THURSDAY 4/9

X, STEVE SOTO & THE TWISTED HEARTS, GUNS & ROSETTI

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

THE THERMALS, PARENTHETICAL GIRLS, EXPLODE INTO COLORS

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

WHITE LIES, FRIENDLY FIRES, THE SOFT PACK

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) San Diego garage band the Muslims have changed their name to the Soft Pack. I guess they got skittish about the potential controversy of their previous moniker, so now they are named after a package of deadly, cancer-filled cigarettes. A name change is not the end of the world—also see Caribou, or Cut off Your Hands, or Mighty Baby—but to the casual fan it is confusing, and a little bit of a pain in the ass. Rest assured that the excellent garage gems of the Muslims are fully intact. You'll just need to change some of your iTunes tags. NED LANNAMANN

FRIDAY 4/10

THE ROOTS AFTERPARTY: ?UESTLOVE, REV. SHINES, DJ KEZ, STARCHILE

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE ROOTS, PACIFIC DIVISION, DJ GEN.ERIK

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Enough critics have bemoaned the overlooking/underrating of the Roots' impeccable 2008 release Rising Down that it's almost earned the reputation it deserves. Over no-nonsense beats and incorporating a Dälek-lite industrial buzz, the Roots-plus-guests—including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, and hot Seinfeld-sampler Wale—created a unified world of state-of-the-art hiphop. This is Roots style, which means witty but never funny, horny but never sexy, and political almost always. Is it this lack of jokes and sex that makes the Roots sometimes feel like the bran muffins of rap? Probably, but let the record show that the Roots' refusal to dabble in comedy means that, on Rising Down, even the skits are revelatory. DAVID SCHMADER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

YETI FEST: WOODEN SHJIPS, WAVVES, VAMPIRE HANDS, EAT SKULL, MAUS HAUS, DJ HWY 7, DJ YETI

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) A celebration of the local publication known as Yeti can only mean the best of the best. Published sporadically and always accompanied by a CD of eclectic content—ranging from long-lost gospel recordings to the freshest four-track creations—the only reoccurring theme is quality music. Editor Mike McGonigal pays equal attention to the obscure and the up and coming, with a focus on that which mixes up formulas and recreates conventions, demonstrating the capacity of music to continually refresh and renew. Tonight's showcase is in this spirit, with our very own Eat Skull, and San Diego's "beach-punk" sensation Wavves, plus a set from DJ Yeti himself. MARANDA BISH

FILASTINE, MARK FARINA, DJ GLOBALRUCKUS

(2410 N Mississippi) Anonymous-I, the promotion company responsible for bringing legendary acts like Green Velvet, Rabbit in the Moon, and Derrick Carter to Portland, is celebrating its four-year anniversary. Predictably, they're going huge with a multiple room, all-night party featuring two bigger-than-big headliners: Mark Farina and Filastine. Farina just released a sixth volume of his wildly popular Mushroom Jazz series on the venerable Om Records. Enough said about that. Filastine is a Spanish beatsmith with a distinct and absorbing style that incorporates tricky, bumpin' percussion, political snippets, and a global atmosphere. AVA HEGEDUS

THE BUDOS BAND, DJ SANTO

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) What does it say about the current state of music that one of the finest soul bands working today sounds exactly like the soundtrack to an exploitation flick from the '70s? The Budos Band, part of the Daptone Records family of retro-soul revivalists, aren't doing a single thing new in their instrumental jams, and thank god for that. The large ensemble flirts with funk and Afro-beat, but their thick, swampy sound remains lost in time. Minimal grooves are given plenty of room to breathe, and a frontline of trumpets and saxophones clear the path while space organ vamps and wah-wah guitar chitters overhead. It's some of the best and leanest instrumental soul-funk since the early days of the Meters—not bad for a bunch of white dudes from Staten Island. NL

CONSCIOUS OVERDOSE: LYRICS BORN, LIFESAVAS, DJ WICKED

(SCOTLAND BARR & THE SLOW DRAGS

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) If you thought Clem Snide had broken up, you're kind of right. Leader Eef Barzelay has two solo albums under his belt—the fine, stark Bitter Honey and the slightly more indulgent Lose Big—so it's a little surprising that Clem Snide are already reunited with a new album and tour. But the group's latest, Hungry Bird, was actually recorded in 2006 before the band's breakup, with both the band and record collapsing under Barzelay's ambition. Anyway, time has passed, the record is finally out, the band is touring, and Barzelay's razor-sharp pop songs are as good as ever—I guess it's back to business as usual. NL

