CAVE IN, KILL SADIE, THRONES, VERMILLION
(Paradox) Formerly hardcore, currently prog-rock (Rush-like metal) outfit Cave In is from Boston, where it's receiving the same extent of accolade and attention that more deserving bands like At the Drive In have been receiving this year. There is no denying how talented the members of Cave In are, and the hype they have received may or may not be warranted. Here's the snag: The new record, Jupiter, is overproduced, melodramatic, and irritating as hell to listen to. But I'm betting (and I may be wrong about this) that the live show is going to reveal why so many people are talking about this band. My guess is it will be more testosterone-infused musical theory than one can handle. As uplifting and full of empty calories as pure sugar. That's not such a bad thing. JEFF DeROCHE

FAIRGROVE, AVEO, VERONA
(Sit & Spin) See preview this issue.

E-DAWG, DOLEMITE, C.A.V.E., SIR MIX-A-LOT, DJ FUNKDADDY
(OK Hotel) Forget those Piece of Sol/Source of Labor, incense-and-peppermints displays of "enlightened" local hiphop; tonight is strictly old-skool, dawg-dirty, and 100% shameless. When those guys were just learning how to tie on an ethnic headwrap, Dolemite was already an elder statesman, having pioneered rhyming comedy routines in the '60s and '70s that were, according to my friend Steven, "nasty as hell... he was kind of like the first pimp." Other pimps-in-residence include KUBE-alicious DJ Funkdaddy and Sir Mix-A-Lot, a rapper so quintessentially Northwest that he turned out songs called "Seattle Ain't Bullshittin'" and "Posse on Broadway" and still went platinum. LEAH GREENBLATT

ZION I, MICRANOTS, FOREIGN LEGION, DJ DESIGN, BOOM BAP PROJECT
(I-Spy) Bouncing between the clipped, staccato cadence of its hometown brethren Outkast and the more laconic delivery of its neighbors to the south, L.A.'s Pharcyde, Atlanta-born, Berkeley-based Zion I covers no new territory. Zion I has neither the inventiveness of the former group, nor the vocal relief of the latter's Slim Kid Tre, but its 2000 release, Mind Over Matter, is still a surprisingly solid hiphop package, anchored by well-chosen samples and vocal snippets and the integration of drum 'n' bass tempos that, unlike similar efforts, sound phat, not forced. While other "conscientious" rappers rail endlessly against the dreaded bitches-and-Benzes bling bling lifestyle, Zion I cuts to the quick with a scratch-mastered selection of current hiphop and R&B chart-toppers, extolling the virtues of hard currency and material excess. In only a few short minutes the group says far more than any self-righteous vocalist could hope to do in a whole playa-hatin' lifetime. LEAH GREENBLATT

THE TURN-ONS, RICK BAINE & THE GENIUS POSITION, THE BLESSED LIGHT
(Sit & Spin) The Blessed Light operates on the premise that less is more. Rather than hiding behind excess production and instrumentation, the band relies on basic elements like good songwriting, melodies, and harmonies. It seems no accident that the Blessed Light is on the Made in Mexico label, the former home of Pedro the Lion: There's a common musical focus and underlying sense of purity exhibited by both groups. The Blessed Light's debut seems to have slipped by without much hoopla, but rumor has it that its members are hard at work on a follow-up. You'll definitely be hearing more about this band. BARBARA MITCHELL

POISON IDEA, THE LEWD, THE RIFFS
(Breakroom) Both Portland's Poison Idea and Seattle's the Lewd have been immortalized in the punk rock annals with CD compilations of all their early releases. But we know that "Best of" collections and anthologies are by no means epitaphs on the headstones of the careers of punk bands. The Lewd called it quits in 1982, after four or five years of doing things like opening for the Ramones in the Northwest and moving to the Bay Area to become ingratiated with the likes of the Dead Kennedys and Flipper. One of its guitar players later moved back to Washington and founded Metal Church. Poison Idea has been a fixture on and off since its inception in 1980 or so, but as of late the band has been quiet. So it just goes to show, punk rock will never die. And even if it does, all we have to do is wait for the punk rock witch doctor to zombify the corpse and it'll be back, harder to kill than ever. JUAN-CARLOS RODRIGUEZ

