Thursday, January 12
Succulent Dish
Gilgamesh Brewing Seasonal Store and Ale House, 189 Liberty St. NE
7 p.m., free, all-ages
Gilgamesh has put together a concert series to coincide with its seasonal store’s residency in the Reed Opera House, and Succulent Dish may be the best of the bunch. The experimental duo has popped up at various spots around town, including the Great Idea at Enchanted Forest where they provided a pretty interesting and excellent performance. The band will play every Thursday in January at Gilgamesh’s seasonal storefront. Organizer Doug Hoffman said local act Slingshot is scheduled to perform every Wednesday in January, and an act yet to be named will perform every Tuesday for the remainder of the month.
Saturday, January 14
Tasha Flynn Band
Boon’s Treasury, 888 Liberty St. NE
9 p.m., free, 21+
Welsh singer-songwriter Tasha Flynn will bring her brand of funky piano-driven jazz pop to Boon’s Treasury. The now-Portland-based musician resides in the polarizing world of jazz fusion, but during the burnt-out weekends that follow the holidays, some smooth soul, melodic keys, meandering bass and a bit of volume discretion may just be what your brain needs to deal with the bloated, hazy mess of stress the holidays left you with (maybe that was a little harsh).
Saturday, January 14
Bergamot Burlesque featuring Dee Milo “Venus of Dance”
Grand Theatre, 191 High St. NE
9 p.m. (doors 8 p.m.), $12, 18+
Golden-era dancer Dee Milo headlines a group of performers including Hai Fleisch, Charlotte Treuse, Itty Bitty Bang Bang and The Infamous Nina Nightshade, whose alter ego is known locally for co-owning/operating the recently closed clothing shop Cherry Redd. Milo is so big in the biz that she was inducted into the Burlesque Hall of Fame (located in Las Vegas, no less) along with a short list including Bettie Page, Blaze Starr, and Tempest Storm. The night is scheduled to be emceed by Vincent Drambuie. Advance tickets are available at BrownPaperTickets.com. If you can’t make the shindig, the event is scheduled for the night before in Portland at the Star Theatre.
Sunday, January 15
Salem Concert Band: In Pursuit of a Dream
Historic Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St. SE
3 p.m., $15-20 ($5 for students), all-ages
In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Salem Concert Band’s winter presentation is “In Pursuit of a Dream,” a collection of works highlighted by Dana Wilson’s tribute to King: “To Set the Darkness Echoing.” The presentation features French Horn and Alphorn(!) soloist Mike Hettwer, who teaches at his alma mater Willamette University, as well as Corban College, Linfield College and North Santiam School District, and performs with the Portland Opera and Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Retired Dallas High School instructor John Skelton will conduct. Skelton has been with the band since its inaugural year – 1975! When was the last time you went to the Elsinore? What are the chances they would allow cosplay in the lobby?
Saturday, January 21
Kevin Selfe and The Tornadoes
Roxxy Northwest, 1230 State St. SE
9 p.m., free, 21+
Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes are a band among an army of Stevie Ray Vaughan-a-likes that have ridden a brand of blues-rock revival since, well, Stevie Ray Vaughan, I guess. The music is at home at brew festivals, county fairs and can almost always be counted on for head-nodding riffs and pristine performances. The SRV-clones shamelessly emit “family friendly fun” despite the fact that “blues” and “rock” both used to be confined to seedy speakeasies and heathenous dance halls, and themes were largely based on lust, drugs (and alcohol), angst and despair. Unfortunately for rock ‘n’ roll purists, that was a long time ago, but Selfe brings a bit of that grit back to the often-stagnant genre along with the aforementioned licks and chops. The dude can play the guitar.
Saturday, January 21
Tent City, The History of A Family, Tonya Gilmore
Christo’s Lounge, 1108 Broadway St. NE
7:30 p.m., free, 21+ (all-ages in restaurant before 9 p.m.)
This show represents the long-awaited 7-inch vinyl split release for Tent City and The History of A Family (see review). The night features an eclectic blend of folk from the old-world inspired accordions of Tent City to the ever-impressive alternative-pop singer-songwriter Tonya Gilmore. Gilmore is a skilled guitarist, but her voice is what sets her apart from the pack of Oregon’s coffee-shop-dwelling alt-poppers – effortlessly easing from sweet, breathy melodies to soulful crooning without ever sounding contrived. It’s a wonder that one of her tracks hasn’t been picked up by a mumblecore director or the television show “Scrubs” (which, I know, is no longer on the air). A little right-place-right-time could go a long way for Gilmore.
