WEDNESDAY 1/20

SHIGETO, GROUNDISLAVA, PHILIP GRASS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Zach Saginaw, the Detroit-based producer who records under the name Shigeto, is returning to Portland on a victory lap after having one of his best years in 2015. In October, he released Intermission, a devilishly funky collection of playful synth melodies and stutter-step rhythms that cross the gap between downtempo and trap. A few months prior to that, Shigeto did an impressive collaboration with jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas. Their album, High Rise, allowed both artists to open up in ways they might not have dared on previous solo efforts, with Douglas warping his tones to achieve the strange beauty of post-fusion Miles Davis, and Shigeto floating through the mix dusting everything with impish squiggles and provocative drones. ROBERT HAM Also see My, What a Busy Week!

LISA SCHONBERG, ALI CLARYS, DESERT OF HIATUS
(Turn! Turn! Turn!!, 8 NE Killingsworth) Lisa Schonberg's CV almost reads like a Northwest experimental pop syllabus; her deft rhythms have propelled performances by Tara Jane O'Neil, Explode into Colors, Mirah, the Need, and many others. Blurring the lines between performance artist and performing musician, Schonberg's career carries a consistent through-line of inventive rhythm and collaborative artistry. The Creative Music Guild tapped her to perform as part the Outset Series, a program dedicated to highlighting Portland's improvisational and experimental music scene. Whether or not Schonberg's work will continue in the vein of her Secret Drum Band remains to be seen. Fellow experimental artist Desert of Hiatus will open the night, bringing his longform ambient compositions to the bar/record store Turn! Turn! Turn! MAC POGUE

PETER CASE
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) Peter Case was in two of the best pop bands you've probably never heard of. Seminal punk/new wave band the Nerves—which featured Case and kindred pop nonpareils Paul Collins and Jack Lee in the songwriting roles—existed in an imaginary reality where the Beatles never smoked weed with Bob Dylan and Merseybeat continued to reign well into the '70s (see: "Hanging on the Telephone" and "When You Find Out," two songs easily as good as anything Lennon or McCartney penned in their early days). Later, Case fronted the Plimsouls, a less consistent outfit, but one that still produced 1983's wiry, power-pop tour de force "A Million Miles Away" (a song in dire need of a professional remix). Somewhere along the way, Case ditched the Cuban heels for a fedora and reinvented himself as a "serious solo artist" (not unlike Elvis Costello—another formerly angry young man with deeply regrettable taste in hats). Case's new record Hwy 62 is a far cry from his early days as pop's favorite son, but it's also not the cringe-fest one might expect. Underneath the folkie luster is the same heartbeat responsible for some of the most vital and underrated records in punk-rock history. MORGAN TROPER

THURSDAY 1/21

BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) When Eazy-E died in 1995, the world of hip-hop stood still for a moment. However, his label, Ruthless Records, carried his legacy on in the form of Cleveland legends Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Their 1996 hit "Tha Crossroads" is dedicated to their mentor, and it earned them a Grammy and a forever home in the gangster-rap nostalgia banks of the '90s. The band has had its ups and downs—breakups and varying chart success—but all the Bones came back together in 2014 to record their self-proclaimed "last album," E. 1999 Legends, and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their seminal hit with a tour. Following Wu-Tang Clan's plan, only a single copy has been issued, which is up for auction with a $1 million starting price, and (although Martin Shkreli has not publicly commented) it's supposedly found a bidder. JENI WREN STOTTRUP

BEETHOVEN-BARTÓK FESTIVAL: JERUSALEM QUARTET
(PSU Lincoln Performance Hall, 1620 SW Park) To unfamiliar ears, Béla Bartók's music sounds like true horror. Whereas the majority of popular Western music plays on the use of major and minor scales—selections of notes out of 12 possibilities that sound pleasing together—Bartók's music winds all over the scale. His music develops its own mathematic constructs, outside of Western music's traditional structures. Played alongside a Beethoven quartet, the Hungarian composer's music sounds like a revolt. The Jerusalem Quartet explores the dialectic between Bartók's world-building cacophony and Beethoven's studied harmony. The six-day festival, staged by Friends of Chamber Music, mixes four performances by Jerusalem Quartet (each comprised of three quartets a piece: either two of Bartók's and one of Beethoven's, or vice versa), lectures, and discussion panels on the sociopolitical catalysts behind the two artists' work. MP

FRIDAY 1/22

JOSH RITTER AND THE ROYAL CITY BAND, ELEPHANT REVIVAL
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Josh Ritter.

