THURSDAY 10/22

DAN DEACON, NUCLEAR POWER PANTS, ALEXIS GIDEON

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

THE JESUS LIZARD, BLACK ELK

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See Music.

ALELA DIANE, MARISSA NADLER

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Marissa Nadler's fourth album, the tremendous Little Hells, finds the luminous-voiced songwriter expanding her palette beyond stark acoustic-and-voice arrangements. "Mary Come Alive" features a drum machine and thumping tom-toms, with Nadler sounding a little like Kate Bush amid the spiky synths, while "Loner" includes a horror-movie organ and echoing whirls of wind. They're welcome additions to her already captivating sound, which, like the finest-spun spider web, is both diaphanous and incredibly strong; unsticking yourself from Nadler's seductive world is never a simple task. NED LANNAMANN

GHOSTFACE KILLAH, FASHAWN, ANIMAL FARM

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Who would have thought, way back in 1993, when Wu-Tang Clan first became nothin' ta fuck wit'™, that Ghostface would wind up becoming the greatest solo rapper of the group? I would've put solid money on RZA, but Ghost has one-upped his old roommate. On one level, it makes sense. With the Wu-Tang's love of kung-fu mythology, it stands to reason that one warrior would gain the powers of all his comrades—ODB's crazy-dirty rhymes (seriously: Have you heard new single "Stapleton Sex"?), Method Man's forcefulness—to take the last triumphant stand against the forces of evil. Just because his new R&B-ish album Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in the Emerald City doesn't have the same creative energy as his Fish duology doesn't mean Ghostface isn't gonna bring the Wu to a live show. Come and get it, motherfuckers. PAUL CONSTANT

BLACK TIME, THE BUGS, CAFETERIA DANCE FEVER, MANBONES

(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) What the fuck, Cafeteria Dance Fever? All of a sudden-like, the coed quartet drops the bombshell that following tonight's show they are boxing up the toy pianos and ending their glorious run. Their playful garage pop thrash—they are to Portland what Coconut Coolouts are to Seattle—will be missed dearly. So pour a round for the band, drop some cash on your own copy of their chaotic full-length Heck on Earth, and make sure CDF's final night is a memorable occasion. Or just drink until you black out in front of the Slabtown stage. Either way works, really. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

SUBSENSORY SHOWCASE: MISS VIXEN, MILKPLANT, JAK, LIL ROJ, GEORGE HOLLAND, MI'KA & KALA

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Portland label/DJ crew SubSensory has come a long way since they last hosted a night at Holocene. An expanded presence with international techno destinations like Beatport and Juno, a slammin' new EP from local duo Mi'ka and Kala, and an upcoming remix from San Francisco's Alland Byallo have SubSensory set to join the ranks of real deal, big city techno imprints. Tonight they've upped the ante with special guest Milkplant (AKA Justin Pennell)—founder of From 0-1, Seattle's counterpart to SubSensory. AVA HEGEDUS

BOUNCING SOULS, BAYSIDE, BROADWAY CALLS

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) In principal, Jersey's Bouncing Souls are as outdated and irrelevant to modern culture as the lyrics to "These Are the Quotes from Our Favorite '80s Movies." But after 20 years of playing the role of the finest melodic punk band since Milo went off to the dorms, the Souls don't need to do anything but deliver the nostalgia and keep plugging away by getting crowds to chant "here we go, here we go, here we go" ad infinitum. And in case you were wondering, my favorite '80s movie quote is: "Where's my two dollars?" EAC

FRIDAY 10/23

BLITZEN TRAPPER, Y LA BAMBA

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week.

