PHO BANG: THE KING COBRA, ANNA OXYGEN
(Re-bar) See Stranger Suggests, page 57.
ROCK SCHOOL BENEFIT: THE DANNY GODINEZ BAND, MEMPHIS RADIO KINGS, THE PALE, ALIEN CRIME SYNDICATE, BRANDI CARLILE, MAYFLY, SHIFT MAN SHIFT
(Showbox) Tonight's show is a benefit for Rock School, a nonprofit organization that teaches kids ages 12-21 all the ins and outs of being a professional musician. Sounds crazy, right? Well, crazy but cool. Budding rock stars can learn everything from how to play their instruments to how to professionally market their music and get their record heard. Even though you'll probably be going to the show to catch all the local headliners (like Alien Crime Syndicate and the Pale), you should arrive early and lend your support to the Rock School students who will bravely be taking the stage at 6 pm. Clap extra loud for 'em, they've been working hard. MEGAN SELING
FRIDAY 6/27
!!!, OUT HUD, HINT HINT, THE FEELINGS, DJ ELEMENTAL CHILD
(Graceland) See Stranger Suggests, page 57.
IMPERIAL TEEN, MS. LED, DORKWEED, WE ARE THE DIVIDED
(Crocodile) See preview, page 79.
JOY ELECTRIC, XIU XIU, DEVENDRA BANHART
(Mars Hill) See preview, page 83.
PRINCE PAUL, ACEYALONE, EYEDEA
(Chop Suey) Also see the Truth, page 89. It can be argued with great success that the L.A. underground has three starting points: tha Alkaholiks, the Pharcyde, and Freestyle Fellowship. The only one of the three that began as an underground band (in 1991) and has remained so ever since is Freestyle Fellowship, whose founding members include Mikah 9 and, of course, Aceyalone. Very few hiphop critics will disagree with the opinion that Aceyalone is a very talented MC; like the other former members of Freestyle Fellowship, he is brimming with brilliant beat poetry. The only problem with his work--particularly his solo work from the mid-'90s to the present--has been weak production. Even his new CD, Love & Hate, is interesting only on the level of the raps--the music is rather uninspired. But, still, Aceyalone deserves praise for playing a formidable role in establishing one of the most productive and creative scenes in the history of hiphop. CHARLES MUDEDE
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, B-SIDE PLAYERS, CARLOS MEñA, SHARPSHOOTERS, BORIALIS
(Showbox) Arrested Development came out in the early '90s with a string of hits that had a very positive message. Their most popular song, and by far their best, is "Tennessee," which was accompanied by an equally excellent music video. The main rapper of the group, Speech--whose aggressive attempts to launch a solo career in the second half of the '90s produced consistently disappointing artistic and financial results--introduced at this time a new flow that was mellifluous and honest. Indeed, Speech can be considered one of the great, if not altogether one of the first, "brohemians" (a sensitive brother). CHARLES MUDEDE
COOKIE, THE DIRTY BIRDS, HELLFIRE CHOIR, BRIAN KENNEY FRESNO
(Sunset) Rowdy, riding-off-the-rails hard rock hasn't been solely a dude's endeavor for a long time, thanks to women like San Francisco's HellFire Choir. With songs about gambling, dirty fantasies, and driving like a NASCAR competitor, these three women (together with their male drummer) have been continuing the ballsy, "gimme everything I want now" attitude that made L7 so popular back in their prime, and you can chant HellFire's anthems all the way to the riot. JENNIFER MAERZ
SATURDAY 6/28
DAVID LEE ROTH
(Emerald Queen Casino) See preview, page 81.
GATSBY'S AMERICAN DREAM, TIME TO FLY, SUFFERING AND THE HIDEOUS THIEVES, DEAD IN HOLLYWOOD
(Studio Seven) See Underage, page 91.
