THURSDAY 5/14

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS

(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) See My, What a Busy Week!

OLD TIME RELIJUN, EXPLODE INTO COLORS, EVOLUTIONARY JASS BAND, BOBBY DANGEROUS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See Our Town Could be Your Life.

BOOKER T, TAHOE JACKSON

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Yes, that Booker T., of legendary Stax/Volt house band the MGs. Did you know Booker T. was only 17 when he recorded "Green Onions"? He's considerably older now, and has just come out with a new album bearing the somewhat dirty-sounding title Potato Hole. On this instrumental outing, Booker T. is backed by distorted riffs from Drive-By Truckers and occasional lead guitar from Neil Young, and if that sounds like a match made in heaven, the Truckers' lumbering Southern brontosaurus rock doesn't quite provide the funky lift that graces Booker T.'s best work. There's a take of OutKast's "Hey Ya!" on there—yeah, remember that song?—and a Tom Waits cover, but Booker T.'s compositions provide the album's high points, a reminder that this man's Hammond organ has graced not just a couple of the greatest records ever made, but virtually dozens—hundreds, even. NED LANNAMANN

LONEY DEAR, HEADLIGHTS, CHURCH

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Excuse the sinister feelings, but I always just sort of pegged Loney Dear as a Swedish version of Belle and Sebastian. Their greatly anticipated Sub Pop debut—and fourth album overall—Loney, Noir, hit the States with a fistful of pop pleasantries, but left little of substance in its well-traveled path. But last year's Dear John changed all that. No longer just a Nordic Stuart Murdoch, Emil Svanängen crafted his bedroom pop undertaking into a precise vehicle for sweeping melodies and restrained arrangements. It's not the most uplifting of albums—especially the synth downer "Under a Silent Sea"—but it's confirmation that there is plenty of creativity left in the well of pop music. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

FRIDAY 5/15

NO AGE, EAT SKULL, GUN OUTFIT

(Worksound, 820 SE Alder) See My, What a Busy Week!

MIDNIGHT, RIPPER, THE WARWOLVES,RITUAL NECROMANCY

(Plan B, 1305 SE 8th) See Music.

MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S, TELEKINESIS, EVERYTHING NOW

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) It would be very easy for the music of Telekinesis to get lost in the pop music shuffle. Sincere songs rich with melody are a staple of guitar-based music, leading to few success stories, and countless unknown acts lingering in deep obscurity with a bevy of pop hooks yet no one to share them with. So credit Death Cabber Chris Walla for lending his name and refined production skills to Telekinesis!, the debut long-player from Seattle's Michael Benjamin Lerner. The album is a stunning work of clear-cut pop rock that might never have escaped Lerner's bedroom walls had Merge Records and Walla not stepped in. Under the Telekinesis moniker, Lerner—who manages to sing while manning the drum kit, without bringing to mind Don Henley—has slowly etched out his place in the crowded pop landscape, and the world seems a better place because of it. EAC

PAGAN FEST: KORPIKLAANI, PRIMORDIAL, ELUVEITIE, MOONSORROW, BLACKGUARD, SWASHBUCKLE

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) It's the pagan season of music, evidently, as the second "old religion" festival in as many months takes Portland by metallic force. If you missed Pagan Knights—helmed by Týr, who inexplicably left their progressive-metal Ragnarok songbook at the Faroe Islands airport—you missed an evening of uncompromising traditional folk (and rowdy mockery from the crusty punk regulars of Satyricon). So don't miss this, the larger of the two tours, where Finland's Moonsorrow are sure to baffle the best of us. Their most recent full-length, 2006's V: Hävitetty, remains one of black metal's most ambitious efforts, combining tremolo-picked terror, lush keyboard backdrops, martial drumming, cleansing fire, and simple tenderness in two epic tracks that span an hour. If you've ever thought Portland's Agalloch were in a world of their own, you've never heard Moonsorrow. MIKE MEYER

ARISTERY SOUND EQUIPMENT

FUNDRAISER: PANTHER, HOOLIGANSHIP, WHITE FANG, PEP ASSEMBLY

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) Good sound doesn't come on the cheap, so the Artistery is asking for a little monetary assistance in procuring some new sound equipment. Clearly not a showspace rolling in the big bucks, the Southeast staple of welcoming all-ages shows has always been commendable for marrying the intimate thrills of a house party with the structure of a proper venue. Tonight, Charlie Salas Humara of Panther prowls solo, alongside the electro-pop duo Hooliganship, the spastic charmers in White Fang, and the latest project from Liam Kenna (of the Snuggle Ups), Pep Assembly. Dig deep, Portland. EAC

