SWARMING HORDES, PLAYING ENEMY, STAGGER LEE
(Chop Suey) One of the many reasons Playing Enemy are such a good live act is the trio's ability to channel intense anger while complicating an intricate mix of metal and dark, noisy hardcore. Whether or not they're a pissed-off bunch, Playing Enemy bring on the hate through deep, demonic vocals, methodically angular guitar/bass work, and drumming that crushes through the rhythms like heavy machinery. When they play live, Enemy's bassist is the visual focus of the band--if only for those insuring that their personal safety stays intact--as he lunges blindly into the crowd with his instrument like it's a weapon, occasionally swiping at whoever's in his way as his eyes roll back and he mouths along with whatever frontman Demian is growling about. Rounding out the bill are bands from the opposite ends of the guitar universe: Swarming Hordes, an instru-metal trio in the same vein as the Fucking Champs, and Stagger Lee--a great throwback to the laid-back rock 'n' roll days of the early Rolling Stones. JENNIFER MAERZ
SPARTA, LOUDERMILK, PLANES MISTAKEN FOR STARS
(Graceland) Made up of Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos, and Tony Hajjar of At the Drive-In, and bassist Matt Miller, Sparta capture the sonic melodicism that their former outfit hinted at but chose to bludgeon the hell out of instead of exploring more fully. Given the choice between the two, I take Sparta rather than grieve for ATDI. Longtime readers of The Stranger will recognize Loudermilk as the band of teens who moved to Seattle from the Tri-Cities and got themselves a record deal with American Recordings, toured with Mötley Crüe, were dropped from their label before their debut even came out, were then picked up by DreamWorks Records, and most recently were featured in Spin's August issue as a band to watch. The boys are all of age now, and it's been a long road for this hard-rocking band. October will mark the long-awaited release of their major-label debut, The Red Album. Say what you want about their brand of music, but you can't deny these guys have weathered one hell of a rough ride to get where they are today and have remained sweet, friendly, and remarkably unjaded throughout their considerable ups and downs. Many a band would have thrown in the towel by now, but Loudermilk's spirit is something to aspire to. There's not an asshole in the bunch. Check 'em out and pay some respect to some of the strongest members of the Northwest's music community. KATHLEEN WILSON
DECEMBERISTS
(Seattle Art Museum) With the same magical lyricism as Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum or Robyn Hitchcock, the Decemberists' songs are loaded with textural imagery, fancy lads and lassies, Chinese trapeze artists, pirates, and other fantastical persons of interest. It doesn't come off like a menagerie of fairy tales, however, since songwriter Colin Meloy sings with the poise of a very intelligent storyteller, weaving each articulate song with a voice so honeyed and true, it's shocking. Backed by accordion, keyboards, upright bass, drums, guitar, and panache, the Decemberists' music is poppy and folky, but somehow neither at the same time--songwriting this good transcends everything and heads straight for the kill, as is evidenced by their latest full-length on Portland's Hush Records. So, you might want to bring a friend who can catch your fall, would that you were to swoon. JULIANNE SHEPHERD
TEXYLVANIA, DISPLAY
(Liquid Lounge) With the exception of perhaps the great Kenny Loggins, the three-piece known as Display are quite possibly the most significant musical force to ever creep their way out of the glorious cesspool that is Everett, Washington. While such an accomplishment might not seem particularly remarkable, their modest beginnings only serve to elevate the enormity of their impact--a reaction that invariably falls somewhere between, "Where the fuck did this come from?!?!?" and, "Oh. My. God." Think Sonic Youth + PiL + This Heat--but don't think too hard. Just show up, and see why your band should practice a whole lot more often. ZAC PENNINGTON
DJ CHEB I SABBAH, DAVID J, DAHLIA
(I-Spy) See Speaker Freak, page 45.
