STREET EATERS, TENDER HIPS, ACAPULCO LIPS
Street Eaters have been hastening the end of civilization for a few years now. The duo's nervy, chunky, and politically charged punk rock tells tales about the brutality and traumas of modern life, often sounding like a less artsy Death from Above 1979. On their latest self-titled EP, the Bay Area band looks up from the carnage and takes a turn toward self-reflection. One standout song, "Window," pauses and asks, "Where did my freedom go, my naivetĂ©?/What good has wisdom brought me?" These are questions that all maturing troublemakers have to ask themselves at some point. But amid all the chaos and declamations, cascading harmonies and a vigorous energy seem to shout out that, yes, there is beauty and truth in the detritus, and it's certainly worth fighting for. Elsewhere on the bill, count on Acapulco Lips to fully usher in our budding summer. The local band has expertly crafted roaring and hook-heavy garage-pop songs about leaving you in the dustâbut trust me, it's in your best interest to keep up. Heartland, 8 pm.
NAOMI PUNK, RUBY PINS, FF
Is there a more bittersweet feeling than getting into a band just as their demise becomes imminent? I finally checked out Grass Widow earlier this year and fell in love with their subdued and galactic post-punk, only to discover that the band is now on an extended hiatus. Tonight, we get to see the solo project from the group's onetime drummer, Lillian Maring, who recorded an album under the name Ruby Pins in nearby Port Townsend. I've only heard (and played to death) one song from the forthcoming record. "Chameleon" is enveloping, prickly, and intricate, just like so many of the spellbinding tracks by her old band, but Maring also adds a welcome earthier feel to this new song, and I can't wait to hear the rest of what Ruby Pins have to offer. I'm also belatedly getting into FF, a Seattle band that serves up a mighty mixture of shoegaze, punk, and grunge. With understated melodies and caustic guitars, FF look backward and forward into our frenetically charmed Northwest musical lineage. Black Lodge, 9 pm.