TYRANTS, VALKYRIE RODEO, FAXES, PAINTED DEBRIS
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) Read our article on Tyrants.

DANTE ELEPHANTE, TALKATIVE, DOGHEART
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) In the ombré of California surf-pop, Santa Barbara's Dante Elephante stand out in vivid hues of bright guitars and nectary vocals. Their full-length, Anglo-Saxon Summer, came out in October on LA's Lolipop Records, with the help of Foxygen guitarist-turned-producer Jonathan Rado. It's 13 tracks of sunbleached, endless summer, but Dante Elephante don't hesitate to let the inescapable darkness of mortality seep into their music like mold on a fruit. This is particularly evident on "Pasadena Dreams" when vocalist Ruben Zarate sings, "Last night my baby told me that I was growing grays/Funny when she found out I'm never gonna change." This attempt at adding a little grime to a genre characterized by sing-songy vocals and sunshiny riffs is catchy, but misses the mark slightly when compared to other Lolipop bands like Froth and Joel Jerome. CIARA DOLAN

CHUGGER, JUSTUS PROFFIT, CASTLES, TJ TY
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Los Angeles fuzz-rocker Justus Proffit doesn't waste anytime getting into the thick of things on his recently released debut EP, Magic. Opening track "Seven" showcases Proffit's knack for combining gloomy, self-deprecating lyrics with catchy melodies that will hang around your head for days. Magic's six songs focus on themes of isolation and loss, but instead of coming off as someone who wants to wallow in sadness forever, Proffit's infectious songwriting and top-notch pop sensibility is strong enough to propel his songs to anthemic heights. It's a trait that puts Proffit alongside Bay Area power-pop machine Tony Molina. While Molina is content to melt your face and move along, Proffit finds the time to let his hooks sink in deep and pound you over the head until you're humming right along. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

D3, DRAE STEVES, CHRIS LEE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) I've been trying to get in touch with Drae Steves for a long time. His first mixtape, Unfinished Business, has been in near-constant rotation on my playlist ever since it dropped in 2014, and I've been hoping to speak with the North Portland emcee and promote his music in these pages. But between his unreliable web presence, his sporadic live performances, and his reluctance to return emails, Steves remains something of an enigma, which is unfortunate because he might be one of the best emcees in Portland—or, if not the best, the only one making swagger-fueled ratchet like he doesn't know what city he's in. With tight production and Steves' effortless flow, UFB owes more to "Bompton" rapper YG than any of his Pacific Northwest counterparts. Apparently Unfinished Business 2 dropped last April, but I'll be damned if I can find it online, and Steves has already begun dropping singles from his next mixtape, leaving me scratching my head. Drae, you have my number. Get at me. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY

DECIMUS, RAICA, EL OWL, DWEOMER
(Leaven Community, 5431 NE 20th) Seattle's Further Records and Portland's Optic Echo Records present an all-ages show featuring avant-garde boutique electronica sure to make you turn on, tune in, and drop out. These artists are all known for unique and multi-layered approaches, with years spent honing their respective, introspective sounds. They share a style of execution that is loosely based on improvisational processes that highlight different angles of the same complex shape. Decimus, the project of Pat Murano, synther/guitarist of New York City's No-Neck Blues Band, will be presenting his recent release from Further Records, Decimus 7, an opus of cinematic chaos that guides the listener toward unconventional forms of alien bliss. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