DOUG MARTSCH, MIKE JOHNSON, JAMES MERCER
(Showbox) This night was to feature Ugly Casanova, but due to their cancellation, Shins singer James Mercer is stepping up to play a solo set that will no doubt be nothing short of stunning in its melancholic optimism. Mike Johnson will play songs off his new album, What Would You Do (Up), backed by a full band. Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch's just-released solo album, Now You Know, is a hard disc to consider critically. Personally, many Built to Spill songs left me aching for more lyrics or verses, and some of the live shows made me wish the jams had been shorter. With his solo disc, it's just the opposite. Now I've got the wealth of lyrics I yearned for, but the music is just a tad too "back porchy" for me. I miss the total beauty of the entire package, although "Heart (Things Never Shared)" is as gorgeous as anything BTS ever did as a band, and provides an emotional reaffirmation for those of us who feel like things are a little crazy lately, and proof that we aren't alone. KATHLEEN WILSON
VENDETTA RED, THE DIVORCE, ACCEPTANCE
(Crocodile, early)
VENDETTA RED, THE RUBY DOE, PRIS
(Crocodile, late) It probably won't come as a shock to hear that local darlings Death Cab for Cutie have spent part of their summer vacation wowing U.K. audiences and playing the fabled Reading Festival. You wanna know something crazy, though? Seattle's own Cinderella story Vendetta Red are doing the same--only more so. We're talking European festivals, glowing U.K. press, opening slots for Korn (not bad for a high-octane pop band), and that's not all. The fall sees the release of a new U.K.-only EP (available at tonight's show) and upcoming tours with Dashboard Confessional and Andrew W. K. (VR were hand-picked by both--in fact, word has it that DC's Chris Carraba told them theirs was the best rock show he'd seen in seven years.) There are two shows tonight, so if you've missed them in the past, tonight might just be your last chance before they're plastered all over MTV and selling out stadiums. Who'd have guessed? BARBARA MITCHELL
ALL ABOUT EVIL, UPSTATE, SORE LOSER
(Zak's) With a name like All About Evil, you already know these guys won't be stuttering out cute little pop ditties. Evil's music is about as cute as a mole on Lemmy's face, and the band definitely aspires to the Motörhead king's terminally badass grip on the world--stated most clearly in the chorus of "No Sympathy," when frontman Ed Cagnacci commands, "Don't fuck with me." With songs about making their own rules, wild rides, overdoses, and heads full of hurricanes, this Oakland act is liquor-drinkin', fist-fightin' rock 'n' roll, and I can't think of a better place than Zak's to house their brand of down-and-dirty good times. JENNIFER MAERZ
MATES OF STATE, DEAR NORA
(Graceland) Often wrongly compared to Quasi because they're made up of a married couple, Mates of State are nothing like Quasi, a statement that's not meant to pay any disrespect to either duo. MOS have toured with Superdrag and Beulah, to give you an idea of their niche, and their latest album, Our Constant Concern, was recorded by popular Chicago producer David Trumfio, whose mid-'90s band the Pulsars--which featured some of the most lovely orch-pop you'll ever want to hear--are a sadly overlooked gem. Check the used bins for a copy of the Pulsars' 1997 self-titled album, which features Herb Alpert on trumpet. Just a little trivia for all you fans of Mates of State. KATHLEEN WILSON
SWEARING AT MOTORISTS, SCOUT NIBLETT, JASON TRAEGER
(Sit & Spin) Swearing at Motorists frontman Dave Doughman performs like the kind of friend you should keep your eye on. You know when someone gets dumped and just won't let it go, screaming and sputtering and crying about it, a sickly determined look in his eye? Doughman has this pained quality down pat, and he sets these confused theatrics to some aching guitar/drums-duo indie rock, a loud laundry list of emotional abrasions that makes for a tortured live performance. SAM don't play whiny, "poor little old me" emo--theirs is the sound of caustic relationships and lonely hearts shattering into a thousand pieces, with Doughman bringing the worst of times and the best of times back to life in the course of one song. Even at its quietest moments, SAM is a heartbreaking band--and a great one at that. JENNIFER MAERZ
THE SPITS, THE BASEBALL FURIES, HIGH BEAMS, THE PHARMACY
(Crocodile) See Stranger Suggests, page 23.
CARISSA'S WIERD, THEE MORE SHADOWS, SWEARING AT MOTORISTS, ON ALASKA
(Graceland) See CD Review Revue, page 41.
