TOO SHORT, STEADY THE BOSS, DJ CHILL
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Three decades later and 19 full-length albums, Too $hort is still dropping rhymes about all of his favorite things... and if you don't know what those things are, stop reading now. Even if 45-year-old Todd Shaw never shook his pimpin' ways, he's still managed to maintain the respect of rappers past and present (Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z). Plus he was $tylizing his name with dollar signs long before Ke$ha and Gene $immon$. Too $hort has his 20th album coming out later this month called No Trespassing that includes song titles like "Playa fo Life" and "Respect the Pimpin'." Yes, Too $hort is a legend. And tonight's show is definitely one to see. Let's just hope he leans heavily on songs from Life Is... Too $hort and Short Dog's in the House, which are all you need. MARK LORE

SMALL SOULS, BARRY BRUSSEAU
(The Waypost, 3120 N Williams) Brian Rozendal, who's performed around town with his namesake band, and Bryan Daste, of Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags, have joined forces to form Small Souls, and tonight their debut EP, You Can Feel the Devil's Heart, celebrates its release. It's a gentle, acoustic, pedal-steel-laden affair for the most part, but as its title indicates, there's a certain storminess underneath these placid surfaces. Opener "What It Means" refrains from using any drums until its final seconds, when the song bursts apart; meanwhile, closing track "Lines Are Breaking" moves at a relatively loping gait until its rhythm section disappears entirely, the song's lyrics asking, "Will you come back for me?" Small Souls are already well on their way to being masterfully dramatic within the limited spaces of their unassuming songs.
NED LANNAMANN

DRUNKEN PRAYER, THE UKELADIES,
MATT BROWN
Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Portland has become quite the sucker for Americana, whether it's the rowdy rabblerousing kind or the lonesome waltzing kind (both of which, incidentally, happen to be the binge-drinking kind). Cresting along this local wave of simple-thinking, whiskey-drinking troubadours is Morgan Christopher Geer—the man behind Drunken Prayer and also Warren Zevon's medium, showing him the world from the great beyond. However, while Drunken Prayer's self-titled debut erred more on the side of traditional alt-country, the new Into the Missionfield sets our honest human woes to a deeper, bluesier strut. From the simple ballad "Brazil" to the sly smile of the album's title track—where Geer sings, "Smile, you're entering the missionfield"—there is more than enough here to set Drunken Prayer apart from the masses. RAQUEL NASSER

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THE PHARMACY, THE SHIVAS, GHOST MOM, MYTHOLOGICAL HORSES
(Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) Read our article on the Pharmacy.

YACHT, LOVERS, JEFFREY JERUSALEM
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) According to the Mayans, we have less than a year before the apocalypse, so now is as good a time as any to (A) start thinking about what comes next and (B) immerse ourselves in hedonistic orgies. With so little time left, it's a good thing YACHT's fifth album, Shangri-La, gives us the chance to kill two birds with one stone. YACHT's electronic funk is, as always, situated squarely on the dance floor, but the words that Claire Evans sings with so much cool are centered on far weightier topics: namely, the end of the world. Jona Bechtolt's laptop hooks may be consistently addictive, but the songs are a little confused about how the end-time scenario will play out. Are we supposed to actively engineer our paradise or go out dancing like hell while the earth burns around us? Or maybe they're one and the same. REBECCA WILSON

MILO GREENE, FAMILY OF THE YEAR

(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Hailing from Los Angeles, that mysterious place where drama is manufactured and sold to millions, Milo Greene makes incredibly aware cinematic pop music that seems to pause at all the right moments: the ones that paw at those taut heartstrings to elicit the correct emotions. Not to mention the appeal of the rousing gang vocal in a pop song—four out of the five band members are vocalists, swapping lead vocals and often singing together, with Marlana Sheetz, the lone female, adding warm, feminine tones to a small men's choir. It's a twee indulgence that is not so easy to deny. The band is still quite young—there is no full-length yet, though one is in the works. In the meantime, they've released the remarkably well-adjusted The Hello Sessions EP, and with it, a flare that signifies approaching success; it's unlikely they'll be coasting beneath the radar for long. RAQUEL NASSER