MONTHS, THE PYNNACLES, EXCUSES
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) The dueling vocalists of Portland four-piece Months sound like Ben Gibbard (Wilson Vediner) and Milo Aukerman of Descendents (Aaron Miller) fighting over who gets the stage at karaoke night. Their drunken debauchery descends into a cacophonous post-punk brawl. By the time they're both on the floor, bloodied, bruised, and huffing the stale beer-infused air, they've forgotten what they were fighting about in the first place. So they sit together in silence watching someone else do a Neil Diamond impression. Months' self-titled LP works in these dichotomous extremes, with soundscapes shifting from shrill, broken-glass guitar riffs to smooth lulls of subdued slacker rock that act as relief from the hellish intensity. And just like seeing a chaotic fight between drunken middle-aged dudes, you want to take the high road and look away, but something primal inside won't let you. CAMERON CROWELL

XRAY.FM AWARDS AND AFTERPARTY: STEPHEN MALKMUS, PURE BATHING CULTURE, CANDACE
(Marmoset Music, 2105 SE 7th) Since it first started broadcasting almost two years ago, XRAY.fm has challenged the status quo of Portland broadcasting, championing left-of-the-dial musical experiences for drive-time commuters, desk jockeys, and anyone else with a computer or phone. And they've had a lot of support— primarily of the volunteer variety, as well as from likeminded nonprofits and community services. Tonight the station gives thanks to those folks with their inaugural XRAY.fm Awards, beginning with a dinner and private acoustic performance by Stephen Malkmus. Following the awards portion, Portland art-popsters Pure Bathing Culture will be on hand for afterparty shenanigans. Alternative radio formats are hugely important, and XRAY.fm has been a salvation for loads of culture-starved/anti-mainstream troglodytes for the past year, so get on down there and say thanks. RYAN J. PRADO

FUR COATS, JACKSON BOONE, RONNIE HAINES
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Portland's Fur Coats float on today's wave of psychedelia from a soul-pop perspective. Their recent EP, Desperate, is a slow, backbeat-driven saunter through surf-lounge burners. One can imagine it as the soundtrack to an I Dream of Jeannie or Batman episode, or accompanying a shot of the dark ingénue in a Tarantino flick. This week Fur Coats release the third video from their EP, for the track "Don't Worry." Keeping with the theme of the occult and religion from the video for "Desperate," "Don't Worry" follows a Heaven's Gate-like post-apocalyptic cult led by lead singer Chris Hoganson, with the band daring you to drink their juice. JWS

SATURDAY 1/23

RNB: RIHANNA/NICKI/BEYONCÉ
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

JOSH RITTER AND THE ROYAL CITY BAND, ELEPHANT REVIVAL
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) See My, What a Busy Week!, and read our article on Josh Ritter.

JERUSALEM QUARTET
(PSU Lincoln Performance Hall, 1620 SW Park) See Thursday's preview.

TY SEGALL AND THE MUGGERS, CFM, OLD LIGHT, THE LAVENDER FLU
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Ty Segall has held the throne in the pantheon of nouveau rock gods for many moons, mercilessly showering thunder and lightning from the heavens. His electric storm reaches us plebeians in the form of total bangers, from his 2008 self-titled debut to this month's brand-new Emotional Mugger. In a promo video for the album, Segall explains the concept of "emotional mugging" as "non-verbal and non-physical emotional exchange... EM-ing is a victim-full crime wherein both the perpetrator and subject are victims of their emotional purpose." His foggy, disjointed explanation is just as confusing as Emotional Mugger itself. While Segall's intentions behind 2013's Sleeper and 2014's Manipulator were clear, the new album is glitchy and incoherent. It sounds like he got bored and decided to experiment with some nonlinear logic, bleeps, bloops, and funny voices. The King of Fuzz hath bestowed upon us... a lemon. CD Also see My, What a Busy Week!

CAR SEAT HEADREST, PWR BTTM, NAKED GIANTS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) 2015 was a banner year for DIY punk acts that used their instruments and voices to champion queer and trans experiences with unflinching courage. Bands like Olympia hardcore act G.L.O.S.S. and the Brooklyn-based punk quartet Aye Nako both unleashed music that served as rallying cries for those struggling with questions of gender identity and sexuality. Another important queer rock record came via the Hudson Valley garage-punk duo of PWR BTTM, a band formed when guitarist Ben Hopkins and drummer Liv Bruce met at Bard College and set out to collaborate on bringing elements of drag performance into DIY punk culture. The band's full-length debut, Ugly Cherries, is an absolute delight to behold. Hopkins and Bruce trade off vocal duties as they rip their way through 11 catchy, unapologetic rock songs that churn sincere and embarrassing anecdotes into heartening and empowering garage-pop gems. CT Also read our article on Car Seat Headrest.

