Friday, August 8
If you can imagine a cross between early Green Day and Modest Mouse, that’s Dude York, a trio from Walla Walla toting a healthy balance of punk-style nostalgia and innovative, revved-up melodies. The fun is in the band’s refusal to categorize itself as any genre, labeling the music everything from “heavy pop” to “Teen Pop” to “jortscore,” whatever that means. But don’t take my word for how awesomely lo-fi and punky its sound is; once you discover that yourself, there’s no escape from Dude York. With Pony Time, Prom Body. Cairo, 507 E. Mercer St., templeofcairo.com. 8 p.m. $7. All ages. DIANA M. LE
In many ways, Soulja Boy epitomizes the criticism that hip-hop has become too focused on business rather than art. Even the title of his “seminal” debut album, Souljaboytellem.com, feels like a marketing ploy. The days of his hits “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” and “Kiss Me Thru the Phone” seem distant, but Mr. Boy has found ways to stay relevant—or at least available. At one point he was even selling verses for the blue-light-special price of $500. But, much like a business, the rapper is all about supply and demand. It’s easy to crucify such a figure, but at the end of the day he’s just giving people what they want—like the sweet tunes “Booty Meat” and “She Thirsty.” With Donte Peace, Spac3man, DJ Swervewon. The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-4618, thecrocodile.com. 8 p.m. $25 adv. All ages. DUSTY HENRY
In many respects, the Gorge can be an easy venue to play. Sure, the environment may not always work in your favor, but that stunning natural backdrop goes a long way toward setting a mood that is undeniably conducive to epic performance. There aren’t many acts whose force of personality or live chops can overwhelm that kind of setting, but Arcade Fire might just be one—a group that can turn a run-of-the-mill show into an event. Through sheer charisma, a dash of spectacle, and a wealth of epic material, the band might just overtake the beauty of its surroundings. With Dan Deacon. The Gorge Amphitheatre, 754 Silica Rd., Quincy, Wash., 509-785-6262, gorgeamphitheatre.net. 7:30 p.m. $61 and up. CORBIN REIFF
Foxy Shazam’s brand of glam-pop-rock revivalism sounds fun on record, but live it becomes something far more dangerous. Frontman Eric Sean Nally appears meek and pleasant until he hits the stage, when he morphs into a raging punk titan. Often he’s known to climb on a bandmate’s shoulders, light several cigarettes, and shove them all into his mouth. Whatever the music sounds like, the band’s live show is the embodiment of teenage rock-&-roll dreams. With Stop Light Observations, Chrome Lakes. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467, neumos.com. 8 p.m. $15 adv. All ages. DH
Saturday, August 9
Killer Mike and El-P are the villains hip-hop deserves right now. Though the two had previously collaborated on their solo efforts, they officially joined forces last summer under the moniker Run The Jewels with a self-titled debut. The two spit back and forth like they’re determined to murder each other, and throw out threats of shooting poodles and comparisons to the Chernobyl nuclear-plant disaster. But when they hit the stage, it’s one of the better bromances of the new century, complete with synchronized high-fives and matching gold chains. El-P sums it all up pretty well on their track “Twin Hype” when he says, “Run the Jewels is not for your children.” The Showbox. 9 p.m. $21.50 adv./$25 DOS. 21 and over. DH
Sunday, August 10
In April, Portland-by-way-of-Alaska rock quartet Portugal. The Man created something unheard of: a song that would become extinct unless it was reproduced. In partnership with Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, the band sent 400 copies of “Sumatran Tiger” on degradable vinyl to “influencers” including actors, musicians, conservationists, and journalists, each record representing one of the 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild. The song, which has slowly spread through hashtags like #EndangeredSong and #SumatranTiger, features P.TM’s psychedelic touch and the repeated line “You don’t have to worry.” Those words, we hope, predict a brighter future for the endangered-tiger population. With Grouplove, Typhoon. Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E., Redmond., 205-3661, marymoor concerts.com. 6:30 p.m. $35 adv./$40 DOS. All ages. ACP
For its second studio album, After the Disco, musician and producer Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) and the Shins’ James Mercer, who perform together as Broken Bells, were inspired by retro-futurism and the somewhat kooky way science-fiction books of yesteryear envisioned the future. Using instruments from the ’60s and ’70s to bring that retro influence to life, Burton and Mercer created what could be the soundtrack to a movie set in a mysterious, far-off galaxy, one featuring both synth-driven grooves (“After the Disco”) and darker ballads (“The Angel and the Fool”). The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., 877-784-4849, stgpresents.org/moore. 7:30 p.m. $43.50. All ages. ACP
