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Bim Ditson goes to more shows than you. Don't feel bad: He goes to more shows than just about anyone. And sometimes, he takes pictures with his cell phone. In this new column, we're letting Bim—who you might know as the drummer for garage-pop misfits And And And—show you where he's been and who he's seen this week, and tell you where to go and who to see in the week ahead. You should take his advice. After all, he goes to more shows than you.
WHAT DID BIM SEE THIS WEEK?
4/12 @ 39th & Ivon
A Volcano
I'd been meaning to see these guys for a while. And at a house? Deal. It's fucking loud, aggressive as expected and refreshingly goofy. About a half hour into their super-dynamic, noisy journey through the hard parts, a shy cop shows up. Naturally, A Volcano finishes the song before the show's moved to the basement for the rest of the bands. I hope that the house show scene is back from it's hiatus.
4/13 @ Bunk Bar
Mister Tang
Young and better for it, Mister Tang plays the kind of breathless, gnarly music that a two piece should. They call themselves "a surf garage band" and that's not nearly enough. These kids don't belong under a blanket of prejudgement, they belong in singular moments, spirts, and in heavy guitar tones that are played like the third time you read a dense book.
4/14 @ Rontoms
The Cry! (featuring King Louie)
An older, bleach-blonde woman buys me a shot, explaining, "I've got kids that are older than you…" It's gonna be a weird night. The Cry! take stage-floor and they've got a King Louie—co-songwriter for Exploding Hearts circa 2000—who's been waiting the last 13 years for this night, it seems. The Cry! was tight and fun, King Louie was "bahammered."
4/15 @ Minden Manor
It's Ryan from Minden's birthday bash! Thanks for turning me on to the Kansas bands Ghosty and the ACB's!
4/16 @ Bunk Bar
Beach Day
Pretty girls making pretty music. Not particularly earth-shattering, but I don't think you need to reinvent the wheel to be great. Either I'm more drawn to it lately, or there's a growing taste for bands that simplify: three pieces and duos that leave their listeners space to breath while honing in on the three or four individual sound sources. It's refreshing to see someone play regular songs, or more pointedly, songs lacking entitlement.
4/17 @ Hebesha
Headshapes
Headshapes is a buffet of rhythm and gorgeous long-form looped sparse guitar. For me, this was one of those shows that reminded me why Portland is so rich. I'd bounced out of Doug Fir's AARP couples night and walked into the bar above ethiopian food. There are people who dare to dance, a band with two drummers, complimenting each other and their frontman impeccably. Some of the dancing people are blowing bubbles. By the time I leave I'm well sauced, and my tab is like $4, so I buy a thermal that the band stenciled and is selling for donation. Industry is unaware of Hebesha, thank god.
WHAT'S BIM SEEING THIS WEEK?
4/23 @ Valentine's: The Memories, Street Gnar, Love Cop
The Memories ride lines that can be tough for humorless folks to get down with. People might try to call this joke music, as if there's a correct type of feeling that artists of different trainings are "supposed" to evoke. What a load of shit. I think that the fact that the Memories can crack you up, as part of their music, is commendable and extremely artistically advanced. The only thing harder than making good live music is making good live comedy. Clapping after songs is compulsory. Laughing however…
4/24 @ Club 21: Guantanamo Baywatch, the Bugs, Messenger
For free? Damn yes! I've got a pile of doll-hairs that say this'll be a night to remember, or at least blotches of it. You already know what Guantanamo Baywatch feeds you, so go get filled up on the ripper-jamz.
FOLLOW: Bim is on Twitter at @bimditson.
WWeek 2015