Fans of the brand new group Mansionz will recognize the name blackbear, as he's part of the duo with Mike Posner that makes it up. blackbear, on 4/21, released his album digital druglord, which strays a bit from the sound of the Mansionz album, focusing more on the sound blackbear features. Fans of the Mansionz group and slow, self-reflecting r&b will love this record, which you can find below to prep for the show on 5/31! Tickets are $25 and can be found here!

Fans of Alternative Rock will find that this Catfish and the Bottlemen show is a must-see. If you haven't heard of the band before but love alt-rock, please do yourself a favor and check out their latest album The Ride below now! Tickets can be found here for $25!

Jagwar Ma headlines the Doug Fir on May 26 before heading out to the gorge to play Sasquatch, at a much discounted ticket price! The Australian duo's sound is alternative with a synth-infused bubbly dance vibe; just see tracks 'Give Me A Reason' or 'OB1'. You can find their 2016 album Every Now & Then below, and they will be releasing a remix album Every Now & Zen at a later date in 2017! $16 tickets can be found here, but hurry before they're snatched up! Come say hey as I'll be there covering this one for Sonically Awkward!

Another Alternative/Punk band makes the May concert list in Girlpool! In support of their next album Powerplant, which comes out on May 12, this show is sure to be full of new tracks tied in with their hits from their past work. You can find cheap $13 tickets here, as well as links to their 2015 album Before the World Was Big below!

For fans of hip-hop/rap, the name T.I. will probably evoke some inner emotions/memories. For me, it brings me back directly to high-school, when I would jam this non-stop. This, for me, is one of the more memorable, and iconic hip-hop albums growing up. You can find a link to this album below! Tickets aren't cheap for this intimate show at Roseland Theatre, but for $40, you are sure to get a heck of a show!

St. Louis Rapper Smino makes his way to Portland this May fresh off his blkswn album release! It features smooth, silky r&b influences, and is a must-listen for any fan of hip-hop/r&b. You can find the album below, and you can buy your bargain $13 tickets here!

When Courtney Theim recommended Handsome Ghost's 'beauty / bends:' track to me, it was brand new to my ears. I gave the track a listen, and have since named it the song of the week, and can't stop jamming it. Fans of Bon Iver will really enjoy this track. So far he has released only EP's and singles, but that should change in the near future. Expect an in-person interview piece before his headlining gig at the Doug Fir on May 21! You can get $12 tickets now while they last!

Not only the cheapest show in May on this list, but the one I'm most looking forward to is the final night of 3 of the Red Bull Sound Select showcase, featuring Portland's own AMINÉ, & The Last Artful, Dodgr. A2 rounds out the bill, but the focus on this one is the aforementioned local hip-hop/rap acts. I have compiled a playlist of all 3 acts, and one can only hop that Dodgr brings out Myke Bogan & Neill Von Tally - the trio pictured below. You can find $10 tickets here, but hurry, this one won't last long! You can bet your bottom that Sonically Awkward will be there covering this massive show!

The 2nd night of the Red Bull Sound Select PDX showcase features a wonderful lineup of funky, fresh sounds ranging from r&b to funk to who knows what it is that Shamir makes most of the time - in the best way. Shamir, Harriet Brown and Chanti Darling are the acts on this night, and you can find a mini curated playlist to help you get acquainted with their sounds below! $10 tickets can be found here! Say hey as I'll be covering this one as well!

Night 1 of the Red Bull Sound Select PDX showcase features Alvvays, The Courtneys, and Candace, all of which feature varying sounds around the genres of Alt/Punk/Psych-Rock. Candace, who moved to Portland to pursue music full time from Minneapolis, performed at a previous Red Bull event at the Doug Fir, and I'm working on getting an interview lined up with them before this show! You can find $10 tickets here, and check out a short playlist featuring 2-3 songs from each band to help you get a start digging into them below! Sonically Awkward will be in the house for this great lineup too!

When I got the invite to cover this show from the management of Mother Mother, I wasn't sure what to think. I had seen KONGOS before, and really dug their live show, so I figured why not. I played some Mother Mother tracks, and quickly found that it fits right into the alt rock wheelhouse, with just a hint of jazz influence for good measure. Come out to this show and say hey as Sonically Awkward will be in the house covering this one! You can get your $22 tickets here, and check out the combo playlist below featuring a couple tracks from both bands!

For producer/songwriter Christian Berishaj, who goes by JMSN, music has been something he's done since the age of 12. The multi-instrumentalist features a unique alternative sound that is pretty hard to describe. Check out his album Whatever Makes You Happy that was just released April 28 below for yourself! Tickets for the show at Doug Fir are only $14 - come out and say hey as Sonically Awkward will be covering this up and coming artist!

The good folks over at 10 Barrel Brewing are putting on a 10th anniversary party! The event is free to go to, and they have several deals going on worth noting. For 10$, you get a limited edition pint glass with 2 free beers. All night beers are just $3! Bands performing include; De La Soul, Rubblebucket, Brent Amaker and the Rodeo, Acid Tongue and Scribbled Rhymes! Rubblebucket for me is the big draw - I'd go so far as to say they have a pretty darn great live show that isn't worth missing, ESPECIALLY for free! Check out a quick playlist of the bands below, and this event is FREE, so no tickets required!

Alternative music fans will recognize the name Andrew McMahon by now, and for good reason. His latest album Zombies on Broadway was received with critical acclaim, and you can decide what you think of it yourself via the links below. For $25.50, you can go see his live show at the Crystal Ballroom for yourself!

My favorite member of the Minneapolis based Rhymesayers label is Brother Ali, a politically and socially conscious rapper, from before it was cool/hip to be one. Now days everyone seems to be focusing on a track or two being geared at Trump, but Ali has been tackling tough issues ranging from racism to misogyny head on for years now. 2017 will feature a new album from Ali for the first time since his wonderful 2012 record Mourning in America and Dreaming In Color was released. You can find that album below, and a link to $20 tickets here!

Cashmere Cat has been on the prowl for years now as one of the more unique, up-and-coming producers in the EDM/electronic scene. The debut record showcases this unique sound, and Sonically Awkward will be attending this show, come say hey! Go here for tickets to the show at the Wonder Ballroom, but hurry as they're close to selling out at $17! If you're hesitant, check out the recently released album 9 below.

Fans of gospel music will swoon for Portland artist Liz Vice! She plays the Doug Fir on May 3 - and Sonically Awkward will be there for full show coverage. Check out her latest project below, and get your $17 tickets here!