FAUX BANG, THE CRIPPLES
(Sit & Spin) Call the Sit & Spin the Spit & Sin tonight, as the anti-Reagan punk spirit of the '80s gets channeled through the big lips of Faux Bang and the blow-out new wave electro-pop of the Cripples. Faux Bang, the current incarnation of Pho Bang, features Ursula Android and Jackie Hell's grease-penciled, cross-dressing tributes to vaudeville. You will be encouraged to dance and scream. The Cripples also offer up tributes in the form of fuck-you-fevered original pop songs; they do their own screaming via a Casio keyboard, raw, stripped-out guitars, and one angry white woman of a drummer who holds it all together. You may want to bend your own bony bruised knees and burn money in gratitude. TRACI VOGEL
KRISTIN HERSH, THE COCK-UPS
(Crocodile) If you ask me (which you haven't), the Cock-Ups, or at least the singer/guitar player for the Cock-Ups, can't even play plugged-in, let alone acoustic. But then again, that very singer/guitarist is our own Jeff DeRoche, so you can file this here mention in your massive Stranger masturbation/self-promotion file. At any rate, a scaled-down version of his band is opening for Kristin Hersh, who definitely can play, even without the rest of Throwing Muses (whose The Real Ramona still kicks my ass upon every listen). BRADLEY STEINBACHER
KEOKI, DONALD GLAUDE
(Showbox) Born in El Salvador, this self-dubbed "Superstar DJ" grew up in Hawaii as plain old Keoki Franconi. He then moved to New York and took a job bussing tables at Danceteria. "I wasn't doing a very good job picking up cups," Keoki admits. "The manager was telling me, 'You better think of something else to do.' I was like, 'I wanna DJ.'" He got his chance one night when the scheduled turntablist didn't show up, and the frantic manager sent then-17-year-old Keoki home to grab his record collection. "He said, 'I don't care what you play, just make sure everybody stays.' I think that was the best piece of advice I ever got," recalls Keoki. The acid-house, breakbeat, and trance producer kept the floor packed at NYC superclubs like Limelight and the World before releasing several mix albums and (in 1997) his first album of original tracks, Ego Trip. He's followed that up with Jealousy, another fine batch of his own tunes, for which he's now on tour. (Tonight's Showbox set is with fellow Moonshine Music labelmate and Tacoma native Donald Glaude.) So practice your best "Funky Caterpillar" dance moves while contemplating the advancement possibilities of your current hospitality gig. JOHN FERRI
LITTER MEET, THE PINKOS, THE MEMPHIS RADIO KINGS, NO. 226
(Gibson's) Fun and debauchery that helps people--what a swell idea. The event is called Brown-Aid, a benefit organized by members of the nonprofit Martial Arts in the Public Interest to help one of their own, the incomparable Brenda Brown, following some nasty (and expensive) surgery. Reports are still unconfirmed as to whether the recovering Ms. Brown will demonstrate her famous flying triple Lindy thorax lunge. What is known for sure is that tonight's lineup at ye olde punk den Gibson's should sate a variety of tastes, all assembled for maximum good times. While No. 226 plays songs of a loungy Western bent, the Memphis Radio Kings specialize in pure, unadulterated pop. And then there's punk duo the Pinkos, running the gamut from personal to political with catchy, energetic songs about everything from pirate girls to freeing the U.S. from corporate tyranny. Tonight, free yourself from the tyranny of your couch and go rock out for a good cause. SCOTT McGEATH
TORTOISE, NOBUKAZU TAKEMURA, FCS NORTH
