THURSDAY 2/11

HAITI BENEFIT: BLUE GIANT, THE MINUS 5, LEWI LONGMIRE BAND, HOSANNAS, AGES

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

VIVIAN GIRLS, BEST COAST, METH TEETH, DJ VISION QUEST

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

ANVIL, ANCIENT AGE, ROGUE SHOT

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

DOLOREAN, RAUELSSON

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) We've been listening to Rauelsson's new Hush Records full-length, La Siembra, la Espera, y la Cosecha, for some weeks now, and it's the kind of delicately assured album that sounds great upon first listen, and gets even better with each subsequent spin. The official album release celebration is at tonight's show, and Rauelsson—the nom de record of one Raúl Pastor Medall—recorded the basic tracks here in Portland, then retreated to the mountains of his native Spain to work on lyrics and vocals. The record flourishes in its transcontinental origins, not just because Medall sings entirely in Spanish, but because of a timeless, old-world quality that feels contemplative, literary, and shaded with mystery. Rauelsson successfully integrates elements of Portland's current chamber-folk sound—the record contains contributions by Norfolk & Western's Dave Depper and Rachel Blumberg, along with Laura Gibson, Heather Woods Broderick, and Loch Lomond's Ritchie Young—with his own unique classical-folk sensibility. NED LANNAMANN

TERRAFORM, MOMENT IN STATIC, DJ KEN DIRTNAP

(Ground Kontrol, 511 NW Couch) Tonight marks the definitely temporary, possibly permanent end to the beautiful union between classic arcade Ground Kontrol and local rock label Green Noise. The pair came together to offer regular showcases of our town's best rock 'n' roll, but are taking a break as Ground Kontrol goes under remodel. It's unsure whether or not the arcade will continue to have live music in their new format, so get this unique gaming experience while you can. Playing this last epic evening will be spastic quartet Terraform, featuring the ear-bending inclusion of an alto sax in the instrumental mix. Their frantic, fractured, hyper-driven rock will certainly help you rack up the high score on just about any videogame... well, maybe not NBA Jam. Get back to us on that one. MARANDA BISH

THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, JARED MEES AND THE GROWN CHILDREN, BOAT

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) The Presidents of the United States of America were an anomaly in the '90s, playing quirky songs about kitties and peaches while most bands were singing about how shitty their lives were. It's easy to dismiss PUSA as a joke band that sometimes tries a little too hard, though the Seattle trio always seems to redeem itself with their unpretentious nature or an instantly catchy hook. I couldn't even tell you who goes to a Presidents show in 2010. Making it even more puzzling is the fact that this evening's bill includes Portland's Jared Mees and Seattle's BOAT. I can say with relative certainty, however, that the beer will flow endlessly and almost everyone in the room will probably be singing along. No standing in the back with folded arms allowed. MARK LORE

GRANDMASTER FLASH, DJ WICKED, JOE NASTY, ELEVATED ENTITIES

(Whiskey Bar, 31 NW 1st) It may be a bit of an oddity for Grandmaster Flash's Portland appearance to be at Old Town's newly revamped Whiskey Bar. However, this booking may just be telling of how the judgment of this DJ hero—long before DJ Hero—has been spotty as of late; this is best demonstrated on last year's The Bridge: Concept of a Culture, which showed the old school (like, 30-plus years old school) Flash attempting to emulate modern Pro Tools club thumpers, to a lukewarm reaction. Wherever he may be performing though, Flash is a world-class DJ and widely regarded legend (from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the BET Hip-Hop Awards), and witnessing him perform in such an intimate setting is a privilege you'll be retelling your grandshorties about in the future. KURT PRUTSMAN

FRIDAY 2/12

MEAN JEANS, AUTISTIC YOUTH, WELCOME HOME WALKER

(AMF Pro 300 Lanes, 3031 SE Powell) See My, What a Busy Week!

LAURA GIBSON & ETHAN ROSE, BENOIT PIOULARD

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See Music.

