Busy weekend of music - Friday picks

Lots of really great choices for live music this weekend!  Starting with tonight where I've got some of my favorite musicians in town all performing in different places ... going to be tough to choose ...

For early music there's the James Low Western Front doing their monthly happy hour at the Laurelthirst ... 6 pm, no cover.  But at the same time is Ron Rogers & the Wailing Wind at the Hawthorne Theater Pub.  And Ron is going to premiere a cool music video of the tune Alabama Chrome from his new Country and Eastern CD. Ron assured me no animals were harmed during production, no matter what the picketers from PETA might say tonight. Really ... it was a stunt chicken.

Also early (even earlier!) you can catch Rollie Tussing at Ford Food & Drink on SE 11th ... 5 pm, no cover

At the Alberta Rose tonight it's Stephanie Schneiderman's CD release show for her new CD, Rubber Teardrops.  Definitely looking forward to this show ... read more about it at Oregon Music News. Dirty Martini will open.  .... 8:30 pm, $15

The fine boogie and blues pianist David Vest will be at Duff's. And as a special treat, playing with him tonight is Mary Flower in a rare appearance wielding an electric guitar ...  9:30 pm, $10

Fan of The Big Lebowski? Well, tonight's your night to show up at the Bagdad Theater in your bathrobe (or other character costume of choice) for the annual Lebowski Fest ... preceding the film for the third year in a row will be an rave-up set by Rich Layton and The Troublemakers ... you might want to drop in to see what condition your condition is in ... 9 pm, $3

AndAndAnd headlines Willamette Week's best new band show at Mississippi Studios ... 9 pm, free

Black Francis ...the former Pixie (Frank Black) - will be at the Aladdin Theater tonight. Mark Lemhouse will open ... 8 pm, $20

Brassy night at Jimmy Mak's with the sax quartet, The Quadraphonnes, who'll be helping celebrate the CD release of Trombone 8.  Preview of the show at Oregon Music News ... and an interview with The Quadraphonnes ...  8 pm, $12

It's bossa nova time at Wilf's with the Bill Beach Trio and Rebecca Kilgore. It's a CD release for Beach  ... 8 pm, $??

Solid indie rock show at the Doug Fir with The Dimes, Derby, and Violet Isle ... 9 pm, $19

The New Iberians will throw down some cajun, zydeco and blues at The Portland Eagles Lodge (SE Hawthorne & 49th) ... 8 pm, $??

Paris Slim Steve Kerin and Jim Miller are at Vino Vixens ... 8 pm, $5

Lewi Longmire will be rockin' Biddy McGraw's ... 9:30 pm, no cover