THURSDAY 9/24

FIN DE CINEMA: ILYAS AHMED, AAN, DASH!, GHOSTING, WHY I MUST BE CAREFUL

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

SKREAM, DAEDELUS, NOSAJ THING, RYAN ORGAN

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See Music.

THESE UNITED STATES, PANCAKE BREAKFAST

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Some critics (i.e., Pitchfork) have accused Jesse Elliott of being too wordy. Elliott does have a penchant for packing mouthfuls of syllables into single verses, but it's his bookish wordplay that has kept DC's These United States from being just another straight-shooting indie-folk band. Until now, that is. Everything Touches Everything—the band's third record in the past year and a half—shows the rapid evolution from folky bedroom project to full-fledged rock 'n' roll band. Elliott is still spinning intricate yarns—this time chattering over jubilant neo-psych songs that are focused, yet still wily enough to keep critics at a loss for words as to how to describe the beautiful mess. MARK LORE

LEIGH MARBLE, SO SADLY FUCKED, FROM WORDS TO BLOWS

(The Knife Shop, 426 SW Washington) A thoroughly Portland musician whose love for the city can be heard in his output, Leigh Marble is a troubadour for the downtrodden, reveling defiantly in the margins where young, unconventional, and rowdy folks often find themselves. His 2007 release Red Tornado is a robust album featuring anthem-heavy jams like "On Your Way" and sarcasm-ridden laments like "Baby Ruth." With clear allegiance to the style of hometown hero Elliott Smith—a slight jangle and twang, alongside a subtle punk minimalism—Marble has created a comfortable niche among local singer/songwriters, well worn enough to feel familiar yet far enough on the edge to keep things interesting. MARANDA BISH

FRIDAY 9/25

HEART, MICHAEL GRIMM

(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) Read our interview with Nancy Wilson at portlandmercury.com.

GREEN LADY KILLERS, BODHI, WAMPIRE, DIMINISHED MEN, THE ERNS

(East End, 203 SE Grand) It's been a long time coming, but Bodhi's first album Secondhand Runner is finally out, and reportedly the band already has enough material for a follow-up EP. But let's not get ahead of ourselves—in the meantime, the Portland band's debut is a stunner. Secondhand Runner is a PDX garage record that shows the band's New York City roots, putting emphasis on streetwalkin' cool above all else. Bodhi goes from pogo-ing bomp to slow 'n' stoney bliss-out, using the familiar tools of Iggy Pop's deranged, half-sung vocals, the Castaways' cheesed-out organ, and Gary Numan's chunky synths. "Bystander" is just a slight bit rockabilly, and "Calmness on the Beat" even shows some tendencies toward morning-after coke-disco, Giorgio Moroder-style, until shivering distorted guitars fill up the glossy track. Bodhi have found a perfect marriage of garage and glam, and are actually winning the hard-odds gamble that attitude trumps all else. NED LANNAMANN

WHITE RAINBOW, STAG HARE, HEXLOVE, SILVER ANTLERS

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) When Apollo 11 made its race to land on the moon 40 years ago, each of the three astronauts onboard could take with them a cassette tape that would, for the most part, musically represent themselves, their journey, and the advent of the Space Age. What did they take? Country music. Country. Whatever floats your space shuttle, I guess, but I would've been more inclined to take some White Rainbow with me. Adam Forkner's synth-fused tribal tunes stretch back to the dawn of civilization and music, lacing delicate chants and drumbeats with ethereal trance effects that make it perfect for some celestial gazing. A small step for man perhaps, but a giant leap for space jams. PHILIP GAUDETTE

FEDERALE, LITTLE PIECES, RYAN SOLLEE

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Poor Jake. The railroad folk slaughtered his family, took his land, buried him alive, yet the man refuses to rest until the day the dusty streets run red with vengeance. Well, that and blood. This is the tale that unfolds through Devil in a Boot, the excellent new full-length from spaghetti western instrumentalists Federale. When it comes to this genre you can't swing a bandolier full of shotgun shells without hitting the legacy of Ennio Morricone, but Federale are respectful in their path, crafting a graceful and stylistic sound that sprawls out as a soundtrack to some hidden western cinematic gem. Joining them for tonight's CD release is Little Pieces, the new venture from Herman Jolly, former frontman of the criminally underrated Sunset Valley. The Seattle band's latest is loaded with fuzzy pop and Jolly's bouncy songwriting, yet none of those things explain the title of their new EP: Vampires Fill Their Waterbeds with Blood. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