BEN FOLDS, STEEL TRAIN

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) I've always thought of Ben Folds as the poor man's Rivers Cuomo. Both frontmen wrote some stellar pop songs about being an awkward geek, and they could tap into teenagers' psyches and pen anthems that were comforting in the most uncomfortable adolescent moments (Weezer's "Why Bother?" vs. Ben Folds' "Song for the Dumped," for example). Ben Folds never got the same play Cuomo got, though. (Maybe because he didn't do nutty stuff like disappear for years, lengthen a leg, or have an infamous fixation on Asian women?) But now that Cuomo's catalog has failed to live up to the very high standards the band set with Pinkerton, it looks like the turtle has won the race. I gave up on Cuomo after "Pork and Beans," yet Ben Folds is still writing tracks that are every bit as solid as his efforts in the '90s. Well done, sir. MEGAN SELING

YOUTH GROUP, HYPATIA LAKE, HIGHWAY

(East End, 203 SE Grand) Australia's Youth Group make mainstream, forthright pop songs that evoke late-'80s Britain, with frontman Toby Martin alternating between the austere croon of Morrissey and the unclouded optimism of James' Tim Booth. Youth Group's latest, The Night Is Ours, contains several perfect pop moments, including the bittersweet "All This Will Pass" and the anthemic "Two Sides." Like he did with another band performing tonight (Telekinesis), Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie contributes to the record, and fans of his band's unabashed melodies and skyscraper-high production will find much to love in Youth Group, who know full well the therapeutic properties of thoughtful lyrics paired with catchy hooks. Their straightforward, curative songs may not change your life outright, but they will definitely make it a better one. NL

SATURDAY 5/16

TENDER LOVING EMPIRE BIRTHDAY: JARED MEES & THE GROWN CHILDREN, REPORTER, BOY EATS DRUM MACHINE, GRATITILLIUM, SUPER XX MAN, WORLD'S GREATEST GHOSTS, MEGA*CHURCH, DJ NINE INCH NILINA

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE DETROIT COBRAS, DEXTER ROMWEBER DUO, PURE COUNTRY GOLD

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) The Detroit Cobras infuse garage rock with soul and rough up soul with garage rock. It's thoroughly retrosexual, but it's executed with the utmost passion, sincerity, and skill, so it's hard to fault. Because soul and garage rock are inherently righteous genres and because Rachel Nagy can sing her ass off, the Detroit Cobras merit your attention and sweat. Speaking of Detroit, that city's Jack White hails Dex Romweber as a key influence on this whole stark neo-blues-rock shit. The White Stripe/Raconteur also produced and played on Dex's latest 7-inch, "Last Kind Word Blues," due late May. Respect must be paid. DAVE SEGAL

THE VIRGINS, LISSY TRULLIE, ANYA MARINA

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Few have successfully made the transition from radio disc jockey to recording artist. Apart from Wolfman Jack's cameo in the Guess Who's "Clap for the Wolfman," and Rick Dees, who turned "Disco Duck" into a novelty hit in 1976, the leap from spinning records to actually being on the records is rarely made. California DJ and actress Anya Marina has managed this switch, and her second album Slow and Steady Seduction: Phase II features boho pop with elements of girl group, bossa nova, and French chanson. Despite contributions from Spoon's Britt Daniel, it all feels a little contrived, but Marina's ethereal, Nordic-coffeehouse-queen presence should be the highlight of a bill that also features New York's the Virgins, who try to dirty up their lame retro-sleaze schtick by singing about slutty girls and cocaine. Sadly, the aptly named Virgins end up sounding like that loser at the high school cafeteria table who brags about all the chicks he's supposedly banged, despite never actually having laid hands on a female aside from lovingly fondling the controller while playing Tomb Raider. NL

THE WALL HITS, STICKS DOWNEY,BUTTERY LORDS, THE BEAUTY

(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) With a harmless vintage feel that harkens back to the Midnight Marauders era of early '90s hiphop, Sticks Downey are a new(ish) trio of emcees on the Stumptown scene. While they only have a few shows under their belt, the Sticks have been at it since 2007, only recently debuting their full-length, When the Belt Changes Hands. It's far from revolutionary, and '90s revisionist hiphop posturing is a bit played, but it's hard not get some neck exercise from the band's enthusiastic flow, goofy rhymes, and playful bravado. My only complaint: cut the Spurs line—"Gonna put you on ice like George Gervin" (from "Gambler's Conceit")—and drop something a little more Blazers-centric. This is Rip City, after all. EAC

NUGGETS NIGHT III: PURPLE OWSLEY, THE EEGOS, THE STRANGE EFFECTS, BEYOND VERONICA, GIANT BUG VILLAGE, COCO COBRA & THE KILLERS, THE WIRES, RAPIDS, THE FOXGLOVES, LES ETRANGERS, THE WELFARE STATE, THE PINK SNOWFLAKES

