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate, 8 pm, $7
There’s not much going on in town this month,
which is why now’s the perfect time for Fertile Ground, a
citywide festival of new plays (including a new installment of the
ever-popular Fall of the House). The fecundity commences
tonight with a dance party at Backspace, featuring bands with
theatrical affiliations. AH
w/Iretsu, Henry Dark, DJ Freaky Outty; Backspace, 115 NW 5th, 9
pm, $5, all ages, fertilegroundpdx.org for more
info
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24
Jonathan Coulton’s name is usually
attached to the phrase “internet sensation,” and for good
reason—he might not be a household name, but he’s used the web to
assemble a legion of obsessive fans who know genius when they hear it.
From his “Thing a Week” song series to his gigs with author John
Hodgman to his hits like white-collar zombie ballad “RE: Your Brains,”
Coulton’s geeky folk is hilarious, sweet, sad, and catchy. EH
w/Paul & Storm; Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm,
$22-24, all ages
Fucking A, Alien is great.
Director Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror/sci-fi flick hatched three sequels
(including James Cameron’s Aliens), but it’s still damn hard to
top the original—a masterpiece of smart suspense, ominous
atmosphere, cynical sci-fi, and splattery gore. Plus, tonight’s
screening is part of the Supertrash series, which means it’s preceded
by classic trailers, cartoons, and music videos. EH
Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne, 11 pm, $3
Hankering for some roughneck,
elbow-throwing roller derby action? Then do not miss the season four
opening bout featuring the Rose City Rollers! Portland’s top
four teams (Break Neck Betties, Guns N’ Rollers, Heartless
Heathers, and the High Rollers) battle it out on the track to see
who will be the queens of PDX! WSH
Expo Center, Hall C, 2060 N Marine Drive, 6 pm, $14-25
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25
The Crystal Ballroom turns
95 tonight and the party starts in the afternoon with jams from the
Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls and keeps on keeping on with bluegrass and
other related musical things until Blitzen Trapper takes the
stage at 10:30 pm. Oh, and it’s all free. LS
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 1:30 pm-midnight, FREE, all
ages
Lightning and Thunder are a Milwaukee couple
who perform the songs of Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline, and Song
Sung Blue is a documentary that follows the pair through
touching ups and downs. Part of NW Film Center’s ongoing Reel Music
film festival. NL
Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park, 7 pm, $8
Here’s a unique collision of genres, proving
that music is often best when it defies expectations. The Ahs pair cello and banjo for spare, haunting classical folk, and FourScore
is a “classical manband” that runs the gamut from gospel to lieder to
oratorio. Members of the Portland Cello Project will also be on
hand, as will the female chorale Roxy Consort, for a night of beautiful
sounds that won’t cause your ears to ring the next day. NL
w/Carmina Burana; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 8 pm, $10
MONDAY, JANUARY 26
Gena Gastaldi, head lioness of Day of
Lions, has one of those inescapable voices that haunt you for days
on end. Don’t even think about fighting it—after taking in her
band’s tempered and delicate sound, you might as well be a lifelong
fan. Just as tantalizing are openers Le Switch, whose fake
French name fails to distract from a wildly inventive band armed with
an arsenal of masterfully penned pop songs. EAC
w/the Days; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $6
Booze works way better than one of those SAD
lights for the winter blues. So cheer up with the Oregon Bartenders
Guild as they present Hot Winter Nights, a night of hot
cocktails both classic and innovative, along with delicious desserts
from Bluehour. PAC
Bluehour, 250 NW 13th, 7:30 pm, $30
Catapulted to worldwide fame thanks to her
bisexually leaning song “I Kissed a Girl,” Katy Perry is doing a
fairly good job staying out of the one-hit wonder bin. Scam a sold-out
ticket, because from what we understand she likes to dress up as fruit
onstage! Fruit making out with fruit. Mmmmm…. WSH
w/the Daylights; Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, all
ages, (sold out—scam for tickets)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27
No, they’re not an Eagles cover band (thank
Christ). Department of Eagles is the once and future project of
Grizzly Bear’s Daniel Rossen and his college roommate, and they combine
sunshiny Beach Boys pop with the ghostly sounds of forgotten 78s for a
truly breathtaking sound that’ll ruffle your feathers. NL
w/the Cave Singers; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm,
$12.50-14
Adele‘s voice is deep and sweet
and great, which is exactly why tonight’s show at the Wonder Ballroom
is sold out. Find a friend with good taste and foresight, or get
Craigslisting, but don’t miss this show. LS
w/James Morrison; Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8 pm, all
ages, (sold out—scam for tickets)
What’s in the Holy Trinity of Creole cooking? If
you know the answer, pit your knowledge against other foodies at
Pix’s gastronomical trivia night. Hosted by tranny performance
group CJ and the Dolls. PAC
Pix Patisserie North, 3901 N Williams, 7 pm, $2/person, all
ages
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28
I’m not one for Sunday service, but if
Church‘s brothers in arms, Brandon and Richard Laws, were
leading the congregation you can bet I’d be up front dressed in my
finest. The brothers’ reverent and understated musical loveliness will
be in full swing as their songs float around Holocene’s sacred altar.
Also catch openers Chrome Wings and Guidance Counselor who’ll be
preaching to the choir (that’s you!). CF
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9 pm, $5
Mississippi Studios has been shuttered for
renovations since summer and doesn’t officially reopen ’til next month,
but tonight you can get a sneak peak at its resurrection at the
Loggernaut Reading Series, which features the accessible poetic
stylings of Zachary Schomberg and a reading from Peter Fogtdal, author
of The Tsar’s Dwarf. AH
w/Matthew Korfhage; Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 7:30
pm, $3
Ah, the Bobcats. They may be
co-owned by Michael Jordan, but they still suck… which means
the Blazers might even beat ’em. Go, Bobcats! MD
Rose Garden, 1 Center Ct, 7 pm, $10 & up