THE MISSION UK, JENNIFER McLAREN
(Catwalk) Because my knowledge of the Mission UK is limited to their 1998 LP Children, I asked a goth friend of mine, Bess Lovejoy, what she thought of the band. "Mission UK," she said to me as we walked across a small and sunny park, "were one of a handful of bands recommended to me nearly a decade ago, when I set out with determination and eyeliner in hand to become a gothling. I listened to them and thought they were awful. For an earlier generation of black-clads raised on rock they must have made sense, but I was schooled on '80s synth pop (Pet Shop Boys, New Order, etc.) and so was looking more for the lush beat than the brooding guitar." What Bess dislikes about the Mission UK is precisely what I liked about their LP Children: the "brooding guitar," and also the damned vocals of Wayne Hussey. CHARLES MUDEDE
JASON WEBLEY
(Paradox) Folks are pretty passionate about this local artist, calling him a mix of Tom Waits and Uz Jzme Doma, whose music is dark and deeply emotive. His debut, Counterpoint, was released last week on Springman records. (Note: This show is 21 and under only. If you're over 21, you need to be accompanied by a kid to get in. There's definitely a joke in there, but we'll leave it well alone.) KATHLEEN WILSON
THE APOCALYPSTICKS, POSEUR, LESLIWOOD, BEAUTIFUL ENGINES
(Sit & Spin) The Apocalypsticks play very straightforward, three-chord punk, mixing the bitter and the sweet into one singsong style. The women in the band--which includes former members of Hell's Belles--use animated gestures and colorful lyrics to add an extra snarl to the band's perma-sneer. Drummer Laura looks like a cartoon femme fatale, cocking her smile to one side as she pounds out the beats, but it's frontwoman Majenta who steals the stage. The tattooed diva is a punk princess with some dirty little secrets, singing about her triumphant exploits with a charmingly fierce style. JENNIFER MAERZ
TYRESE
(Pier 62/63) Whether he's flailing around in amniotic fluid in the follow-up to Boyz N the Hood, Baby Boy, flaunting his six-pack in Coke commercials and Tommy ads, or singing from his newest CD, 2000 Watts ('cause he's from Watts), 24-year-old Tyrese is unstoppable, simply because THE MAN IS HOTTER AND MOISTER THAN A NEW ORLEANS AUGUST. Humbly spurning suggestions that he's a sex symbol, he still manages to rub you down with such buttery, Babyface-d R&B hits as "I Like Them Girls" (we like you, too!), "Fling" (when?), and "Off the Heazy" (fuck yeah). As you can see, it doesn't really matter if Tyrese is singing Barbra Streisand, "The Star-Spangled Banner," or lamping over some old Ramsey Lewis riffs. So it's the icing on the cake that his singing voice is pretty easy on the ears--but you're really going to go 'cause he's one of the most attractive men alive today. JULIANNE SHEPHERD
GEHENNA, TEEN CTHULHU, WORMWOOD, LORDS OF LIGHT
(Graceland) See preview, page 40.
MEG LEE CHIN, CHRIS CONNELLY
(Liquid Lounge) For some reason, any artist who's even dabbled in the industrial scene tends to get painted into a very monochromatic (i.e., dark) corner. So clear the cobwebs from your mind and open your ears--because although he's considered one of industrial music's leading figures thanks to work in outfits like Ministry, Pigface, and the Revolting Cocks, singer Chris Connelly is far from one-dimensional. Or loud. Or scary. In fact, Connelly's solo work is elegant and stately, sounding more like Bowie's more mannered moments, the gorgeously dark pop of Scott Walker, or the more subtle work of Nick Cave than the bombastic temper tantrums of Trent Reznor and co.--and anyone who's a fan of those abovementioned artists should not only check out tonight's show but also pick up a copy of Connelly's excellent new album, Private Education. Go ahead. Let go of those silly industrial-based preconceptions--you'll thank me in the morning. BARBARA MITCHELL
It is going to hurt.
WIRE, HOT HOT HEAT
(Showbox) See preview, page 39.
AZURE RAY, HER SPACE HOLIDAY, BROKEN SPINDLES, NOW IT'S OVERHEAD
(Graceland) There are many virtues to extol when discussing the acoustic duo of Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink (speaking of whom, when did Flannery O'Connor start naming indie rock stars?), better known as Azure Ray. But I'm not here to talk about their fine recent LP, Burn and Shiver (WARM), nor their subtle pop-song constructions, nor their comely appearance (nor even their former band, Little Red Rocket, whose Tim/Kerr CD, Who Did You Pay?, I loved). No, I come to praise the best reason for going to an Azure Ray show: the elaborate interplay of two nearly unadorned female voices, melody and harmony weaving in and out of one another, stepping up, falling back, and melding into a more or less perfect blend that maintains the discrete personalities of the individual voices while blurring the line between lead and backing vocals. This blessed asset is one of the best reasons humans are born with ears, so listen up. Broken Spindles is the ambient electro act from Joel Petersen of the Faint. SEAN NELSON
Ouch.