(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) We're not talking chicken or marijuana here. Slabtown's third Nuggets Night is a tribute to the Nuggets compilation album of 1972, so titled because it compiled some of the first-known tantalizing tracks in the psychedelic/punk/garage rock style from the years 1965-1968. The album contributed to renewed interest in, and resurgence of, these styles, and to celebrate this era and influence, Nuggets Night will highlight a slew of local bands who keep this music alive in both sound and spirit, from the jaunty rock of the Eegos all the way to the Euro-surf stylings of Les Etrangers. This year's special treat comes with headliner Purple Owsley, which features members of Portland's original 1980s garage rock act the Miracle Workers. MARANDA BISH

SUNDAY 5/17

SCHOOL OF ROCK WITH FRANK BLACK

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE KILLS, THE HORRORS, MAGIC WAND

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, FUN, AUDRYE SESSIONS, WINSTON AUDIO

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) See Music.

OBITS, THE LIGHTS, LANA REBEL & THE BROKEN PROMISES

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) If you want to see how far the influence of Drive Like Jehu reached, be on the lookout for the "Please Drive Like Jehu" sign in the parking lot of famed indie store Lou's Records. Or just take a gander at the countless (Hundreds? Thousands?) of bands that have mimicked the band's revolutionary self-titled post-punk manifesto. Obits feature the pained voice of Jehu, Rick Froberg, sans longtime partner in (Yank) crime and Hot Snakes co-conspirator John Reis. Obits' I Blame You resides closer to the Hot Snakes side of the Froberg discography, with a stripped-down sound consisting of caustic guitars, thumping drums, and that often imitated yet never replicated voice of Froberg. It's volatile garage rock explosive enough to torch the whole damn house. Drive safely. EAC

NURSES, CHURCH, THE OCEAN FLOOR

(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) With the addition of Lane Barrington on the drum kit, Church has turned into one of the best, most potent bands around town, with an eerie sound that has full command of a complete range of dynamics. Their superb forthcoming album, Song Force Crystal, won't be out until August 4, but this show marks the kickoff of Church's joint tour with Barrington's other project, the Ocean Floor—which now, naturally, includes the other members of Church. Pop Quiz is the brand-spankin'-new Ocean Floor record, and each of its jazzy baroque folk songs ask various questions, from "How Many Fingers?" to "Am I?" to "Who Needs a Cheerleader?" (The answers are, respectively, "three," "from here, not really," and "this guy.") The album, released on Ryland Bouchard's Swim Slowly label, features intricate orchestrations for woodwinds and strings, and is a breezy, delicate delight, an excellent counterpoint to Church's dark analog throb. NL

MONDAY 5/18

HAMMER OF HATHOR, SOME WEIRD SIN, THE SLAVES

(Worksound, 820 SE Alder) Local experimental noise duo Hammer of Hathor have just put out their fourth release, Tooth Eeth or Teeth Ooth, on unblemished white vinyl, but the noise contained within is scarcely immaculate. Over Mark Kaylor's drums, Heather Vergotis employs all manner of noises—from an insistent clanging guitar string, twanging on the same note over the course of several minutes, to clicking, tonal percussion that produces a sparse gamelan sound. It's primitive minimalism that never feels claustrophobic. Tooth Eeth's four tracks each take their title from a Shaw Brothers kung fu movie, and the record—celebrating its release tonight—is the first title on Shimmering on a Dim Tide Records, distributed by Mississippi Records. NL

TUESDAY 5/19

VIVA VOCE LISTENING PARTY & VIDEO PREMIERE

(Mississippi Studios>Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

GOJIRA, THE CHARIOT, CARBOMB

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) Did you know? Death metal and environmentalism have been loosely linked ever since vegan-friendly Carcass used a collage of autopsy photos for the cover of its 1988 debut album, Reek of Putrefaction (the old "six pounds of rotting meat inside your bowels" argument spelled out in meat font). French band Gojira is the latest noteworthy eco-death act to challenge genre assumptions, most recently with The Way of All Flesh (one of this writer's top five albums of 2008), a political effort that doesn't hit you over the head with its promotion of the anti-whaling Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. It hits instead with Meshuggah-like math-whiz tumult, proggy song structures (for a single, "Vacuity" is a lofty challenge), and vocals that don't totally abandon understandability. For death metal, this means something. MM

WEDNESDAY 5/20

JEFF HANSON, T.S. BROOKS, CHRIS KOZA

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

FORSORCERERS, LOVERS, WEED WOLF

(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) See Music.

SCOTT WEILAND, THE COLOR TURNING

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Who the hell is Scott Weiland? Starting out as an Eddie Vedder impersonator with Stone Temple Pilots, Weiland parlayed that gig into stints as a Jim Morrison impersonator with the remains of the Doors and an Axl Rose stand-in with Slash's GN'R spinoff Velvet Revolver. The closest thing to a constant: Weiland's well-documented love affair with Sweet Lady H, which I guess counts as a sort of Layne Staley impersonation. DAVID SCHMADER