WEDNESDAY 8/21

WIDOWER, JOSIAH JOHNSON, BARNA HOWARD
(Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

FIN DE CINEMA: ROMEO + JULIET: MAGIC FADES, GRAMMIES, IPSUM SOUL
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

NO AGE, SUN FOOT, DEVIN GARY AND ROSS
(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) Read our article on No Age.

DREAMDECAY, PANZER BEAT
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Seattle's Dreamdecay don't really sound like any other band, heavy or otherwise. Earlier this year, the group released the staggering N V N V N V on Iron Lung, affirming their status as eminent up-and-comers; the record vacillates between dreary, drawn-out post-whatever (best exemplified by album opener "Nveedle") and driving, dissonant, albeit catchy hardcore ("Nvun" and "PerpetualNV"). But the group's recorded output doesn't quite do its live performances justice: Drummer/vocalist Justin Gallego is a powerhouse, one of the most commanding musical presences I've ever witnessed. Go so you can say you saw them when. MORGAN TROPER

THURSDAY 8/22

DANZIG (WITH DOYLE), SCAR THE MARTYR
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Read our interview with Glenn Danzig.

EYE OF NIX, BLUE SABBATH BLACK CHEER, HAIL, WINTER IN THE BLOOD
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Seattle's Blue Sabbath Black Cheer might put their primary influences front and center on paper, but those proto-metal proclivities implied by the name are buried deep beneath the scorched surface. Sure, there's that vaguely doom-y aspect that always circles back to Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer in some form or fashion, but BSBC share more sonic similarities with noiseniks like Wolf Eyes or Hair Police, where horror and dread hold sway. Their short slash-and-burn tour down the West Coast is with Eyes of Nix, fellow Seattleites whose more tactile assault can only come across as accessible when compared to something like their tourmates. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN

FRIDAY 8/23

FLIGHT 64 BENEFIT SHOW: MAGIC MOUTH, BONNIE MONTGOMERY, ONUINU
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

STREET NIGHTS, REGULAR MUSIC, DJ AVANT TO PARTY, DJ NEVER FORGET
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) Read our article on Street Nights.

HARVEY GIRLS, LEVATOR, CHERIMOYA
(Firkin Tavern, 1937 SE 11th) Holladay is the Harvey Girls' third EP release this year, and it's the Portland trio's most rocking and straightforward release yet. That's not to say it's conventional—it opens with a pair of mathy prog-rock exercises to make you properly dizzy, before settling into the catchy (relative) pop of "Bacon's Autobiography of the Moon." It's rounded out by the slow smorgasbord of "Jittery Anne" and the dark basement-psych grunt of "Red Plastic Chairs." Still, despite all the weird trappings, this is the Harvey Girls at their most accessible to date, and the most cleanly representative of their current live show, which is a marked evolution from their strange folk-stew home recordings from a couple years ago. They celebrate the fascinating EP's release tonight, and have plans to follow it up with another EP by year's end. NED LANNAMANN

STONES THROW SOUL TOUR: DAM-FUNK, THE STEPKIDS, MYRON AND E
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Stones Throw is best known for its releases by Madlib and J Dilla, but the roster of this venerable Los Angeles indie imprint doesn't stop with underground hiphop, encompassing rough-hewn post-punk, neo-soul, and outsider oddities like Gary Wilson, too. Consistent quality is mandatory for survival when you champion as many weirdoes as Stones Throw does, and this package tour delivers: Dam-Funk's outré electro conjures up the ghosts of Rammellzee and Zapp's Roger Troutman, while newcomers Myron and E deploy finely tuned classic soul grooves. And the Stepkids, who drop their superlative sophomore set Troubadour next month, operate in a world all their own, infusing jazz, '70s pop, psychedelia, and tight vocal harmonies into sinewy funk grooves—their kaleidoscopic support slots for the Horrors in 2011 damn near eclipsed the headliners. KURT B. REIGHLEY