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VILLAGE FREE SCHOOL BENEFIT: HURRY UP, ADVENTURE GALLEY, FATHER FIGURE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Since supporting education is vitally important right now, don't miss tonight's Benefit for the Village Free School (a cool nonprofit private school that focuses on freedom, responsibility, and community involvement), featuring the Thermals-infused super band Hurry Up! as well as bouncy sets from Adventure Galley and Father Figure. Go on—have some fun for the kids! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

EVENT 2: CLAUDIA MEZA, SHANNON STEELE, RICHARD LAWS, CHRIS CANTINO, DORIAN DUVALL, BOOTH WILSON,
DJ SNAKKS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The first Event, curated by Devin Gallagher of High Scores and Records and Typhoon, was a mysterious evening of adventurous music, spontaneous collaboration, and decidedly un-jammy improvisation. Expect the same from Gallagher's second installment of Event, which features six talented and idiosyncratic local musicians pairing off with another to make unrehearsed sounds. There'll be moments of weirdness, moments of wonder, and moments of decided discomfort—but that's a happy price to pay for the thrill of hunting down the spark of creativity, which will also be in full evidence throughout the evening. NED LANNAMANN

WILCO, WHITE DENIM
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Jeff Tweedy's ability to write a song that so perfectly captures the bajllion kinds of sadness one person can feel in a lifetime is both rare and annoying. Have a depressingly unrequited crush on someone? "We're Just Friends." In love with a fucked-up person who's carrying a lot of baggage? "Reservations." Have baggage of your own? "Please Be Patient with Me." Wilco's sad songs are so great at being sad songs, in fact, it causes me to completely disregard what they're even better at, which is writing sunny, Americana-laced pop songs like "Heavy Metal Drummer" and "I'm the Man Who Loves You." They're really good songs! I want to listen to them over and over again! But if Wilco's bummer ballads make it feel so good to be sad, why would you ever want to cheer up? MEGAN SELING

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Latest tracks by goldenBEARS

THE GOLDEN BEARS, 1939 ENSEMBLE
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our article on the Golden Bears.

LOS CAMPESINOS!, PARENTHETICAL GIRLS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Los Campesinos!

ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER, DOMINANT LEGS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) It's been almost nine years since the Fiery Furnaces made their debut with Gallowsbird's Bark. It was like nothing I'd ever heard before, but Eleanor Friedberger's vocal antics necessitated a certain being-in-the-mood. On her first solo album, Last Summer, released, er, last summer, Friedberger has made a graceful transition from tastemaker to tasteful. Now that she doesn't have anything to prove, her vocal style has become warm and inviting, striking an emotional chord that the Furnaces, with their arm's-length stylistics, never did. Will the songwriting blow your mind? Nope—but Friedberger's voice and lyrics probably will. The songs sound wise and familiar, not forced, and keep the attention focused on her rich alto voice and the important stories that she's trying to tell us, albeit in an impressionistic code. REBECCA WILSON

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PERFECT PICKLE: DJ ANJALI AND THE INCREDIBLE KID, CÉCILIA UND DIE SAUERKRAUTS, DENVER, PETE KREBS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) In its second year running, the Dill Pickle Club's Perfect Pickle combines more than a few of your favorite things: a pickle tasting/competition featuring submissions from the likes of Biwa and Olympic Provisions, among others, live music from bands like Denver, celeb judges like Dave "Killer Bread" Dahl, and more! MARJORIE SKINNER

STILL CAVES, ZODIAC DEATH VALLEY, BATH PARTY
(Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) Still Caves' sound is defined by memorable melodies that shine through walls of reverb-drenched vocals and fuzzed-out guitars. The almost inaudible vocals are tastefully pulled back in the mix to add to the ethereal psychedelic effect of the band's music. Driving drums and bass lay out the perfect backdrop for the wall of sound that they provide in their live shows and recordings. Still Caves are a definite up-and-coming band to keep an eye on for all fans of experimental garage rock and psych-pop. ARIAN JALALI

TWIN SISTER, AVA LUNA, PURE BATHING CULTURE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Whether you happen to be reclining in a lounge chair with a white wine spritzer or swaggering across a dance floor in your best spandex, Twin Sister have you covered. It's surprising that this chilled-out quintet is from Long Island, sounding as it does like British dream popsters who secretly yearn for disco. On last year's In Heaven, their one and only LP, the vibe centers on layers of shimmery guitars overlaying laidback drums, both real and synth. But the key here is vocalist Andrea Estella, who couldn't sound less like a Long Islander. In general, she heroically avoids the temptation to ape the aching fragility of trip-hop chanteuses like Beth Gibbons, which would be a natural fit for Twin Sister's music. Instead, she consistently delivers vocal confidence, even when singing about the vulnerability of twentysomethings making their way in the world. REBECCA WILSON

NEAL MORGAN, WHITE HINTERLAND, MARISA ANDERSON, PWRHAUS, SEAN PECKNOLD
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Read our article on Neal Morgan.