BENT FEST: BOB MOULD, THALIA ZEDEK, WORLD RECORD, ALAN WILEY
(Crocodile) With her husky, comfortable alto, Thalia Zedek is capable of inflicting stealthy, stark wounds in her listeners, the kind of wounds that bleed with pent-up recognition rather than blood. Her stints with bands including New York's Live Skull and Boston's Come showed her impressive range of talent, moving easily from noisy experimentalism to rainy-avenue torch. Zedek's more recent solo albums, Been Here and Gone ("Dance Me to the End of Love" is astounding) and You're a Big Girl Now, with its cover shot of the singer lighting up a big ol' stogie, are soulful, somber, and above all, resplendent with emotional release. See also preview, page 79. KATHLEEN WILSON
AKIMBO, WORMWOOD, THE PLOT TO BLOW UP THE EIFFEL TOWER, ROCK GOGGLE FANTASY
(Ground Zero) Musical diversity can make an already killer bill pretty amazing. In the case of this show, every band promises to more than hold its own musically, and no two sound alike. You've got the abrupt hardcore/skate punk and keyboards of Rock Goggle Fantasy, the avant-hardcore experimentalism of Southern California's amazing Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower, Wormwood's dark metal contortions, and Akimbo's mighty hardcore/metal blows. Four very different bands that together make for one highly recommended event. JENNIFER MAERZ
THE DIVORCE, A BRIGHTER BURNING END, KANE HODDER, TIME TO FLY
(Hell's Kitchen, early) This show hits you over the head again and again with three local and quickly rising bands. Time to Fly opens, a RocketStar Recordings act that has evolved from pop punk to a more complex, melodic, layered rock 'n' roll (but still simple enough to be catchy as hell). Kane Hodder, a fantastic (no, really), not-completely-hardcore-but-harder-than-your-average-rock band (which is good) give an impressive-enough live show to secure an appearance at this year's Capitol Hill Block Party. And then there's the Divorce. Since recently releasing their record There Will Be Blood Tonight on Fugitive, the band has made regular appearances on the NW Top 20 list in this here paper, as well as regular play on both KEXP and 107.7 The End. Looks like everyone in Seattle is jumping on their wagon. I would also say something nice about A Brighter Burning End, but I don't know who they are. Sorry. MEGAN SELING
BLONDE REDHEAD, BUFFALO DAUGHTER, THE KING COBRA
(Showbox) On any summer day, one might find the boys of Blonde Redhead, Simone and Amedeo Pace, on 10-speed bikes, pedaling through the streets of NYC, soaking in the city's dissonance and sexual energy. Stylishly clad in complementing color schemes, they somehow stay cool despite the sticky heat. They later will meet up with their bandmate Kazu at a chic Nolita cafe for couscous and peppermint tea. She, invariably draped in something couture, will enlighten them on the principles of an obscure aesthetic akin to no-wave that will excite them. They, in turn, will tell her that they're drawn to the nihilistic current that runs through Japan's youth culture. That evening they will discuss these things further over guitars, drums, and wine. Daniel Mitha
THE GITS CD-RELEASE PARTY: GITS MOVIE SCREENING W/MUSIC BY the ROTTEN APPLES, SEXY AMERICAN GIRLFRIEND, DJ LYLE
(Sunset Tavern) Ten years after the Gits' musical career was violently abbreviated following frontwoman Mia Zapata's tragic murder, the Sunset is holding a special Gits appreciation night. This show celebrates the rerelease of the band's debut, Frenching the Bully--in which Zapata sounds like she sharpshoots assholes for sport, with a voice that's equal parts feline howl and low, throaty purr--thanks to the folks of Broken Rekids, who are working to present the band's excellent riot-woman punk to the next generation of Gits fans (or the old generation who missed out the first time) with the new pressing of the previously out-of-print popular tracks. Tonight also marks the special sneak preview of The Gits Movie, which will hit the final production stages if this benefit raises enough cash to make that happen. JENNIFER MAERZ
SHOPLIFTING, JOSH PLAGUE, GUESTS
(Vera Project) Shoplifting and their seemingly vast network of unruly minions present this year's Bent Festival's all-ages adaptation--which, if nothing else, promises to be a carnival of the compassionately absurd. Aside from the aforementioned (and cartoonishly celebrated) headliners, the evening features a cooking demo by former Behead the Prophet N.L.S.L. vocalist Joshua Plague, the resistance minstrelsy of Cabaret Con Carne, the, um... something of the Mischievous Fruit Brigade, and even the suggestion of a "bike ballet"--all to benefit the very worthy work of the Northwest Network and CARA, two anti-rape and anti-abuse organizations. ZAC PENNINGTON
CLONE DEFECTS, THE INTELLIGENCE, THE HOSPITALS
(Comet Tavern) Portland's the Hospitals offer healing of the noisy garage variety, so anyone who is a fan of bands like the Coachwhips, the Cheater Slicks, or Tractor Sex Fatality had best be at this show nice and early. When I saw the drums/guitar duo play earlier this year, they ended their set with the drummer diving over his kit in the Sit & Spin laundry room where they'd set up, taking parts of his equipment with him as he barreled into the dancing crowd. This is primitive, primal punk rock 'n' roll, and if you don't believe me, check out what will surely be pure caveman bombast on their debut eponymous album on In the Red. JENNIFER MAERZ Also see preview, page 77.
