You missed the AKABANE VULGARS when they came to Portland in September, but you've been given a chance at redemption as they return to Slabtown on Thursday, October 18 with A HAPPY DEATH and DJ KEN DIRTNAP.

AV are a three-piece, all-female band from Japan who sound like the fucking GITS. At their first show at Slabtown, those of us who were there literally stood with our mouths hanging open at how bitchen they were live. Seriously, one of the best bands Yrs Truly has seen all year.

They first made it onto US soil to play Japan Night at SXSW, where they blew people the fuck away. They came back to the US in September with plans to play a handful of West Coast shows, tour across the states, and head directly back to Japan. The response to their first shows of the tour, though, were so strong that the AKABANE VULGARS started getting show offers from other parts of the country and decided to extend their tour back across the US.

They'll be playing Slabtown this Thursday with A HAPPY DEATH, who are one of PDX's most underrated bands. High energy, at times spastic, punk rocknroll, AHD are one of those garage bands who trace their influences directly to bands like the SONICS, STANDELLS, and SHADOWS OF NIGHT instead of their garage rock contemporaries.

DJ KEN DIRTNAP will be on the turntables to get things going before the bands and keep things moving between them.

Doors are at 9. $5. 21+