SLABTOWN BENDER: KID CONGO POWERS AND THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS, DON'T, PROBLEMS, CYCLOPS, BLOOD BEACH, & MORE

(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) Brian Tristan, AKA Kid Congo Powers, came up in the LA punk scene during the late '70s and '80s. Though he started small, running a fan club for the Ramones and a zine for the Screamers, he ended up playing in seminal bands like the Gun Club, the Cramps, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Now with his own band the Pink Monkey Birds, Kid Congo Powers blends his West Coast punk roots with doses of grooving '60s Chicano rock and garage psychedelia to superb effect. Both 2009's Dracula Boots and last year's Gorilla Rose show that the Kid has aged gracefully, still capable of kicking out the kind of jams that should have plenty of feet moving at the grand finale of this year's Slabtown Bender. MIKE RAMOS

LOST LANDER, YOURS, HOUNDSTOOTH
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Lost Lander.

THAT'S MY JAM!: DJ BEYONDA, ILL CAMINO
(Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside) It's finally here: the booty-shakingest event of the winter, That's My Jam dance party and contest! Limber up for some high-velocity dance pop jams spun by DJ Beyonda and Ill Camino, as well as a dance crew contest with cash prizes! Don't miss out—get your advance ticket now at portlandmercury.com! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA, TOTAL LIFE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Led by Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Efrim Menuck, Montreal's Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra (SMZ, henceforth) make grandiose rock that's as long-winded as their name. Unlike the mostly instrumental GY!BE, SMZ feature Menuck's ungainly singing voice; like GY!BE, SMZ launch epic chamber-rock compositions that drift, swell, and sometimes explode—all very methodically. This is music for people with long attention spans and appreciation for subtle emotional gradients—especially those in the key of somber. The tension between "ponderousness" and "dramatic" is ever present, if you like that kind of thing. DAVE SEGAL

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LAURA GIBSON, BREATHE OWL BREATHE, MIKE MIDLO
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Laura Gibson.

SLABTOWN BENDER: THE TRASHIES, TOP TEN, UNNATURAL HELPERS, STAN MCMAHON, DENIZENZ, TACOCAT, & MORE
(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) It's time to have the funnest blackout you'll never remember with the annual Slabtown Bender. Drink 'em up and dance 'em down at this weekend-long series of shows, tonight with the Trashies, TacocaT, and Unnatural Helpers. Plus Saturday and Sunday you can start out the festivities with free matinees. Hydrate, folks, hydrate—this is for the long haul. COURTNEY FERGUSON

SUPERFRESH: WAMPIRE, STRATEGY, TRUCKASAURUS, JONNYX AND THE GROADIES, LITANIC MASK, VICE DEVICE, LIGHT HOUSE, DJ MAXX BASS
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) When people talk about Superfresh, Portland's best all-ages dance night ever, they talk a lot about, well, dancing. No surprise there. Portland's dance scene has historically been on the receiving end of a lot of hype, especially this year, and the lineup for these fests has been stacked with so much on-radar talent that it's obvious how Superfresh earned its reputation as such a banger. But what people don't always talk about is how left-field some of curator Manny Reyes' selections are. Acts like Light House, $kull$, Toning, Litanic Mask, Vice Device—all amazing experimental shit that you can probably get down to, but the kind of stuff you don't have to hit the dance floor to enjoy. And if you're anything like me, meaning you don't usually venture further into dancing than shaking your hair and occasionally tilting your knees, you're probably okay with that. But if there was ever a time to let your guard down and blow everyone away with your unfulfilled dance-floor potential, this would be it. Superfresh: for wallflowers and dancers alike. CC

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HEEB REMIXED: WEINLAND, ST. EVEN, GIDEON FREUDMANN
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The Oregon Jewish Museum has enlisted Weinland's Adam Shearer and Aaron Pomerantz to put together Heeb Remixed, a night of local Jewish songwriters and musicians. Weinland will play, naturally, along with Gideon Freudmann of Portland Cello Project and St. Even (AKA Steve Hefter)—plus knishes and Manischewitz cocktails. L'chaim! NED LANNAMANN