DAN DEACON, NUCLEAR POWER PANTS, ALEXIS GIDEON

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

POH-HOP XI: E-40, SANDPEOPLE, MANIAC LOK, & MORE

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) E-40 might be too big to be hoppin' over barbed wire fences, but the king of Bay Area flow wasn't too large to postpone his scheduled Portland show to make an appearance at the BET Hip-Hop Awards (which means, for now, it's: BET Hip-Hop Awards > POH-Hop). But after a slight delay, E-40's calendar is now clear and he'll be headlining POH-Hop's finale for their 11th year of holding it down for our local hiphop community. Joining him will be just about every emcee in Portland. EAC

MC CHRIS, WHOLE WHEAT BREAD, I FIGHT DRAGONS

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) A month or two ago I bought a Boba Fett hoodie, because that is the sort of nerd I am: For better or worse, I am willing to spend $50 for a sweatshirt that vaguely emulates the costume of a semi-obscure character from a 29-year-old space opera. Once said hoodie arrived, the first song I downloaded was helium-voiced rapper MC Chris' "Fett's Vette," an action as uninspired as it was necessary—no other song would do. It's clever and catchy ("from Endor to Hoth/Ripley to Spock/I'll find what ya want/but there's gonna be a cost"), but like a lot of nerdcore—a genre MC Chris steadfastly insists he's not a part of—once you're past the jokey geek references, there isn't a lot left. MC Chris has plenty of fans and reportedly puts on solid live shows; that said, I wouldn't count on seeing a lot of people in the crowd who don't own Boba Fett hoodies. ERIK HENRIKSEN

SATURDAY 10/24

BLITZEN TRAPPER, WYE OAK

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week.

YOU WHO: THE DECEMBERISTS, THE PHANTOM HILLBILLY, & MORE

(Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd) See Music.

NEAL MORGAN, WHY I MUST BE CAREFUL, AS/SS

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) See Our Town Could be Your Life.

NORFOLK & WESTERN, THE GOLDEN BEARS, THE LOW LOWS

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) Norfolk & Western return home after a national tour previewing their brand-new record, Dinero Severo, which can be streamed in full on the band's website. We're not sure when you'll be able to get a hard copy in your mitts, but rest assured it contains the band's trademark psyched-out folk-rock with jags of prog squall and dust-cloud country, plus inventive arrangements and immaculate production. The Golden Bears are also polishing off their new record, which will feature some guest voices alongside singer/drummer Julianna Bright—if the Bears' track record is anything to go by, this should top your list of most eagerly anticipated upcoming releases. NL

GOSSIP, MEN, BOY JOY

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Some voices are just too big to keep hidden in house shows and punk dive bars, and Gossip bandleader Beth Ditto's voice is about as big and bound-for-stardom as they come. The band went from Kill Rock Stars darlings to major-label players thanks to the breakthrough success of 2006's dance-floor empowerment anthem "Standing in the Way of Control." Their new album, Music for Men, is exactly what you might expect Gossip to sound like with a Rick Rubin-produced, airplay-ready makeover: Ditto's soul-powered singing is spotlight-bright and up front, Brace Paine's swinging guitar and bass riffs are abetted by Euro-trashed synthesizers, and Hannah Blilie's sinuous drumming has enough thump to pound through concert halls, discotheques, or just radio speakers. ERIC GRANDY

FORMER GHOSTS, ANTHONY RUSSELL, BARRA BROWN, JULIA CRAGER

(Lewis & Clark College, 0615 SW Palatine) Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu has joined the ranks of Former Ghosts, a new project spearheaded by Freddy Ruppert, formerly of This Song Is a Mess but So Am I. On debut record Fleurs, Nika Roza of Zola Jesus rounds out the trio, but this live jaunt will just feature Ruppert and Stewart; they'll be making chilly, weird synth pop with melodies submerged under glitchy, twinkly noise. Fleurs is the kind of record that initially seems to hold its listener at arm's length, but its primitive, spooky synth burbles gradually become engaging and inviting—in a strange way, the synth patches and processed vocals sound more warmly human than a lot of more organic music does. This show, put on by the Lewis & Clark Music Coalition, takes place on campus at the Trail Room, located in the Templeton Student Center. NL

WEATHERBOX, DEER OR THE DOE , LITTLE BRAZIL

(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) What a difference an album can make. In 2007 Weatherbox dropped American Art with a bombastic flair; a wondrous debut recording of gushing post-punk that just might be enough to crown them the finest purveyors of the genre since fellow San Diegans Drive Like Jehu. Their just-released The Cosmic Drama is nothing like its predecessor. Raw acoustic songs pepper the album—some add a much-needed, stark reprieve to the band's thumping volume, while others feel like demo castaways—and only in the album's second frame does Drama find its legs. The back-to-back punch of "I Haven't Kissed a Guy in Lightyears" and "Ask My Flashlight" might be the finest two songs from the band, which makes it a shame that they are buried deep in such an uneven recording. EAC