THE ENTRANCE BAND, LIGHTS, PURPLE RHINESTONE EAGLE, DJ HWY 7

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) What elevates the Entrance Band above the level of your average mushroom-steeped psychedelic fuzz is the band's expert musicianship, which draws the blues out of dark cavernous voids by way of Guy Blakeslee's intricate, Pied Piper guitar lines. If you figure the blues-psych-rock power trio thing has been done to death since Hendrix asphyxiated his way ungently into that good night, the Entrance Band make a startlingly astute case to the contrary. They're joined by Brooklyn's Lights, which you absolutely must not confuse with Toronto's similarly named Lights, a baby-voiced, Warner-signed MySpace sensation responsible for some mediocre drippy-synth, Autotuned pop schlock. No, this Lights is a badass trio of ladies whose repertoire is a lysergic jukebox that skips around from acid freakouts to warped disco. NL

HAITI BENEFIT: HORSE FEATHERS, SEAN FLINN & THE ROYAL WE, ALELA DIANE, ALINA HARDIN, CELILO

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Compared to Thursday's Haiti benefit in the same room, which very well might feature an effigy of Pat Robertson going up in flames, tonight is the kinder, gentler event. Hosted by the Live Wire! crew, tonight's Music + Words = Medicine event will aid Mercy Corps with a mixed assortment of local storytellers and musicians. One should never miss a Horse Feathers performance—especially since they are trotting out a new recording in the coming months—plus, following their lovely Alela & Alina recording, it will be a treat to see both Alela Diane and Alina Hardin share a stage for a noble cause. Benefits like this are proof that you don't need to torch the image of a televangelist huckster to have a good time. Then again, if you wanted to do just that tonight, I doubt anyone would complain. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

THRONES, CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, SALTED CITY

(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) There is something spectacular about one-man bands, where inspiration and vision come from one heart and mind. Joe Preston, as Thrones, does the one-man show, sans cymbals between his legs and a bulky bass drum strapped to his back. Preston's tools include a bass guitar, a drum machine, and an assortment of synthesizers and keyboards, resulting in an expansive doom sound that could trigger a black hole in space and time. Thankfully, before you're sucked into the void you can experience the treat that is Olympia's Christian Mistress. This quartet plays heavy metal that has the swagger and dual-guitar harmony of early Judas Priest, mixed with the ass-kicking riffs of Metallica—back when they were still influenced by Diamond Head. Interdimensional travel is much better while you are pumping your fist. ARIS WALES

COVER YOUR HEARTS—BENEFIT FOR ETHOS: CHARMPARTICLES, JONAH , CELILO, CHRIS ROBLEY, & MORE

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) Now in its third year, with a trail of sold-out shows in its wake, Cover Your Hearts is bigger than ever. The Ethos benefit now stretches over a pair of nights, and while you might have to throw some elbows to procure standing room inside the crowded Someday Lounge, it'll be worth it. With a decade of cover material to choose from (1980-1990), this year will feature the return of PDX Speedwagon (a joint collaboration between members of Charmparticles and Jonah), plus it might be your lone opportunity to see talented local musicians break out a power ballad from White Lion. Oh, the things people do for charity. EAC

SATURDAY 2/13

COVER YOUR HEARTS—BENEFIT FOR ETHOS: CHARMPARTICLES, JONAH, BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS, BRYAN FREE, & MORE

(Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th) See Friday's listing.

JAKE OKEN-BERG, ECHO HELSTROM, JUSTIN JUDE

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Two of tonight's performers are celebrating new EPs. Jake Oken-Berg's latest, Out the Door, follows up his first EP, last year's Find Love, with another collection of piano-led ballads, although the lead track, "Come Down" has a glowing R&B vibe, with warm electric piano tones providing the backdrop for a strutting guitar and drumbeat that evokes classic Stax/Volt. Elsewhere, Oken-Berg pays tribute to his grandfather on "In Front of Me," and a beloved Weimaraner named Baxter on "Gone." Funeral songs aside, the EP's strongest moment is the confident, slow-burning "Some Things Keep," which shows Oken-Berg's gentle knack for melody. Meanwhile, Echo Helstrom flirt with a moodier corner of mainstream pop on the new Paper Airplane EP, its layers of violin and electric guitar providing a broad vista onto the band's assured command of Coldplay-ish adult alternative rock. NL