YOUTHBITCH, DISKORDS, BOOM
(Star Bar, 639 SE Morrison) Punked-up greaser fetishists Youthbitch are readying their pomade and switchblades for a spazzed-out take on power-poppy Brit-punk À la the Buzzcocks and the Clash that's unlike anything Portland has seen since our beloved Exploding Hearts. Tonight the band is celebrating the official release of their future-classic album YouthbitchYouthbitchYouthbitchYouthbitchYouthbitch on cassette for local pot-punk playboys Gnar Tapes, and you better believe the boys are gonna be revved up to give you one hell of a show tonight. Sure, they're rakishly charming, and the songs stick in your ears for days, but expect the unexpected—there's a good-natured wild streak underpinning the tunes and personalities that make up Youthbitch, one that's bound to stir up the unpredictable, and the fun, wherever they go. CHRIS CANTINO

ZODIAC DEATH VALLEY, WHITE FANG, NOT RIGHT NOW
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) "Jail," from Zodiac Death Valley's debut LP, is a dark and druggy blues number loaded with whacked-out guitars, throbbing organ, and vocals so full of swagger, you might think singer Nic Abodeely came from the loins of Jim Morrison. That is to say, this San Francisco five-piece is rock and roll. Or as they put it: "The loudest folk band in the world." The new record is certainly a mesmerizing listen (not at all folky), filled with strange twists and turns that lead you far from your comfort zone and toward that dark place you feared as a child but can't get enough of as a thinking adult. MARK LORE

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13 MONTHS OF SUNSHINE: AFRICAN SOUNDS DANCE PARTY
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Bless the rains for staying outside as DJs Cuica, Spencer D, Jason Urick, and the guys in Brainstorm create 13 Months of Sunshine: Africa Sounds Dance Party, a night full of sunny, happy dance music. Why didn't someone think of this sooner? WILL ELDER

But as you'll see from the video, it looks like Griggs might have started the whole incident by throwing his guitar at the drummer to begin with. As least that's how it looks to me.

The press release also includes a photo of Griggs with stitches in his forehead, which I'll include for ya after the jump. It goes on to say that Griggs quickly assembled a new backing band—and the newly constituted lineup of Radio Moscow plays in Portland tonight, opening for Graveyard at the Doug Fir.

So I ask you, readers, after watching this video—

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GHOST, BLOOD CEREMONY, ANCIENT VVISDOM
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) I have heard exactly one heavy music fan claim they did not care for Blood Ceremony's self-titled 2008 debut. Are you fucking kidding me? Unabashed Iommi-worshipping guitar, sinister organ, and lyrics birthed from the Necronomicon swirl from netherworldly depths to otherworldly heights—and that's just the first song. Once vocalist/organist Alia O'Brien puts her lips to the mouthpiece and conjures that first flute (yes, flute) solo, the trip really begins. This dark sorceress leads a druggy, unholy dance at the altar of the RIFF, her minions banging their heads approvingly as she lights the pyre beneath you. Yes, this album is a stone classic and that person I mentioned earlier obviously has shit for brains. The Toronto band makes their long overdue Portland debut tonight. Don't miss out. ETHAN JAYNE Also read our article on Ghost.

GRAVEYARD, RADIO MOSCOW
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Graveyard is a pack of Swedish ghouls that have robbed the crypt of rock and roll for all its forgotten trinkets and jewels. Unlike most modern retro-rock outfits who've picked at the dry bones of Pentagram's boogieman blues, Graveyard opted to crack open a few different coffins. On their latest slab, Hisingen Blues, they display some of the treasures they found with their necromantic pursuits. They push some hard-charging, hand-clapping MC5 blues and lace it with some darkened Uriah Heep and Jefferson Airplane psychedelia. To keep from seeming too fiendish, they occasionally stop and breathe with a slow and soulful Free groove. Consequently, by digging up the past, Graveyard may have given new life to the stale corpse of rock and roll. ARIS WALES

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, TRAGEDY, DRUDEN
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) The sky is dark, and the floodgates of Northwest rain have opened, creating the perfect environment to summon forth Wolves in the Throne Room. From a fabled farm compound, the Olympia band channels the energy around us into a rampage of black metal that might stop you from caring whether the sun ever returns. MARJORIE SKINNER