KULTURSZENE: LEE CURTISS, 31AVAS, M. QUIET

(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) Portland's premier night of techno—Kulturszene—turns three years old (that's 21 in techno years) tonight and celebrates by importing Detroit's Lee Curtiss. An international name ingrained in the skulls of both obsessed technophiles and dance enthusiasts, Curtiss is the sort of big-time presence that proves Kulturszene's spot as the local fault line for all things dance music. If you want to know what you can expect from the headliner—in addition to house DJs 31Avas (also known as Mercury freelancer Ava Hegedus) and M.Quiet—look no further than this quote from Curtiss himself: "Fuck trends, fuck dance music, and fuck me." EAC

THE DUTCHESS AND THE DUKE, BLACK WHALES, METH TEETH

(East End, 203 SE Grand) It's difficult to describe the incredibly strong appeal of the Dutchess and the Duke. The acoustic, shambling pop-folk songs of Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison are little more than twin harmonies, a couple guitars, and a tambourine. It's part French chanson, part campfire sing-along, and part "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." And it's undeniably addictive stuff, tickling parts of the memory with rough-edged songs that sound completely fresh despite their retro trappings. NL

ROCK OF AGES: THE MEDIAM, PRIZE COUNTRY, DIESTO & MORE

(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Adam Pike's birthday show will feature 30 songs—one for each year—courtesy of 13 of the bands he's worked with as house engineer for both Jackpot! Recording Studios and his own Toadhouse Studios. While you might assume it's a wee bit narcissistic for Pike to throw an epic birthday party in his own honor, you're probably just jealous because you don't have 13 bands ready to serenade you all night long. I know I certainly am. EAC

SATURDAY 4/11

DJ SPINDERELLA, STARCHILE, DUNDIGGY, DJ OG ONE

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!

WEINLAND, JUSTIN POWER (7 PM), WEINLAND, AH HOLLY FAM'LY, MBILLY (10 PM)

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See Music.

GLASS CANDY, DESIRE, FLESHTONE, MIKE SIMONETTI, DJ LINOLEUM

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See Music.

STARKEY, JON AD, LINCOLNUP

(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) The last time Starkey was in town, the dance floor lost its collective mind. His sounds were so fresh, the bass was so heavy, and the man was so involved with his performance that all the audience could do was thrash around in a frenzy and scream for more at a fevered pitch. In the year since, Starkey released his first full-length album, was featured on Mary Anne Hobbs' radio show on BBC's Radio 1, and toured five continents. Now he's back on the West Coast to promote Starkbass, a new DJ mix out on Portland's LoDubs record label. His formula for making a party go off? A keenly curated selection of grime, wobbly dubstep, and straight-up club music composed of breakthrough tracks by up-and-coming artists, recognizable hits, and his own outstanding productions. AVA

SUNDAY 4/12

FLEET FOXES, BLITZEN TRAPPER

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) If the essence of baroque cathedral hymns could permeate the current music scene through, say, something along the lines of Band of Horses, another herd of land animals would emerge: Fleet Foxes. Earning their way into the Sub Pop family early last year, these longhaired, bearded gents (well, that's the majority) have created a sound that's tranquil while simultaneously making you want to dance. And, goddamnit, it's so catchy and whistle-able that—should you have been lucky enough to score tickets to this sold-out show—you may leave with your lips permanently pursed. Who doesn't love a good whistle? MOLLY GEORGETTA Also see My, What a Busy Week!

LOS CAMPESINOS!, SKY LARKIN

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Welsh septet Los Campesinos! are touring the US on a break between recording sessions for a forthcoming album with engineer John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, countless awesome bands) at the same Connecticut studio where Pixies did Doolittle. None of these names really gets you any closer to Los Campesinos' delightful sound, though. On the highly productive band's two(!) 2008 albums Hold on Now, Youngster... and We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, they perfectly merge breathless urgency, winningly twee lyricism, boy/girl singing, and deceptively sharp playing (their songs are pointedly combustive and frantic and sound like they should be falling apart, yet every fiddle and glockenspiel note lands just right). Also, I recently found out they do a cover of Heavenly's "C Is the Heavenly Option," which only makes me love them more. ERIC GRANDY

MARISSA NADLER

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) On her fourth LP, Little Hells, Marissa Nadler just might have found her stride. Where her three previous records were demonstrations in subtle, haunting beauty, Little Hells is equipped with a full band, and the results are pretty fantastic. While she still borrows heavily from the British folk movement, Nadler's voice remains angelic, and the addition of orchestration—Wurlitzers, cellos, theremins, and more—makes her music all the more immediate. Nadler's previous, sparse recordings are still among the finest freak folk of the decade, but this new, poppier, lush sound is one of an artist finally coming into her own. ROB SIMONSEN