BAD HABITAT, THE BAD TENANTS, BEEJAN, DAS LEUNE
(Blue Monk, 3341 SE Belmont) Hiphop can often be a dicey prospect when performed live. An otherwise talented emcee or group can astound you with their lyrical talent on wax, but then underwhelm when bringing that same material to the stage. Southeast Portland's Bad Habitat thankfully does not suffer from that affliction, instead bringing a high-energy performance that gets the crowd hyped sans prompting. Their latest full-length, Paper People, just dropped this summer, showcasing their unique brand of hiphop melded with punk and classic rock. The Bad Tenants, who recently moved to Seattle from their native Bellingham, are another hiphop trio that pushes the limits of the genre, with a bluesy take that features soulful crooning and blue-collar brass. Both bands are at the forefront of Northwest acts infusing hiphop with the ethos and enthusiasm of a top-notch bar band. RYAN FEIGH

PLOW UNITED, FASTER HOUSECAT, TIGHT BROS
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) I completely missed out on Plow United when they were around in the '90s—when I listened to nothing but punk rock—so I thought the Delaware trio who just released a new record, Marching Band, were new on the scene. Oh, how wrong I was. Plow United existed through most of the '90s, breaking up late in the decade only to reunite just a couple of years ago at Riot Fest East. They have hooks reminiscent of the Loved Ones or the Menzingers, and they bring some punk-rock fire on par with early Rancid or Good Riddance. How did I miss this?! I'm guessing I won't be the only one in the room who didn't get to catch them the first time. MEGAN SELING

NASALROD, SLEEPTALKER, DRAMADY
(Slim's, 8635 N Lombard) Amanda Wilson and Zac Stanley make it look seamlessly easy to create a band's worth of music with only two people. Their musical chops surely assist in this endeavor—the duo has been playing together as Dramady since 2006, and in myriad other esteemed local projects for even longer. This impressive longevity is a testament to the unassuming dedication that motivates their fine pop music, which provides both effortless listening pleasure and an entertaining live spectacle. Stanley simultaneously sings deadpan baritone, keeps the beat on drums, and bangs out keyboard riffs, while Wilson delivers stalwart bass, velvety reed undertones, and saccharine vocal contributions. MARANDA BISH

SATURDAY 8/24

DIVERS, NATO COLE AND THE BLUE DIAMOND BAND, PAGERIPPERS
(Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!

SCOUT NIBLETT, P.G. SIX, HUNGRY GHOST
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Scout Niblett.

THE WIMPS, HURRY UP, WOOLEN MEN
(Record Room, 8 NE Killingsworth) The Rule of Three is in play tonight when these tight and scrappy three-pieces share a stacked bill. When the Thermals are not out touring the world, you might be able to find them around Northeast Portland starting slow-motion mosh pits and giving each other piggy-back rides at Woolen Men shows. You can also find two-thirds of the band playing with their other group, Hurry Up. Tonight you have the perfect opportunity to witness both. Hurry Up is a must-see, only partly because the band has yet to release any recorded music. On the other hand, the Woolen Men have a handful of cassettes and a self-titled album out on the Woodsist label. But the easiest gateway has to be their unparalleled barn-burner of a live show. Seattle's the Wimps round things out with some straight-shooting and easy-to-love punk bursts. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

JAIL WEDDINGS, THANKS, WOODWINDS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Jail Weddings' music has a grandiose, theatrical feel—part Little Shop of Horrors, part Hedwig and the Angry Inch, sprinkled with vocals that conjure up a young Bruce Springsteen. Their new record, Meltdown: A Declaration of Unpopular Emotion (out August 27), is an explosion of dramatic tension—if this music were a television show, it would be a soap opera. High-energy vocals and back-up harmonies are accompanied by eruptive brass, strings, and keys to build songs that are aggressive, intense, and impossible to disengage with. They're joined by local band Thanks, who have been holed up recording their new record, and their punchy, sexy soul-rock will round out the evening perfectly. RACHEL MILBAUER

