From the Feb 19 – Feb 25, 2004 issue

Music

Up & Coming

THURSDAY 2/19


DOLOUR, CAREEN, THE MONOLITH
(Chop Suey) Not only is tonight a CD release party for Dolour's new record, New Old Friends, but it's also the first of a handful of benefit shows for YouthCare, an organization celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. YouthCare began as a three-bed shelter and since has expanded its programming to further assist local at-risk and homeless youth with transitional-living and street-outreach programs. Tonight, you can help them by bringing hygiene items for donation. They're asking for anything from new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant to socks and washcloths (a complete list of much-needed items is available at www.youthcare.org). And if helping other people isn't enough incentive for you to stop by Bartell Drugs on the way to the show (greedypants!), then keep in mind that when you donate three or more items, your name is entered into a raffle for autographed prizes from tonight's headlining band, which is a great way to get your hands on a free copy of that new Dolour CD. MEGAN SELING

LOW FLYING OWLS, THE PROLES, PHOBOPHOBE
(Sunset) Two very complementary bands from Sacramento play the Sunset tonight, aided by the woozy shoegazing work of locals Phobophobe. Low Flying Owls (who actually just recently abandoned their California base to hit the tour circuit) make gorgeous, atmospheric, Jesus and Mary Chain-influenced rock, minus the "being cool is such a burden" attitude of similar bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The Proles have a foot more firmly planted in pop--Brit pop that is, taking cues from acts like Oasis and expanding into a shimmering, twinkling sound that gets completely spaced out at times. Should be a killer bill, as both the Proles and LFO have strong buzzes about their records and live performances. JENNIFER MAERZ

THREE DOG NIGHT
(Skagit Valley Casino Resort) Recently, after learning a friend was invited to dinner at the home of Three Dog Night founding member Dan Hutton, I inquired of several music fans under the age of 40 if they could name one of that band's 21 hit singles, because I couldn't. I couldn't even remember the obvious "Joy to the World," which I now recall vividly being quite popular at the wretched Catholic "Folk" Mass I was forced to attend at 8:00 a.m. every Sunday in the '70s. No one, after three days of my asking, came up with any Three Dog Night single other than that "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" song. So here comes the "duh" list: "Sure as I'm Sittin' Here," "The Show Must Go On," "Old Fashioned Love Song," "Liar," "Celebrate," and of COURSE, "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)." Expect to hear these, and all the rest us young-uns can't name, at tonight's show. KATHLEEN WILSON

FRIDAY 2/20


RADIO NATIONALS, MEMPHIS RADIO KINGS, EVANGELINE, MAYOR WEST
(Crocodile) See Drunk by Noon, page 42.

DAVIS REDFORD TRIAD, A-FRAMES, PYRAMIDS
(Fun House) See Stranger Suggests, page 21; see also Data Breaker, page 49.

SANFORD ARMS, MARC OLSEN BAND, SAETA
(Sunset) See Drunk by Noon, page 42.

The catch, schoolyard heroes, kane hodder, the divorce
(The Roxy, Bremerton) See preview, page 17.

GLASS CANDY AND THE SHATTERED THEATER, THE HOLY GHOST REVIVAL, THE NONS
(Hideaway) When the cool indie label Troubleman Unlimited held a three-story showcase at the Knitting Factory for CMJ last fall, the one band I heard people talking about most was Glass Candy and the Shattered Theater. Unfortunately, the chatter was a mixed bag for the band, who, for one reason or another, were unable to get to New York for the event, disappointing a ton of fans anxious for their arrival. I imagine that anxiety is the same in Seattle, as the arty no-wave trio has planned and canceled various events around town over the past year, and their latest release, 2003's Love Love Love, was an intoxicating, dark disco of scattered beats and gritty guitar work, iced over by singer Ida No's steely caterwaul. JENNIFER MAERZ

ME WITHOUT YOU, ANBERLIN, WATASHI WA, EMERY
(Graceland, early) Former headliners Further Seems Forever have officially dropped off tonight's bill because their hypersensitive lead vocalist got all pissy and whiny and left the band, marking the second time that this Florida-based group has seen its singer turn into a huffy little princess. Thankfully, though, Pennsylvania's Me Without You will still be performing, fully representing 95 percent of the creativity and originality that the current Tooth & Nail Tour roster can lay claim to. Brooding and spasmodic, MWY are calculatedly explosive art rockers with an equal artistic affinity for Drive Like Jehu and J. D. Salinger, which explains singer Aaron Weiss' elastic vocal dynamic, oscillating from raspy spoken word to throat-straining screams. Perhaps with the exceptions of the Blood Brothers and Suffering and the Hideous Thieves, you won't see a better live performance this month. NICK KOCH

DENALI, THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES, THE SWORDS PROJECT, LAGUARDIA
(Vera Project) There are two reasons why you should see Denali: (1) Their lush new record, The Instinct, released by Delaware's splendidly consistent Jade Tree, is a soulful collection of songs that showcases singer Maura Davis' careening, opera-house vocals set against the band's moody, rhythmic guitar rock. If their studio albums are any indication, their live show should be absolutely brilliant; also, (2) Davis, who does triple time as one of the band's guitarists and keyboardists, is the hottest goddamned female musician I have ever seen. Opening tonight are Portland's own Swords Project, whose buttery, sweeping instrumentals swell beautifully, recalling everything that Tristeza does right. In all, a night of swooning and swaying. NICK KOCH SATURDAY 2/21


JESSE SYKES AND THE SWEET HEREAFTER, JON HYDE BAND, MIKE DUMOVICH
(Tractor) See Drunk by Noon, page 42.