TRIVIUM, WHITECHAPEL, DARKEST HOUR, DIRGE WITHIN

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) To their credit, Orlando metal band Trivium did something three years ago that most of the era's thrash "revival," and even Metallica themselves, couldn't pull off: They released a good album. The Crusade at the time sounded refreshing and righteous but dangerously imitative of pre-Load Metallica. It is better in retrospect. Lead singer/guitarist Matt Heafy just nails James Hetfield's clean roar (a new development to the one-time all-screaming metalcore band) while tackling longstanding scene foes (homophobia, racism, sexism, journalism) amid anthemic twin-guitar shred. It wasn't that retro; it had simply been awhile since proper thrash was given a stage. That all changed with last year's Shogun, an ambition made regressive by forced Y2K-style screamo-vocal overdubs (which, as indicated in the special edition's DVD documentary, were against Heafy's wishes to, ya know, sing). "Live, I don't do the screaming stuff," he says in the film. Trivium need a live album. MIKE MEYER

WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION, THE DIMES , MOLLY JENSON

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) I know that you have always wanted the dude from Toad the Wet Sprocket to team up with two-thirds of Nickel Creek. Well, music lover, your prayers have been fulfilled! The result is the blandly named Works Progress Administration, which also features some guy from Lyle Lovett's band and the drummer from Lone Justice. The end result is an extremely competent—so very, very competent—hybrid of pop and bluegrass. It's popgrass! The presence of heavyweight keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; journeyman session work on about a billion albums your dad owns) lends some gravity to the project, which incorporates tricky McCartney-esque songwriting and fills every last inch of song with a chord change or a fiddle line or something. NPR will probably take a shine to it, but others will take to heart the refrain from one of their catchier songs: "Might as well be paralyzed." NL

PIERCED ARROWS, THE NICE BOYS, THE BLOODIES

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) For 20-plus years, Fred and Toody Cole—formerly of Dead Moon and now (along with drummer Kelly Halliburton) of Pierced Arrows—have put out increasingly dirty garage tunes that show no sign of letting up. In fact, I'd argue that the two are probably surgically grafted to their instruments, if not to each other. Fresh from a month-long tour in Europe, Pierced Arrows bring their nostalgic punk back home to Berbati's before hitting the road once again. And speaking of nostalgia, the Nice Boys play some ol' fashioned doo-wop inspired punk songs that'll leave you scuffing your Chucks and rubbing leather-clad elbows all night. PG

WOODEN SHJIPS, ETERNAL TAPESTRY, HERE COMES A BIG BLACK CLOUD, MEERCAZ

(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) For a long time, San Francisco psychedelic rockers Wooden Shjips had mystery working in their favor, releasing their extended jams only on hard-to-find vinyl—but those early singles have since been compiled, and the band's two full-length records for Holy Mountain have peeled off some of the layers of secrecy. Their long, one-chord, krautrock-in-the-desert jams can either be entrancing or dull, depending on your mood, but in the stark light of day there really isn't much on board the Shjips. While the first Wooden Shjips song you hear will probably seem like a deep, wide bath of ear candy, the momentum of their fuzzed-out marathons is largely in the eye of the beholder, and as their catalog mounts up, it becomes more apparent that behind Wooden Shjips' singularity is actually a lack of ideas. Seriously, how many one-chord songs can you listen to in a row? Especially when lacking the dynamic range of similarly minded bands—like Olympia's Nudity—it becomes clear that, without the aid of some fucking excellent psychedelics, the Shjips are more or less an empty vessel. NL

PORTLAND ROUND: WHIP, SAW WHET, SARAH WINCHESTER

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) Art and music go together like peas and carrots, especially when garnished with a generous sprinkle of slam poetry. That's where the Portland Round comes in, a three-way of music, live painting, and—you guessed it—slam poetry. The music will come from solo sets by Jason Merritt (who goes by Whip), Becky Dawson (who goes by Saw Whet), and Sarah Winchester (who goes by Sarah Winchester). Dawson is one of the gorgeous female voices of Ah Holly Fam'ly (she also graced Au's last excellent record), and under the Saw Whet guise, she plays spooky, plucked folk with jazzy trills. Meanwhile, Winchester is the singer/drummer for A Weather, and her own solo stuff displays the spellbinding emotional urgency of that band, even as Winchester rarely rises above a hushed whisper. The evening's slam poetry comes from Greg Brisendine and Eirean Bradley, and live art is done by Theo Spanos and Michelle Erickson. NL

SATURDAY 9/26

ALICE IN CHAINS

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) See My, What a Busy Week.

DEER TICK

(Grand Lodge, 3505 Pacific, Forest Grove) See Music.

