Portland soul pop rockers Thanks just took off for a month long European tour, but they left us with this fun video for Hollow off their January release Blood Sounds. 

Thanks' European tour dates:

29.04. CAFE HENRICI | ZÜRICH
30.04. GALAO | STUTTGART 
01.05. SAGE CLUB | BERLIN
03.05. BALLHAUS | KLAGENFURT 
07.05. CAFE SMARAGD | LINZ 
08.05. GRABENHALLE | ST.GALLEN
09.05. MUSIGBISTROT | BERN 
11.05. YARD CLUB | KÖLN 
13.05. GLOCKENBACHWERKSTATT | MÜNCHEN
14.05. CAFE VIDEO | GENT
15.05. PRINZENBAR | HAMBURG 
16.05. CARINI SAAL | LUSTENAU
17.05. CLUB GLAM | FELDBACH 
19.05. ROXY | PRAG
22.05. ROTER GUGL | HARTBERG
23.05. HAUS DER MUSIK | WIEN 
24.05. SPINNEREI | TRAUN 
26.05. WEEKENDER | INNSBRUCK

- Travis Leipzig

The first Tuesday of each month has never been more exciting in Portland, thanks to Red Bull's new concert series Sound Select Presents: Portland. Each month, the concerts are curated by different local music aficionados, and showcase one national headlining act and two local up and comers. Past headliners of the series include Maps and Atlases, Portugal. The Man and Helio Sequence. This month's showcase at Mississippi Studios features New Orleans' Big Freedia, the undisputed Queen of bounce, supported by Magic Mouth and Thanks.

Main support of the evening, Magic Mouth are a hard hitting four piece that plays soulful funk music in the most rock and roll way possible. With an enthusiastic front man whose vocal range is off the musical map, the group delivers a raw and simple but huge sound. Thanks offer a soulful take on psychedelic rock. The erie, reverb soaked guitar hooks and thundering drum and bass lines are beautifully rounded out by lead singer Jimi Hendrix’s piercing vocal ability. Her jazzy voice reminisces the English soul scene (Amy Winehouse, Wayne Allen, ect.) making Thanks a truly exciting live band.

All this local music greatness leads up to one of the best rap acts in the country. Big Freedia has starred on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and made herself famous this past summer by prompting a twerking feat that made the Guiness’ Book of World Records. Freedia's unique musical styling 'bounce,' is like trap but more twerktastic and bouncy. 

April 1, the show starts at 9pm and costs $3 if you RSVP here in advance, or $15 at the door. - Colin Hudson

I arrived at the Wonder Ballroom after work ready to enjoy the Friday edition of Malt Ball 2014. 24 brewers were on hand, 12 of which collaborated with the weekends bands to create a beer/band line-up. With friends I tasted each and every one of the beers. This year seemed IPA heavy, but all were delicious. 

With all the year-end music floating around the blogosphere, people tend to forget that January and February come heavy with great new music. 2014 is no exception as the six piece Thanks releases Blood Sounds at Mississippi Studios this Saturday. Thanks is a band that is constantly walking the line between being the most soulful band in indie rock and the most indie band in soul. Their music is surrounded by minor progressions and highlighted by the sweet melodies by vocalist Jimi Hendrix. Probably not the first Jimi Hendrix that comes to your mind but she is just as powerful. Her voice, bass, and drums play new-age soul comparable to the likes of Lily Allen and the guitarist comes through with protruding bluesy-indie riffs channel names such as Tapes N Tapes. And while all this is going on the keyboards and the cello provide calmness make their music so easy to listen to. - Colin Hudson

What is Rigsketball you ask? Why it is a mobile b-ball game in Portland that involves a bunch of bands and a hoop bolted to the back of a rad van. It is becoming a summer tradition, started three years ago by band And And And's drummer/ripper extraordinaire Bim Ditson and his trusty Ford Aerostar. This year has been another fast tourney between 32 local bands. They have been bumper-dunking in various locations throughout Rip-city over the last few days, from space at PDX Pop Now!, to NE dead end streets, and vacant lots off of MLK Blvd.