SUNDAY 6/29
AVEO, THE PLEASE, DANCE IMPERATIVE
(Graceland) A mere seven days of recording and mixing produced local band Aveo's holy-shit-this-is-a-good debut, Bridge to the Northern Lights, a sparkling pop album full of jangling Smiths-like moments and early-Catherine Wheel passion. Two years later, singer/guitarist William Wilson, drummer Jeff MacIsaac, and bassist Mike Hudson entered the studio, and this time spent a whopping 16 days on an as-yet-unreleased 10-song CD. As with the debut, Phil Ek produced and piano/organ player Ken Jarvey lent musical assistance, as did Kari Welch and Chad States on cello and keyboards, respectively. The fact that the new album, finished this past January, has not been snapped up and released is a ridiculous, sad sign of the times. Just you watch--when the trend that follows the one that's boring us all to death right now finally dies down, Aveo will be revealed to have been years ahead of its time. KATHLEEN WILSON
WEST MEMPHIS THREE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND BENEFIT: ROLLINS BAND FEATURING KEITH MORRIS, GUESTS
(Showbox) Henry Rollins has never given me any reason to believe he's anything but a hypocritical jackass, but in light of his passionate support for the West Memphis Three, I'll pipe down momentarily. Rollins' relentless touring and generosity has raised $10,000 for the legal defense of three young men convicted of a triple homicide in the mid-'90s--a conviction I and a broad grassroots coalition of supporters (including Tom Waits and the late Joe Strummer) believe was based on coerced confessions and stereotypes about the then-teenage boys' preference for rebellious music. If you're unfamiliar with the case, I strongly urge you to visit www.wm3.org and learn more. HANNAH LEVIN
MONDAY 6/30
ANTIBALAS AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA, DAREK MAZZONE
(Chop Suey) While I was listening to Antibalas' wonderful CD Talkatif a few minutes ago, my coworker, Megan Seling, whose office is next to mine, heard the big and booming Fela Kuti-like beats and asked, "What are you doing, Charles? Having a party?" Indeed, there is no better way to describe the Afro sounds of this 15-piece band from Brooklyn. Even better yet, it could be called carnival music--more social than personal, more outside than inside, more flesh than spirit. If you want to dance and lose yourself entirely in a blazing tropics of horns and conga drums, there is no better place to go than Antibalas. CHARLES MUDEDE
SMOOSH, THE FURIES
(Mr. Spot's Chai House) When I was 11 years old, I didn't even know it was possible to make music. I thought it was something you received from superhumans. The two sisters who compose Smoosh are so far ahead of the game it makes you want to do your whole life over again. Asy and Chloe, neither of whom are yet teenaged, write, record, and play (keyboards and drums) ebullient pop songs as catchy, crafty, and sweet as you can imagine. I know you're thinking "novelty," but you're wrong. Smoosh ain't no Shaggs. They have chops to spare. They are inspirational and highly recommended. SEAN NELSON
TUESDAY 7/1
BLÖÖDHAG, JUMBO'S KILLCRANE, 400 BLOWS, WORMWOOD
(Chop Suey) See preview, page 83.
BEEHIVE & THE BARRACUDAS, THE HUSBANDS, CHARMING SNAKES
(Graceland) Two bands off John Reis' (Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes) Swami Records--Beehive & the Barracudas and the Husbands--hit the road together for a double date in Seattle. The Husbands are a female trio from San Francisco who break things down to the basic rock 'n' soul heartbeat that shuttled through bands like the Gories, and continues today with Detroit acts like the Gore Gore Girls and the Dirtbombs. The playing is pretty basic here--drums sound like the Flintstones are clubbing them with boulders--and the vocals put every lyric through a jagged grater that could shred good reputations like they were made of tissue; the band proves you don't need lots of fancypants gimmicks to make songs really smoke. JENNIFER MAERZ
RICHARD BUCKNER, LAURA VEIRS & STEVE MOORE, JAKE LONDON, JOHN RAMBERG
(Sunset) While performing sets with his drummer, Richard Buckner maintains a sense of structure in his morose, melodic country-folk laments, like an actor crying on command. But when Buckner sings solo, his tunes wander, panic, and collapse. Retaining only a loose semblance of the songs' original hooks, his spontaneous creations are free-form emotional crashes, marking a harrowing shift from detached drama to despondent documentary. After the concert ends, he'll occasionally smile and joke with the crowd, but during the show, he refrains from breaking the sorrowful spell. This leaves listeners convinced--and more than a little concerned. ANDREW MILLER
WEDNESDAY 7/2
JON AUER, THE CAPILLARIES, nik freitas
(Crocodile) As one-half of the Posies' singing and songwriting team, Jon Auer (along with partner Ken Stringfellow) has secured his place in the indie-rock annals of near-Lennon/McCartney status. As a solo artist, Auer possesses the same magnitude of talent and impressive ear for lyrical language, and his future output will no doubt be as arresting as his past. KATHLEEN WILSON
THE YARDBIRDS, DEAR JOHN LETTERS
(Showbox) OHMYGOD! The NEWER New Yardbirds? Well, YEAH, they have a new LP, Birdland, and they're on tour... from what I've heard "live" they're on top too... uh, just don't forget this ain't 1963 and the Showbox ain't the Marquee. Anyway, their influence runs deep: During the '60s they expanded the boundaries of R&B-driven noise and included three of rock's guitar "heroes" (Clapton, Beck, and Page) in their ranks. BUT with this incarnation, don't expect no "thieving magpie"--it's Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja, from the original lineup, and three more fellas (guitarist John Mayo is ex-Dr. Feelgood) to round out the band. MIKE NIPPER
