Wednesday 5/29

inc., Kelela, DJ Total Freedom

(Crocodile) See Data Breaker.

Bolt Thrower, Benediction

(Neumos) When I first saw the lineup for this show, I did a serious double take. I knew that iconic UK death metallers Bolt Thrower had been playing occasional shows again and that they were on the bill for Maryland Deathfest, but after years of watching bands skip this city—and often the entire Northwest region—even on their so-called "West Coast tours," I learned to not get my hopes up. The last time they played a gig in this area was back in '91 in Federal fucking Way. (?!) Let's show these guys it's always worth it to make the trek up to the 206. KEVIN DIERS

Pitschouse, Punishment, Mega Bog

(Heartland) Mega Bog are a coven, twisting out mystic, punky noise-pop gems—something to be enjoyed by fans of Nirvana and Game of Thrones alike. Their 2012 EP Some UFO holds its own in both the noise and pop realms, where haunted-yet-crystal-clear vocals illuminate songs that alternate between mellow Middle-Earth noise-pop and anxious, driving, punk guitar lines. Lead singer/guitarist/queen witch Erin Birgy is a Seattle treasure who can be found teaching guitar at Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, running her Wizards of the Ghost label, or fixing complicated pedal problems at Capitol Hill's beloved High Voltage Music Store. And, of course, casting her aural spells via Mega Bog. BREE MCKENNA

Official FELA! After-Party: Big World Breaks, the Good Sin, DJ Alex

(Barboza) To celebrate the opening of the Broadway hit FELA! at the Paramount, local cats Big World Breaks, the Good Sin, and DJ Alex are providing an after-party that will feature the music and moods of the great Nigerian musician. Fela Kuti, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1997, was a giant of African pop—no, it's better to say: Fela was a god of African pop. He walked like a god, sang like a god, and loved like a god; he had nearly 30 wives. Indeed, he did not so much make music, but a community of music. There was nothing like Fela before or after him. CHARLES MUDEDE

Thursday 5/30

Graves33, Stoop Kidd, Black Magic Noize

(Barboza) See My Philosophy.

Budo, Orbe Orbe

(Crocodile) See My Philosophy.

A Tribute to the Music of Muscle Shoals: Patterson and David Hood

(Triple Door) Patterson Hood is an acclaimed solo artist and a member of the even more acclaimed Drive-By Truckers. David Hood is his father, and cofounder of the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, where the elder Hood also worked as a producer and session musician. Tonight, father and son share stories and songs onstage at the Triple Door, in connection with the SIFF documentary Muscle Shoals. A one-night-only showcase that should be nothing less than amazing. DAVID SCHMADER

Eternal Summers, VibraGun, Trash Fire

(Sunset) These three band names together, in any combination, might describe a really hilarious/heartwarming coming-of-age film about independence, the mean streets, young love, and... wait, I think I've been reading too many SIFF blurbs recently. Eternal Summers are an expansive three-piece visiting from Roanoke, Virginia, whose post-punk, matter-of-fact angst is wrapped in driving pop and moody/sweet vocals. With power-pop-punk brat-attack Trash Fire (a little Jay W. K./Andrew Reatard, y'know?) and local rockers VibraGun. I'm still confident this show will be a heartwarming night of young love on the mean streets of Ballard. EMILY NOKES

The Purrs, Kingdom of the Holy Sun, This Blinding Light

(Comet) There's a melody in one of the verses in the Purrs' Fin Records single "Rotting on the Vine" that echoes that famous progression in the Lemon Pipers' "Green Tambourine." This sort of early, naïve psych-pop hints at the Purrs' approach: faithful, traditional, and melodically brilliant. Kingdom of the Holy Sun and This Blinding Light take psychedelia to darker and heavier realms. The former seemingly record only in opium dens, and the latter sound like the missing link between Loop and Spacemen 3. Tantric, mantric stuff, brothers and sisters. DAVE SEGAL

Beethoven's Violin Concerto

(Benaroya Hall): Alina Ibragimova is the 27-year-old British-based, Russian-born violinist who's starring this evening, and she's been accused of being very starry, in fact. She'll perform Beethoven's great big Violin Concerto on a program that also includes Bedrich Smetana's late-19th-century piece based on a Schiller play, Wallenstein's Camp, and Dvorak's Symphony No. 6. Czech-born Jakub Hruša conducts; in 2011, Gramophone called him one of 10 conductors "on the verge of greatness." It's 2013 now, so keep your ears up for greatness. Through June 2. JEN GRAVES

