THURSDAY 4/17


HOUSEGUEST: AFRIKA BAMBAATAa, DJ SCENE
(Baltic Room) See Stranger Suggests, page 39.

VERSUS, JASON LOEWENSTEIN, +/-, PETE MUNDAY
(Crocodile) There is no name more beautiful than the one possessed by Versus singer Fontaine Toups, and that's all there is to say about that. However, Versus the band deserves numerous words of praise. Their dissonant guitar rock is brash and melodic at the same time, and their shows generate a nostalgic energy bathed in an early-'90s indie-rock glow. As for opener Jason Loewenstein, last year, when Sebadoh's animated former member released At Sixes and Sevens, Sebadoh-starved fans went apeshit and packed Graceland for him, despite the album's good-but-not-great content. Considering that fact, and the headliner's popularity, my advice is to get to this show early. KATHLEEN WILSON

NIKKI SUDDEN, KEVIN JUNIOR, THE TURN-ONS
(Graceland) The geniuses at Secretly Canadian have recently reissued several solo albums--including Waiting on Egypt, Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Texas--by the great Nikki Sudden, most of which have been difficult to find since they were released. What this will accomplish, ideally, is to grant greater access to the psych-flavored cult pop of the cofounder of Swell Maps. What it already has accomplished is to convince Sudden to tour again (one assumes that's what did it, anyway). So cheers, Secretly Canadian. Beauty, eh? SEAN NELSON

CORPSE FUCKS CORPSE, URSULA & THE ANDROIDS, JACKIE & THE CONTROL TOPS, NEW MAPS OUT OF HELL
(Zak's) What did you expect from a band called Corpse Fucks Corpse? Nothing soothing enough for the massage therapist to rub tired flesh to, for sure--unless the bastard uses sulfuric acid for oil. You can just feel the spray of CFC's vitriolic spittle as this Sacramento-based, Amphetamine Reptile-sounding act clamors through some noisily agitated hardcore. I've heard very little from New Maps Out of Hell, but what did pass through my headphones had a slight Wipers vibe to it--very brooding, muddy-sounding rock. Good stuff. Anyone who's been to Pho Bang knows the colorful entertainment value both Jackie Hell and Ursula Android possess, and their bands venture into the same compelling theatrical territory as their crooked comedy skits. JENNIFER MAERZ

FRIDAY 4/18


THE POLYPHONIC SPREE, GUESTS
(Graceland, late) See preview, page 51.

GRAVY TRAIN!!!!, THE OLD HAUNTS, SCREAM CLUB
(Double Trouble) See Stranger Suggests, page 39.

CURSIVE, APPLESEED CAST, PUTRECINE
(Graceland, all ages, early show; see preview, page 56.)

CAMAROSMITH, THE RC5, THE RUBY DOE
(Zak's) The fact that the Ruby Doe don't have some big, corporate label kissing their asses by now just confirms for me that most of the big, corporate suits listen to music with their heads up their own asses. This local trio writes really catchy songs, shifting within one set between radio-ready, pop- layered rock and messier, D.C.-sounding punk. They have their shit together, and their prowess is far from being a Seattle secret--bands and club promoters alike sing their praises. Hopefully it's just a matter of time before those kind words bring this talented act some label support. JENNIFER MAERZ

TEAM BENT #3: THE BUTCHIES, THE HAGGARD, MS. LED
(Crocodile) Since last December, Crocodile co-booker Frank Nieto has been quietly cultivating Bent, a monthly showcase for touring queer artists. Tonight's bill is his strongest yet, and easily worth the $10 cover charge. They're still finding their footing in a live context, but openers Ms. Led are getting better with every outing, and they're unquestionably my new favorite local band. Seasoned songwriter and silver-throated frontwoman Lesli Wood has clearly spent equal amounts of time chewing on Team Dresch, Elastica, and Sleater-Kinney--and while her influences are obvious, the result is her own potent hybrid of buoyant pop and brash punk. It's safe to say Wood is probably thrilled to be opening for the Butchies, a sharp-hooked trio featuring former Team Dresch members Kaia Wilson and Melissa York. Actually, I'd gladly pay $10 just to watch York: The charismatic percussionist/standup comedian mixes the famous spazziness of Keith Moon with the raunchy wit of Andy Kaufman while nailing her schizoid time changes. HANNAH LEVIN

SATURDAY 4/19


THE POLYPHONIC SPREE, GUESTS
(Graceland, late) See preview, page 51.

