THURSDAY 7/14

WOLF PARADE, PANDA AND ANGEL, DJ TRIBBLES
(War Room) See preview, page 33, and CD Reviews, page 41.

LA JOUR DE LA BASTILLE W/DJ PISSOIR AND DJ LUCKY PIERRE, LUSHY
(Re-bar) See Stranger Suggests, page 23.

WHAT THE HECK FEST
(Dept. of Safety) Out of town alert: from July 14–17 Anacortes, WA hosts its annual all-ages What the Heck Fest, an indie-tastic event at its local indie-friendly venue, Dept. of Safety. This year's lineup—which coincides with Anacortes's annual Shipwreck Day, a city-wide garage sale on Saturday—includes a number of Olympia and Seattle favorites, including Calvin Johnson, the Blow, Laura Veirs, Kimya Dawson, Al Larsen, and more. Check out www.knw-yr-own.com for all the juicy details. JENNIFER MAERZ

FRIDAY 7/15

CROSS-EYED ROSIE, ANNA COOGAN, NORTH19
(Conor Byrne Pub) See Border Radio, page 46.

LUCERO, THE HONORARY TITLE, THE GLASS
(El Corazón) See Underage, page 55.

DRUNK HORSE, BIG BUSINESS, FEDERATION X
(The Comet) See Live Wire, page 44.

LOCH LAMOND, MATTHEW LEE PATRICK, CURTAINS FOR YOU
(Sunset Tavern) See Border Radio, page 46.

BECK, LE TIGRE, McRORIE
(Paramount) Beck is back. After the dolorous doziness of 2002's Sea Change, the recent Guero is a robust return to what the California chameleon does best: making danceable, multi-hyphenated pop that's tufted with weird textures, laced with surreally goofy lyrics, and slyly funky. Much credit goes to the Dust Brothers' production, which punches and crunches just as hard as their work on Odelay. Hurray. What's yr take on Le Tigre? Best thing ever to happen to "women in (dance-punk) rock" or oversimplified interpreters of knee-jerk liberalism set to malnourished drum-machine beats? Both extreme views have validity, but the NYC trio ultimately are a positive force, especially for young womyn. Much better live than on disc (especially the weak This Island), Le Tigre generate serious motivational power onstage with their caustically tuneful harangues and pithy insights into lesbianism. DAVE SEGAL See also preview, page 39.

CHRISTY McWILSON & THE CROSS TIE WALKERS, THE PICKETTS
(Triple Door) Seattle singer/songwriter Christy McWilson made her name as a member of the much-beloved honky-tonk outfit the Picketts. But when she stepped out on her own she revealed herself to be a solid and captivating solo entity. While her two albums are beautiful, offering up a complex woman with a steely resolve tempered with a tender streak and a voice as big as Patsy Cline's, live McWilson absolutely burns up the stage. I've seen her open for acts whose names have slipped from my mind while she played. Tonight's show is an extra-special event as she will be performing both solo and in a set with the Picketts. If anyone can pull off that kind of intense double duty, it's McWilson. NATE LIPPENS

NOISE FOR THE NEEDY BENEFIT W/INFOMATIK, ROMANCE, ROBERT ROTH, WESAFARI
(Chop Suey) For one week in July, participating bands and clubs turn Seattle into a giant fundraiser for kids. Various Noise for the Needy shows (including tonight's shows at Chop Suey and the Mirabeau Room, Friday's High Dive show with Razrez, Saturday's Neumo's show with Post Stardom Depression, and Sunday's wrap party at Mission in West Seattle) come with suggested donation prices, and proceeds will go toward the ROOTS Young Adult Shelter. With eight venues and nearly 30 DJs and performers involved, it's a huge (and hugely worthy) endeavor of goodwill—and your donation gets you into some great local shows in return. JENNIFER MAERZ

SCUM OF THE EARTH, BRAND NEW SIN, SOCIETY ONE, CHARLIE DROWN
(Studio 7) Scum of the Earth = a bit of Marilyn Manson + a bit of My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult + songs about a "white-trash devil girl" + songs about spiders + a bit of Alice in Chains + a cover image of goateed, goth dudes and their blood-red ladies. What else would you expect from ex–Rob Zombie guitarist Riggs? Sensitive ballads? JENNIFER MAERZ

VITAL IDOL, 1234, BROTHER WOLF
(Showbox) There are those Billy Idol fans who'd rather the guy hadn't moved on (down?) in his career. They'd prefer to see the sneering blondie encased in amber—songs, voice, and pre-leathery skin intact, with his sound more like ye olde days. Well, if you missed Idol's recent show and are craving his material from the Me Decade, Vital Idol pays tribute to the "White Wedding"s of years gone by. JENNIFER MAERZ

SATURDAY 7/16

STAY GOLD, THE ANSWER, KILLING THE DREAM, SINKING SHIPS
(Paradox) See Underage, page 55.