Maiah Manser, Shebear, Ephrata, White Hawaiian

(Chop Suey) I was very intrigued when Eighteen Individual Eyes guitarist Jamie Aaron started tweeting about her solo project, White Hawaiian. In one message, she wrote, "'WHO ARE YOU? WHERE ARE ALL THE GUITARS?' - Anticipated reactions to the White Hawaiian debut." Indeed! It's nothing like you'd expect, given Aaron's involvement in guitar-driven outfits like EIE, H Is for Hellgate, and Henkensiefken. The first song Aaron released, "Warhawk," starts out as a somber, slightly industrial number, but the slow-moving chorus takes on a vibe that she describes as "alt-R&B." Honestly, I don't care where the guitars are—this is great. Listen to "Warhawk" and a haunting, electrified version of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars" at whitehawaiian.bandcamp.com. MEGAN SELING

Friday 5/31

Juicy J, A$AP Ferg, Jarv Dee

(Showbox at the Market) See My Philosophy.

The Trashies, La Luz, Peace, Nucular Aminals

(Black Lodge) See preview.

Eddie C and Koosh

(Re-bar) See Data Breaker.

Mechanismus: Douglas J. McCarthy, Octavius, More Machine Than Man

(Highline) See Data Breaker.

Foals

(Neptune) One of the UK's most celebrated "indie" dance-rock bands since their 2008 debut, Antidotes, Foals have made a career out of the kind of driving 4/4 rhythms and noodling twin guitar parts used by, well, scores of other bands. But the Oxford five-piece have always distinguished themselves from the genre's also-rans with their dynamic song structures and tightly interwoven leads. On their latest, Holy Fire, Foals take a distinctly harder, more serious, and often more grandiose approach to their signature sound. The results are a bit hit-and-miss, but seeing these kinds of build-to-explosive-crescendo jam-outs duplicated in a live setting makes it tough for even the most jaded of critics to deny. MIKE RAMOS

A Benefit for Ricky Powell: The Loss, Burn Burn Burn, Ol' Doris, Hurry Up and Die

(2 Bit Saloon) It's always ironic when a band's name—a band playing a benefit—doesn't quite fit the bill. Recently, at a fundraising show for the Country Doctor Community Health Clinic, the band "Crypts" performed. Now, at a benefit for Ricky Powell, a Seattle Black Crown Car driver who was shot three times in April in an attempted robbery, a band called "Hurry Up and Die" is playing. Thankfully, Powell didn't hurry off anywhere, and he did NOT die. Unfortunately, he does have a long road to recovery, missed work, and expensive medical bills. This bill of local punk rock is only asking for $5 at the door, but give what you can. If you hate fun and/or punk, you can also donate a dollar or 10 online, at rickrighteous.com. KELLY O

Saturday 6/1

Dead Ship Sailing, Panama Gold, Shake Some Action

(Barboza) See Sound Check.

Sibling Rivalry, Elch, Winnebago, Candysound

(Heartland) See Underage.

Foals

(Neptune) See Friday.

Head Like a Kite, Fly Moon Royalty, Nissim

(Crocodile) Three bands. Three headliners. All on the stage at once. It'll be nuts! It'll be anarchy! The electro-groove of Head Like a Kite will collide with Fly Moon Royalty's stunning R&B, and Nissim (formerly known as D. Black) will tie it all together with a smooth and tight flow. There will be mash-ups and spontaneous collaborations. There will be costumes, and there will be Tilson. There will not be a boring moment. There will not be a chance to catch your breath. Anything can happen, and it'll happen one night only. Tonight. Don't miss this extravaganza. MEGAN SELING See also My Philosophy.

