Shows of the Week: SZA Remains Both Impassioned and Nonchalant

What to see and what to hear.

SZA (Courtesy of SZA)
By Daniel Bromfield

SATURDAY, MARCH 18:

SZA is one of the best American pop stars right now, blessed with a voice that sounds at once punkishly nonchalant and completely invested in what she’s singing. Five years after her already-classic debut Ctrl, her new album SOS has restored her music to a position of ubiquity that actually helps it: The more you hear her music blasting on the radio or at parties, the more you realize how sharp-witted and brilliant these songs are. Moda Center, 1 N Center Court St., 503-235-8771, rosequarter.com. 8 pm. $200 and up. All ages.

SUNDAY, MARCH 19:

Of the innumerable, loosely Drake-affiliated projects that came pouring out of Toronto in the 2010s, Dvsn is one of the most consistently interesting. Pairing producer and trusted Drake collaborator Nineteen85 with belter Daniel Daley, Dvsn (pronounced “Division,” like the street) offers a vision of contemporary pop-R&B that harks back to the ‘70s experiments of Isaac Hayes and the Temptations in its scale and ambition. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 503-225-0047, crystalballroompdx.com. 8:30 pm. $30. 21+ balcony, general admission all ages.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22:

Many believe the Jerry Garcia Band’s live shows rivaled those of its leader’s main gig, the Grateful Dead—and the project’s sole album, Cats Under the Stars, arguably beats any Dead studio album. The Garcia Project has spent the past decade re-creating full Jerry Garcia Band shows, offering a deep dive into Deadhead apocrypha and a different experience—more covers, for one—than most Dead-affiliated tribute projects. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 503-284-4700, startheaterportland.com. 8 pm. $25. 21+.

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