THE PARSON RED HEADS, TOMMY KEENE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) In his introduction to the power-pop progenitor's ferocious performance on Late Night in '94, Conan O'Brien declared Tommy Keene "one of the best pop songwriters in the business." A single spin of his 1986 benchmark album, Places That Are Gone, will tell you that's no exaggeration. Anybody with a penchant for pop is guaranteed to be fairly keen on, well, virtually everything Keene has released. His output is remarkably consistent, and unlike conspecifics Chris Stamey or hell, R.E.M., Keene hasn't chilled out with the passing of years. In fact, his latest record, entitled Behind the Parade, might be his grittiest to date. MORGAN TROPER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

TRAVIS LAPLANTE, TREVOR DUNN, THICKET, U SCO
(Laughing Horse Books, 12 NE 10th) Whoever thought prog and punk would be so suited for each other? Certainly the possibility of a compromise occurred to Robert Fripp (look no further than Red-era King Crimson for an example of early prog-punk-rock, which was one of his better ideas). Ryan Miller, guitarist in the Portland-based progressive, experimental, post-whatever band U Sco, has also combined the two almost contradictory styles with ambiguous and riveting results. It's essentially aggressive progressive rock, but stripped of (most) of the unpleasant excesses and regurgitated medieval allusions associated with the genre. In other words, it's restless and exciting as hell, while still containing elements that will stimulate your classically trained friend's virginal ears. Besides, Travis LaPlante (of Little Women) and Trevor Dunn (of Mr. Bungle) are worth the price of admission alone. It's all a reminder that some of the most abrasive, aberrant sounds in the city are emanating from modest all-ages spaces. MT

ALABAMA SHAKES, QUIET LIFE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Alabama Shakes.

BEAT CONNECTION, WAMPIRE, DJ JEFFREY JERUSALEM, SEX LIFE
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Saturday night is a great night for sweatin' it out to dancey electropop, and you'll be thrilled by the synth-tastic stylings of Seattle's Beat Connection (voted Seattle Weekly's Best New Band of 2011). Dreamy, ass-shaking grooves will be the order of the night, with the also awesome Wampire, Jeffrey Jerusalem, and Sex Life DJs rounding out the bill. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

THE BLACK SWANS, FLASH FLOOD AND THE DIKES, FISHERMEN 3, SIR RICHARD BISHOP
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) On Yesterday's Wine, Willie Nelson talks to God—literally. And the interesting part is that God talks back. The 1971 album begins with spoken-word dialogue that infuses the rest of the record with a gothic piousness. The Black Swans employed a similar tactic on their 2011 album Don't Blame the Stars, although singer Jerry DeCicca introduces each song by talking not to God but to you, resulting in a record that plays not so much like an album as a nighttime radio show transmitted from somewhere long gone in America's dusty, spooky past. The musical portion collects weather-beaten folk and funereal gospel, haunted by the ghost of violinist Noel Sayre, who died in a swimming accident shortly following the initial recording sessions. The Ohio band plays a surprising but welcome (and free) show at the Kenton Club, opened by former Sun City Girls guitar mage Sir Richard Bishop. NED LANNAMANN

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INTO THE WOODS SECOND ANNIVERSARY: NIGHTMOVES, GRANDPARENTS, 1939 ENSEMBLE
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Northwest music media website Into the Woods may not have quite achieved empire status, but two years in, they're well on the way. Come celebrate their birthday with new videos (plus some greatest hits), live music from Nightmoves, and the promise of other surprises. MARJORIE SKINNER

ED AND THE RED REDS, MERIDIAN, W.C. BECK AND THE VALIANT SWAINS, EZZA ROSE
(The Piano Fort, 1715 SE Spokane) Read our article on Ed and the Red Reds.

BEATS ANTIQUE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Read our article on Beats Antique.

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DOOMTREE, SAPIENT, SIMS, LAZERBEAK, CECIL OTTER, P.O.S., MIKE MICTLAN, DESSA
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) With the likes of P.O.S., Dessa, Lazerbeak, and more, Minneapolis' Doomtree collective is without peer. Their exploratory and exciting approach to rap is both the product of a tightly knit musical family and its individual members' fiercely unique personalities. Doomtree's many tendrils have brushed up against all corners of the indie music scene, but tonight's the chance to see the crew intact and in action. NED LANNAMANN

JESSIE BAYLIN, THE WATSON TWINS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Jessie Baylin.

