Wednesday, Jan. 14

Sean Watkins is a busy man. After a seven-year hiatus, the singer/guitarist is once again performing with Nickel Creek, the bluegrass band he formed at age 12. He released Fiction Family Reunion in 2013 with Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman as part of the indie-folk group Fiction Family, and he’s also a member of Works Progress Administration, a supergroup that includes his sister and Nickel Creek bandmate, Sara. On top of all that, Watkins found time to release All I Do Is Lie, his fourth solo album, last June. All I Do loses a lot of the twang on Nickel Creek’s latest, A Dotted Line, but keeps the album’s acoustic earnestness. With Lauren Shera. The Triple Door, 216 Union St., 838-4333, the
tripledoor.net. 7:30 p.m. $20 adv./$25 DOS. All ages.

Thursday, Jan. 15

Black Beehive, the latest from Big Head Todd & the Monsters, bridges the gap between rock and blues perfectly. The Colorado quartet took what it learned working with blues legends like B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite, and Hubert Sumlin on its previous release, 100 Years of Robert Johnson (under the name Big Head Blues Club), and combined it with the rock sensibilities it mastered over the course of a nearly 30-year career. Sumlin is mentioned in “Hubert’s Dream,” and the title track is a touching tribute to soul singer Amy Winehouse. The band’s appreciation of both rock and blues makes for another strong release in a much-respected discography. The Showbox, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151, showboxpresents.com. 7:30 p.m. $32.50 adv./$35 DOS. 21 and over.

It seems as though singer/songwriter Esme Patterson, formerly of Denver folk band Paper Bird, always has something up her sleeve. On her latest full-length, Woman to Woman, she put an unexpected spin on classics like Elvis Costello’s “Alison,” the Beach Boys’ “Caroline, No,” and The Band’s “Evangeline” by responding to them from their subject’s point of view. For a recent week-long residency in Portland, Patterson challenged herself to write a tune about each of the seven seas and premiere a new song each night. With a seemingly endless batch of ideas, there’s really no telling what Patterson will come up with next. With Fruition. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599, tractortavern.com. 8 p.m. $10. 21 and over.

Friday, Jan. 16

It’s almost unbelievable how much local booker Mamma Casserole and punk shop Singles Going Steady have packed into one night for Garageland Fest. After a preshow happy hour, the night, split between two venues, kicks off with Loud Eyes (at Lo-Fi) and The Crush (at Victory Lounge). The Knast, the Moonspinners, The Gods Themselves, and Killer Ghost will take the stage before the night ends with L.A. alt-rockers Paul Collins Beat (Lo-Fi) and local grunge-wave act Bad Motivators (Victory Lounge). There will also be DJ and unplugged sets throughout the night and record vendors on hand. Rest up—this is going to be a long night. Also with Acapulco Lips, Bread & Butter, Rich Hands. The Lo-Fi, 429 Eastlake Ave. E., 254-2824, thelofi.net. 5 p.m. $12. 21 and over. Victory Lounge, 433 Eastlake Ave. E., 382-4467, facebook.com/VictoryLoungeSEA. 8 p.m. $7. 21 and over.

Skate Like a Girl is a kick-ass organization that uses skateboarding and skate-related programs, including the Youth Employment Skateboarding program, to uplift people and communities along the West Coast, so it’s a given that

Girls That Shred: A Benefit for Skate Like a Girl will feature a lineup of equally kick-ass ladies (and the men who back them up). Rapper Katie Kate is on hand, on the heels of the dark, hypnotizing Nation, as is ’60s pop quartet Tangerine and rock supergroup Thunderpussy, who can command the stage like no other. Make sure to catch post-punk trio Peeping Tomboys, as this is its last show before breaking up. Vera Project, 305 Warren Ave. N., 956-8372, thevera
project.org. 7 p.m. $10 adv/$15 DOS. All ages.

Saturday, Jan. 17

Back in 2012, a Volvo commercial featuring a haunting rendition of “Li’l Red Riding Hood,” originally by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs, seemed to be playing every time you changed the channel. The singer on that eerie clip was Portland’s own Laura Gibson, whose memorable voice carries through to her latest full-length, La Grande. She kicks her vintage feel up a few notches with songs like “The Rushing Dark” and “Red Moon,” both of which sound like they’re being played on a gramophone. According to a Facebook post, this show is a break from the studio for Gibson, so expect to hear some new tunes. With Valley Maker. Fremont Abbey, 4272 Fremont Ave. N., 414-8325, fremontabbey.org. 8 p.m. $10 adv./$13 door. All ages.

Sunday, Jan. 18

After the four-part Revenue Retrievin’ and the six-part The Block Brochure, Bay Area-based rapper E-40 (born Earl Stevens) is back with another series: Sharp on All 4 Corners. Corner 1 and Corner 2 were released in December. The amount of material (28 songs total) may seem like too much for one artist to handle, but E-40 doesn’t let quantity trump quality on either album. In true hip-hop fashion, there are plenty of songs about his lavish lifestyle, but in others, like “Three Jobs,” he talks about his life before fame, too. The second half of the Corners project is set for release later this year. With Nacho Picasso, Cool Nutz, DJ Swervewon. The Showbox, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151, showboxpresents.com. 9 p.m. $25–$27 adv./$30 DOS. All ages.

Monday, Jan. 19

Any way you look at it, Patti Smith is a legend. As a musician, the “Godmother of Punk” made waves in 1978 with “Because the Night” (co-penned by Bruce Springsteen), from her third album with The Patti Smith Group, Easter, and has gone on to release eight albums since then, most recently Banga in 2012. As a writer, Smith has produced an extensive collection of prose and poetry, and her memoir, Just Kids, in which she discusses her friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2010. Smith’s artwork has also been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Is there anything she can’t do? The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., 877-784-4849, stgpresents.org/moore. 
8:30 p.m. $27.50 and up. All ages.

Tuesday, Jan. 20

Henry Steinway, more commonly known as RL Grime, is another artist for whom we have YouTube to thank. In 2012, the trap and hip-hop producer uploaded a remix of Avicii’s “Levels” under the name Clockwork. EDM heavyweight Steve Aoki took Grime, a member of the Los Angeles-based WeDidIt collective, under his wing, and he’s been working ever since, remixing songs by everyone from Beastie Boys and Kanye West to Rihanna and Chief Keef. Each track on Grime’s debut full-length, Void, which features Boys Noize, Big Sean, Djemba Djemba, and How to Dress Well, is just massive. “Scylla” is a personal favorite. With Lunice, Tommy Kruise. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St.. 682-1414, stgpresents.org/neptune. Repeats Thursday. 9 p.m. $21.50 adv./$25 DOS.

Music truly is universal, and in a sense, that makes the lyrics optional. Chicago instrumental metal trio Russian Circles knows this, and for the past decade has let its music do the talking. On its latest album, Memorial, guitarist Mike Sullivan, drummer Dave Turncrantz, and bass player Brian Cook (formerly of Seattle outfit These Arms Are Snakes) express a wide range of experiences with nary a word—except for the title track, which features hazy vocals from Chelsea Wolfe. Songs like “Deficit” are fairly straightforward metal, while others, like “Ethel,” are lighter and more atmospheric. Either way, Memorial is captivating. With Mamifer. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 
8 p.m. $20 adv. 21 and over.

Too many actors to count have made the foray into music at one point or another, many most likely banking on name recognition rather than actual talent to draw crowds. But Wooden Wisdom, the duo of DJ/label rep/tour manager/film consultant Zach Cowie and The Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood—who, no joke, performs as DJ Frodo—are naturals behind the turntables. The pair focuses its vinyl-heavy sets on disco and house tunes from the ’70s and ’80s, so while the music they play may not be familiar to everyone, it gets the crowd on its feet, Hobbit fan or not. Q Nightclub, 1426 Broadway, 432-9306, qnightclub.com. 9 p.m. $14. 21 and over.