(Showbox) Japan's Nobukazu Takemura, who is also called DJ Takemura, is superb. His music does not inspire brilliant visions or a sense of wild adventure--just little things that tinkle and twinkle in the remotest regions on the spine. DJ Takemura does not limit himself to one form of music to produce these minuscule effects, but uses anything he can get his hands on: hiphop, bossa nova, jazz, techno, house--anything. I have even heard one rare mix where he used only the in-between spaces of DJ Cam's East Indian revelry "Lost Kingdom" to shock into brief life beats and bleeps no bigger than spider mites. As for his live shows, I know nothing. But an interesting mind like DJ Takemura's is bound to surprise our jaded nervous systems. CHARLES MUDEDE
PROJECT LOGIC, OTA PROTA
(Graceland) If DJ Spooky is the Cecil Taylor of hiphop (intellectual and technically brilliant), then DJ Logic is the Ornette Coleman of hiphop (intuitive and creative). Indeed, DJ Spooky and DJ Logic should trade names, because Logic's music is everything but logical. It is filled with errors--which is a good thing--and sick loops, underwater utterances that enter and leave the off-beat structures and mangled melodic formulas. At times, Logic cuts a beat in the hurried manner a Chinese cook cuts a duck, or he takes it easy and lets the wheels do their Taoist thing. Like all experiments, some of his ideas are amazing and others total failures, but his successes usually occur when he is focused on the turntables rather than a collaboration with another musician. CHARLES MUDEDE
RED ELVISES, KULTUR SHOCK
(Tractor Tavern) While appearing NAKED on the cover of their new album, Welcome to the Freakshow, is about as funny as blatantly ripping off the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Siberia's the Red Elvises put on a goofy, highly energetic show that pleases dumb happy people everywhere they play. They're twangy, off-handedly political at times, and they wink at reggae, ska, surf, and punk rock. Either I'm a confused moron, or I've just never been drunk enough to stand it. They also did a Kit Kat commercial, which is about the only thing they've ever done that garners any respect from me, because I love me some Kit Kats! JEFF DeROCHE
FASTBACKS, GAS HUFFER
(Crocodile) Occasional Fastbacks drummer Jason Finn takes a permanent seat behind the skins. This comes in the wake of Mike Musberger's departure, to focus on fatherhood and the responsibilities that come along with raising twin boys. Other than that, nothing new to report for either of these long-standing, always dependable local bands. KATHLEEN WILSON
TRICKY WOO, BOSS MARTIANS
(Breakroom) Tricky Woo is from Canada (Montreal, to be exact), and the band nails that '70s rock sound, despite the ridiculous name. Live, the boys destroy everything in sight (sometimes literally), and always dig up a great show. The Boss Martians, Seattle's very own surf/garage rock supergroup, used to play constantly in town, but seem to have disappeared for a while. Then again, maybe I just haven't been paying attention. These two groups, spackled together, should make for a very loud, possibly dangerous evening. BRADLEY STEINBACHER
BONNIE RAITT, JACKSON BROWNE, KEB' MO'
(Paramount) Not 24 hours ago, I engaged with my friend John in an argument as old as time itself: Is Jackson Browne useless or not? I said no, offering the album Running on Empty as my only evidence. Admittedly blinded by nostalgia (one of my earliest memories is of my parents cutting up lines of blow on the record's sepia sleeve), I couldn't help defending the on-the-road concept piece as a sort of broken classic. John called bullshit. "But 'Rosie,' 'Cocaine,' 'You Love the Thunder!'" I cried, "classic. Undeniable." Again, John rebuked me. "What about the ode to the roadies song?" he countered. "He just wanted the lighters, man. 'The Eagles get the lighters, so I want the lighters.' Fucking bull... SHIT!" Still, I hedged, the chorus of "Shaky Town" echoing like an aftershock on the fault line of my memory, until my friend silenced me with three words I could not deny. "Lawyers in Love," he said. And the conversation was over. SEAN NELSON
NO. 13 BABY, PINEHURST KIDS (CD RELEASE), ARLO, DEATHRAY DAVIES
(Breakroom) See Stranger Suggests.