TIMES NEW VIKING, EAT SKULL, HEY LOVER

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) In the old days, according to conventional wisdom, punk rock records sounded shitty because getting access to a professional-quality recording setup was prohibitively expensive. These days, you can turn a laptop into a recording studio for less than it costs to buy a used touring van. So when a record sounds shitty in 2009, it's either because the bands are just bad at recording music or it's a deliberate aesthetic choice, an intentional nod to those bygone times and their innocent "authenticity." With the backing of indie heavyweight Matador, scuzz-punks Times New Viking could presumably produce pristine pop nuggets if they wanted to, but instead, on latest album Born Again Revisited as much as on previous releases, they make a clipped, fuzzy, blown-out racket, roughing up the obvious hooks of their songs until they are bruised, bloody things. They're great live. EG

LIAM FINN, ELIZA JANE, JASON LYTLE

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) Liam Finn no doubt got the musical genes from his father Neil, who until more recently has been looked upon as the less-cool Kiwi musician in a sea of greats that includes David Kilgour and Graeme Downes. Neil Finn did, after all, front Split Enz and the ultra-radio-friendly Crowded House, although his pop sensibilities are unparalleled. On his fantastic 2008 debut I'll Be Lightning, young Liam showed that he, too, knows his way around a hook, while sullying that pristine pop foundation with layers of psych fuzz and looped beats. The younger Finn quietly released his latest EP Champagne in Seashells in September, which continues his collaboration with vocalist Eliza-Jane Barnes. Live shows typically include Finn looping guitar and bass parts and occasionally jumping behind a drum kit. Sounds interesting, but I wouldn't at all be opposed to Liam taking his old man on tour with him. MARK LORE

SUNDAY 10/25

THE DODOS, THE RUBY SUNS

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See My, What a Busy Week.

LE LOUP, NURSES (9 PM)

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Music.

NOAH AND THE WHALE, ROBERT FRANCIS (6 PM)

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Noah and the Whale's second album The First Days of Spring is all about singer Charlie Fink's breakup with erstwhile band member Laura Marling (she's left the band, as well as the relationship). Fink has also made a film to accompany Spring's 11 tracks, and among its numerous sad, slow ballads are such uplifting titles as "My Broken Heart" and "I Have Nothing." But there's some hope at the end of the record—in the form of "Blue Skies" and "My Door Is Always Open"—and even at their saddest, Noah and the Whale's songs are always beautiful and personable, not to mention unflinchingly emotional. Since wrapping the record, the band's suffered two further hardships: Charlie Fink's brother, drummer, and founding member Doug Fink has recently left the group, and their gear was nicked (that's Britspeak for "stolen") outside a Manchester, UK, gig a few weeks ago. NL

DEAD MAN'S BONES WITH PORTLAND BOY CHOIR AND OVATION!

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Ugh, does the world need another movie-star-turned-musician vanity project? Well, Dead Man's Bones might not exactly make you forget the horrors of 30 Seconds to Mars or 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, but it's safe to say that Ryan Gosling's new musical project is a heck of a lot weirder than The Return of Bruno. It's better, too; the ghostly garage folk of Gosling and collaborator Zach Shields displays a primitive musicianship that feels surprisingly honest, despite any Tinseltown connection. The record includes a children's choir from the Silverlake Conservatory of Music; for the Portland show, Dead Man's Bones will feature the voices of a local youth choir. NL