GREGORY MILES HARRIS, AUDIE DARLING, STEVEN THE CELLO GUY
(The Waypost, 3120 N Williams) I first heard Audie Darling's music in a public place and found myself caught off guard, wondering what beauty was gracing my ears. It turned out to be her 2009 album Full of Ghosts, a lovely collection of Americana-inspired songs with Darling's endearing voice as the centerpiece. Recorded at Adam Selzer's venerable Type Foundry studios with the assistance of a gaggle of local performers, Darling has clearly found the sonic camaraderie so common to Portland. Coming from a family of musicians in Nashville, her savvy and comfort with the medium is apparent, and her delivery rings with a bittersweet knowingness. Her return to Portland with a spattering of performances comes on the heels of completing a new album in Nashville. MARANDA BISH

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NATIONALE THIRD ANNIVERSARY

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Entering its fourth year, Nationale has become much more than your typical boutique. It's grown into a haven of art, performances, and exhibits—and it's still a really cool shop. Celebrate its birthday tonight with bands, DJs, performance art, video installations, and more, with the likes of Scout Niblett, Woolly Mammoth Comes to Dinner, and Jenn Armbrust's free advice booth. NED LANNAMANN

HORNET LEG, HEY LOVER, DAD AND DAD, DJ KEN DIRTNAP

(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Maybe the most attractive aural value of Portland's Hornet Leg is the inherent fun found in their particular brand of jangly fuzz-punk. The vocal dynamic between founder Chris Sutton—who's also played sporadically in K Rec flag bearers Dub Narcotic Sound System and C.O.C.O.—and former drummer Claudia Meza summoned the sunny harmonies of a youthful Black Francis-Kim Deal tandem, abounding with oft-times blues-grooved chord progressions (Still Life's "Ghost House"), and skewed menageries of melodic mischief. But with the additions in recent years of Nucular Aminals' frontman Robert Comitz on the skins, and Bob Desaulniers on bass, Hornet Leg's minimalist onslaught—though still potent—is coiled in tighter quarters, allowing Sutton's songwriting to rise above the din. RYAN J. PRADO Also see My, What a Busy Week!

CONCRETE BLONDE, MENKENA

(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Read our article on Concrete Blonde.

FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS, AMERICAN TOMAHAWK, REVA DEVITO

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Bubbling above the recent swell of revivalist, blue-eyed soul, Fitz and the Tantrums have seen their fair share of mainstream success in the past year. Their swaggering track "Moneygrabber" permeated radio waves for much of the spring and summer, and a few supporting slots on high-profile tours exposed the LA band's highly infectious music to an even larger population sample; a pandemic was born. But while "Moneygrabber" is well and good in its poppy dredge, it pales in comparison to many of the other songs on 2010's Pickin' Up the Pieces (including "Breaking the Chains of Love" and the title track, at the very least). The band is absolutely bombastic, while Fitz and Noelle Scaggs command the vocals and the audience with finesse; prepare for a night of over-the-top fun. RAQUEL NASSER

I interviewed venerable rock 'n' roller Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde a few weeks back for this short piece, but she had so much more to say. (She's a bit of a charming motormouth.) Q&A is after the jump.

You can catch 'em tonight at the Star Theater.

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NOFX, OLD MAN MARKLEY, POISON IDEA

(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Read our article on NOFX.

YOUTH, CHAIRS MISSING, STILL CAVES

(http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/rontoms/Location?oid=271996, 600 E Burnside) Hopping on that ubiquitous surf rock bandwagon, Youth's music possesses the litheness characteristic of their namesake. With reverb dials turned far to the right, guitars and voices shimmer and resound in a way that, when paired with the right accoutrements, could induce a summer day. All one needs are some raw oysters, white wine, and no qualms about jacking up the heat. Youth spent the fall touring the West Coast with Typhoon and Wild Ones, occupying the opening slot in what they tout as their first "non-house show" tour, and now are working through a slew of formidable shows throughout the Northwest this winter. And while they're far from fully formed, the band shows promise and guarantees a good time. RAQUEL NASSER