THE LONG WINTERS, THE WRENS, SWELL, SHAWN SMITH, DAMIEN JURADO
(Crocodile) Back quite soon after their recent set at a jam-packed Chop Suey, Swell return to play songs off their recently released album, Whenever You're Ready. Because the band's once-departed founding member Sean Kirkpatrick is back, his original influence can again be heard in this wonderful new record, the perfect soundtrack for driving, resplendent in images of small towns, delivered in warm swirls of guitar. See also preview, page 31. KATHLEEN WILSON

THE SPITS, THE RUBY DOE, HELL PROMISE
(Sunset) Pork Chop Screen Printing was raised in Ballard (well, for its three years of operation) and tonight is the merch merchant's party to celebrate moving out of its home base and onto Capitol Hill. The fine young men behind stickers and shirts for everyone from Minus the Bear to Himsa will party with a small selection of their clientele. From the anthemic math rock of the Ruby Doe to the punk theatrics of the Spits and the heavy metal scarring of Hell Promise, this should be one rowdy show. JENNIFER MAERZ

CANNIBAL CORPSE, HYPOCRISY, EXHUMED, VILE
(Graceland) Death metal martyrs Exhumed don't bestow their members with such sterile titles as "drummer," "guitarist," and the like. Instead they're the "sanguinary and sickening secretor of nauseating necrony and egregiously obscene orator of execrable elocutions," and the "vilified eviscerator of clamorous crepitations and decrepit disgorgement of virulent vulgarities." Someone's been using the thesaurus, eh? Amid photos of the band getting disemboweled, being buried, and spewing body parts that belong packaged inside your skin, the San Francisco gorecore act play some seriously violent metal, thrashing through songs of gross anatomy at the speed of a hyperactive serial killer. Even with all the cheeky imagery, though, you can't argue with Exhumed's talent, which is sharp and heavy enough to beat gleeful death metal fans into a coma--and then use their remains for promotional material. JENNIFER MAERZ

SUNDAY 2/22


THE WRENS, SWELL, IRVING, SAY HI TO YOUR MOM
(Crocodile) See preview, page 31.

THE INTERNATIONAL PLAYBOYS, THE LOVE ME NOTS, THE OLD HAUNTS
(Fun House) Having only heard four songs by the Old Haunts, I take from this lo-fi Olympia band (featuring Dub Narcotic/C.O.C.O.'s Chris Sutton) that they're on to something great, and that they must have a very eclectic record collection. With guitar tones that mine the Country Teasers at times, a stompy sense of rhythm that pulls from the Nuggets comps, and a purposely haughty delivery of jerky vocals, the band provides a compelling romp through terrain similar to both the Lights and Oakland's the Cuts. I'm definitely impressed with their recorded material and expect greatness live. JENNIFER MAERZ MONDAY 2/23


BUILT TO SPILL, SICK BEES, BRENT ARNOLD AND THE SPHERES, JANA McCALL
(Showbox) See preview, page 37.

MONDAY FUNDAY: CRISIS, PLAYING ENEMY, AKIMBO
(Graceland) Metal can be a pretty testosterone-heavy realm, but Crisis have broken through the status quo to spotlight female singer Karyn Crisis within the genre's ranks. Vocally, her banshee screams and growls twist and taunt, adding an extra edge to the art metal band's operations. According to the Crisis website, expect to be hurled even further into the outer reaches of the genre when the band's upcoming album arrives this spring; they're calling it their heaviest and most experimental yet. Opening the show are two local hardcore/metal heavyweights well respected in Seattle: Playing Enemy and Akimbo. JENNIFER MAERZ

TUESDAY 2/24


BUILT TO SPILL, MARK PICKEREL, DJ KO (OF IQU)
(Chop Suey) See preview, page 31.

BRITISH SEA POWER, KAITO, THE TURN-ONS
(Crocodile) Revisiting on the phone with British Sea Power's frontman Yan about his band's reputation as onstage rapscallions, he told me dispatches from North America are greatly exaggerated. His brother Hamilton did not, in fact, saw from a tree the branch on which he was sitting, breaking his wrist as a result. "That's almost true," he said with a hearty laugh. "He pulled off the branch he was hanging from. I've heard him claim he was trying to save a cat, and that's completely false. He's just trying to make himself look less stupid." Anyway, The Decline of British Sea Power was perhaps the most gorgeous debut album of 2003, and the band's first swing through the Crocodile was nothing short of glorious. KATHLEEN WILSON

WEDNESDAY 2/25


THE BLACK HEART PROCESSION, MIKE JOHNSON, TIFFANY ANDERS, DINA MARTINA
(Chop Suey) See preview, page 31.

DEAD MEADOW, GRIS GRIS, BIG BUSINESS
(Crocodile) You want heavy? All together, on one big, loud bill? Well, you could leave this show missing molar fillings, contact lenses, eardrums, balance, and anything else that can be shaken loose by excessive rumbling. And the cost of any replacement devices or physical therapy required after the show will be your pleasure to pay for getting so much sonic weight in one night. KATHLEEN WILSON

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS, PAPA M
(Showbox) In the hands of Welshmen Super Furry Animals, the incongruous combination of techno, punk, power pop, and prog comes out like shining starlit skies of Brit pop. Bursting with melodicism and silliness, and even a load of psychedelic wing-outs, no one should find anything lacking in this sure to be irreverent show. KATHLEEN WILSON

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