KING OF HAWAII, THE GIRAFFES
(Tractor Tavern) Formed as a duo in 1995 by guitarist Mark Klebeck, Seattle's instrumental surf group King of Hawaii released a self-titled album that drew on influences like Gene Vincent, Martin Denny, and the Shadows, creating a mood of endless summer. In 1998, the band released Henry, Call Home, which refined the sound and expanded the vision of its sound. Klebeck's guitar is the centerpiece, undulating ribbons or striated licks. His playing is a compendium of surf and rockabilly phrasing that powers the songs. Since then, King of Hawaii has gone through personnel changes, growing into a six-piece. The interplay between Dave Dysart's rhythm guitar, Terry Davison's pedal steel, and Klebeck's leads creates a full and playful sound. Bassist Leo Raymundo and drummer Mark Yeend form a solid and inventive rhythm, and keyboardist Nathaniel Papadakis adds an extra dimension to the music with his skillful playing. While King of Hawaii's music is suffused with the knowledge of its genre, it is not confined by it. It ultimately is a party band playing good-time instrumentals with music history tucked slyly up its member's sleeves. NATE LIPPENS

HELL'S BELLES, HAFACAT, RAZORBABES, SHINOLA, THE STUCK-UPS
(I-Spy) It's the saddest thing that could ever happen: Two parents go out for the evening and come home late to find that their house is on fire. Everything is destroyed and lost. Two of their three teenage daughters have died. This is precisely what happened to Michael "Smitty" Smith and his wife Sally Jo on a cold, still evening early last month in Bremerton. Smitty and Sally Jo were--ironically enough--attending a fundraiser they organized for a friend struggling with a fatal illness. Crystal Dickinson, 16, and Amanda Dickinson, 15, died of smoke inhalation. A forgotten candle is blamed for the fire. In addition to dealing with the cruel loss of Crystal and Amanda, Smitty, Sally Jo, and Bonnie are also now homeless and utterly broke. Bremerton residents and businesses have donated food, money, and other necessities to the Dickinsons, and the family has been put up in temporary housing, but starting from scratch after a tragedy like this can be cripplingly daunting--which is why a bunch of Seattle bands have put together a benefit event. Hafacat (those punk pop goddesses, and drummer Ben) is teaming up with reigning cover queens Hell's Belles to give the family a huge dose of local love. So help out and show up! Don't bitch about the door price: ten measly dollars, with every penny going to the family. If you can't make it to the show, make your donation to the Amanda and Crystal Dickinson Fund at any Washington Mutual bank. MIN LIAO

THE MAGIC MAGICIANS, S, SAM JAYNE
(Graceland) John Atkins of 764-HERO and Joe Plummer of Black Heart Procession have an excellent new project called the Magic Magicians. Also, see S preview this issue.

DIAMOND FIST WERNY, THE HELIO SEQUENCE
(Sit & Spin) If your regular musical diet is meat and potatoes, then you probably want to steer clear of the Sit & Spin tonight. If you fancy a little spice in your aural intake, however, you'll definitely want to experience the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink eclecticism of Diamond Fist Werny, and the dreamy, hypnotic brilliance of the Helio Sequence. At times, this Oregon duo calls to mind a kinder, gentler My Bloody Valentine or a druggier, molasses-drenched Dandy Warhols minus about 1,000 pounds of pretense. It's hard to believe the mesmerizing sonic tapestry of Helio Sequence's Cavity Search full-length, Com Plex is the sound of two kids from Beaverton. BARBARA MITCHELL

IAN MOORE, JO MILLER & HER BURLY ROUGHNECKS, THE DONETTES
(Tractor Tavern) When I saw Ian Moore last year at the Crocodile, I was oblivious to the fact that I was witnessing a rare solo acoustic performance by a legendary bluesy guitar god. Labeled a teen guitar prodigy years back in his then home of Austin, Texas, Moore went on to kick out a few Top 20 hits, release a quartet of acclaimed albums, open for ZZ Top and Bob Dylan, and make an appearance in Slingblade alongside Dwight Yoakam and Vic Chestnutt. All of this while folks would bandy about the names "Hendrix" and "Stevie Ray Vaughn." What makes this all so damn impressive to me now is that I had left the Croc that evening no more the wiser about what I had just seen. It wasn't until I crawled out from under my rock a few months later that I figured out who this guy was. At the time I was just appreciating a refreshingly honest performance by a touchingly humble songwriter. NATE LEVIN

