Lovin and Listenin’
Thursday, Feb. 2
Blixa Bargeld, The Living Jarboe, Soriah
The Old Church. 8 p.m. $15 adv, $18 DOS. All Ages.
This show is Goth-tastic. You’ve got Einst퀨͌_rzende Neubaten singer and Bad Seeds guitarist Blixa Bargeld doing weird digital manipulations with his voice, ex-Swans singer Jarboe bringing some death-rock diva action and throat singer Soriah, though I suppose throat singing is more creepy than it is gothic.
Friday, Feb. 3
To: Elliott From: Portland, CD Release Show featuring We Are Telephone, Sexton Blake,
Amelia, Sean Croghan
Dante’s. 9 p.m. $10. 21+
I’m curious about this show. Are all the bands going to be playing nothing but Elliott Smith covers? Or are they just going to play the one song they did on the tribute CD and then a regular set? Either way, this show is worth your time and money if only as a way to remember one of the greatest musicians to have ever come out of Portland. My only gripe is that the Decemberists aren’t playing this show, since I know they have a song on the tribute CD.
Saturday, Feb. 4
Thanksgiving, Adam Gnade, Ghost to Falco
Reed College, Eliot Hall. 9 p.m. $3 (free for Reed students). All Ages.
Some music you have to meet halfway. Adrian Orange AKA Thanksgiving knows that and he’s not going to sacrifice an iota of weirdness to please you. And whether you like his music (a brand of odd, off-kilter folk) or not, you’ve got admire the courage it takes to get up on a stage and play music probably more than half the room is going to hate. And despite those who say outsider music is just aural garbage, there really is something to music that refuses all popular music conventions.
Monday, Feb. 6
Sixes, Gerrit, 2673, Jason Zeh, Dead/Bird
Food Hole. 8 p.m. $5. All Ages.
Let’s face it: noise is the final frontier of hipsterdom. It’s the card you pull when your hip opponent says he likes German free jazz, too. But I think the real reason so many music hipsters like noise is that they’re jaded with music that doesn’t ask anything of them. Noise forces you to focus, to appreciate when a melody slips between of the cracks of static. And if there’s no melody at all, well, that might give you relief from the glut of indie-pop bands playing tried and true pop melodies.
The Wailers, Dr. Israel, Pocket Dwellers
Crystal Ballroom. 8 p.m. $22 adv, $25 DOS. All Ages.
Did someone say “contact high?” Because if such a thing exists, you’re going to experience it at this show. But also be warned: the bass levels at a reggae show will not play nice with your stomach so, um, don’t drink a lot of coffee or eat at Taco Bell before the show. Dr. Israel plays a mix of dub reggae and drum ‘n’ bass, i.e. a stoner’s dream come true.
