Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for April 21st - 27th

Dear Readers,

Last Week I think that my favorite show was the Why?/Starfucker/Fall of Snow/Joe Von Appen thing last Friday at Holocene. All the bands played really well but honestly I think it was the inclusion of spoken word artist Joe Von Appen that pushed it over into a great show into an awesome show. It was a nice change from just music. Plus the guy was hilarious.

Any ways, there are incredible amounts of shows this week. Check out as many as you can. Y'know...if you want.

Monday, April 21st

Truth be known there is a non-Portland/'Couve show that I am tempted today. The Caribou and Fuck Buttons show at Doug Fir appeals to me. However if you want to keep it real (local). Peep these:

• Valentine's is having a experimental music show featuring Inca Ore, Grouper, and Grandfather Claws. The darned thing is FREE. The Show Starts at 9 PM.
• Tube is having a show featuring ultra-fun-to -watch Here Comes a Big Black Cloud. Though I have only seen them once at PDX Pop Now! 2007, it made a big enough impact to want to see them again. It will be interesting to see the band, who list eight members, in such a small space. They are playing with like minded New Thrill Parade (SF, CA). The show cost $3. The music starts at 9:30 PM
  
• Or you could stay at home and let the show come to you via your radio or computer. Arya Imig's Sound Judgment show on KPSU is having Southern Belle play Live on the airwaves. You can listen on 1450 AM or online right here. The show is form 10 PM to 11 PM.

Tuesday, April 22nd

There are quite a few good ones on Tuesday. Choose wisely:

• Mississippi Studios is having a show featuring David Karsten Daniels and Bennie Morrison. Why should you care? Because Justin Ringle (of Horse Feathers) is playing a solo set at the Show too. Plus I hear that Bennie Morrison plays sax in March Fourth, so it should be interesting to see what that will be like. The show costs $7-$8. The music starts at 8 PM.
• Valentine's is having a good show on Tuesday. Graves, The Blank Tapes (Oakland), and Aidan Coughlan are all playing. I can vouch for Graves being good. I can also vouch for Valentine's shows also being consistently good. The show is FREE. The music starts sometime after 9 PM.
• City Council candidate, Charles Lewis, is having throwing a show at Someday Lounge. It is called The Charles Lewis Concert. If features Alan Singley and Pants Machine, Mishka, Trio Subtronic, andQuivah. In addition to the music, he will be speaking and taking questions from the audience. Plus its FREE. The event starts at 8 PM.
• Backspace is having a noise/experimental show on Tuesday. Excepter and Yellow Swans are both playing the show. Again, if you like Yellow Swans, this is one of their last shows as they are breaking up (later this summer). The show costs$8. The show is ALL AGES and starts at 7 PM.

Wednesday, April 23rd

One big show and a couple smaller shows:

• The big show is Mirah and Spectratone International playing with Danbert Nobacon at The Mission Theater. Let me first say that I love me some Mirah music. Let me say secondly say that I have been a bit of a bad fan and have not listened to the album she is supporting for this. Apparently the songs are about the lives of bugs. There will be a multimedia show including stop motion films accompanying the performance. Sounds cool. The tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. The show starts at 7 PM (music to start at 8 PM).
• Mississippi Pizza is having a pretty good show too. This one features Audie Darling, Leonard Mynx and Tom Thumb (Cape Cod). I have written about Both Audie and Leonard before and they both make lovely music (sometimes together). The interesting thing is that I randomly bought a Tom Thumb cd two weeks ago having never heard of him. Now he is playing in my town. He also writes good tunes, by the way. There is no listed cover (FREE?). The show starts at 9 PM.
• The other smaller but good show is taking place at Tonic Lounge. Novels a French band will share the stage with Childlike Empress, and Air War. Novels have grunge as one of their listed genres. So does Childlike Empress. Match. Air War has Shoegaze as one of their listed genres. So does Childlike Empress. Match. If any of this sounds like you would enjoy it, then I would suggest you rally up some $5. The show starts at 9 PM.

Thursday, April 24th

Good shows for you Portland area people:

• David Dondero is a singer and a songwriter. You can make judgments from that statement or from the following one. He also is on Conor "Bright Eyes" Obert's imprint Team Love and is playing Holocene. He is also playing with a band backing him. Some very good Portland bands, A Weather (also on Team Love) and Aan are playing as well. The show will run you $7. The show starts at 9 PM.
• The Towne Lounge is having a good show. This one consists of The Friendly Skies, Pacific UV and Joust. I have seen and really enjoyed The Friendly Skies. I have heard good things regarding Pacific UV. And I liked the one song Joust has on their my space page. I predict an enjoyable evening for any one who attends. The show cost $5. The doors are at 9 PM.
• However, if you wanted to grab a slice of pizza while you watched good music, I would suggest heading out to Mississippi Pizza. They have Gatos, The Bicycats (NY), and Love Menu (the only non-cat related band who is also the only band I had heard of). It should be good and is probably free (minus the pizza you order). The show starts at 9 PM.
• The Know is a bar on Alberta St. They sometimes have bands play there. Thursday is one of those times. Check out the pop stylings of the caps! I am pretty sure that there is no cover at the Know. The show is listed as starting at 8 PM.

Friday, April 25th

Many shows to choose from:

• KPSU is having a live performance by Nick Carceres as part of their show called The Hour Long. My guess is that is is an hour long. It is on you radio at 1450 AM or here. The show starts at 6PM.
  
• If you like what you hear from that radio performance, or if you missed that radio performance, then you can see Nick Carceres perform at Clinton St. Pub with Will Carpenter and Mr. Free and The Satellite Freakout! (Tuscon). This apropriately enough is FREE. The show starts at 8 PM.
  