NAIVE MELODIES, LESSER BANGS
(The Goodfoot, 2845 SE Stark) I should turn in my music-critic badge because of how long it took me to get the pun in Lesser Bangs' name (to get one of these badges, just say "Nickelback sucks" five times, and Steve Albini will emerge from the mirror and carefully pin it onto your Neu! T-shirt). I don't know if Lester Bangs would rave and drool over Alamo Basement, the warm, furry debut album from the Portland quartet, but I'm definitely on board. Lesser Bangs' particular brand of updated classic rock lands somewhere in between Wolf Parade and the Moondoggies, with the piano of Adam King at the front of that shaggy-sounding pack. The rest of the band makes a rock-solid backdrop that's equal parts light and shade. Alamo Basement's highlights are many, including the fragile but triumphant chorus of "Zocalo" and the involving narrative of "Catfish Hunter." NL

SUNDAY 8/25

GAYTHEIST, MAGIC MOUTH
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

EXPERIMENTAL HALF-HOUR
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

LAURA VEIRS
(Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside) Laura Veirs' ninth album, Warp and Weft, is named after a weaving term, and it's an apt evocation of the record's expertly crafted, interlocking melodies. While it follows Tumble Bee—her wonderful 2011 album for children (and likeminded adults)—and Veirs' 2010 masterpiece July Flame, the new album contains depths not previously shown in Veirs' earlier work. The painterly, wind-washed folk of the gorgeous "Sun Song" will please longtime fans and NPR listeners, but "That Alice" is a chugging, spiky rocker with terrific lead guitar from My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel (his bandmate Jim James also features heavily on the record). Additionally, there are a pair of brief, inquisitive instrumentals that have more in common with Side 2 of David Bowie's Low than anything on July Flame. Veirs performs an in-store this afternoon before embarking on a national tour. NL

PETE SWANSON, RAFAEL F., HOT VICTORY
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Pete Swanson exists on the liminal plane between industrial metal machine music and improvisational experimental power electronics. Revered locally in a Reznor-esque fashion for his time in the seminal noise-drone outfit Yellow Swans, Swanson, with his solo venture has reached a semblance of mainstream incorporation with a release on Mexican Summer and glowing accolades from the Pitchfork vanguard. Irrelevant as that may be to the music, the patronage allows Swanson to invest a considerable amount of time on the road, and his live act is a true spectacle of sound and singularity. The inclusion of Hot Victory tonight promises an autre-electronic headbanger of a show. WYATT SCHAFFNER

EIGHT BELLS, HANG THE OLD YEAR, HUMOURS
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Sharing members with Slow Teeth, Atrocity Exhibition, and Burials, local prog-rockers Hang the Old Year hit the studio for eight days in July and August and have wasted little time sharing the results. The three-song, 30-minute, self- titled opus runs through sections of post-rock noodling, psychedelic droning, and punk-rock skronking—which is to say it's sometimes pretty similar to the last couple of records by Thee Silver Mt. Zion. The band celebrates the release of their second album on Sunday, when they play with local troupe Eight Bells, whose own sprawling compositions run the gamut from Neurosis-inspired post-metal to heavy psych. Hard-hitting local prog-rockers Humours open. MWS

PINBACK, SURVIVAL KNIFE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) From the ashes of Unwound comes Survival Knife. I caught their set a couple of months back and was immediately sucked in, whether they were playing it straight or going off on some unwieldy tangent. The only recorded material you're going to find is the 7-inch for "Traces of Me," which I'm listening to loud right now at 8:18 am on a Monday (it's only fitting that this is how my neighbors get introduced to Survival Knife). Needless to say, if you like guitar in your rock, then this new project from Justin Trosper and Brandt Sandeno slices and dices in all the right places. MARK LORE

MONDAY 8/26

O'BROTHER, NATIVE, DAYLIGHT
(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!

TUESDAY 8/27

SNOOP LION, DJ OG-ONE
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week!

WHIRR, NOTHING
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) This is where I am supposed to tell you about Whirr. But I don't think I'm going to. I'm not sure I should. You see, the Bay Area band weaves such a dense curtain of classic shoegaze, a peek behind the scenes is not only unnecessary, but would also illuminate too much; I'm not going to undermine Whirr's mood and mystery. Rest assured: The band's 2013 mini-album Around is an impressive exercise in slow-building crescendo, with four songs that ride gentle, chiming guitars into a hazy heaven of warm riffs and smeared vocals. It might even make you put down that new My Bloody Valentine album you were so excited about last winter, at least for a little bit. BEN SALMON