Weekend picks! Yes. Really. And a few more coming up next week ...

Cranking up the music machine, looking at the crystal ball ...

Friday
Start your weekend with a fine and mellow Buzz ... Holland that is, at the Starday Tavern. 6 pm, no cover

Are you further east or up for a drive to Edgefield? Turtle VanDermarr and friends will be in the Winery ... 7 pm, no cover

Jazz? try Devin Phillips at SouthFork (4605 NE Fremont) ... 8 pm

Blues? How about Lloyd Jones, Tim O'Hare and Mark Shark at O'Connors (7 pm, $8)  ... or Karen Lovely at Catfish Lou's (9 pm, $5)

Folk-Oldtime-Bluegrass-Songwriting? The Lowest Pair, Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters, and Huck Notari are at The Secret Society ... 9 pm, $12

Dance? Head to Revolution Hall for LA's Pimps of Joytime ... 9 pm, $22

Saturday

Besides the big MarchForth 15th Anniversary Spectactular at the Crystal with shows on Saturday afternoon (all ages), evening, and Sunday evening (the main event!), how about ... 

Happy hour? The Alberta Street Pub has Bre Gregg ... 6 pm, no cover

The very tasty guitar and mandolin of Mark Shark will resonate through the Muddy Rudder ... 8 pm, no cover

The Alberta Rose hosts An Evening with John McCutcheon, the master instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, storyteller, activist, and author ... 8 pm, $22 adv / $27 door

Bluegrass? Can't beat an evening with The Travelin' McCourys at Mississippi Studios ... two shows - 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm, $18

You might not have noticed, but Santana is playing the Memorial Coliseum ... 8 pm, $58 - $120+

Sunday

Masters of Hawaiian Music with George Kahumoku, Jr., Led Kaapana, and Jeff Peterson bring the island sounds to the Alberta Rose ... 8 pm, $25 adv / $30 door

Spend an evening with 21st century blues artist Chris Thomas King at Mississippi Studios ... 8 pm, $18 adv / $20 door

Coming up next week:

Monday - there's a very cool tribute to John Prine at the Lake Theater in Lake Oswego with Julie Amici, Thad Beckman, Mark Shark, Dean Mueller and Carlton Jackson ... 8 pm, $15

Wednesday - Singer/songwriter Chris Smither returns to the Alberta Rose, celebrating the release of his latest album, "Call Me Lucky." Actually we call him excellent! ... 8 pm, $22 adv / $26 door

Thursday - One that I've been helping to organize - Jill Sobule and Kevin Gordon at O'Connor's. Check out my previous post for more info. These are two amazing performers and we're very lucking to have them together in Portland on the same bill! A rare opportunity ... and for $16 in advance ($20 at door) consider you're getting two for the price of one. Hope to see you there!