RETSIN, KARLA OF IDA, JERK WITH A BOMB, JESSE BOGGS
(Graceland) With its third album, Sweet Luck of Amaryllis, Retsin evolved from a fuzzy bedroom whisper to a haunted house of faintly bucolic beauty. The duo of Tara Jane O'Neill and Cynthia Lynn Nelson achieves a compelling hush, with understated, countryish melody woven into tastefully atmospheric pop arrangements. They will very likely provide a perfect billmate for Karla Schickele, whose talents as a singer and multi-instrumentalist have graced Babe the Blue Ox, Beekeeper, and most recently, Ida. While many a border state indie rock band has played up the eerie madness quotient that makes Yankee rock fans sit up and take notice, Retsin keeps its head down, playing pretty, interesting songs that, in their quiet, accomplished way, are as Southern as iced tea. SEAN NELSON
AVEO (CD-RELEASE PARTY), POSEUR, S
(Sit & Spin) Everyone keeps telling me Aveo is just like the Smiths, but since I was never really into the Smiths, I can't vouch for that. What I can vouch for is that the band's shows (at least the two or three I have seen) have slapped me around quite well enough. And since this is a record-release party, this show will probably be some sort of big deal. (Side note: Check out Jeff the drummer's scrawny little arms, then sit back and ponder just how in the hell he hits so damn hard.) Plus, there is Poseur, and S (but we've said enough about them already). BRADLEY STEINBACHER
MING + FS
(I Spy) This New York tag team first turned heads with their 1999 album Hell's Kitchen, a turbulent confluence of hiphop, electro, and drum and bass--a sound the duo dubbed "junkyard." The wild fusion attracted the likes of DJ Spooky and Kool Keith, who tapped the pair for remix and production duties. While their follow-up EP, Applied Pressure, retreats somewhat to the comfortable confines of "traditional jungle," that won't make a bit of difference during their live set. The boys will be churning vinyl--slapping down David Bowie after Bob Marley after the Police after KRS One--over the dense vibe of their signature breakbeats. The dizzying mix will leave you wrung-out and breathless. DAVID SLATTON
SANFORD ARMS, MOUNT ANALOG, JESSE SYCHES
(Tractor Tavern) Originally billed as a CD-release celebration, due to technical setbacks concerning Sanford Arms' forthcoming album, tonight's show is merely a great evening of local music. Mount Analog's Tucker Martine is a master of infusing music with understated hysteria. He produced the new Sanford Arms disc (and collaborated on Mark Eitzel's latest, The Invisible Man), which is now expected to hit the shelves on September 8, on Pattern 25 Records. For lack of a real band name, the Jesse Syches band is going by just that, and includes among its members Phil Wandscher (of Whiskeytown) and Bill Herzog, formerly of Citizen's Utilities and currently of Nightcaps and Joel R. L. Phelps and the Downer Trio. KATHLEEN WILSON
AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS
(Paramount) See live preview this issue.
JENN GHETTO & MAT BROOKE
(Baltic Room) The doe-eyed original members of Carissa's Wierd will play this show on the strength of their singing and guitar-playing alone. The set will include old material Ghetto and Brooke wrote before the band became the sprawling five-piece it is today. If Jenn Ghetto's solo project S is any indication, fret not about the missing accordion, violin, and drums: This is a guaranteed great, melancholy event. JEFF DeROCHE
KEN VANDERMARK'S SCHOOL DAYS
(Tractor Tavern) On any given evening in Chicago, chances are you can catch the relentless Ken Vandermark playing somewhere in one of his many music projects. In 1999, the MacArthur Foundation took notice and awarded him a "genius grant" ($265,500--ka-ching!), adding him to a list of visionary jazz musicians that doesn't include Wynton Marsalis. Tonight, Vandermark is playing in a relatively rare ensemble called School Days (rare since the rhythm section is coming in from Norway and Sweden), with multifaceted friend Jeb Bishop on trombone (and maybe guitar?). Afro-Cuban All Stars and John Scofield are also playing tonight, but if you forego Vandermark, you'll not only be missing out on a man whose compositions take jazz further than, say, John Zorn's Masada Quartet, but you'll also be fucking up. You don't want to do that. KREG HASEGAWA
BARDO POND
(Sonic Boom Records) See Stranger Suggests.
BARDO POND, MOGWAI
(Showbox) See Stranger Suggests.
CRASH TEST DUMMIES, THE ROSENBERGS
(Ballard Firehouse) I write this here blurb without being able to remember that one big Crash Test Dummies hit (I keep confusing it with that 4 Non Blondes song that was big around the same time, the one that goes: I say heyyyyyyaaaaaayheyyyyyyaaaaaay!), but what I can recall is that for a while they were all over MTV, and that maybe they're from Canada or something. Regardless, the Ballard Firehouse seems like the perfect venue for such a forgettable band (Note: This is not to say that the Ballard Firehouse itself is a forgettable venue, but rather, that many of the bands it books have reached forgettable status), and if you are a diehard CTD fan, chances are you'll think this show is amazing. BRADLEY STEINBACHER
THE FLATLANDERS
(King Cat Theater) See Stranger Suggests.