LAWNCHAIR GENERAL
(Trinity Nightclub) See Data Breaker, page 52.

KINGS OF LEON, SECRET MACHINES, SHOUT OUT LOUDS
(Moore Theatre) These three sons and a nephew of a traveling Tennessee preacher (Leon is his name) favor the same yowling vocals and jangling percussion beloved by southern-flavored hippies from Black Oak Arkansas to Blues Traveler. Luckily, the Kings motor past that backwoods backdrop on their second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, with quick Strokes-like rave-ups that skitter through unexpected changes. Yet for almost every winning riff there's also a crass lyric ("she has problems with drinking milk") to remind you that these reprobates are still just joyriding through the big city they were surely raised to disdain. Hitching along could be fun, if you know when to get off. FRANKLIN SOULTS See also CD Reviews, page 41.

FEVER! W/DANCE DISASTER MOVEMENT, KILL ME TOMORROW, THE PLANET THE, DJ FITS
(Vera Project) An epic night of confounding dance beats. Dance Disaster Movement control the floor with solid electronic and live drums interwoven with anthem vocals and dizzying keyboard spills. San Diego's Kill Me Tomorrow have a wonderfully organic tribal rhythm section, burly swerving bass lines, and narrative storytelling lyrics. Portland's the Planet The's insane recipe to song writing goes like this: 1. Start with steady drum machine beats. 2. Add live rock drumming. 3. Throw in short bursts of progressive guitar and hold it steady with keytar. 4. Scat over the top of the music with nonsensical syllables. 5. Sprinkle funny hand gestures as garnish. Their new album on 5RC is deceptively maddening if you spend too much time thinking about it. JAMES SQUEAKY See also Underage, page 55.

NEVERMORE
(Studio Seven) With relentlessly brutal and swift power-metal riffs, slight prog tendencies, and lyrics focused on social injustice and science fiction, Seattle's Nevermore have garnered top honors from metal mags and Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton alike. Operatic vocals cascade over blastbeats and triumphant melodies on the band's newest release for Century Media, This Godless Endeavor, a record that will be pure cheddar for some and a sweet fantasy feast for others. Tonight is the "listening party" for Godless. JENNIFER MAERZ

SUNDAY 7/17

3RD ANNUAL KEXP BBQ: CROOKED FINGERS, SMOOSH, UNITED STATE OF ELECTRONICA, GUESTS
(KEXP parking lot, 113 Dexter Ave) See Stranger Suggests, page 23.

ANGER MANAGEMENT TOUR: EMINEM, 50 CENT, GUESTS
(White River Amphitheatre) See preview, page 37.

GLASS CANDY, DIAMOND NIGHTS, THE CHROMATICS
(Crocodile) Glass Candy have taken a magnifying glass to disco's assets and redefined them through punk rock edge and ethics. Current drummer Dusty Sparkles (the fifth in as many years) has a sublime playful approach to his interplay with the precise preprogrammed drum machine. As an exciting live band, they can be frustratingly inconsistent, but usually they are amazing and exuberant. JAMES SQUEAKY See also preview, page 35, and Stranger Suggests, page 23.

BLANK ITS, THE PETS, INVISIBLE EYES
(Funhouse, early show) The Pets hail from Oakland, but they should look partially familiar to anyone versed in our local garage-rock scene over the past couple of years. Ex-Right On! drummer Dan Wood skipped states down south and is now bashing the crap outta new gear for the Pets, a band he fronts alongside Andy Jordan of the Cuts and Vincent Horner (ex-Short Eyes). They have a record out this fall on Birdman, but for now expect a lotta sloppy, good-times garage punk. JENNIFER MAERZ

MONDAY 7/18

THE GO! TEAM, THE LONG RANGER, SATURDAY KNIGHTS, FANKICK!, DJ RED LEATHER CHAPSTICK
(Neumo's) See preview, page 33.

SHAPE SHIFTERS, 2MEX
(Chop Suey) Swarming into life out of L.A.'s fertile, early-'90s underground, the Shape Shifters are hiphop's equivalent to the Elephant 6 collective—a sprawling, diverse crew involved in many other projects and existing on the genre's lunatic fringes. Their latest album, 2004's Was Here, is the group's most cohesive and conventional (relatively speaking; it's still odd compared to most hiphop). Nevertheless, "Run the Crowd" should've been an indie hit along the lines of Pharoahe Monch's "Simon Says." Anyone into the Pharcyde or Daedelus should bounce a backpack to the Shape Shifters, whose aesthetics have been formed by comic books, political conspiracy theories, and sci-fi flicks. Occasional Shape Shifter and fellow mental unraveler 2Mex (also of the Visionaries and SonGodSuns) puts a Hispanic spin on Public Enemy's tough sonics/radical politics/strained larynx gestalt. DAVE SEGAL

