WEDNESDAY 7/31

AAN, SUN ANGLE, SWAHILI, DJ ETBONZ
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

JAYKE ORVIS, BOOKS ON FATE, THE HUGS
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) The Hugs have been occupying their own little corner of the Portland music scene for six years now, cranking out garage pop with an ear for arenas. You could even say it's underappreciated by some. Lead Hug Danny Delegato has forged ahead through personnel changes, kicking out happy pop for sad souls. And they keep getting better. The band's latest LP, Love Led You, Here is jam-packed with exuberant, full-bodied pop with hooks aplenty and a sparkly sheen. It's easily the Hugs' best work to date, and should turn the spotlight on this motley crew in Portland and beyond. MARK LORE

MONTHS, PLANKTON WAT, SAM HUMANS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) With his exit from psych-rock heavies Eternal Tapestry, local guitarist Dewey Mahood presumably has more time to devote to his onetime side project Plankton Wat. And sure enough, the next Plankton Wat release, Drifter's Temple, is slated for September on Thrill Jockey Records. Featuring contributions from members of Horse Feathers, Edibles, and Royal Baths, Drifter's Temple's 10 instrumental tracks lean heavily on acoustic guitars, touching on Appalachian and western twang, with dashes of trippier sounds sprinkled in between. It's more tranquil waters than Mahood's work with Eternal Tapestry, but the folkier forays here manage to capture a sense of place that wasn't always there before. Also on the bill: brand spanking new band Months, around whom buzz is buzzily buzzing. MATT SULLIVAN

CAFETERIA DANCE FEVER, HORNET LEG, CHARTS
(Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan) When recording their EP, Vacation, Charts took their sound up a notch; from the dust and grime of the basement rose a refined fuzz that retained its signature lo-fi hiss, but shone brightly. The echoey tones and gravelly guitar remained, but were imbued with upbeat intention and style. Led by Michael Rowan's drone-hinged, candid vocals, the trio are more on point and intense than ever, with room to be playful (bassist Andrew Clyde will likely hop off stage for at least one song of their set). Their music is a double-edged pick-me-up, simultaneously joyful and dark. Plucky guitar chords give way to moody bass lines, and glittering drums pair with piercing, straight-faced vocals. Tonight they join two of their new Hovercraft labelmates, Hornet Leg and the incalculable Cafeteria Dance Fever. RACHEL MILBAUER

THURSDAY 8/1

SUMMER CANNIBALS, GRANDPARENTS, XDS

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week! and read our article on Summer Cannibals.

MINUS THE BEAR, HUSTLE AND DRONE, THEMES
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Minus the Bear is one of those bands whose persistence and longevity is backed up not only by stodgy resilience, but also talent. Throughout their career, the band's sound has evolved from spacey math-rock (Menos el Oso), to coagulating electro-prog (Planet of Ice), to unleaded bouts of sexy disco-pop (Omni), and back to some mixture of all three on 2012's trippy Infinity Overload. They're veterans of a populist indie scene that boasts an increasing number of irrelevant or flat-out non-functioning entities, and have earned a spot as innovative underground lifers. And they're amazingly good live. In tow tonight are local electro-punk all stars Hustle and Drone, themselves on the cusp of releasing a debut LP. This show is a yes. RYAN J. PRADO

FRIDAY 8/2

PICKATHON
(Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen, Happy Valley) Read our article on Pickathon and check out this year's picks.

SEBADOH, OCTA#GRAPE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Most people assume that Dinosaur Jr. is essentially a J Mascis moniker, and that's certainly been the case for most of the band's career. But You're Living All Over Me and Bug—arguably the two most relevant Dinosaur Jr. albums—are great at least partially due to Lou Barlow's unmistakable influence (or more specifically, the polarity that existed between Mascis and Barlow). If I had to make the laughably disproportionate Lennon/McCartney comparison, I'd say that Mascis is probably Paul: As his monopolistic hold over the group tightened to an unbearable degree, Barlow left, concentrating on the far weirder, genuinely more interesting and emotionally impactful Sebadoh. 1993's Bubble and Scrape is a particular high-water mark, and "Soul and Fire" is so painful I can't even listen to it anymore. Meanwhile, Dinosaur Jr. released Where You Been, which I guess was sort of like J's Band on the Run. MORGAN TROPER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