• The Artistery is having a benefit for Rock'n'Roll Camp for Girls. They have lined up LKN, Xpodntocolrs, and Sick Sick Sister. Admittedly, I have only heard LKN. But it is for a very good cause, so you should check it out. The ALL AGES show is has a sliding scale price of $5-$10. The music starts at 8 PM.
• Ground Kontrol is the location in the latest KPSU related awesome show. This one celebrates issue #3 of the KPSU magazine/program guide. The show offers the music of Strangers Die Every Day, New Century School Book, Dance Terror, and The Buttfrenchers. Interesting fact: AristeiA bought a guitar amp and cabinet from The Buttfuckers just months ago. The cover is $5. The music starts at 8:30 PM.
• Backspace has been getting some pretty hot shows lately (see Tuesday). Friday they have BARR (LA), Pwrfl Power (Seattle), Alexis Gideon, and Over the Atlantic (Brooklyn). We have some major cities represented at the show. I guess you can sort of think of it as a sampler of what is going on in popular music on a nation wide scale. I have seen Alexis play in Carcrashlander but this apparently is very different (rumors of stop motion films abound). All for just $8. The ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.
  
• Kelly's Olympian is having a show with Tractor Operator, Excellence, and Yeltsin. I like me some Tractor Operator. Maybe you will also. I just listened to the other bands. They sound good too (Indie-Rock!). This is the Portland cd release show for their album A Closer Walk with Yeltsin. The show is $5 . The show starts at 10 PM.
• East End is having a pop night on Friday. Their show includes the pop numbers of Soft Tags, The Vulturines, and The Fall Colors. Also there is supposedly a super famous guest appearing. Might be worth checking out. The show is $5. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

Saturday, April 26th

Too many shows to choose from:

• The show I am going to for sure is the early Loch Lomond show at Mississippi Studios. Y La Bamba will be opening up and debuting her new band which includes drums, glockenspiel, accordion, two guitars, bass, and three part harmonies. It will be awesome. There is also a late show for Loch Lomond where Holcombe Waller will open. If you have not seen Loch Lomond live, you are missing out. It is truly incredible to see their music recreated in a live setting. Both shows are $10-$12. The early show is at 7 PM. The late show is at 10 PM.
• Also in North Portland, The Waypost is having a really cool show. Sweeping Exits, Museum, and Church are all playing as part of a series of shows that Arya Imig puts on at The Waypost on the last Friday of every month (at least I think thats the deal). Also I want to express again that I really like Church. The show is ALL AGES and FREE. The show starts at 8 PM.
• Boy Gorilla, the very talented and young musician label/collective(?) is having a showcase at the Towne Lounge on Friday. Ghosties, Southern Belle, and The Black Black Black are all playing. It is as they used to say, "all good". The show will only set you back $5. The music starts at 9:30 PM.
• Kelly's Olympian has a show worth checking out too. It involves Michael the Blind, Thanks Kipp, and Ladies & Gentlemen. I have saw Michael the Blind at one of the WWeek's Lounge series and was rather impressed. The show costs $5. It begins at 10 PM.
• Someday Lounge is having a pretty quality show on Friday with Jackie-O Motherfucker, Indian Jewelry (they claim Afgahnistan but I don't believe them), Ill Ease (Brooklyn), and Cexfucx. Check out this quote from Liz Armstrong of the Chicago Reader, "Indian Jewelry plays the kind of music I want to hear in my head during sex". Sold. The show is $8. The music starts at 9 :30 PM.
• The Doug Fir is having Point Juncture, WA play with The Lymbyc System (Austin/Phoenix) and Head Like a Kite. Point Juncture is real good like. I have no idea about the other bands, but the Doug Fir claims all to be Dream-core. The cover is $8. The start time is 9 PM.
• The Artistery is hosting a diverse show with Late Night Curly, D Numbers, and Gejius. All of the acts are of the "doing their own thing" variety of music. It should be pretty enjoyable. The ALL AGES show is $6. The music starts at 8 PM.
• East End is hosting Pre (UK), The Mae Shi (LA), Panther, and Fist Fite. I could find nothing on Pre . But I really enjoyed the sound of Mae Shi. Most shows at East End are $5. The show starts at 9 PM.

Sunday, April 27th

I found three shows. But they are all really good shows. I do not know which I should go to. They are both so appealing. If you are under 21, the choice is easy. Go to the ALL AGES on. But I'm 26. I could go to either of the other two. I keep swinging from one show to the other and then to the other in my mind. I guess I will leave it up to fate.

• The Doug Fir is having Nick Jaina and his band play with Throw Me The Statue (Seattle), and The Brothers Young (Richie Young from Loch Lomond and his brothers). All are excellent. This show is $8. The music starts at 9 PM.
• Exit Only is hosting The Ocean Floor, Alan Singley and Pants Machine, Per Se, and Hanner. This ALL AGES show is probably very cheap. The show starts at 8 PM.
• David Kyle and The Invisibles are playing with Panther Attack (Seattle) at Rontoms. I have yet to make it to Rontoms, though I have heard the name a few times now. They have like the most mysterious website ever (clue highlight and you find the address and phone number of Rontoms, but that is all) Both band are kinda mathy and kinda kick-ass. The show is FREE. The show starts at 9 PM.
  

So there you have your good shows list. I hope you make it to some. I already know that I am going to miss several great shows this week, so help a guy and see the ones I don't. As always, if you see me at any of these shows come up and say hi. Have a great week.

-Ben


Y La Bamba plays the early Loch Lomond Show at Mississippi Studios on Saturday. Nice.
photo from Y La Bamba's Myspace.