THURSDAY 12/3

JOHN DOE, WILLY VLAUTIN

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

GOLDEN GHOST, REPETITIONS, HIVE DWELLERS, WISHYUNU

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) Laura Goetz makes music under the name Golden Ghost, and the songs she sings are beautifully off-kilter, with breathy elements of jazz, blues, and folk incorporated into her electric guitar picking and unassuming voice. I guess you could say she's like an art-school Jolie Holland, maybe, with her sober voice containing a tint of what Giant Drag's Annie Hardy might sound like after a long, scary stint in rehab. These comparisons are moot, though, because Goetz makes music that exists on its own terms: gentle nocturne lullabies, seductive torch songs, bereft-but-uplifting funeral hymns that just slightly evade your expectations and press to the far corners of your mind. Golden Ghost triggers those fragile memories that have long lain dormant and prods them back to life. NED LANNAMANN

DRATS!!! , OLD GROWTH, CRYPT OF THE GRAVE

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Drats!!! is celebrating the release of its new album, Too Entertaining??? tonight, and I'm fucking pumped. Spastic, dirty, and experimental with its tongue placed somewhere near its cheek, Drats!!! embody all my favorite elements of rock 'n' roll. Last seen in 2006 dishing out Welcome to New Grenada (a rock opera based on the 1979 Matt Dillon flick Over the Edge), the local outfit has never sounded better than on Entertaining. Their Wall of Voodoo-meets-Dead Kennedys sound is both tighter and stranger than ever, veering into computer bleeps and bloops or even some Dio-like vamping when the song requires it. For my money, this is the local art-punk outfit to beat. DAVE BOW

TRISTEZA, STRANGE HOLIDAY, DREW ANDREWS

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Instrumental post-rockers Tristeza have spent the better part of the last decade arousing young guitar prodigies and lulling most critics to sleep with atmospheric and slickly produced elevator rock. To its credit the band has stuck it out through the departure of guitarist James LaValle, who finally went full-time with Album Leaf in 2003, as well as dealing with their own personal issues over the past two years. The band just released Fate Unfolds, its first record since 2006's En Nuestro Desafio. As Tristeza has done throughout its career, the band ably finds melody in an intricate maze of textures and structures. And it's just as gloomy as ever, which makes the fact that the band hails from sunny San Diego perhaps one of the most compelling things about their music. MARK LORE

WEINLAND, GARRETT PIERCE

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) Weinland makes the kind of music you yearn for late in the day, just as fading light gets buttery before it finally tapers off. Adam Shearer's shaky-yet-soulful, Neil Young-influenced voice is surrounded by warm and tasteful accompaniment, making for a sparseness that never sounds thin. Rather it poses them as maestros of the mellow indie-folk movement that has so many Portland bands in its tender clutch. There is also something undeniably stalwart and honest that sets Weinland's music apart from the rest of the pack; these workingman's lullabies are bound to bring hearts to a standstill with each lap steel note, and tired hands to rest as a lonely piano trills in the background. And luckily, they're back from tour and right where you want them to be. RAQUEL NASSER

FRIDAY 12/4

PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT, PORTLAND UKULELE PROJECT, THE ROBINSONS, PANTHER, LEVIETHAN

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See My, What a Busy Week!, and Our Town Could Be Your Life.

BLIND PILOT, LAURA VEIRS AND THE HALL OF FLAMES, MIMICKING BIRDS

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

FRESH: TYCHO, WELDER, dj devon, coyote beat

(Crown Room, 205 NW 4th) San Francisco's Tycho (Scott Hansen) is equal parts talented musician and visual artist. The quality and style of his music are on par with Ghostly International labelmate Lusine, and the recent success of a Toronto gallery showing (under his ISO50 moniker) easily demonstrates the high caliber of his design work. Hansen's carefully crafted aesthetic folds together dreamy sounds and gorgeous imagery into a swirling, blithe dimension where you can exhale away all of your worries. Feel free to float around while listening to slowly undulating tracks with names like "Adrift," "The Daydream," and "Sunrise Projector." Enjoy the warm shades of orange, yellow, and dusty blue levitating around the stage. Let go, and it will coax you into a state of blissful relaxation where a whisper of hazy optimism lets you know that everything is going to be okay. AVA HEGEDUS

PRIESTESS, EARLY MAN, WITCH MOUNTAIN

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) Authenticity is a crucial component to heavy music. Why else would Manowar issue a fatwa on false metal? Both Priestess and Early Man received substantial attention from the press early in their careers, and consequently both bands endured a fair amount of skeptical attention from the hard-rock audience. Despite the market's reluctance to buy into Priestess's vintage metal boogie or Early Man's vocal homage to Ozzy Osbourne, the two bands continue to chug along, asserting their legitimacy in the process. BRIAN COOK

CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION: MAGIC JOHNSON, FUCK YOU SAFARI, NUCULAR AMINALS, & MORE

(East End, 203 SE Grand) No, not the U2 song. In this case, the Children of the Revolution refer to a group of Portlanders that for the past few years have been dedicated to promoting a certain breed of local music and art that is indescribably yet assuredly hip. Previous COTR events have included workshops and art showcases, while tonight's Science exhibit will feature a handful of visual artists, although it's focused primarily on music, with a lineup of all local bands. Taking the stage will be the cherished rowdy punk duo Magic Johnson, spinoff band Fuck You Safari, retro grunge ensemble Nucular Aminals, spastic noise band AS/SS, psychedelic pop favorites the Whines and the Intelligence, and countless other bands as well. MARANDA BISH

LATIN LOCKDOWN: MC MAGIC, LIL ROB, KID FROST, LIL UNO, LA LA, KNIGHTOWL, SPIRIT, TANK 805

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) The goatee of former Los Angeles gang member and iconic Chicano rapper Roberto Flores (AKA Lil Rob) must be sampled from Chuck Norris' beard. Despite being shot in the chin in 1994 while only 18 years old, Flores miraculously survived to rap about it. Most 18-year-olds grow facial hair that only appears to be misplaced pubes, but in Lil Rob: Texas Ranger's case, his could seemingly deflect bullets. In his music though, Flores is considerably less hard. On the new Love and Hate, Lil Rob gently croons about treating his chica right over beats sprinkled with oldies samples, like a 1950 Cent. You can still find him in da' club though, as the emcee throws down Lil Juan-style party anthems that went over well during his recent stint touring Japan. Sayonara, gringos! KURT PRUTSMAN

SATURDAY 12/5

BLIND PILOT, LAURA VEIRS & THE HALL OF FLAMES, POINT JUNCTURE, WA

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

CALIFONE

(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) See Music.

VARIOUS: DJG, LLOOP, MONKEYTEK, RYAN ORGAN, JON AD, JAGGA CULTURE

(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) See Music.

THE STANDELLS, MR. HOWL, THE MONEY CHANGERS

(East End, 203 SE Grand) Not content with celebrating their second birthday with some sheet cake and pointy hats, East End is dusting off garage legends the Standells for their anniversary shindig. Formed 47 years ago (!), the Standells are best known for the omnipresent single "Dirty Water," which took on a new life as a sports anthem staple for both the Boston Red Sox and Celtics (think a lesser known "Sweet Caroline"). Older than Tim Wakefield and better at basketball than Brian Scalabrine, the Standells are on their victory lap, finally sharing their stark garage sound with an entirely new generation of fans. Oh, and since I never get to write this about any other band, the Standells once made an appearance on The Munsters. They might have their cult status and their Nuggets comp- ilations, but nothing will top that. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

HEATSTROKE: GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH, ORCA TEAM, DJ HOT AIR BALLOON

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) If winter's gloom and doom is already bumming you out, tonight's a perfect opportunity to brush the miniature cobwebs off the swimwear you bought last June and cheer the eff up. Heatstroke may very well create a sonic wormhole to your favorite beach BBQs of last summer. Transporting you out of December's torturous murk is Guantanamo Baywatch, who channel Dick Dale to create a wah-wah-wah-wah "Wipe Out" version of the Black Lips. Also performing is the breezy Orca Team, an Elvis' Blue Hawaii-like pop group who can melt your heart faster than you can say "Hasselhoff! Hasselhoff! Hasselhoff!" Spinning the summer jams that made you fall for, uh, whatstheirface? from last August is DJ Hot Air Balloon. KP

BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, LUCK-ONE, TRAGEDY

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) All five of Cleveland's favorite sons—Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, and let's not forgot Flesh-n-Bone—are bringing headfulls of pressed-out hair, a rather gothy death fetish, and their namesake harmonious double-time rhymes to the Roseland. Expect a throng of loyal Bone devotees to descend from the far reaches of the area surrounding Portland, vaguely reeking of Newport or Black and Mild smoke, and swathed in ceremonial all-over print garb (likely in a plethora of festive skull patterns) and trashy convenience store area code caps. Don't get me wrong, I loved Bone's debut EP, Creepin on ah Come Up, as much as anybody, but I can't help suspecting that some portion of their current fanbase coincides with the face-painted Juggalo horde. LARRY MIZELL JR.