D.O.A., MDC, DEFECT DEFECT, PUKE 'N' RALLY

(Plan B, 1305 SE 8th) This kind of middle-aged punk-pioneer lineup can often come across as a cash grab. But the legacies of both D.O.A. and MDC reflect the dedication of lifelong rabble-rousers, not career musicians. D.O.A.'s Joe Keithley has always been a political activist, even running for election in Vancouver on the Green Party ticket. Long before such stances were standard within the punk community, MDC's Dave Dictor championed vegetarianism and gay rights—perhaps best displayed by a now-famous confrontation with Bad Brains over their homophobic actions directed toward Big Boys' out-and-proud singer. Though both D.O.A. and MDC have had their share of missteps over the years (Loggerheads and Smoke Signals, respectively), the impact of their early work and continued commitment to their ideals keeps them relevant 30 years later. BRIAN COOK

WILD BEASTS, STILL LIFE STILL

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Wild Beasts are next in line for a seat upon the throne of delicate-voiced UK art-pop acts. Suede and the Veils both wore such crowns in the past, now passing the honor to the Beasts and the crooning falsetto of frontman Hayden Thorpe. Once the lone weapon in the band's limited musical arsenal, Thorpe's voice is nicely restrained on the recent Two Dancers, thus making previous complaints about him sounding like the token indie rocker at an American Idol audition irrelevant. His splendid delivery manipulates even the simplest phrases ("when we pucker up, our lips are bee stung") into something far more sinister than one could possibly fathom. With the exception of a few missteps (I still have trouble getting through the "This is a booty call! My boot, my boot, my boot, my boot up your arse hole" line from opener "The Fun Powder Plot"), Wild Beasts have earned their quick ascension to the peak of the UK rock scene. EAC

P.O.S., GRIEVES, BUDO, DESSA

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Big ol' fat, greasy shout to Ben "Grieves" Laub—the Chicago-born, Colorado-bred, Seattle-schooled emcee/producer—who recently inked a deal with the independent rap superlabel Rhymesayers Entertainment. It's a great fit, as Grieves possesses a similar strain of heartache and humor as RSE's bread-and-butter emcee/co-founder Sean "Slug" Daley of Atmosphere. However, Grieves' producer Budo differs from Atmosphere's Ant; Budo's a generally sample-free multi-instrumentalist, equally slick with the keys, trumpet, and guitar. Their 2008 release, 88 Keys & Counting, is going to be reissued by RSE in March, and having seemingly been on the road steadily for three years, they know how to turn the party out and hang it to dry. Here's a tip: Request Grieves's smooth take on Westside Connection's "Bow Down." LARRY MIZELL JR

DAVE RAWLINGS MACHINE

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) You might know David Rawlings as harmonic counterpart to Gillian Welch, or from his seemingly useless argument with Ryan Adams about Morrissey, which happens to be the first track on Heartbreaker. Or, he might have slipped past your radar altogether, had it not been set to detect his lurking presence. However, his efficient music Machine, including Welch and members of Old Crow Medicine Show, chewed up and spat A Friend of a Friend, a genius album of covers, traditionals, and originals, back out onto the Americana conveyor belt; you may never again hear a band so boldly render Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer" and do it well. You can also catch the Machine's in-store at Music Millennium in the afternoon; Rawlings and Welch have planned stops around the country to pay homage to independent record stores and the impact they've had on the duo's music career. RAQUEL NASSER Also playing at Music Millennium at 5 pm.

SUNDAY 2/14

LOVEWAVE: DAN WILSON, BRIGHID THOMAS, DUSTY SPRINGFEELINS, MIRACLES CLUB, LINGER AND QUIET & MORE

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

JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, JOE PUG

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) For those brave men bringing their significant others to the Doug Fir for this Valentine's Day show, take heed: Justin Townes Earle is not only a talented roots troubadour with good stock, but also oozes the charm that is encoded exclusively in the genes of men born south of the Mason-Dixon line (plus he was recently voted one of GQ magazine's 25 most stylish men, which you most certainly were not). So boys, it's best you muster up the courage, tip your porkpie hat, and take your partner out to the dance floor for a little two-steppin' to Earle's shuffling country songs ("Hard Livin'"), or hone your slow dance sway and hope he plays the heartbreaking title track of his latest record, Midnight at the Movies. But keep your lover close! For you never know when Americana's true gentleman might swoop down and sweep your little darlin' right off 'er feet. RQ Also see Music.

