PDX Pop Now! 2011 Schedule

Scrap whatever plans you had, there are too many good shows this weekend to do anything but watch live music. On Saturday alone, Portugal. The Man is playing a free show at Music Millenium, Scotland Barr's Slow Drags are celebrating his life and music with one last show at Dante's, and the Cults and Guards are playing Mississippi Studios.

On top of everything else, today kicks off PDX Pop Now!at Refuge PDX and the lineup loaded with some of my favorite local bands: Jared Mees, Weinland, the Minders, and And And And. Saturday features Archers, Lost Lander, Monarques, and Nurses, while Guidance Counselor close out the festival on Sunday night. But just as with their stellar compilation, I'm looking forward to hearing some of the bands I know almost nothing about.

Full lineup after jump.

Reverend Deadeye - "Fuck The Devil"

A Hillstomp post tipped me off to an upcoming Reverend Deadeye show at Dante's this Sunday. I'd never heard of him before Hillstomp's enthusiastic endorsement, but after sampling just a couple songs it's clear I almost missed out on what should be a wild performance of down and dirty gospel, blues, and rock n' roll. With songs like "Fuck The Devil" and "Drunk on Jesus" it's clear this one man band won't be embraced by modern Christian radio any time soon, as the gravel voiced reverend sounds like a better soundtrack for debauchery in the back alley than virtuousness in the sanctuary. The show starts at 8 PM and will be followed by Dante's Sinferno Caberet. Gospel punk, burlesque, and bourbon sounds like a perfect combination.

McDougall - "48 Reasons" Video

If you dig Hillstomp, there's a good chance you'll like McDougall's back porch tales. "48 Reasons" off Ramble should convince you to show up for an early beer when he opens for Hillstomp at Dante's on Saturday night. "18 Days of Rain" (mp3) from his upcoming album is also worth checking out. Plus, he comes highly recommended by Hillstomp's Henry Krammer:

"He is unbelievable. We actually travel with him whenever we can. He is one of the best songwriters I’ve ever met in my life. He’s a singer-songwriter but he uses a kick drum and a high hat and plays banjo and guitar and he screams his head off and he makes you a believer after about 30 seconds. I would recommend showing up early."

Friday's Tough Decisions

I'm finally back in Portland for a couple days in a row and am itching to see some live music. While it would be great to be in San Francisco for Noise Pop, there are still a lot of great shows going on here tonight. My top three shows are:

3. Thee Headliners @ World Famous Kenton Club
   Dropped to #3 only because I just saw them at Slabtown and will definitely catch them next month.
   
   
2. Harlem @ Dantes
   I'm digging the garage pop of Harlem's new album, Hippies.
   
   
1. Free Energy & Foreign Born @ Mississippi Studios
   I've been amped to hear Free Energy's good-timing rock n' roll debut since I first heard their song of the same name. Plus, the Foreign Born's Person To Person seems like it will be great live.
   

Oracle - Wake (2010)

Fans of Portishead will definitely want to check out Wake, the new album by Portland's Oracle. It's a chilly mix of beats, keyboards, and the melancholy vocals of Orianna Herrman. Trip hop always makes me want to sip clear drinks in highball glasses. And while Wake probably could soundtrack a hip new urban lounge, the songs are more dynamic than just background music. In particular, I like the harmonies and slinking rhythms on "What To Say" (mp3).

Check them out at their CD release show at Dante's on February 4th.

Brian Kenney Fresno @ Dante's

Sunday night, Awmercy, Mona, and I decided to check out Dantes Sinferno, a burlesque/cabaret show at a local music venue. We arrived a little early and were lucky enough to catch the full (albeit truncated) act by Brian Kenney Fresno. The first thing I noticed while he was setting up on stage was a hand-written cardboard sign, "Volunteers needed, Ask Me How." First volunteer? Someone to switch the plastic transparencies stacked neatly next to an overhead projector at the corner of the stage. Second volunteer? Someone to pass a bowl of fresh, natural raisins from Fresno -- Mona graciously volunteered to be the Raisin Lady.

As someone who appreciates a good spectacle, I watched his act and wondered whether BKF's pageantry was the work of pure genius, or a man a couple of buds short of a lid. His style is elusive, but if I ventured a guess, I'd say it's an unwashed Flight of the Concords meets They Might Be Giants, with a dash of Rafi on crack. His performance on the Warr Guitar was manic and hilarious; I was sad that it ended after only about 25 minutes. Really though, my words can't do his performance justice:





Sunday evening's set list included: "Balloon", "Generator" (Awmercy's favorite), "Incandescent" (aka. dangers of compact fluorescent lights), "No Flies in China", "Porno Dan" (which was skipped after the opening verse), and "Chateau de Fresno" (the place you dump dead hookers if you're a psycho on the run).