DARRIUS, NU SOLTRIBE, CHOKLATE
(Chop Suey) Many years ago, I walked into a downtown corporate plaza and was unexpectedly greeted by the soft ripples of a jazz piano. I then noticed the keyboardist--whose name, I later learned, was Darrius Willrich. I sat near the piano and listened to him play for an hour or so, and it was a pleasant digression. These days Darrius Willrich is busy in the local club scene, playing hiphop, funk, and electronica at places like the Baltic Room. He also has a new CD, Love Will Visit, that does not reflect his serious jazz instruction (which took place at Cornish) as much as it reflects his admiration for Stevie Wonder. A mix of soul, R&B, and jazz pop, Love Will Visit is perfect for a dinner party whose host and guests are black and very well-to-do. Charles Mudede

JESSE SYKES & THE SWEET HEREAFTER, THE PROM, THE COURT & SPARK
(Crocodile) Sometimes it's just about feeling mellow and absorbing pretty sounds--and the three bands on this bill can take angst and sorrow, wring the hell out of them, and then lay them out to re-form so there's more to sing about tomorrow. Headliners Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter and San Francisco's Court & Spark interpret Americana in different styles, but folks will want to lump them both into the early alt-country category. The Prom, with its piano sounds in the lead and singer James Mendenhall's wistfully brooding songs, will be a stark contrast, but it's all about broken hearts and yearning tonight--just a bit prettier than usual. KATHLEEN WILSON

BACH AROUND THE CLOCK
(Town Hall) I have a big problem with the term "civilization": It implies that something is sophisticated and something else is not, while the culture that's infamous for making this kind distinction ("I civilized--you savage") has been Western culture. But whenever I listen to the greatest composer in the Western musical tradition, Bach, I can't help but feel that his music is the very essence of civilization. His dense fugues, smooth preludes, and graceful concertos are perfect forms, elegant systems. Even the best jazz sounds like it's full of unacceptable errors when placed next to the refined works of Bach (and I generally prefer jazz to classical music). With the possible exception of Debussy (whose music is also full of beautiful errors), no other classical composer has obsessed jazz players more than Bach. From the sheer genius of Art Tatum to the noble purism of the Modern Jazz Quartet to the troubled brilliance of Bud Powell to the academicism of Jovino Santos Neto--a Seattle-based Brazilian jazz pianist who will be part of Town Hall's Bach Around the Clock--we find and feel Bach's influence. I hope Neto plays Brazil's most famous tribute to Germany's most generous musical offering, Villa-Lobos' "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." Charles Mudede Also see The Score, page 67.

Alter Echo, Dj Magneto, Dj Zion 12, Yoko Phono, Dj Elavate, Dj Daybreak
(Gallery of the Senses) Based in Portland, and part of the Systemwide sound system, Alter Echo produces digital dub mixes that are oriented to a distant future where the line between humans and machines is a thing of the past. Indeed, Alter Echo's dub is designed to entertain world-weary robots of the next and last century--Dr. Octagon's year of 3000. It is a frightening dub in the galactic sense, and yet possesses in the depths of its electronic furies a calm and beauty that can only be described as the gleam you might see along the rusting shell of a space station rotating through the blue aura of Earth's thinning stratosphere. Charles Mudede

SUNDAY 4/20


THE WHIP, REPLICATOR, AKIMBO, GODS AMONG MEN
(Crocodile) See Stranger Suggests, page 39.

THE VALLEY, JODIE WATTS, THE BEATINGS
(Zak's) Suddenly it's the late '80s/early '90s all over again in one band: The Beatings conjure the sounds of HĂĽsker DĂĽ, Guided by Voices, and Pavement all coiled into one jangle-rock Boston band. But before you can yell "Gimmie indie rock!" they'll pull out a really sad, lonely-sounding song, stepping back from their fuzzy guitars long enough to moan through a string-laden track. Whether or not you can make it out to this show Sunday night, if any of this sounds good to you, I recommend picking up the Beatings' 2002 record, Italiano. JENNIFER MAERZ