VALENTINE'S DAY ROCK & ROLL PROM: SALLIE FORD AND THE SOUND OUTSIDE, MONARQUES, BRITTAIN ASHFORD

(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) My theory on revisionist prom events is that they are held by and for those who never winced their way through this traumatic staple of teenagedom. But if churning up memories of rented clothing, bad music, and awkward sex on an air mattress in your parents' rumpus room sounds like a treat, by all means. Thankfully tonight's prom theme focuses on the classier days of yore: the '50s and '60s. The dress code encourages vintage formal wear—no T-shirts, McFly—and the entertainment will consist of all-cover sets from the enigmatic Sallie Ford and friends. Just remember: If you fail to get mom and dad together at this Enchantment Under the Sea dance, you will never exist. EAC

MONDAY 2/15

ALEC OUNSWORTH

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) With his new solo album, Mo Beauty, Alec Ounsworth has successfully shrugged off the specter of his very famous band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. It's something he wasn't able to do when that band had to follow up its remarkable self-titled debut with their sophomore record, 2007's Some Loud Thunder, which was mostly lousy, suggesting that Ounsworth only had enough good songs for one album. Happily, Mo Beauty disproves this theory, sounding unlike anything we've yet heard from the songwriter. Recorded in New Orleans, the album incorporates street brass from its surroundings, as well as the gentlest ballads he's done thus far. It suggests that Ounsworth has a sturdy future ahead of him as a thoughtful, genre-jumping tunesmith, able to try on different styles with professional ease. NL

NICK OLIVERI, KLEVELAND

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Okay, so Josh Homme says he kicked Nick Oliveri out of the Queens of the Stone Age because he found out Oliveri had allegedly beaten his girlfriend. If you can swallow that pill and still enjoy his music (I'm not saying you should, but R. Kelly does pee on teenagers and the public forgave him, so...) then there's a lot to like in Oliveri's long career, from Dwarves to QOTSA to Moistboyz. On his solo work Oliveri brings the aggression that he's known for, but, unlike Homme who must shit a hook out every morning, the melodies never really pop. That aggression goes a long way, though, and can really buoy Oliveri's weak acoustic tunes into something gripping. DAVE BOW

TUESDAY 2/16

ATLAS SOUND, WHITE RAINBOW

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The jury is still out on how this last-minute Atlas Sound show came to be—possibly something to do with a pre-Sasquatch! announcement performance in Seattle, or the rumor that the fascinating provocateur that is Bradford Cox has taken up temporary residence in our city—but no matter the reason, let's be thankful. The other creative vessel for the wildly inventive Cox, Atlas Sound expands on the dynamics of Deerhunter by creating a far more personal and adventurous sound. Much like his sudden appearance in town, Cox does his best work by never revealing too much and letting his growing catalog of music speak for itself. EAC

BRENDAN BENSON, FRANK FAIRFIELD

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

FAT TUESDAY HAITI BENEFIT: THE PRIDS, REVERSE DOTTY, SOFT TAGS

(Fez Ballroom, 316 SW 11th) See My, What a Busy Week!

THE WOOLEN MEN, ORCA TEAM, KAREN

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) See Music.

RICHARD THOMPSON

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See Music.

WEDNESDAY 2/17

YACHT & THE STRAIGHT GAZE, BOBBY BIRDMAN, JEFFREY JERUSALEM, WHITE FANG, ROB WALMART, JUICE TEAM DJS

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

RICHARD THOMPSON

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) See Music.

SLOAN, THE TRIPWIRES

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Toronto's Sloan have been slogging it out on the live circuit since 1991, maintaining a consistent track record of clever, hooky power pop that comes off like a Canuck analogue of R.E.M. or the Posies. It's comfort-food music, but it surpasses much of the cutthroat comfort-food-music competition. Seattle foursome the Tripwires perfectly complement Sloan's down-to-earth, nice-guy rock. Way back in October 2009, I wrote that they "understand the importance in their particular niche of memorable hooks, interesting dynamics, varied guitar tones, and passionate vocalizing." This has not changed. DAVE SEGAL