SMMR BMMR: KEPI GHOULIE, LA LUZ, THE WIMPS, G. GREEN, BIG EYES, & MORE
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Summer's best and greasiest punk-rock party is upon us. The SMMR BMMR, now in its seventh year—still too young to be left home alone—has in the past been shuttled around various Portland venues like a latchkey kid, but it's found a fitting home at the Star Theater. The Star's excellent patio will host several of the bands until dusk, at which time things move indoors. This year's lineup is bulletproof, including the excellent La Luz, the Seattle four-piece who've updated classic girl-group sounds for the new millennium, and rock the fuck out in the process. There's also the Wimps—don't let the name fool you—and Kepi Ghoulie to round out Friday night, while Saturday boasts the dynamite Audacity from Fullerton, California. Their recent, excellent Mellow Cruisers platter (via Recess and Burger Records) is a giddy head-rush of sparkling pop and boot-to-the-head punk. It's a ticking bomb of fun. NED LANNAMANN

THE MOTHER HIPS, NORMAN
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) For those who spent time in the sleepy college town of Chico, California, in the '90s, the Mother Hips were an institution almost as big as the university itself. Ask Rick Rubin, who signed the band to his American label alongside the Black Crowes, Danzig, and Slayer. But that feels like many lifetimes ago. The Mother Hips have persevered amid the usual rock 'n' roll tropes—substance abuse, personnel changes, being dropped from said label. And in 2013 it can be argued that the San Francisco four-piece are better and stronger than they've ever been. The band's latest album, Behind Beyond, plays up their strengths—intricately twangy guitars, lush harmonies, hooks, spaced-out arrangements. It shows that the Hips are not only survivors, but also still a force to be reckoned with. ML

SATURDAY 8/3

PICKATHON
(Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen, Happy Valley) Read our article on Pickathon and check out this year's picks.

SMMR BMMR: AUDACITY, GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH, WHITE FANG, THE BUGS, & MORE
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) See Friday's listing.

RVIVR, JUICY KARKASS, 48 THRILLS
(Katie O'Brien's, 2809 NE Sandy) Over the past few years, Olympia's Rumbletowne Records has been putting out some of the best heart-on-sleeve punk records that the Cascadian region has to offer. Tonight's show offers a chance to see the label's flagship band, RVIVR. After two full-lengths and a collection of limited 7-inch releases, Erica Freas and Matt Canino have mastered the art of trading catchy and uplifting shouted vocals. The release show that took place earlier this year for their latest album, The Beauty Between, will probably end up going down as one of my live music moments of the year. The enthusiasm and sheer joy on display is contagious, and recent show turnouts make it pretty clear that RVIVR fever has been spreading rapidly since their basement-show days. Rightfully so—it's a breath of (sweaty) fresh air to hear a band doing this sound so well today. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

HOCKEY, SAINT MOTEL, SWIMM
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Two Man Advantage, the Zambonis, Hanson Brothers—those are hockey bands. They've got songs about everything from the penalty box to the fifth hole; hockey is in every lyric and every chord. As for the electronically inclined indie-rock duo Hockey (who at one time hailed from Portland, Oregon, but moved to New York when the getting got good), the appreciation for the sport stops at their name. And, while I guess they're fine as a band—a little bland for my tastes, and the intro of "Explorer" sounds a whole lot like "Please Don't Go Girl" by New Kids on the Block—it is kind of insulting to name your band after one of the toughest, most passionate, and greatest sports that has ever existed and then sound like that. They should call themselves Croquet. MEGAN SELING

THE LORD WEIRD SLOUGH FEG, GRACEON, LESBIAN, EIGHT BELLS, KRYSTOS
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) A band's gotta be pretty trusting of their fan base's patience and dedication to drop an epic 44-minute-plus song on them, but if Sleep and Jethro Tull could get away with it, so can Seattle's Lesbian. The band's most recent long-player (emphasis on long, obviously), Forestelevision, is a multifaceted sonic journey meant to be enjoyed in one sitting. Naturally the song contains several movements and sections that break up the feel. It goes from crushing doom to flights of fluttering psychedelia, and finally into King Diamond-esque vocals that bring up the rear. Due to the seamlessness of it all, there's no doubt that Lesbian wants the listener to take it all in at once. So plant yourself firmly in your ass-groove, grip that four-foot bong tightly between your legs, and prepare for blast off. ARIS WALES