RADIO NATIONALS, GRAIG MARKEL
(Breakroom) Like an amped-up Northwest cousin to California's Jackpot, Radio Nationals is a great, underexposed band with a raspy-voiced and -hearted singer mixing roots and rock. Radio Nationals tends toward the louder half of that equation, with roughed-up guitars and a rhythm section that makes even the mid-tempo songs punch hard. West Virginia-born singer and guitarist Jared Clifton has a great aching voice that recalls Wilco's Jeff Tweedy at his most expressive and driven. The group's seasoned and raucous music is the tough-minded, tender-hearted sound that draws on Hank Williams and the Replacements while carving out its own distinct place and voice. Live, Radio Nationals tears into its material with abandon and you can watch the talent burning. NATE LIPPENS

HANA, NO FUTURO, MISS KICK
(Crocodile) It's been just over a year since Sky Cries Mary officially disbanded, so if you've been wondering what Roderick, Anisa, and company are up to, here's your answer. Hana is a beautifully esoteric collaboration between Anisa and ambient auteur Jeff Greinke--a graceful delight to the senses that frequently uses the talents of SCM drummer Ben Ireland. Roderick and former SCM guitarist Bill Bernhard join forces in No Futuro, a relatively new outfit that sees the Rabbi of Space Rock indulging in more elemental and electronic experimentalism. If your life has been a little duller without Sky Cries Mary's hallucinatory sparkle, you won't want to miss this show. BARBARA MITCHELL

DAVE DOUGLAS QUARTET
(On the Boards) Dave Douglas plays trumpet for John Zorn's courageous Masada quartet. However, where Zorn uses the jazz format as an onslaught, Douglas uses his Charms of the Night Sky quartet to dazzle, delight, and mesmerize. The instrumentalists in this band are as eclectic as they are topnotch. Mark Feldman (violin) and Guy Klucevsek (accordion) are the sort of virtuosos who make you feel their music in your membranes. KREG HASEGAWA

NEKO CASE & HER BOYFRIENDS
(Showbox) Neko Case's gale-force voice is something to behold. On her debut, The Virginian, it recalled Brenda Lee and Rose Maddox but seemed hemmed in by arrangements that were too tradition-bound to provide the expansive setting she deserved. Last year's Furnace Room Lullaby, backed by her cast of Boyfriends, found the right mood and arrangements to suit her talent. Case sounds like an agnostic gospel singer on the album, and live, her voice seems even bigger and more ecstatic. Even more refreshing is her shrugging off of the alt-country tag, preferring just to call it country and leave the parsing to critics and slick "new country" stars. At the Showbox, Case will be joined by some combination of her backing band, her Boyfriends, and by fellow big-voiced country singer Kelly Hogan on background vocals. She will undoubtedly mesmerize with her amazing voice, gathering all the power of an artist who embraces and challenges tradition and never quits pushing boundaries and claiming new territories. NATE LIPPENS

THE JAYHAWKS
(Showbox) I'd love to wax rhapsodic about the Jayhawks' fine new album, Smile, but I've come to view Jayhawks albums the way my brother views lighters--you don't own them, they simply pass in and out of your possession. That's by no means a negative reflection on the band; on the contrary, I have a hard time keeping the their albums around because people have a tendency to spot one and emit a squeal of delight, followed by words of high praise, succeeded by vain promises to return the CD. So my memory seems to recall that the Jayhawks, like many of their y'all-ternative counterparts, have stretched beyond the somewhat narrow confines of twang into sunnier, poppier territory that just might be all the more engaging in its universality. The obvious bonus to seeing them live is that no one can borrow your experience of the event. BARBARA MITCHELL

GREG KEPLINGER & LOST VALENTINE
(OK Hotel) Like jazz legend Elvin Jones (who plays on a Keplinger-made snare), Keplinger employs a heavy, snappy rhythm on his kit, which cascades and propels his musicians forward at a sickening velocity. He's been a member of Seattle's music scene for decades, both as a player and as a drum tech for Soundgarden. His new trio has a mind of its own, and to follow it is to be flung about by some serious G-forces. Make no mistake, this is free jazz at its best--muscular, unpretentious, hook-laden, and energy-infused. Wally Shoup's Baptist fire-and-brimstone licks pour from his alto sax as Ruben Radding's pizzicato touch on the bass bends the tunes into sonorous sweeps. KREG HASEGAWA

This Day in History, 1922: Betty White born in Oak Park, Illinois.