JO PASSED, SPECTRUM CONTROL, SAD HORSE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Tonight the Know dishes up a trio of tasty rock bands—two local, one not. Sad Horse is a Portland-based duo (Geoff Soule and Elizabeth Venable) whose new album, Greatest Hits, is a powerhouse collection of punchy punk rock that spills over with serrated guitars, cymbal crashes, and strangled yelps. And hooks! Plenty of those. Spectrum Control is some serious homegrown psych-sorcery that features members of Brass Clouds, Plankton Wat, and Máscaras, and totally rules. Let 'em take you to space ASAP. Finally, Jo Passed is the new project of Joseph Hirabayashi, a Canadian singer/songwriter with a penchant for gently drifting psych-pop and fetching, float-worthy melodies. Jo Passed has a new EP out this week on Craft Singles (excellent label name there, by the way), and the two songs made public so far are really nice listens. BEN SALMON

DISENCHANTER, GRAND HEAD, OLD KINGDOM
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) The brothers that make up Portland punk and doom two-piece Grand Head have been making music together for years in punk bands like Dread and the Jimmies. Grand Head is their most realized work, taking their love of Black Flag and Celtic Frost and flipping it on its head. Barry Brusseau's riffs are monolithic with the occasional jagged dagger thrown in, while Tim Ward's drumming lies somewhere between John Bonham and Elvin Jones. Grand Head's new self-titled LP is loaded with arty doom, and songs that are plenty adventurous but still under four minutes. The band is playing a series of release shows in Portland as well as the brothers' hometown of Longview, Washington. I've seen them live, and this two-piece makes the noise of an entire army. MARK LORE

MAMMA COAL, LOWLIGHT, MIKE ELIAS
(The Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Carra Stasney, formerly of female country duo Copper and Coal, was bestowed the name Mamma Coal during the recording of their acclaimed, self-titled debut album in 2013. After giving birth to her son, Stasney went about reimagining Willie Nelson's classic Red Headed Stranger album from the point of view of a tenacious mother defending her son against outlaws and no-good men. Tonight is her official Kickstarter launch, and she'll be performing songs from the forthcoming Raven Haired Vixen album, joined by an all-star band, including a reunion with Copper and Coal partner Leslie Beia. Roots-rock band Lowlight will be opening the show, along with Denver's Mike Elias, who performs a rare solo set. Even if you can't make it tonight, please consider contributing to the Kickstarter campaign anyway—this project needs to happen. SEH

NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND THE NIGHT SWEATS, PAPER BIRD
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) If fast-rising roots-music bands from Denver, Colorado, are your thing, get thee to the Wonder Ballroom tonight or tomorrow night, where Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and Paper Bird will fill the place with authentic acoustic folk 'n' soul. "Authentic" is a red herring there, though that is certainly the perception of Rateliff's band, which cranks out a particularly convincing brand of throwback, soul-infused rock—all hand-claps and warm horns and gospel harmonies and vintage trimmings. They're a tight band! So is Paper Bird, but in a more ethereal way. Fronted by three charismatic female vocalists, the band's distinctive arrangements and dizzying harmonies are a must-hear. Logistically, this tour makes sense. Aesthetically? Not so sure. But it will be a fine night of music. If you have tickets, cool. If you don't, bad news: Both nights are sold out. BS

SUNDAY 1/24

ORGY, BOBAFLEX, DEATH VALLEY HIGH, DEAD ANIMAL ASSEMBLY PLANT
(Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside) See All-Ages Action!

MAJICAL CLOUDZ, SHE-DEVILS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Majical Cloudz.

JERUSALEM QUARTET
(PSU Lincoln Performance Hall, 1620 SW Park) See Thursday's preview.

NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND THE NIGHT SWEATS, PAPER BIRD
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Saturday's listing.

