Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for April 14th -20th

Hello dear readers,

Last week was great wasn't it. I went to three of the 30 something shows I listed. They were all fantastic. Especially the 31 Knots, Joggers, and Experimental Dental School show. They were all fantastic. But guess what. There are even more cool shows this week. Some of them will be, dare I say, fantastic. Check it:

Monday, April 14th

You want local music? You got it:

• Yellow Swans have announced that they are breaking up. Luckily they have a lot of shows booked, so you can still catch their brand of oddly gorgeous Noise music. Tonight they are playing Branx with Sissy Spacek (LA), Knelt Rote, Verlatin, and Superbad. I guessing these are noise bands too. I can't seem to find any info. on them so, whatev's. It will be LOUD. Like, LOL, ridiculous, LOUD. The shows is $6 and starts at 9 PM.
  
• Valentine's is consistently having good shows. It seems like I am consistently missing them. Do not make my mistakes. Tonight they are having Ohioan play. I think. If not then I am sure somebody is. Probably Free. Probably after 9 PM.
• Chaos Cafe is having a show tonight featuring Mr. Fredrick (featuring a member of Starfucker). This should be pretty cool. It is also pretty FREE and pretty ALL AGES. The show is listed as starting at 8 PM.
• Or if you just want to stay in and get your local music, you can tune into Arya Imig's Sound Judgment on KPSU either on the Internet here or on 1450 AM on your radio. There will be an on-air performance by Hutch and Kathy (of The Thermals). The show starts at 10 PM and will last one hour.

Tuesday, April 15th

There are a ridiculously good shows happening simultaneously on Tuesday:

• Backspace is hosting one of the two Dirty Projectors shows happening in town this week. The openers are Blankket (Toronto), and local White Rainbow. I hear that Dirty Projectors are phenomenal. The show is $5. It is ALL AGES so it starts at 8 PM.
• Someday Lounge is having Thao and The Get Down Stay Down play with locals Horse Feathers and Plants. I still haven't gotten over how good Horse Feathers is. When they release their sophmore effort on Kill Rock Stars (same label as Thao), I am sure many others will feel the same way. The show is $8. The doors are at 9 PM.
  
• Holocene is helping Auto Pilot is For Lovers celebrate the release of their new album by having a show. An album release show! Stangers Die Everyday, and Porches are also playing. I want so badly to see this show (I have listed Strangers Die Everyday many times and have yet to see them). The show is a mere $5. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Chaos Cafe is having another cool show. I am started to think of this as the vegan ALL AGES sibling of Valentine's. Anyway, they are having Chris Koza (Minneapolis), Love Menu, and The Rainy States play on Tuesday. It is all good. The show is FREE and starts at 8 PM.
• Plus I have heard rumors of a Norfolk & Western and Weinland practice show at Slabtown too. This is supposedly FREE. Stop by at 9 PM.
  

Wednesday, April 16th

This is the haps:

• Legenday (in some circles) songwriter Daniel Johnston is coming to town. He is going to play two shows in Portland this week both with local Gregory Miles Harris. Your first chance to see them is a Berbati's. Tickets cost $17.50 in advance and $20 at the door. The music starts at 8 PM (doors at 7 PM).
• Mississippi Pizza is having a show of note too. Shake Speake , Andy Combs and the Moth, and Church are playing. Church is really awesome. So is Andy Combs and co. I am unsure if there is a cover. The show starts at 9 PM.
• The White Eagle is a place I have been meaning to check out. On Wednesday there are some bands I have been Meaning to Check out, A Cautionary Tale, and Jared Mees. Also there is a band I have never heard of, Test Audiences. Should be good. Maybe. Its FREE. Why not check it out? The show starts at 8:30.

Thursday, April 17th

David Bazan (Pedro The Lion) and Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters and Sun Kill Moon) are playing the Aladdin Theater. It is not a local show but I thought some people might be interested. There are only a couple local shows I am interested in on Thursday:

• Doug Fir is having pretty one of the more popular rock surf garage bands, Southern Culture on the Skids (Chapel Hill) play here in town. I am not a huge fan. But I am interested in the openers Bark Hide and Horn. They have a new album that just came out and will be selling at this show. The show costs $15.
• Speaking of Southern things (check out this sweet segue), Southern Belle will be performing at Dunes on Thursday. I am unsure if anyone else will be playing. Actually, Dunes doesn't even have them listed. But shows at Dunes are always FREE, so whats the harm? The show will or will not be happening at 11 PM.

