Live! Tonight! Not Sold-Out!

Our top concert picks for Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 7-8.

Want to see some live music tonight? Here are your best options, curated by the Willamette Week music staff.

MONDAY, DEC. 7

George Colligan

[JAZZ PIANO AND VOICE] See our profile of George Colligan here. Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th Ave. 8 pm. $12. Under 21 permitted until 9:30 pm.

Mike Coykendall

[RUSTIC TROUBADOUR] Mike Coykendall is a fixture in these parts, a standout producer, collaborator and singer-songwriter who has worked with the esteemed likes of Bright Eyes, Blitzen Trapper, M. Ward and more. His own sound is the product of a diverse array of influences, from country to alt-rock to traditional folk to blues. His latest, Half Past, Present Pending, is a fine example of slightly agitated Americana, the kind with a little extra grit and gristle. If I had it my way, he'd be playing the Landmark Saloon nightly—it's the perfect whiskey drenched establishment for veteran, rootsy homegrown rock. MARK STOCK. Landmark Saloon, 4847 SE Division St. 9 pm. Free. 21+.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8

John Niekrasz's Orchestra Becomes Radicalized

[SONIC VIGNETTES] Longtime Portland avant-garde polymath John Niekrasz—probably best known here for his project Why I Must be Careful—recently relocated to Richmond, Virginia, but before that, a fellowship placed him in six-months arts residency in Paris. His Parisian sojourn turned nightmarish when terrorists massacred Charlie Hebdo writers and cartoonists near his flat. A few days later, he began composing Reward Cycle, "interlocking sonic vignettes" that include moving images, political and poetic texts, the sounds of Parisian sirens and church bells, and more. For this world premiere performance, Niekrasz (who's collaborated with artists as diverse as Thollem McDonas, Joanna Newsom, Rhys Chatham and many others), has assembled a dozen of the city's most adventurous musicians for its world premiere, including AU's Luke Wyland, Like a Villain's Holland Andres, Golden Retriever's Jonathan Sielaff, Blue Crane Reed Wallsmith, Doug Theriault and more. BRETT CAMPBELL. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St. 9 pm. $7. 21+.

Elysian Brewing's Breakbeat Launch with Tope, Vinylogy, DJ Rev Shines

[BEER'N'BEATS] Elysian celebrates the release of the latest beer in its Manic IPA series by bringing one of Portland hip-hop's favorite sons, Tope, back up from Oakland, along with DJ-and-drum crew Vinylogy, b-boy crew Portland City Rockers and beats by Rev Shines upstairs. The Liquor Store, 3341 SE Belmont St. 8 pm. Free. 21+.

Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans, Denver

[TWO-TONED COUNTRY] It's tough to incorporate bouts of amusement into serious storytelling, though not impossible. Canadian Corb Lund, the son of a rancher and now an accomplished musician, knows this. His ninth studio album, Things That Can't Be Undone, showcases his skill at weaving threads of humor where poignancy should lie, lending variety to an otherwise tepid collection of country rockers. The refreshed approach and sound—with its subtle Motown vibes, bluesy swagger and chicken-pickin' fretwork—further set an example, likely as a result of ace producer Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton) and his watershed year. Denver, Portland's own country outfit, just gives you a reason to show up early. BRANDON WIDDER. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave. 8:30 pm. $15. 21+.

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