MONDAY 4/13

TUNE-YARDS, LUCKY DRAGONS, KARL BLAU

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

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM, HEARTLESS BASTARDS, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, CAGE THE ELEPHANT

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) The Gaslight Anthem want to be Bruce Springsteen, and, honestly, can you blame them? If you're a band of roughneck Jersey kids, you hitch your wagon to either the Boss or Bon Jovi, and God help you if you choose the latter. There wasn't an album that saw the light of 2008 that could touch The '59 Sound, a recording without flaw that has established the Gaslight Anthem as the great punk rock hope, and one of the few bands worthy of standing in the shadow of Bruce. Or if you want me to get all Jon Landau on you: I saw rock 'n' roll's future—and its name is the Gaslight Anthem. EAC

TUESDAY 4/14

ZIZEK, DJ MONKEYTEK, RYAN ORGAN, DJ E3

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

JUNIOR BOYS, MAX TUNDRA

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) In the ever-eager-to-please genre of synth-pop, there aren't many albums you can classify as unequivocal "growers." (OMD's Architecture and Morality? Heaven 17's Penthouse and Pavement?) With Junior Boys' latest, Begone Dull Care, the Canadian neo-synth duo—Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark—have entered into this exclusive and paradoxical club. The white-hot sensuality of 2006's "In the Morning" has cooled to the chrome-plated beat of Begone opener "Parallel Lines," while their tonal washes—once brilliantly translucent—have grown murky. In Depeche Mode parlance, they've entered their "so-called dark phase." If past is precedent, we know what's next: Jeremy Greenspan in a dog collar. ANDREW STOUT

GLASVEGAS, VON IVA

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Glasvegas' excellent self-titled debut is full of big, soaring, cathartically slushy rock songs that beg to be sung along to—at the band's live shows, in the shower, while jogging ("Go Square Go" will cause you to run too fast and break your ankle, but it will be worth it). Singer/guitarist/former footballer James Allan sings with a Scottish accent and a terrifically overblown sense of melancholy that are, in combination, totally swoonworthy (also, I am somehow completely charmed rather than put off by the band's silly greaser aesthetic and Allan's pomaded shelf of hair). And the band bathes his songs in walls of sound and washes of reverb that would make Phil Spector and the Jesus and Mary Chain proud. EG

WEDNESDAY 4/15

THE PRESETS, THE GOLDEN FILTER, THE GENTRY

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) See My, What a Busy Week!

DR. DOG, THE CAVE SINGERS,

GOLDEN BOOTS

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Classic rock is kind of a dirty word these days, but Philly's Dr. Dog damn near rehabilitate the genre, with soulful rock tunes that evoke both the Beatles and Southern boogie without making you want to reset your car radio presets. And the live show is energetic and dynamic, with tight arrangements and both lead singers trading the mic. Think you're too cool for Dr. Dog? Believe me, you're not. NL

JAMIE STEWART, NURSES, DRAGGING AN OX THROUGH WATER

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) As the mastermind behind the extravagant and intensely orchestrated pop stylings of Xiu Xiu, Jamie Stewart could not be expected to put on any regular old solo set. This round of touring will involve several characteristic embellishments. For one, Stewart intends to take a picture of every person at every show, making all shots available online for school-photo style prints, and compiling some into a book. Also, if you bring a roll of 35mm film along with a self-addressed envelope ("if you are nice put in dried fruits and candied ginger," the website adds), they'll shoot the roll and return it to you to be developed. If that weren't enough, handmade chocolate and mix CDs will be up for grabs. It would seem that Jamie Stewart doesn't just want to be your favorite musician; he wants to be your friend and artistic collaborator. What a guy. MB

BLACK ELK , MADE OUT OF BABIES, PRIZE COUNTRY, MONGOLOID VILLAGE

(Satyricon, 125 NW 6th) Noise rock didn't die with the Jesus Lizard's unceremonious dissolution in 1999, nor is it "back" with news of the band's nostalgia-circuit reunion. Twenty-first century bands like Portland's Black Elk and Brooklyn's Made out of Babies play with the old man's chemistry set and find new amalgams of heavy metal and abrasive art rock to push. (Tectonic bass + the devil's tritone = endless possibilities.) Made out of Babies' third album, The Ruiner, considers melody an essential part of the genre, In Utero-style; "Cooker" and "Peew" drop psychiatric extroversion atop knee-buckling instrumentation. Ethereal vocalist Julie Christmas even takes the album to radio-friendly-unit-shifting extremes ("Invisible Ink," "Buffalo"). MIKE MEYER