JEFFERTITTI'S NILE, JASON URICK, TUNNELS, MILLION MISTS

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) There have been lots of guesses, but it's probably safe to say that nobody actually knows what kind of music Jason Urick makes. I guess you could call it ambient, or maybe abstract electro collage... One thing's for sure, though—you could definitely call it experimental. Regardless of how you want to tag it, Urick himself doesn't seem much concerned with labels. His new record for Thrill Jockey, I Love You, was constructed entirely on his laptop, and its arrival establishes Urick as a kind of trash saveur, a no-nonsense producer of ultra-digital, hyper-affected electronics and voice with a knack for bridging the gap between the organic and synthetic. Having recently moved to Portland from his former state of Maryland, Urick is on a stacked bill of local talent tonight, rounded out by fellow trendbuckers Nick Bindeman of Tunnels and Gift Tapes hero Jamie Potter, AKA Million Mists. CHRIS CANTINO

RADIATION CITY, WILD ONES, PURE BATHING CULTURE, PEGASUS DREAM

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) UPDATE: Due to bad weather, Youth Lagoon has cancelled and is no longer on the bill. Wild Ones and Pegasus Dream have been added.
Read our article on Youth Lagoon.

JAKE SHIMABUKURO

(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) In March of 2006, Jake Shimabukuro was a respected ukulele player who toured around Hawaii and played the occasional Hawaiian music festival in California or Japan. In late April of that year, he video-recorded a shockingly virtuosic ukulele version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" while sitting in Central Park. The video hit YouTube and Shimabukuro became one of the first viral-video internet sensations. Phone calls started pouring in and, since then, Shimabukuro has played with Yo-Yo Ma, Ziggy Marley, Bela Fleck, Jimmy Buffett, Cyndi Lauper, and many others. Recently, he accompanied Bette Midler in a performance for Queen Elizabeth. Whether he's playing traditional Hawaiian music, covers of pop songs, or his own compositions, Shimabukuro almost single-handedly has taught the world to respect the ukulele. BRENDAN KILEY

GLITTER EXPRESS, JIZZ WISARD, NASALROD, A GENTLEMAN'S PICNIC

(Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan) Trapped between that fightin' urge to get out some pent-up aggression and that ever-lovin' need to just hump the universe and dance, dance, dance? With Glitter Express, you don't have to choose. The Portland party band has found a stimulating blend of disco and punk, and it sounds a hell of a lot better than whatever all that electroclash business was about a few years ago. Glitter Express' debut EP Casual Encounters has all the danger and excitement of a hookup with a stranger—right down to the possibility of ripped clothing, bite marks, and a wicked hangover—as it rides a wave of swishy hi-hat and fuzzy guitar groan over the course of songs with marvelous titles like "Gay Car Wash" and "Je M'en Bats les Steaks." Singer Noelle Magia's punk wail doesn't have a hint of diva preciousness, but what Glitter Express lacks in R&B smoove, they make up for in raw power. NED LANNAMANN

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GARDENS AND VILLA, HOSANNAS, AAN
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our article on Gardens and Villa.

BLACK ELK, NETHER REGIONS, RABBITS, WIZARD RIFLE
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) Forgive the labored analogy, but if you will: Black Elk has shed its old antlers, and now sports a new rack for a new year. Ugh, I am sorry. Anyway, they've reformed and regenerated, lurching back onto the stage with their assaultive combo of metal and hardcore. Formerly a wholly Portland band, guitarist Erik Trammell has since relocated to Southern California, recruiting a new bassist and drummer who seem well-equipped to deal with the mathy intricacies of Black Elk's repertoire (which could at times be paved over by the band's power blast). They're working on a new album, but for now they're revisiting the Northwest for two shows with the new lineup—and tonight's Portland show is totally free. NED LANNAMANN

RAGS AND RIBBONS, WATER AND BODIES, FOX AND THE LAW
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Wanna know what the real fringe of the local music community is up to? Portland's Rags and Riches play polished, piano-driven pop that's catchy as it is unobtrusive—nothing folky or chamber-y or metal-y about it. Their list of influences range from Queen and Sigur RÓs—which I don't hear—to Coldplay and Snow Patrol, which sounds more accurate. Formerly known as Galaxy Farm, R&R have just released their first proper LP The Glass Masses, a sparkling, well-produced collection of pop that zeroes in on the ears of the 13-to-16 and 50-and-over sets. That's assuming they've never listened to Queen or Sigur RÓs. MARK LORE

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