Friday, April 18th

Lots of great shows are happening on Friday:

• The one I am going to and have been anticipating for many months is the Why? show at Holocene. All of the opening acts are from Porltand: Starfucker, Fall of Snow, and Jon Von Appen (performance artist). All acts are really diverse which will make for a really entertaining show. The cost is $8. The show starts at 9 PM.
• There is also an amazing gathering of Portland musicians at The Modern Age (PSU's ALL AGES venue). Hutch and Kathy (of The Thermals), Strength, Reporter, Typhoon, and The Vonneguts are all playing. This is a lot of talent for one show. It only costs $3-$6 to enter. The show starts at 8 PM.
• Some of you all may have heard of the Wordless Music Series (NY). Well, it looks like they are having some West Coast shows here in Portland. Friday night has Eluvium and chamber music ensemble Third Angle performing at The Old Church in cordination with the series. I have only seen Eluvium once and it was the almost the loudest thing I have ever witnessed (second only to Yellow Swans at PDX Pop last year). It really turned me off. But he makes such beautiful music that I am more than willing to give him another chance.
• Exit Only is also having a show on Friday. I want to check out this venue. All I know about it so far is that it is ALL AGES and is in a wherehouse. It sounds awesome. Alexis Gideon will be playing with Travis Wiggins (of Please Step Out of The Vehicle) and Bombs Into You. This should be a fun show. There is no mention of a cover. The show starts at 8 PM.
• There is a show at Artistery too. They have Team Evil (members of Point Juncture, WA), Swim Swam Swum, and target=_blankPatterns. I have seen Swim Swam Swum before and I dug it. Which is why I am suggesting it. The show costs $6 and is ALL AGES. The music begins at 8 PM.
• Friday is also your second chance to see Daniel Johnston and Gregory Miles Harris. This show is ALL AGES at the Wonder Ballroom. I think it is SOLD OUT. So unless you are savvy enough to deal with ticket scalpers (I am not), I suggest going to one of the shows that I listed above.

Saturday, April 19th

It is kind of slim pickings as far as shows I am interested in (again if I am missing something please feel free to comment):

• Holocene is having Blitzen Trapper play with Fleet Foxes (WA), an Au. Pitchfork is basically in love with Blitzen Trapper. I think they also love Fleet Foxes. So this show will be chock full of these people. But I have heard both and think they have some actual good songs. Plus Au is opening. Checkout what Stereogum had to say about the band a couple weeks ago. The show costs $8. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Or at the Aladdin Theater you can catch Amelia. While Amelia is good in their own right, it is opener Richie Young (mastermind of Loch Lomond) that caught my eye. It should be cool to see him in a solo setting. Tickets are $12-$15 for this ALL AGES show. The music begins at 8 PM.

Sunday, April 20th

There is some shows going on to wind out weekend. Check them out maybe?:

• KPSU is having Pledge Drive stuff all this week (check here for details). As part that push, they are putting on some pretty good shows. Like at Someday, they are having Soriah, Metal, Eet, and Childhood Friends play. While I have only seen Metal (they were good and ambient with projection of films over them), I can say that it will probably be good. Plus KPSU is very supportive of local music. So, if you are supportive of them, you are supportive of local music. Are you following me? The show costs $5. the show starts at 9 PM.
  
• KPSU is also putting a show at Town Lounge featuring Souterly, Yoyodine, and William Carpenter's Towering Trees. Southerly is pretty good, and is a busy guy. This will be the last time you can see him perform before he goes on a European tour. This show is also $5. The show starts at 9 PM.
• Or you could not support them and see a show at Valentine's. This show features Oregon Painting Society, Pixie Storm and the Stand-up Shaman, and Plastic Pussy. All fantastic band names. All FREE. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

So that is what looks good to me this week. If you can make it to even just a fraction of these shows, you will most likely be in a good place in your life. Right? Anyway, if you see me at any of these shows, please say hello. Have a great week.

-Ben


Fall of Snow plays with Why? and Starfucker on Friday. Kick Ass.
photo from the Fall of Snow myspace page