What a day.

by LIZ BROWN, ZACH DUNDAS, JOHN GRAHAM AND SAM SOULE
243-2122

Maybe planets aligned, stars went supernova, or forgotten gods are sending us a message of hope--whatever the cause, Portland's indie hipsters, electro hepcats and grubby punks have a surprisingly full smorgasbord of choices this Friday. Options include, but are not limited to:

Kissing Book, Urban Legends, Katy Davidson

The local laddies of Magic Marker Records crave candied pop like full-blown chocoholics, and Kissing Book is among their sweetest delicacies. Kissing Book's giddily shuffling and mellifluous indiepop is death to diabetics, but friends to dentists (metaphorically) everywhere. (JG)

Red & Black Cafe, 2138 SE Division St., 231-3899. 8 pm. $2 donation. All ages.

The Microphones, Wolf Colonel et al

The Microphones are Phil Elvrum--who plays drums for Old Time Relijun like a cherubic caveman--and whatever musical demons happen to be rioting in his head at the moment. They can be one of those quiet-LOUD-quiet-type bands, or they can be one of those quiet-quiet-quiet bands. Or they can be untraceably weird. Wolf Colonel, like the Microphones, is a K Records band in the rock auteur tradition, with Portland's Jay Anderson chasing pop-rockin' ghosts through the deep
sugarcane. (ZD)

Rusty Nail at Lewis & Clark College, 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road, 768-7133. 8 pm. . All ages.

Momus, Stars, Alchemy Jones

Judging from his fey vocals, pretty melodies and programmed beats, you might mistake Scottish singer/songwriter Momus for fellow Scot popsters Belle & Sebastian on first listen. But Momus' approach to making music sets him apart--from everyone. He recently wrote and performed song portraits for the first 30 people to pay $1,000. At his current art show in NYC, he records visitors' attempts to sing his new songs, karaoke-style. And even his hilariously clever songs (including some naughty ones) are, well, good. No wonder he's named after the Greek god of mockery and sarcasm. (LB)

Pine Street Theater, 215 SE 9th Ave., 231-1530. 8:30 pm. $8 advance (Fastixx). All ages.

8 Foot Tender, Crack City Rockers,
Roy Tinsel Band

8 Foot Tender plays its punk'n'roll games with a relaxed, non-competitive chumminess and lopsided grin (see record review, page 32). The Crack City Rockers pen more intentionally poetic rock tunes with the slanted wit of a sidewalk orator, while the Roy Tinsel Band's splatter of makeup and heartbreak blues walks on the dark side of Glam Street. (JG)

Ash Street, 225 SW Ash St.,
226-0430. 9:30 pm. $5.

The Briefs, The Spits, The Prime Evils, The Bedpans

The Briefs: malcontent marching music (see record review, page 32). The Spits: retarded skate rock for costume lovers. The Prime Evils: pomaded cretins seeking biker enlightenment. The Bedpans: rough, ripped and raw, reductively. Citizens, your attention please. These gangs of punky takedown artists have promised to blast ass on anything and anyone exhibiting lameness. This listing included. You have been warned. (SS)

Berbati's Pan, 231 SW Ankeny St.,
248-4579. 9:30 pm. $4.

Fcs North, Sientific American, Mome Raths

Live techno-jazz fusion trio Fcs ("focus") North drips shimmering-liquid semi-jams that eventually grow into brittle icicles of synth, bass guitar and rhythm. Sientific [sic] American describes itself as "underground electronic music by and for ex-indie rockers." How much so? Well, how many other DJs can you name who've remixed Modest Mouse? (JG)

Medicine Hat, 1834 NE Alberta St., 778-7700. 9:30 pm. $6.

Dead Moon, The BellRays,
The Real Pills

Dead Moon's haunted-cowpoke hard rock packs 'em in like cattle, but it's the BellRays' red-hot soul-punk that will brand 'em for life; see From the Music Desk, page 31. The Real Pills strum a taut wire of old-fashioned garage rock. (JG)

Satyricon, 125 NW 6th Ave.,
243-2380. 10 pm. $8.