For all the great, DIY happenings in town, Rigsketball is definitely one of the best. Combining friendly competition with one of the more frequented pastimes around, Rigsketball's tournaments are nearing their end, and they've got some good musical acts accompanying them. 

The first day of the music fest, along with the slimming down the finalists through eight rounds, took place last night. Boone Howard, Kulululu, Kyle Craft and the Woolen Men all rang the first night of the fest, with tonight taking it to the next level.

Rigsketball is taking over the Eagles Lodge again tonight for the semifinals, with performances from Bleach Blonde Dudes, Ghost Frog, Lavender Flu and Cat Hoch. 

As always, Rigsketball is entirely free. Games start in just a couple hours at 6pm and music starts at 8pm. Head down to southeast again tomorrow for the tournament finals, Melt's EP release and sets from Malt Lizard, Tribe Mars, Candace, Donte Thomas and Chanti Darling. 

Very little information about local “space punk” outfit Ghost Frog has been documented on the internet since their initial descent from outer space, although one aspect of their mission seems clear: they came here to share their “space drugs” with Portland scenesters and relieve us of our intact eardrums. For all appearances, it seems they come in peace and the subsequent loss in hearing can be seen as a necessary oblation to the many-headed grungy space-psychgaze hybrid creatures that make up Ghost Frog. To describe “Made in Mars,” the band’s only song on bandcamp, imagine Tame Impala’s airy, other-worldly sound with the steady, driving rhythm cut out. Instead, the song seeps forward like liquid through fabric until it explodes into a fuzzy wall of feakout.

Come to Habesha Lounge (801 NE Broadway St, Portland, Oregon 97232) this Sunday, August 24 to point and stare at these plenipotentiaries from Pluto as they rock out alongside Dedere--whose genre tag “lit rock” and following Sylvia Plath reference in their album title should give you an idea of what they’re about--and Ghetto Hexes, whose loopy synth pop and dispassionate (yet garnished) boy-girl vocal stylings are evocative of The xx.

- Bryce Woodcock