MONDAY 10/26

MIRAH, LED TO SEA, KANE MATHIS

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

AMY MILLAN, BAHAMAS

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) You know Amy Millan as the tender voice of Stars, a role she splits with frontman Torquil Campbell. The Canadian band has an intriguing dynamic where Campbell often plays the role of the Millan's foil within a song—see the indifferent nostalgia of "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead," or heart-shattering blind date cruelty of "Personal"—but with her second solo album, Masters of the Burial, he's not around to rain on her parade. With the exception of a shuffling cover of Death Cab's "I Will Follow You into the Dark," Millan's solo material is intimate and endlessly endearing. There's a captivating rustic charisma—Burial might not have been recorded in a cabin in the woods, but it certainly sounds as if it was—throughout the album, which just goes to prove that Millan doesn't need to hitch her wagon to Stars in order to garner attention. EAC

HOUSE OF ROCK BENEFIT: SALLIE FORD AND THE SOUND OUTSIDE, KATIE SAWICKI

(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) Sallie Ford's music avoids the annoyances of retro throwback and brings the good parts of groovy vintage lounge and two-step, thus ending up with a style that you, and quite possibly your grandmother, may enjoy equally—like Pink Martini, but far less pretentious and more genuinely hip. Only a hint of modern influence is present—a whimsical Joanna Newsom-esque lilt to Sallie's bouncy vocals—while her lyrical content is of the timeless love and happiness nature. "Danger" sounds like a single, with a stand-up bass backbone and those shiny, shiny guitars. MARANDA BISH

TUESDAY 10/27

SHONEN KNIFE, EXPLODE INTO COLORS, PANTHER

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Receiving an endorsement from Kurt Cobain was sort of the '90s version of appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show, while a mention by Thurston Moore might get you into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Shonen Knife has been cranking out bubble-punk classics about sweets and cuddly animals with factory-like volume and precision since 1981. On one hand their longevity is astonishing (mainly that they've chosen to stick around this long). On the other, it makes complete sense considering the all-female trio's DIY ethic and Shangri-Las-meets-Ramones rock tunes have influenced countless bands while earning a few seismic namedrops. Founding member Naoko Yamano has kept the ship sailing through personnel changes, and this year the band released its 16th full-length, Super Group. The record by no means reinvents the wheel, but Shonen Knife does a nifty job on a stripped-down cover of Wings' 1973 hit "Jet" that even Sir Paul would endorse. ML

WEDNESDAY 10/28

JOE PUG, MBILLY

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Joe Pug played in a barn at Pickathon. He also played in the woods, and on a proper stage as well, but any member of the crowd that was fortunate enough to be riveted by his barn performance knows that no other locale fits the Chicago singer better. He's Woody in a boxcar, Dylan in the East Village, or any other pure American folk image you can think of. Much like the Tallest Man on Earth, Pug (born Joe Pugliese) wields a barren-yet-soulful voice that immediately strikes a chord with anyone seeking a modern-day folk savior. You can believe in Joe Pug. EAC

DEADMAU5, BURNS, SUPERFUNKIDICULOUS

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Say what you will about Deadmau5's brand of progressive electro house being played out, passé, or too trancey to be taken seriously, but you don't earn countless awards and a dedicated following without some serious skill to back it up. Joel Zimmerman (that's Deadmau5 to you) has been nominated for all the notable dance music awards, he holds the record for most Beatport downloads ever, and has crossed over to the Billboard charts, earning a number one spot on the Hot Dance Airplay chart for his collaboration with Kaskade last year. A lot of his popularity has to do with his engaging live show. Notorious for performing in a giant mouse head with an extensive visual show and laser assault, the man has a way of turning crowds into a mass of sweaty, screaming chaos. AVA

LABELMATES: SELECTOR DUB NARCOTIC, E*ROCK, CONGRATULATIONS, ROB WALMART & MORE

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) There are a lot of independent record labels in Portland. This we know. But do you know the handsome people that are running each label? Have you heard what every band has to offer? Me neither. Thankfully, in an effort to increase awareness, Holocene presents Labelmates, a free night of music "in which a slew of local label owners take center stage and communicate their label's unique personality to attendees." The K, Marriage, and Lucky Madison labels will be on hand selling merch along with many others, with live music provided by Congratulations (reincarnated from Eskimo and Sons—with a dash of Old Believers), Rob Walmart, and a handful of awesome DJs. Safety tip: bring lots of cash, buy lots of records. PHILIP GAUDETTE