BILLY CORGAN, THE CRIMEA, DORIS HENSON
(Moore) With their debut disc, Give Me All Your Money, Doris Henson established themselves as the natural beauty of the glam-rock landscape, making a dazzling impression without cosmetics or costumes. Their stage show, all windmill strums and dynamic drums, proves a group this energetic doesn't need flashy distractions. The Kansas City–based act embraces the brass accents (including a tasteful trombone) and sassy delivery of Young Americans–era David Bowie. Their drumbeats land like smacks in the face, as if the swaggering suitor delivering the drawn-out vocals got a bit too fresh. The guitar leads linger as if they're soaking up the sordid scene. Doris Henson make an ideal opening act: They require no stage frills, and they leave listeners panting for more music. The Great Pumpkin has a hard act to follow. ANDREW MILLER See also CD Revs, page 41.

TUESDAY 7/19

NEED NEW BODY, PIT ER PAT
(Crocodile) See Stranger Suggests, page 23.

SIMON DAWES, MT. EGYPT, NICKY P
(Studio Seven) The Simon Dawes's EP (out now on Record Collection) was a lo-fi Arthur-era Kinks with a thumb on the turntable, and it somehow got them an opening slot on a Maroon 5 tour. Ugh, yeah, I know, but Dawes' guitarists/singers Taylor and Blake rattle out call-and-response rock 'n' roll like every British blues brother before them: Keith and Mick (on "Behind the Bleachers"), Jimmy and Robert (on "Salute the Institution"), Ray and Dave (on "Lazy Daisy"). Most of this Malibu foursome just graduated high school but they still play like the Stones broke up right after Exile. I have no idea how anyone in Maroon 5 could get into this. CHRIS ZIEGLER

WEDNESDAY 7/20

THE STRESS TOUR: BLEEDING THROUGH, DARKEST HOUR, ZAO, MISERY SIGNALS, FIGHT PARIS
(El Corazón) Musical malevolence can become monotonous, so shredders can either slice their records short (Reign In Blood's 28-minute runtime preserves its undiluted fury) or ration their savage segments. After several relentless releases, Darkest Hour now enhance the impact of their heaviest moments by offering compositional contrast. Their latest record Undoing Ruin buttresses their trademark thrash riffs and crust-punk vocals with dual-guitar harmonies, intricate solos, and acoustic atmospheric interludes. Producer Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) simultaneously condenses and expands the group's sound, shortening their song lengths while broadening their sonic spectrum. Undoing Ruin makes Darkest Hour the class of Stress Tour, whose founder, hardcore-aesthetic-influenced artist Derek Hess, taps other acts for keyboard-coated screamo melodrama (Bleeding Through) brutal breakdowns (Zao), technically proficient prog-metal mayhem (Misery Signals), and sleazy rawk (Fight Paris). ANDREW MILLER

GOSLING, SHIM, LONELY H, SPACE MTN
(Crocodile) Ex-NW kids Loundermilk moved to L.A., re-emerged as Gosling, and signed to V2. So far they've only released an eponymous EP on local indie the Control Group, but the four songs of boot-stomping glam rock combine the best elements of Smashing Pumpkins' bombast with fierce, snarling, glittery pop. Good stuff. JENNIFER MAERZ

BRADLEY LEIGHTON, ALIVE AND WELL
(Triple Door) The flute inspires much reflexive hate and mockery from people who inevitably only associate it with unjustly maligned acts like Jethro Tull, Moody Blues, and the fluffier end of the prog-rock spectrum. I call bullshit on this. The flute is one of the most beautiful, expressive instruments that's ever channeled human breath (see Kraftwerk's self-titled debut album). Tacoma-born/San Diego–based flutist Bradley Leighton follows in the tradition of the late, great Herbie Mann: He's a facile interpreter of soul (Bill Withers), jazz (Charlie Parker), rock (Carl Perkins), standards ("Summertime"), Brazilian (Antonio Carlos Jobim), and Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme." Ignore his Michael Bolton-esque mullet and you'll have a great time. DAVE SEGAL

MORE

KINSKI, MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE, CHARMING SNAKES: Sat July 23, Crocodile

ALKALINE TRIO, RISE AGAINST, DEATH BY STEREO: Sun July 24, Showbox

SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND—GWAR, LAMB OF GOD, MADBALL, UNEARTH, EVERY TIME I DIE, GUESTS: Mon July 25, Qwest Field

MÖTLEY CRÜE, SUM 41, THE EXIES, SILVERTIDE: Sat July 30, White River Amphitheatre

HOT HOT HEAT, EISLEY: Wed Aug 3, Showbox

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Thurs Aug 11, KeyArena

COLDPLAY: Tues Aug 16, White River Amphitheatre

LIZ PHAIR: Tues Aug 16, Crocodile

SUICIDE MACHINES, LOST CITY ANGELS, BULLETS TO BROADWAY: Thurs Aug 18, El Corazón

DINOSAUR JR.: Sat Aug 20, Showbox