Explode Into Colors – Sunday @ Holocene
The buzz about this all-girl, all-rhythm post-punk outfit is reaching deafening levels, and they don’t even have a proper album out. What they do have is a sound that hearkens back to groundbreaking outfits like Delta 5, Kleenex and ESG, down to the dubbed out vocals, tribal-leaning rhythms and love of clattering percussion. Tonight’s show is a celebration to send them off on their current tour (heading down to SXSW, don’t you know). You can get in for FREE if you bring along an genuine old-school mix tape for the band to listen to in their van. Break out the cassette decks and compile something wonderful for these ladies.
Dublab’s Tonalism – Saturday @ Reed College
One of the finest Internet radio stations going right now, Dublab is sponsoring this all-night freakout fest inspired by, in their words, “the 1960’s sound-art actions of Marion Zazeela, Lamonte Young, Terry Riley and Yoko Ono.” To that end, they’ve scheduled a variety of live performances by some intense aural experimenters – including the majestic dreamscapes of Grouper, shoegazer outfit Pharaohs, and Golden Retriever, a Portland artist that will wash out your synapses with layer upon layer of processed sound – as well as DJ sets and psychedelic visuals. Tune in, turn on and try to stay awake through the whole thing.
Ora Cogan – Sunday @ Valentines
The beauty of SXSW is that it brings a number of bands from Washington and British Columbia through Portland this time of year, touring their way to Austin for the annual music fete. One such artist is the languid singer-songwriter Ora Cogan. She lives in Vancouver and has been making a quiet stir in the experimental folk scene since 2004. Her latest album, The Quarry – released early this year via Borne Recordings, captures her Melanie-like voice and slow picked guitar playing in warm, gorgeous echo. It’s a record you want to lie down and rest in, wrapping yourself up in the soft laments found within.