Seattle School of Rock Presents: White Stripes vs. Black Keys

(Chop Suey) Or McDonald's versus Burger King, or maybe Coke versus Pepsi. Okay, that's a bit harsh, but when you get right down to it, the White Stripes and the Black Keys are pretty much the most obvious blues-rock default combos for people who want to seem "hip" to their straight-world coworkers. Both bands are as American as stupid gun deaths and childhood obesity, and no doubt Seattle School of Rock's budding musicians will have fun running through the songbooks of these exemplars of neo-trad-rock hegemony. But it probably won't push them to the limits of their technical abilities, if you catch my drift. (Trivia: I once saw Black Keys play to fewer than 40 people at a Cleveland tavern. Those were the days.) DAVE SEGAL

Dee-Shu-Palooza: The Pharmacy, the Quiet Ones, Roaming Herds of Buffalo

(Columbia City Theater) Local artist Darin Shuler's illustrations are weird, restless, and funny—the poster for this show, for example, has different kinds of cookies and crazy-eyed bird heads splashing into puddles of milk. Gross! Yum! I can't decide! If I did drugs, his dogs, half-man/half-bunny creatures, and crazy-eyed illustrations of Uncle Frank from Home Alone might be terrifying, but I am sober, so I know they won't come to life and eat me in my sleep (or will they?!). Tonight is our chance to get a peek at a new batch of Mr. Shuler's artwork at the first ever Dee-Shu-Palooza, which also includes performances from great local acts the Pharmacy, the Quiet Ones, and Roaming Herds of Buffalo. Come bask in the weird. MEGAN SELING

Sunday 6/2

New Found Glory, Cartel

(Showbox at the Market) The only reason anyone over the age of 18 should go see New Found Glory play 2002's Sticks and Stones in its entirety is if you want to surf the (very polluted) wave of nostalgia. Because Sticks and Stones WASN'T GOOD, you guys. It was catchy, sure. It was the trend at the time. But Sticks and Stones was pop-punk's dying fart. But whatever. Go. Sing along. Pretend your parents suck and your girlfriend is terrible and relationships are like car crashes. But if you're an adult, and you're there, and you're still able to relate to these songs, then it's time to move out of Never-Never Land, lost boy. MEGAN SELING

Monday 6/3

Mice Parade, Ghost of Kyle Bradford

(Triple Door) Early Mice Parade albums like Ramda, The True Meaning of Boodleybaye, and Mokoondi featured an interesting array of tracks that blended minimalist IDM, neo-exotica, and down-tempo post-rock. Over the last dozen or so years, Mice Parade leader and dexterous percussionist Adam Pierce has gravitated toward a more precious, cutely melodic sound that seems to be merging with that of the Icelandic group múm (whose Gunnar Örn Tynes now plays with Mice Parade). The new full-length, Candela, finds Pierce and company keeping the rhythms bustling and the guitar surprisingly bristling, while Gisellse Saad Assi adds delicate vocal embroidery. These new songs rock harder than much of Mice Parade's dozy '00s output; unexpected positive development! DAVE SEGAL

Cool Ghouls, Prism Tats, Love in Mind, the Monarchies

(Chop Suey) There's a warm, yellowed, '60s-rock-meets-marijuana-meets-the-echo-effect-on-vocals that washes over San Francisco four-piece Cool Ghouls' jangledelic rock 'n' roll. Their best songs mix scuzzy guitar and rambling harmonies with blaring horns and piano sprinklings, keeping things joyful and even a little classy, in a "bow tie at the bar fight" sort of way. Joining the Ghouls are Love in Mind, a supergroup of sorts (featuring members of Sick Sad World, Neighbors, Mega Bog, and more) from Seattle, who make self-described "post-teen angst/nu dramatic dad rock" (ha!). It's easygoing and introverted stuff; a gentle voice croons heartfelt lyrics a little reminiscent of the singer of their namesake song (Neil Young). With Seattle's berserker-rock trio Monarchies and catchy one-man future-pop operation (poperation!) Prism Tats. EMILY NOKES

Tuesday 6/4

Robyn Hitchcock, Venus 3, Peter Buck

(Neptune) See Stranger Suggests and Underage.

Stranded Sullivan, Night Cadet, Hi Ho Silver Oh

(Tractor) Night Cadet's slow, sudsy dream-pop sounds like shallow longing, like the 1980s crying a single tear, like looking out the window late at night and seeing a lit-up city skyline, your solemn-faced reflection floating in the way. The arty foursome has a way of doing voodoo origami with your loneliness so it either shrinks or blooms in your stomach, depending on the moment or the song. (That creeps me out, but in a good way.) Stranded Sullivan does solid black-and-white sadness-rock, and Hi Ho Silver Oh's careful diction, big words, and casual harmonies seem slightly sillier than their compatriots', but not by much. Go to this show alone and stoned and you might never find your way out of the feelings hole. Go in just the right mood, and you might gain superpowers. ANNA MINARD