FRIDAY 12/26


DEATH DISCO W/DJS BP FALLON & JAIME COON, MS. MARGIE & LIBBY (FRENCH 75), COLBY
(Chop Suey) I don't mean to be cynical, but I don't understand why a DJ needs to come all the way from England (or New York) to mix up the Hives, the Stooges, the Saints, Daft Punk, the Clash, and other old-versus-new-school sounds, when you can hear the same shit all the time--at the Lava Lounge, the Hideaway, Revolver, and the Twilight--from our local record collectors. But it's not gonna take much incentive to get people to this show, because as with those bars, entrance is free, and I will say I like the idea of DJs who get the rock kids out on the dance floor. JENNIFER MAERZ

ERNESTINE ANDERSON & HER TRIO, RED HOLLOWAY
(Jazz Alley) As far as classy celebrations go, holiday shows rank pretty low, just above Mardi Gras. But this week doesn't have to be all about surrounding oneself with "whoo"-yelling, puke-smelling lowlifes and banal bar bands (unless that's what you're looking for). Butter-voice balladeer Ernestine Anderson knows something about special occasions, having attended several Grammy ceremonies (she's been nominated four times) and participated in high-profile tributes to Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, and Quincy Jones. There's no one in town who's better at belting out standards, so Anderson's version of "Auld Lang Syne" should be unforgettable. ANDREW MILLER

SATURDAY 12/27


MEDUSA, DJ TOPSPIN, BLUE SCHOLARS, URBAN SCRIBES PROJECT, JENNIFER JOHNS
(Chop Suey, early) See the Truth, page 39.

REGGIE WATTS & FRIENDS, IGUALES, DJ GOLD DROP
(Chop Suey, late) See the Truth, page 39.

GATSBY'S AMERICAN DREAM, LOUDERMILK, SURROUNDED BY LIONS
(Graceland, early) They may not be the night's headliners, but Loudermilk are sure to play like it. The Tri-Cities four-piece has lived a lifetime of big-label highs and lows in the five years since the then-teenagers first became the target of A&R men offering the moon (signing with American, releasing The Red Record on DreamWorks when American wouldn't put it out, touring with Dashboard Confessional and the Mooney Suzuki before heading back to the Tri-Cities to focus on recording again). I hear the new record sounds like Queen and I don't doubt it, as singer/songwriter Davey Ingersoll is nothing if not schooled in the blessed bombast of classic rock. The wrench the band struggles with now is Universal's acquisition of DreamWorks. Loudermilk was forced to play a glorified audition in Los Angeles a few weeks back, and the chance of fans ever getting to hear the new album is subject to the whim of bean counters. These kids deserve way better than that. KATHLEEN WILSON

LOAD LEVELERS, POORSPORT, KILL THE PRECEDENT, THIRD
(Graceland, late) While one has to question the logic behind making a skate-punk show 21-and-over, I firmly believe that if anyone is capable of bringing jaded twentysomethings to their feet, it's Poorsport. Though the songs themselves are the epitome of their genre, packed with dry wit and surprisingly catchy melodies, the band's real talent lies in its live show. Vocalist Kevin Mackey's rapid-fire yet articulate lyrics, heartthrob bassist Ben Dietzen's frequent sprints through the crowd, and all four members' gift for honestly funny stage banter combine to prove, time and time again, that skate punk isn't just for preteens and video games anymore. JAMES SUTTER

SEASPOT.COM HOLIDAY PARTY W/DJ KUN LUV, THE GHETTO PREZ, GUESTS
(Showbox) Despite being dogged by the police, being disrupted by gang violence, and also being criticized by the press, the rap scene in the Northwest persists. It will not die or go away, and so those who have a problem with the music and the culture it represents have no other choice but to give up and let the party go on to the break of dawn. Reppin' the north urban scene since 1998, Seaspot.com has weathered all of these hostilities and a difficult economy to maintain the best hiphop website in Seattle. In terms of who it represents, Seaspot.com is the most racially diverse in our region, covering hiphop events in white, black, and Asian neighborhoods and clubs. As far as I can tell, no other major websites and newspapers in our town covered the Filipino hiphop extravaganza that took place last October. For that alone, Seaspot deserves to be in here from '98 until infinity. CHARLES MUDEDE

SUNDAY 12/28


THE SOVIETTES, BLACKBELT, TOURIST
(Fun House) Like the B-52's meet Sleater-Kinney, Minneapolis' the Soviettes are a prime example of how to do new-wave punk right. The female harmonies skate on ebullient guitar riffs, piping out an energy that's both rough 'n' tumble and tenderly sweet--the kind of edgy, poppy punk that positions this band perfectly left of center. They have a new record out on (Green Day's) Billie Joe Armstrong's Adeline label and have gotten rave reviews from their hometown press, so I'll bet anything that they're worth checking out live. JENNIFER MAERZ

MONDAY 12/29
It's hard to believe, isn't it?

TUESDAY 12/30


DOUMA, HEATHER DUBY, TIM BLONDE & THE NATURALS
(Crocodile) Only a few times a year does Seattle cough up a band or artist with a sound not matched by any other outfit. This past year I can name two: Cobra High, and Heather Duby, whose latest album, Come Across the River, is a darkly lit blend of electronic beats and Mazzy Star-like breeziness. KATHLEEN WILSON

WEDNESDAY 12/31


THE HEAVEN AND HELL BALL--LIFESAVAS, THE LONG WINTERS, THE DECEMBERISTS, THE CAROLINES, ANNA OXYGEN, CARRIE AKRE, IQU, GUESTS
(Consolidated Works) The number of talented Northwest artists (from all over the genre spectrum--including indie rock, electro pop, and hiphop) on this bill is completely overwhelming. This show is like a mini Capitol Hill Block Party, minus the beer gardens and politicians. There are too many favorites here to pick one, but I will say that the last music event I saw at ConWorks included Lifesavas, and those guys have the art of performing down to a science. If they're anything less than enormous in 2004, there's something completely wrong with this world. (Lifesavas were so jubilant at that show they even got a postperformance hug from a little old lady in the front row.) JENNIFER MAERZ See also preview, page 31.