CHILDBIRTH, LISA PRANK, MINI BLINDS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) "Supergroup" might be pushing it, but the collective pedigree of Childbirth's trio is pretty super, with Julia Shapiro of Chastity Belt, Bree McKenna of Tacocat, and Stacy Peck of Pony Time. The Seattle-based crew released their second album, Women's Rights, last year on Suicide Squeeze. Oozing with satire, the band often dons maternity gowns while performing, sings songs about trashy baby showers ("Baby Bump"), dating in the new millennium ("Siri, Open Tinder"), and other alarmingly funny taboos via riot grrrl-inspired three-chord, no-horseshit punk rock. It's the kind of record that is so hilarious, in fact, that its underlying foci on the inconsistencies in societal norms regarding women, minorities, and feminism could go unnoticed if you're not fully tuned in. In the same way Amy Schumer makes great comedy through the self-deprecation of perceived discriminatory mores, Childbirth turns feminism on its ear with a dose of laughing gas. RJP Also see My, What a Busy Week!

CRYSTAL BALLROOM 102ND BIRTHDAY FREE-FOR-ALL
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) If you feel the unfamiliar urge to dance when you're at the Crystal Ballroom, architect Robert F. Tegen designed the building—and, specifically, its floor—to get people moving. Founded originally as Cotillion Hall in 1914, Tegen and entrepreneur Montrose Ringler created a sprawling, wide-open space to inspire the arcing gestures of contemporary dances like foxtrot and tango. The architect built three other dancehalls with sprung floors (with adjustable bounce to accommodate all varieties of dance), but only the Crystal's survives today. Celebrate the 102nd birthday of the storied ballroom-turned-concert venue, with a bunch of footloose acts, starting with the You Who! kids' variety show in the early afternoon and ending with the triumphant Divers, a rock band that is an adult variety show of sorts. MP

SAMANTHA CRAIN, HARMED BROTHERS
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) The year-end list-making season for 2015 has come and gone. Best Albums of 2015. Best (insert genre) Albums of 2015. Best Albums You Didn't Hear in 2015. (How do they know?) Anyway, here's one for the Best Albums That Didn't Make the Best Albums You Didn't Hear in 2015 list: Samantha Crain's Under Branch and Thorn and Tree, a collection of intimate, beautiful folk songs that showcase not only the Shawnee, Oklahoma, native's tender and textured voice, but also her talent for detailed and devastating storytelling. She's only 29 years old, but Crain has already been one of the national folk scene's hidden gems for many years. She deserves a Jason Isbell-esque breakout in 2016. Whether that will happen is anyone's guess, but one thing's for sure: Crain is playing a residency at Al's Den that starts tonight and continues all week long, through January 30. BS

MONDAY 1/25

THIRSTY CITY: LOW KEY, FOUNTAINE, SLURGEON, WESTON RUNDLE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!

SAMANTHA CRAIN, ANNA TIVEL
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See Sunday's listing.

TUESDAY 1/26

EMO NIGHT: TAKING BACK TUESDAY
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

BEETHOVEN-BARTOK FESTIVAL
(PSU Lincoln Performance Hall, 1620 SW Park) See Thursday's preview.

SAMANTHA CRAIN, MICHAEL HOWARD
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See Sunday's listing.

THE GHOST EASE, MEGA BOG, BITCH'N
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) With Mega Bog, the unexpected is part of the appeal. Their live shows can range from ecstatically unhinged to claustrophobically hushed, and there's no telling which direction things will go until the moment they start playing. Their last time through town was the best show I saw in 2015, and I bet a number of other people would agree. Playing a packed house show in Northeast Portland, they casually worked through a set of comprehension-defying avant-pop songs that were ahead of their time... or timeless, or perhaps both. It felt like Nico leading the Astral Weeks backing band as they played on T. Rex's gear from Unicorn. Genre-wise, Mega Bog is all over the map (jazzy dream pop meets experimental soft rock?), but their emotional tension will pair perfectly with the angular garage punk of local favorites the Ghost Ease. Come early to see Bitch'n and stay to see what happens. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON