Starfucker, Blackbird Blackbird
8 pm., Wednesday February 27 | $15.
[ELECTRO-POP] Josh Hodges of Starfucker (now commonly spelled STRFKR outside Portland) is at a crossroads. His band’s electro-pop innocence struck gold when it first premiered in 2007, but groups like MGMT and Passion Pit have taken it to another level, adding layers of emotional depth to the music. That’s the challenge here: Can a band that has built itself on playfulness and simplicity make a more mature, artistic record? It’s still uncertain whether Miracle Mile, the group’s latest, achieves this, but there’s no denying that Hodges’ sensibility for weirdly assembled dance records is still there. For years, these songs have helped turn the group’s live performances into sweat-slathered romps—whether at PDX Pop Now! or the Belmont Pool Party. This show will undoubtedly be similar, which is why the band, regardless of what direction it goes, will always be loved in Stumptown.
Where: Roseland Theater
Phone: 224-2038
Address: 8 NW 6th Ave.
Website: www.doubletee.com/rose_schedule.shtml

Josh Rouse, Field Report