(Chateau Ste. Michelle) Earth, Wind & Fire were among the most zodiacal and flamboyantly garbed figures in the R&B scene throughout the ’70s. But before they donned the glittery bellbottomed jumpsuits, they cut five deep funk records—including the scorching soundtrack to Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song—that boasted unstoppable grooves, much kalimba, and intricate, bold dynamics (see “Power” and “Bad Tune” for proof). They inflated those traits into shinier, more accessible forms in the mid ’70s, dominating radio and clubs with falsetto-heavy hits like “September,” “That’s the Way of the World,” “Serpentine Fire,” “Shining Star,” “Reasons”—tunes, Charles Mudede wrote a decade ago in these pages, that “are popular at… white suburban weddings.” The current EW&F lineup only includes two members from the band’s ’70s peak (vocalist/percussionist Philip Bailey and bassist Verdine White), but the affluent folks attending this sold-out show likely don’t care. They just want to hear the smashes that remind them of times when their waistlines were smaller and their libidos stronger. DAVE SEGAL
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(Linda's) The eponymous cornerstone of Linda Derschang's nightlife empire hosts its fifth annual free music festival, and this year's lineup is dynamite. On the roster: the mystical tree-punks Kithkin (who describe themselves as a "Cascadian youth tribe out to spread the hidden knowledge of the forests"), the raucous old-school rock ’n’ roll of Thunderpussy (who describe themselves as "a diamond in the muff"), the melodic racket of the Young Evils (a studio two-piece turned five-member live band), the alternately delicate and aggressive post-punk of Chastity Belt (whose vocalist, Julia Shapiro, is a treasure), and the eternally conflict-of-interest-y Tacocat (whose deceptively sunny pop-punk recently earned eloquent gushing from Greil Marcus). Go! DAVID SCHMADER
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(Barboza) Terry Malts are three dudes on guitar, drums, and bass, super basic Ramones-y chord progressions, and disaffected Ian Curtis–vibes vocals. This could describe so many all-boy three-pieces. But there's more to Terry Malts than that, and it's mostly that they do the totally-fucking-catchy poppy-punk-band thing so perfectly. They're as antiauthority as they are anti-frills. "Nauseous" is a killer earworm, finding vocalist Phil Benson singing a brilliantly simple chorus that constantly gets stuck in my head: "Your love makes me nah-nah-nah-nah-nauseous" (who can't relate?). On "Well Adjusted," he tackles the classic “I'm not like you guys/I don't wanna grow up" sentiment, wondering "Why's everyone so well-adjusted? My calibration must be busted." They've even got a “stay away from me, baby, I'm bad” song. Swoon. Tour mates Girl Tears distill the punk sentiment straight down into songs that last a minute tops, churning out awesome three-chord all killer, no filler bangers. Who needs invention when the formula done right can work so well? Punk tropes can get boring in the wrong hands, but these dudes are definitely using them for good. ROBIN EDWARDS
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(Triple Door) What is dead may never die. So it goes with Northwest indie mainstays the Posies, who, despite supposedly calling it quits about 15 years ago, have since released a “best of” compilation, a collector’s edition box set, multiple live records, and, believe it or not, two relatively middling albums of new material. Luckily, their live shows tend to rely on their unerringly solid back catalog of proletarian, occasionally transcendent alt-rock. If you can forgive the seeming cash-cow nature of the Posies’ continued existence for a second, you may recall the damn fine series of singles they managed in their prime and realize the potentially transformative power of seeing down-and-out anthem “Coming Right Along” live. KYLE FLECK
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Okay, this is big. DJ/producer Daniel Avery—a resident at London’s famed Fabric club—is making his Seattle debut tonight, first playing Re-bar and then hitting up a Capitol Hill afterhours loft party put on by the High & Tight collective (the last ever at this great space; email theloftseattle@gmail.com for details on the latter, the sooner the better). Avery’s 2014 Drone Logic album on Erol Alkan’s Phantasy Sound label is supremely psychedelic listen, a subtle acid-techno classic with roots in Underworld’s game-changing 1993 single “Rez.” Throughout Drone Logic, Avery patiently unspools swaths of elastic, twanging 303s and pulsating bloops™ and bleeps™ to form mandalas of mind-expanding dance music. These tracks could go on infinitely with no argument from me—and that is a rare thing to accomplish. With Kadeejah Streets and Nordic Soul. Re-bar, 10 pm, $15 adv, 21+. DAVE SEGAL
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Seattle foursome Ubu Roi cruise through riff-age and rock-age with a gritty force, making hot ’n’ bothered punk full of pizza-fueled, pro-party vibes. Elsewhere on this ultimate summer fun-time bill, Oakland natives Satan Wriders' hazy, weirdo garage rock sounds like something that would be supported by Brooklyn post-punk revivalist label Captured Tracks. Borrowing an unmistakably '80s, lo-fi jangle-punk sound and twice mutating it through a bedroom-dub lens, the Wriders create something seamlessly chillworthy. Hometown slackers the Beach Boy seem profoundly influenced by '90s-does-'60s guitar rock, and that yields highly listenable Teenage Fanclub meets Weezer kinda results. Beach Boy’s sharp hooks and lazy melodies create unobtrusive and generally likeable ghoul-pop nuggets to shotgun Slurpees to. With the virtually un-Googleable Oven, a Portland experimental rock band featuring members of Psychic Feline and Formica Man. Cairo, 8 pm. BRITTNIE FULLER
And here's all our recommended music events—tonight, tomorrow, and beyond!
