Wednesday 8/28

Moderat

(Neptune Theater) See Data Breaker.

Lisa Marie Presley

(Triple Door) Lisa Marie Presley began her journey toward life by being shot out of Elvis Presley's penis. Decades later, she married Michael Jackson, presumably interacting with his penis. (Describing Jackson as "a passionate lover," Presley instructed doubters to "suck it.") These facts alone make her some sort of freaky American royalty, and she's no one-trick pony—in 2008, she married Nicolas Cage, who filed for divorce four months later. More recently, Presley's made headlines for allegedly defecting from her long-beloved Church of Scientology, but all this has very little to do with what brings this pure-gold B-grade superstar to Seattle, which is music. Presley's latest album, 2012's Storm and Grace, was produced by T-Bone Burnett, and will be brought to life onstage tonight. DAVID SCHMADER

Danzig with Doyle, Scar the Martyr, Huntress

(Showbox Sodo) No matter how much of a cocky, washed-up dick you think Glenn Danzig may be (reportedly), this show is a must-see for anyone who's ever carved "138" into their high-school locker, slicked their hair into a devil-lock, or donned the crimson ghost on their T-shirt. Dude will be performing with co-former-Misfits-member Doyle. If the set list is anywhere near the one these two aging horror rockers put together eight years back, we'll be seeing a decent amount of classic Misfits material. I'll take Glenn and Doyle jamming on "Hybrid Moments" over the sad current reincarnation of the "Misfits" any day. KEVIN DIERS

Mary Lambert with Passenger String Quartet, Daniel Blue, Wishbeard

(Neumos) In the dark shadow of Russia's recent antigay awfulness, Mary Lambert's story becomes even more razor-sharp. Describing herself as both "The Christian and The Queer" (even after being excommunicated from a Pentecostal church, then shunned in a local Evangelical congregation), Lambert rose to fame as the powerful female voice that jerked a whole lotta tears out of a whole lotta eye-holes with her chorus in Macklemore & Ryan Lewis's pro-queer anthem "Same Love." Lambert also wrote an extended version of that chorus—a full song, with a full string quartet, simply titled "She Keeps Me Warm." On her website, she states, "This song is not political. It's not about oppression or marriage equality. This song is a love song." She still also goes on to say, "I will not apologize for love. And my God, the God that I believe to be true, would never condemn love like this." Amen, sister! KELLY O

Thursday 8/29

MOTOR: Pete Swanson, GOODWIN, Black Hat, Mood Organ, Kaori Suzuki, DJ MOTORKARR

(Lo-Fi Performance Gallery) See Stranger Suggests and Data Breaker.

Flume, Giraffage, Touch Sensitive

(Neumos) See Data Breaker.

Destruction Unit, Dreamdecay, the Lindseys

(Barboza) A ruggedly raw psych-rock band, Arizona's Destruction Unit muster a glowering, maniacal momentum that's as creepy and exhilarating as a dash through a haunted house. Deep Trip, their new full-length on Sacred Bones, thrusts you into its scything maelstrom right out of the gate with the aptly titled "The World on Drugs." God damn is it thrilling. "Slow Death Sounds" is a total misnomer; it's even speedier than its predecessor. Vocalist Ryan Rousseau has one of those deep, blustery horror-enthralled voices, but even if you hate that kind of thing, the music's way too powerful and exciting to let it mar your enjoyment. Deep Trip earns its ballsy title. DAVE SEGAL

Cali Giraffes, Spaceneedles, Silly Goose

(Chop Suey) Does your brain need a boost? Come see Cali Giraffes! The band—comprising Kim Warnick, Mikey Davis, and Thane Mitchell—play utterly catchy, candied power pop that'll make you bob your head so hard you'll see stars. Be sure to arrive early, so as to not miss a second of Silly Goose. If you don't know, Silly Goose are a Blink-182 cover band featuring Jenn Ghetto and two members of the Grand Archives, and it is not a joke. They don't get up there and half-ass and giggle through their set—they take the craft seriously, which makes it even greater. I never knew hearing Ghetto sing "All the Small Things" or "Dammit" would be so cool. MEGAN SELING

Snoop Dogg, Jarv Dee, ILLFIGHTYOU

(Showbox Sodo) What must not be forgotten is that Snoop Dogg (who recently changed his name to Snoop Lion—he has taken an interest in Rastafarianism) names Slick Rick as the rapper he owes a deep debt to. And in the way you can clearly hear Louis Armstrong in early Billie Holiday records, you can hear Slick Rick (The Ruler) in Snoop Dogg's first solo album, Doggystyle (indeed, on the track "Lodi Dodi," he simply celebrates this influence). But exactly what did LA's Dogg get from NYC's London-born Slick? Not skills (Rick was no Rakim), but a commitment to style. With Dogg, it's not what he says, but almost entirely how he says things. CHARLES MUDEDE

Friday 8/30

Bummershoot: Try the Pie, Briana Marela, Willpower, Viviane James, the Webs

(Hollow Earth Radio) See Underage.