MONDAY 4/21


CHARMING SNAKES, VERONICA LIPGLOSS & THE EVIL EYES, MOTORAMA
(Zak's) They certainly took their fucking time with it, but the city's most genial ensemble, the irresistible Charming Snakes, have finally released their debut 7-inch, Hang My Head--and the product of their labors is, as they say, "worth the wait." The Austin-cum-Seattle foursome bundle three piercing pop cuts into its warm grooves--two originals and a studied reworking of the Undertones' anthem "Teenage Kicks"--each eschewing artful dodgery for cackled bliss. The Charming Snakes sound like a post-punk band rediscovering the simple pleasures of second-wave British punk--the smart kids with enough sense to play it dumb. Billmates Veronica Lipgloss & the Evil Eyes play a sleazy riot grrrl mess like the last decade never happened, the vocalist's Kathleen Hanna impression sticking with a surprising likeness to the original. Which sits just fine with me. ZAC PENNINGTON

TUESDAY 4/22


MATT SHARP w/JOSH HAGER AND SCOTT JOHNSON, SHANE TUTMARC
(Crocodile) In October of last year, Matt Sharp (formerly of Weezer and the Rentals) took a few baby steps back into the public eye by going on a small tour. At the time, nothing had been heard from him for years, but kids still showed up to his UW appearance by the dozens, all anxious to hear new (and old) material. The show was wonderful. Sharp was charming, telling quirky stories, impersonating Morrissey and Frank Black--he was an absolute doll. He even played a couple of old Rentals favorites. Tonight's show is sure to be just as sweet as his last appearance, and if you're a fan of the Rentals or old Weezer, you'd be a fool to miss it. Shane Tutmarc of the local band Dolour will be opening the show with a solo performance. MEGAN SELING

THE KILLS, BLOOD THIRSTY LOVERS, COBRA HIGH
(Graceland) Although they pull off the "Oh god, I'm a bored, tired junkie" stance well when they hit the stage, the Kills (vocalist/guitarist VV--AKA Alison Mosshart--and drummer/vocalist/guitarist Hotel--AKA Jamie Hince) possess a charm that tops energetic in my book (for live shows, at least): They're fucking sexy, and not just because of how they look. Watching VV on stage--hair covering her face, smoke trailing out from her lips as she drones softly about wanting to "fuck and fight" while Hotel glasses over into his own stoic bliss--just adds an extra layer of sultry to a sound that already is slinkier than a silk negligee crumpled between the bed sheets. The Kills' new debut, Keep on Your Mean Side, much like their earlier Black Rooster EP, is a heavy-lidded, flirtatious take on drowsy, skuzzy rock. JENNIFER MAERZ

CAT POWER, ENTRANCE
(Showbox) Do I have to tell anyone here about Cat Power? Chan Marshall? Beautiful music, beautiful face, scary, slow, sad, Southern, shy, wonderful? That Cat Power. The one with the fantastic new record, You Are Free, which you are, if you listen, to enjoy Marshall's spare, fragmentary songcraft. People love to talk shit about Cat Power live, because she gets nervous onstage, can't remember songs, apologizes a lot, and maybe it's all an act. Those among us who aren't hypercritical assholes, however, will realize that not everyone is Mötley Crüe, and that the vulnerability Marshall displays onstage is as compelling a performance device--shtick or absolutely genuine (I vote for the latter)--as any drummer in a cage. SEAN NELSON

WEDNESDAY 4/23


FISCHERSPOONER, TOMMIE SUNSHINE
(Showbox) See preview, page 53.

CROOKED FINGERS, baptist generals, steve turner
(Tractor) See Stranger Suggests, page 39.

KINSKI, MONO, SERENE
(Graceland) Well, it's official: Kinski are no longer one of Seattle's best-kept secrets. Their recent appearance (or, to be more accurate, "appearances," since they played at least five different times) at this year's South by Southwest had folks from all over raving and gushing and racing to find new ways to say "magnificent." Thank goodness, because I'm running out of words to describe my love for this band, particularly their awe-inspiring, spectacular live show. Seriously. If you've seen them before, you know exactly what I mean, and if you haven't, well, get yourself down to Graceland and prepare to be converted. For real. Their recent Sunset Tavern show might actually have changed the life of a very jaded, not-so-easily-impressed friend of mine, and tonight's show should be particularly outstanding, as it's a homecoming affair. Go. You can thank me later. BARBARA MITCHELL