At the risk of using words to describe this event, I need to tell you that the Wordless Music Series is coming to Portland tonight. This is a very cool concert series that’s previously only taken place in New York; tonight is the first West Coast date.

What is the Wordless Music Series? From the “words” that are written on its website:

The Wordless Music Series is devoted to the idea that the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music — in genres such as indie rock, free jazz, and electronic music — share more in common than conventional thinking might suggest. To illustrate the continuity between these worlds, the series will pair rock and electronic musicians in an intimate concert setting with more traditionally understood classical and chamber music performers.

Tonight’s show at Holocene features a performance by Stars of the Lid, who create unbelievably gorgeous ambient music. They’ll be accompanied by a string quartet and some cool light projections. Also on the bill is Christopher Willits, a San Francisco guitarist/visual artist, and Classical Revolution PDX will be performing a Shostakovich string quartet and “Spiegel Im Spiegel” by tintinnabulist composer Arvo Pärt.

To be honest, I can’t imagine what this will be like at Holocene (1001 SE Morrison). The room is great for visual projections, but are people going to be standing in a packed crowd, the way they do for rock shows? Will they stake out floor space and sit? Will folks be flocking to the bar? (Nothing says ambient/classical music appreciation like a good, solid buzz.)

In the meantime, here’s audience footage (great sound, awful video) of Stars of the Lid performing in Prague, performing another piece by Arvo Pärt:

The Wordless Music Series continues tomorrow night at the Old Church (1422 SW 11th) with performances by Eluvium and Third Angle New Music Ensemble. They’ll be performing music for string quartet by Chen Yi, Zoltan Kodaly, and Portland composers Tomas Svoboda and David Schiff.