THE ACCÜSED, LORDS OF LIGHT, SIN VIDA, ELITIST

(Satyricon, 125 NW 6th) See Music.

PEARL JAM, BEN HARPER AND RELENTLESS7

(Clark County Amphitheater, 17200 NE Delfel, Ridgefield, WA) The most famous dropout from my former high school (suck it, Michael Chang) is one Eddie Vedder. It's an odd claim for the school to boast about, considering that a teenaged Vedder was a rudderless youth veering toward trouble and not the typical former student most institutions drag out as an example of their ability to mold young potential (with this diploma, we'll all be grunge singers!). But just about everyone respects Vedder, even if—like music fans—their relationship with Pearl Jam ended the day they traded in Vitalogy for store credit. In fact, Pearl Jam own the tiny parcel of rock real estate reserved for a select few acts that are universally respected, but seldom listened to. Binaural. Riot Act. Backspacer. These are not just random words, but instead the titles of actual Pearl Jam records that you probably have never heard of, or dared purchase. And while Cobain wrote, "I would love to be erased from our association with Pearl Jam" in his journals, the band has long since outlived him, proving that when it comes to longevity, respect trumps everything. EAC Also see My, What a Busy Week, pg. 17.

LIVING COLOUR, SEKOND SKYN

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Hey, when am I going to be able to purchase the entire run of The Arsenio Hall Show on DVD? Among the dozens of performances and interviews that shaped my soft, gelatinous forebrain as a sprout—Eazy-E in a hockey mask, Busta Rhymes doing "Scenario," Bill Clinton playing the fucking sax—one of the sights most seared into my lobe was that of four crazy negroes in neon Body Glove ensembles, doing the one thing I didn't know my people capable of: playing rock music. Playing the fuck out of some rock music, in fact. At age 11, I didn't know Bo Diddley or Bad Brains, so "Cult of Personality" was for me the absolute scorched ground zero of black rock. Shit, still is. To this day I'm mad that I can't pull off the DayGlo wetsuit look. LARRY MIZELL JR Also see My, What a Busy Week.

SUNDAY 9/27

DEER TICK

(Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale) See Music.

MASON JENNINGS, THE CRASH KINGS

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Mason Jennings has gotten a bad rap in the past for being linked to acts like Jack Johnson in the watered-down, acoustic frat boy surf-rock set. Jennings, however, possess far more songwriting talent than any of those shoeless guitar-strumming beach bums. His lyrics are full and poetic, while his subject matter strays delightfully out of the confines of love songs and into the political—a feat that the aforementioned Johnson has failed at miserably. Jennings has not gotten a whole lot better with time, but he's still remained a talented singer/songwriter with a knack for speaking his mind and making you sway while he does it.  THEODORA P. KARATZAS

MONDAY 9/28

TELEFON TEL AVIV, THE RACE

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

SONDRE LERCHE, JBM

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) If I had a dollar for every band or artist that cites the Stooges as an influence, I'd have more money than the Stooges made in their entire lives. But if I had a dollar for every band or artist that cites bookish British pop-twerps Prefab Sprout as an influence, I'd have one dollar, courtesy of Norwegian pop-twerp Sondre Lerche. (Thanks for the dollar, Sondre! I love them, too!) Tonight at the Doug Fir, the widely praised Mr. Lerche showcases Heartbeat Radio, his just-released sixth LP (if you count the Dan in Real Life soundtrack). DAVID SCHMADER  

TUESDAY 9/29

PEREZ HILTON PRESENTS: LADYHAWKE, NATALIE PORTMAN'S SHAVED HEAD, SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS, JULIAN PERRETA

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) No one ever said the music industry was fair. But in the wake of a crumbling infrastructure and massive layoffs, it's a downright crime to see Warner Bros. back up the Brinks truck to the door of well-fed gossip creature Perez Hilton. His Perezcious Music (ugh) imprint recklessly slings the buzz words—"a bold marketing move designed to reflect current trends in the way fans discover and consume music and fashion"—yet has little to show for it other than a tour that wields his name and some French pop singer who you'll probably never hear. The closest Hilton might ever come to a hit is when his face met the fist of Will.i.am. Following an onstage meltdown in Boston, headliner Ida Maria has wisely left the tour, quickly being replaced by Seattle electronic act Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. Which leaves us all to ponder, did Ida Maria have a devastating mental breakdown? Or was it just a wise career move? EAC

WEDNESDAY 9/30

THE DOLLY RANCHERS, TARA JANE O'NEIL

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week.

RAIN MACHINE, DIANE CLUCK

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Music.