Adia Victoria is a fresh reference point on the musical landscape. From blood-born howls to idiosyncratic phrasing, she is the big red dot saying “You Are Here.” The Nashville-based artist travels the lands of rock, afro punk, and country, while staying squarely situated in the continent of the Blues.

Ask about her artistic goals and the songwriter/vocalist will say, “I want to shine a light on the unseen, and speak the unspeakable.” Adia Victoria is a truth teller. She admits, “I don’t necessarily paint myself in a flattering light. This isn’t the pop version of pretty or the strategically posed pretty-ugly. Sometimes I’m just ugly. There’s a brat in some of these songs, selfish, nave, vengeful, but there’s also a tender eye that just wants the listener to feel seen and understood.”

The Village Voice called her an “eerie, intriguing songwriter, with bone chilling guitar riffs and lyrics topped with candid scorn.” Oxford American calls her as “rich and unpredictable as ever.” Rolling Stone featured Adia Victoria as one of “10 New Artists You Need to Know.” She is soon to be on everybody’s radar as an artist not to miss..

Touring in support of her debut recording, Beyond The Bloodhounds, Adia Victoria will be playing in Portland at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Avenue on Monday, February 27. This 21 and over event will start at 9:00 pm. Admission is $14.00 at the door and tickets can be purchased in advance for $12.00 at Ticketfly.com.

Opening the show will be Amenta Abioto, whose music ranges from soul shaking gospel to smooth jazz and then onto hip hop rhythms wrapped in West African beats.

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Mary Flower is that rare breed of American roots artist. Flower is fluent and masterful in the artistically tricky Piedmont style of acoustic guitar that requires a deft touch, intricate picking, and an innate sense of subtle harmonics wrapped in a rousing good time. Yet she is equally rooted and schooled in Mississippi blues, especially when rendered on a vintage lap-slide. Add to this her love of swing, ragtime, folk, and hot jazz, plus a healthy dose of her own song craft, and you have a modern artist with an ear for the traditional who brings an immediate vibrancy and dynamism to any concert hall and stage performance.

The BBQ Boys are a four-piece jazz, blues, and jug band that has performed with many well-known artists such as Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, John Sebastian, David Grisman, and Dan Hicks. The band consists of Stew Dodge on fiddle and vocal, Spud Siegel on mandolin, mandola and vocals, Doc Stein on dobro, guitar and vocals, and Mark Vehrencamp on sousaphone.  In 2013 they joined forces with Mary Flower as a jazz and blues infected jug band (sans jug) and have created new masterpieces of old standbys and originals by Mary and Spud, adding rich harmonies and searing solos.

Mary Flower and The BBQ Boys will be performing on Monday, February 6 at The Lake Theater & Café in Lake Oswego. Located at 106 N State Street, the show will start at 7:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at Laketheatercafe.com for $15.00.

Renowned New Orleans saxophonist Reggie Houston brings a time honored Mardi Gras tradition to Portland as he presents Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) on Monday, February 27 at The Lake Theater & Café, 106 N State Street, Lake Oswego.  Traditional Mardi Gras music featuring a stellar line-up alongside Houston (Fats Domino, Charmaine Neville, Box of Chocolates) on saxophone, with Tyrone Hendrix (Stevie Wonder, Tony Furtado) on drums, Ben Jones (Neville Bros., Anita Baker, Oregon Symphony) on bass, award-winning Peter Dammann on blues guitarist, and Mike Elson on keyboard! In keeping with tradition, Reggie will treat guests to a slice of Mardi Gras King Cake (by Beaverton Bakery), with prizes for lucky audience members! Mardi Gras masks, beads, and costumes are encouraged!

Show time for Reggie Houston – Lundi Gras Celebration is 7:00 pm. Tickets are $20.00 – $25.00, available at laketheatercafe.com.