DJ Frane, DJ Explorateur, DJ Veins

(Vermillion) The last time Los Angeles's enigmatic DJ Frane appeared in Seattle, it was as Blowfly's keyboardist during the notoriously raunchy entertainer's 2008 Funhouse show. This is just one indicator that Frane can conduct a master seminar in funk. Others occur in his four-album discography (all of which you can stream at beatstoblazeto.com), which reflects a creativity spurred by upper-echelon herb. Master of wheels of steel and sampler, as well as keyboard, Frane has crafted some of the most psychedelic instrumental hiphop ever. He plans for this DJ performance to be a night of "existential turntable adventures," which means a wide and deep exploration of his stash of funk, psych rock, jazz, and spoken-word vinyl from the '70s and '80s. Portland artist Ashley Montague will be painting along to this phantasmagorical soundtrack. DAVE SEGAL

D.O.A., Fastbacks, Dreadful Children, Sledgeback, Loud Eyes

(El Corazón) This show will be an all-over punk-rock treasure trove: Besides being the final tour of Vancouver legends D.O.A. supporting their last album, We Come in Peace, it will also mark the record-release party for the local up-and-coming punks of Loud Eyes and the triumphant (if only momentary) return of Seattle grunge legend Kim Warnick. The Fastbacks have been an on-and-off fixture in the city since 1979, but Kim's retirement and subsequent departure to the East Coast makes a reunion an even more delightful treat for all pop-punk-loving Seattleites (fingers crossed that they play "K Street"). The Fastbacks' short and upbeat songs may range from joyous, gleeful saccharine to the sardonic sass of Ramones-style alienation, but they never stray far from pure pop perfection. BREE MCKENNA

Saturday 8/31

Bumbershoot: Joey Bada$$, Kendrick Lamar, Jason Bonham, Heart, many others

(Seattle Center) See pullout.

Bummershoot: Waxing Hearts, Lexi Lee, Pitschouse, Neighbors

(Ravenna Median) See Underage.

Bummershoot: Blooper, Tummy, R.C. Love and the Goodness Gracious, Hibou

(Heartland) See Underage.

Bummershoot: Mines, Dharma, Night Surf, Lozen, So Pitted

(Black Lodge) See Underage.

Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran

(Tacoma Dome) Ed Sheeran is a 22-year-old gingery Londoner who sings in a folksy manner with a soothing accent full of feelings and shyness... and stories about drug-addicted prostitutes? And wanting to "be drunk when I wake up/On the right side of the wrong bed"? And teen miscarriages? When he's not singing about heavy horrors that don't quite match his sweetie-pie, yogurt-commercial acoustic strumming, his other mode is vaguely reggae'd hiphop—in one song off his 2011 album, +, he straight-up beatboxes. Adorable. Ed will be playing the under the Dome tonight with some guy named Taylor Swift. Treat yourself! EMILY NOKES

Cold Cave, Vice Device, Nightmare Fortress

(Neumos) Cold Cave frontman and principal architect Wes Eisold got his start in vital early-'00s hardcore bands American Nightmare/Give Up the Ghost, and Some Girls, channeling youthful angst and emotion into perfectly guttural screams over sub-three-minute bursts of thrashing instrumentation. Cold Cave's blend of darkwave/synth pop is a definite departure from the power-chord/blast-beat formula that defined Eisold's former sound, but it's a welcome one. Like a pissed-off, rebellious hardcore kid growing up into a calmer, gloomier adult who's found some weird comfort and satisfaction in his existential despair, so has Eisold's music matured. Cold Cave followed up 2011's rose-tinted Cherish the Light Years with a series of singles/B-sides—"Black Boots," "God Made the World," and "Oceans With No End"—this year, and each seems to support the notion that Eisold has fully settled into a welcome new niche with his art. MIKE RAMOS

Feral Children, Dada Trash Collage, PonyHomie

(Sunset) There's always been a haunted component to Feral Children's sound, but the Seattle band's new album, Too Much, Too Late, has moments that are extra-chilling. The song "Cabin by the Lake" starts out with the line, "There's a place behind the moon that has no name/A cabin by the lake," and with jabbing guitar, the song reaches the chorus where a man's deep voice insists, "Better run, better run, better run for your life." While they're not as obviously spooky, "Nightmare Eyes" and "Midnight Parade" are also tracks you'll want to keep on hand for any upcoming Halloween parties. MEGAN SELING

Lemuria, Success, Slatwall, Dead Bars

(Bogart's) The only reason I listened to Lemuria's new record is because it was recorded with J. Robbins, former singer of Jawbox and forever receiver of my adoration. This time my fangirl obsession worked out to my advantage, though, because Lemuria are great! Despite being signed to the usually hardcore Bridge 9 label, Lemuria deliver pumped-up indie rock that's reminiscent of Hop Along and Superchunk. If that piques your curiosity, also know this: Tonight's show is free. MEGAN SELING

Sunday 9/1

Bumbershoot: Tegan and Sara, Fun., Ra Ra Riot, Death Cab for Cutie, many others

(Seattle Center) See pullout.

Bummershoot: Craig Salt Peters, iji, Koda Sequoia

(Josephine) See Underage.

Monday 9/2

Bumbershoot: Superchunk

(Seattle Center) See Stranger Suggests and pullout.

Bumbershoot: Alt-J, MGMT, GTA, Bassnectar, many others

(Seattle Center) See pullout.

Black Bananas, Braindrain, Conor Kiley project, DJ Soulglo, DJ Billion Dollar Babies

(Comet) Professional badass vocalist Jennifer Herrema transitioned out of the legendary Royal Trux (second-best American band of the '90s after Hovercraft) with RTX, later christened Black Bananas. Separated from ex-Trux co-mastermind Neil Hagerty, Herrema has gone on a slight arena-rock tangent with surprising Funkadelic-esque undercurrents throbbing beneath the revving Harley-Davidson rock. Her ulcerated rasp turned sweeter on last year's Rad Times Xpress IV, a brazen excursion into maximalist boogie. Wear your flashiest bell-bottoms. DAVE SEGAL

Tuesday 9/3

More like Bumbershot, amirite?