THE PARSON RED HEADS, OZARKS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) On the heels of the expansive, folk-tinged Yearling, the Parson Red Heads took a step back—or forward, depending on your perspective—for their upcoming third full-length, Orb Weaver. Eschewing the meticulous prodding of their usual songwriting and recording regimen, the band instead employed Minus 5 maestro Scott McCaughey, who encouraged a no-frills, all-live approach. The result is staggeringly good, and easily the celebrated locals' best effort to date for a group whose Americana roots-rock is given a psychedelic pop-rock facelift. Those eager to hear Orb Weaver will have to be patient, though; tonight's free show sees the band performing their 2007 debut album King Giraffe in full. RJP

SUNDAY 8/4

AGESANDAGES, BLUE CRANES
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

PICKATHON
(Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen, Happy Valley) Read our article on Pickathon and check out this year's picks.

NO NAME #1: A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF ELLIOTT SMITH
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) It's impossible, especially in this city, to overrate Elliott Smith's career. Within the span of six short years, Smith released five nearly flawless records (excluding the subsequent bounty of posthumous releases, obviously), an incredible feat by today's—or any other era's—standards. While not technically a native Oregonian, Smith was very much an honorary Portlander: His lyrics constantly allude to familiar PDX locales, and it's in this town's scene a young Smith cut his teeth playing, originally with his almost-post-hardcore band Heatmiser and later as a solo artist. Moreover, Smith's music just sounds like Portland: wholly overcast and desolate, but speckled with an inexplicable, otherworldly beauty. It's easy to get wrapped up in the drama of Smith's tragic, untimely death (which occurred 10 years ago this October), but it shouldn't distract from the gorgeous art he produced while he was alive. Tonight, in honor of Smith's would-be 44th birthday, David Garza, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, members of Smith's band, and many more pay tribute to that Elliott Smith—one of the greatest songwriters to have ever lived, period. MT Also see My, What a Busy Week!

G. GREEN, THE MEMORIES, WESTERN HYMN, HORNET LEG
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Leave just a little more in the tank after two days of rocking out at the SMMR BMMR, because this encore show at the Know is guaranteed to keep the party going. You already know the Memories will do everything in their power to slosh that festival's weekend energy over into this Sunday night show. Meanwhile, the pair of K Records bands that open the show, Western Hymn and Hornet Leg, make an early arrival mandatory. Heading into the final stretch, you'll want to be double-fisting tall cans when California's G. Green takes the stage. The band thrashes through loud and raw noise pop full of shouted vocals and pretty oohs and aahs. Their music is both gloriously melodic and carelessly lo-fi and shambolic. It's certain to have you moving, and will be stuck in your head by the time Monday morning rolls around. CT

MONDAY 8/5

DIATRIBE–FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE STREETS: A TRIBUTE TO OBO ADDY
(Washington Park, 400 SW Kingston) Today's free outdoor concert is a fitting tribute to one of the Northwest's most esteemed cross-cultural musical figures. Originally from Ghana, Obo Addy is responsible for integrating African arts into schools, parks, and community centers across the country as a resource and spokesman for the traditional dance and percussive elements of his homeland. Locally, Obo's tenure as an instructor at Lewis & Clark College allowed for countless generations of liberal arts students to experience the polyrythmic complexities and spirited movements endemic to a distinct West African cultural heritage. Addy passed away from liver cancer last September, and left behind a legacy spanning his multifaceted roles as a composer, educator, music teacher, and dance instructor. This event will act as a capstone to his experience in America and serve as a prelude to a traditional ceremony abroad to commemorate his role as a Chief in the Sowutuom region in Accra, Ghana. Expect traditional West African music and dance, with a progression into contemporary hip-hop and breakdance as a true homage to the hybrid nature of Obo's musical identity and heritage. WYATT SCHAFFNER

TUESDAY 8/6

SUMMER CANNIBALS
(Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside) Read our article on Summer Cannibals.

BLACK BREATH, MAMMOTH GRINDER, DRUDEN, SPECTRAL TOMBS
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) The stench in the air will be heavy and thick when Black Breath brings the evil halitosis on Tuesday. Borrowing Swedish death metal's buzz-saw guitar sound and meshing it with crossover thrash and the occasional groove-metal riff, the Seattle band's Sentenced to Life reemphasized their role last year as one of Southern Lord's flagship acts, as the label has shifted its focus away from doom metal and more to hardcore. Also playing is Mammoth Grinder, whose name pretty is much their best descriptor. Check out the recently released Underworlds for the Austin band's own crusty mix of death metal and hardcore. MS