SUNDAY 12/6

PUBLICATION STUDIO'S SUNDAY DINNER: JOHN RODERICK

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

IOA, PAPER/UPPER/CUTS

(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) Amanda Spring of local band Point Juncture, WA, has a side project with another pseudo-geographic name: ioa (pronounced "Iowa," like the state), which at one point was based around songs Spring plucked on the baritone ukulele. It has since metamorphosed into something more ambitious, with horns and percussion creating a global, graceful sound. There's island music, Cuban dance steps, vibrant mariachi trumpet, folk musings, and even some heavy-bottomed '80s keyboard funk. If that sounds scattered, Spring pulls off every move with tremendous ease and never commits the cardinal sin of letting a song be obscured by its arrangement. We were already blessed with Point Juncture, WA; now we have ioa to give us more of Spring's impressive talent—if you haven't heard these songs yet, you are really going to like them. NL

BASTARD NOISE, THRONES, RABBITS, NUX VOMICA, DJ VIBECOP

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Noise was always a crucial component to the output of dual-bass power-violence originators Man Is the Bastard, with the higher frequencies normally occupied by guitar often replaced by layers of oscillated tones. Even though the jazz/grind/sludge ensemble ceased churning out their punishment at the tail end of the '90s, their experimental alter ego Bastard Noise continue to unleash their blasts of chirping blips, crushing dissonance, and earache-inducing pitch modulations. Considering that Man Is the Bastard openly asserted their quest to create the most unpleasant music possible, it makes sense that they surrendered their more accessible incarnation to dedicate their resources toward violent musical abstractions. There's no shortage of noiseniks rattling the walls of warehouses these days, but the Bastard were ahead of the curve. BC

MONDAY 12/7

PASSION PIT, HOCKEY

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

JOE PURDY, MEAGHAN SMITH

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

KID CUDI, STEED LORD, HEY CHAMP, COOL NUTZ, DANTRONIX

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Once a mere lonely stoner traversing the hiphop landscape as just another emcee clinging to the gilded coattails of the Louis Vuitton Don, Kid Cudi became the real deal once his "Day 'n' Night" single got the Crookers treatment. Spitting a few forgettable lines on 808s & Heartbreak might have paid the bills, but Crookers' dancefloor burner of a remix pushed Cudi into the pop stratosphere. That said, it's fitting the sci-fi hiphop and self-loathing rants of Man on the Moon: The End of Day would aim for the stars, even if the recording's loose conceptual feel ultimately lacks the sheer vision of similarly themed material from someone like Janelle Monáe. His "Make Her Say" follow-up single is merely a tribute to the undeniable hooks of Lady Gaga (yeah, I just typed that), proving that as a musician Cudi knows how to keep good company, but has yet to harness his own skills. EAC

TUESDAY 12/8

THE SHYS, THE BLACK HOLLIES, THE EX-GIRLFRIENDS CLUB

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See Music.

METRIC, BAND OF SKULLS

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) My, What a Busy Week!, and Music.

STIFFWIFF, JOZEF VAN WISSEM, SAUDADE , PETE SWANSON

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The slowly creeping ambient sounds of Saudade are that distinct blend of soothing and unsettling, where gentle, glowing hums share equal footing with spaced-out, hollow noise. The Portland duo's latest, Lookouts' Journal (out now on Arena Rock), is a long slowly drawn bath of vacillating temperature—hot tones, cold flashes, slow and rolling boils, and full-body shivers all find their place in the expansive wash. There's something distinctly Northwestern about their sound, but in a unique way; instead of evoking mighty evergreens or omnipresent clouds of gray, their music instead digs back further into the memory of the landscape. Saudade makes the sound of mountains of volcanic ash slowly climbing and emerging from the ground, with the surrounding fertile soil voraciously consuming dead matter in order to spit out new life. NL

MT. ST. HELENS VIETNAM BAND, WORLD'S GREATEST GHOSTS, THE GROWLERS

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Don't ever watch the video for Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band's song "Albatross, Albatross, Albatross." Seriously, don't. It will make you feel strange and very confused. However, feel free to listen to the aforementioned song and this Seattle band's self-titled record over and over again, reveling in the calm-turned-reckless abandon that so wonderfully reflects their namesake; it's fun, dynamic indie rock with plenty of changes to make and pockets to fill. Keep an ear out for harmonizing Allman Brothers guitars, Arctic Monkeys vocal sensibilities, and an overall sound that invokes so many comparisons that you begin to feel stupid for listing them and decide to choose enjoyment over analysis. RN

PORTLAND STORIES RELEASE SHOW: HEATHER WOODS BRODERICK, & MORE

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) The songs gathered by Heather Woods Broderick on the new compilation album Portland Stories are nearly all told with sensitively plucked guitars, indicating the easygoing, impromptu nature of her project, in which she biked to friends' houses to record them with her portable four-track. Broderick uncovered some real gems, including a raw, haunting take of "Northeast Kingdom" by Sarah Winchester (of A Weather) that has a fierce undercurrent of emotion beneath its gorgeous surface. And MayMay's "The Fall" is positively stunning, an evensong with shards of electric guitar chiming through steady acoustic picking, illuminated by Laurel Simmons' guardedly exquisite vocal. Broderick presents each of these recordings in an unvarnished state, with count-ins, breaths, clicks from hitting the "record" button all left in. Tonight, each of the compilation's nine participants performs their contributions to Portland Stories. NL Also see Our Town Could Be Your Life.

WEDNESDAY 12/9

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, FOOL'S GOLD, LOCAL NATIVES

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