NEW YEAR'S EVE SPECTACULAR W/THE DIVORCE, THE LIGHTS, ROTTEN APPLES, THE LASHES
(Crocodile) When the date is tied up in tradition, as it is on New Year's Eve, bands that strive to deliver nothing less than straight-up, energetic "bar band" rock are a necessity, lest things get too complicated for the festivities. Thankfully, though all the bands on tonight's bill qualify for the "straight-up, energetic" category, they transcend the bar band qualifier by being challenging without also being difficult. The Divorce encapsulates an aggressive Brit-pop sound and the energy of frustrated youth, while the Lashes and the Rotten Apples play up rock's bratty swagger. The Lights take all of the above and temper it with a non-threatening brainy element--making this show the infallible choice among all of tonight's offerings. KATHLEEN WILSON

FORTUNE KIKI, WAKE UP, WESLEY HOLMES, JACOB LONDON, BRIAN LYONS, FUTURE SOUL DJS
(Capitol Hill Arts Center) If you can't get your groove on here, you truly are grooveless, as Fortune Kiki and Wake Up offer two rooms of sweltering electronic goodness. Wesley Holmes, Jacob London, and Brian Lyons bring the deep-house business that makes them household names among house fanatics (that's right), while in the other space, the Future Soul crew (SunTzu Sound DJs, Kim Nauman & DJ Collage, and Jayson Powell) fix you up with that fresh UK export, broken beat. You can be certain that both of these styles will generate plenty of sensual heat and raise hormone levels off the scales. We figure you have at least a 53 percent chance of getting laid if you go. DAVE SEGAL

THE GIRLS, TYCO PARTY, SCIENCE VICTIM, SPECIAL GUESTS
(Hideaway) There are a lot of great shows tonight, but this is where I'm gonna have to plant myself to end the year. Whether it's offering high kicks, stripteases, crappy costumes, or frontmen who look like they're gonna snap and strangle someone, this lineup is sure to leave the mood in the room anything but dour, and together the antics of the musicians on this bill will light up the final moments of 2003. JENNIFER MAERZ

PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES, THE CATHETERS, HINT HINT
(Graceland) If one band stands to tell the story of Seattle's recent local success, that band, without a doubt, is Pretty Girls Make Graves. Though the brash five-piece had already garnered a loyal fan base through exhaustive touring, their deal with Matador Records and subsequent media splash (too many magazines to recount here, and several MTV appearances) have made them one of the country's most praised punk rock bands. Then there's the accolades gathered by bass player Derek Fudesco's imprint Cold Crush Records, an outlet for the fine ears of him and his partner, Steve Aoki--Anna Oxygen, Cobra High, and tonight's frenetic bill-mates Hint Hint all call Cold Crush home. KATHLEEN WILSON

THE MEXICAN BLACKBIRDS, NEW LUCK TOY, LADY KERRIN B
(Comet Tavern) If you haven't already, check out the new Mexican Blackbirds record on Dirtnap. It's a good slice of local garage punk, and a great hint of the rowdy soundtrack the band is gonna bring to New Year's Eve. In 2004, the band is putting out a 7-inch with Portland garage punks the Hunches, but for tonight they're paired up with New Luck Toy, a group that puts punk and pop on the spin cycle and comes out spastic. JENNIFER MAERZ

SUNSET McNEW YEAR'S W/CHRISTY McWILSON, SCOTT McCAUGHEY, DJ MF McCAKE, DJ McTACO SUPREME
(Sunset) Here's an absolute fact--it's gosh-darned impossible to be in a bad mood around Scott McCaughey. The de facto mayor of the Seattle music scene, McCaughey (leader of the Young Fresh Fellows and the Minus 5, among god-only-knows-how-many-other musical projects) seems to sport a permanent grin, along with his ever-present sunglasses and trusty drink. That's why it makes perfect sense to blow out the old year and welcome in the new with McCaughey, his wife Christy McWilson, and all their McFriends. Nothing bad can possibly happen to you around Scott--unless you count the hangover, of course.... BARBARA MITCHELL

BIG SANDY & HIS FLY-RITE BOYS, THE ROY KAY TRIO
(Tractor) Robert "Big Sandy" Williams says he's most comfortable playing for fans who love to dance, so the always-festive New Year's crowd should be a treat for him. The pleasure will be mutual, because Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys rank among today's most eager-to-please acts. Unlike the twang-free swing revival, Big Sandy's rootsy sound isn't diluted by winking irony and flashy gimmicks. True, this California-based, Texas-sounding outfit records with vintage amps and wears suits that match down to the buttons, but its raw, meaty tunes feel like a fresh slab rather than a warmed-up leftover. ANDREW MILLER

MORAL CRUX, GROUND ZERO, SOCIAL REJECTX
(The Lucky Break, Moses Lake) For anyone resolving to be more issues-aware in the upcoming election year, this gig should provide a painless primer on hot topics. A potent pop-punk/poli-sci hybrid, Moral Crux addresses essay-topic themes such as "Democracy" and "Rights and Freedoms" in its hook-heavy tunes. Its sound resembles Screeching Weasel, except while that band proclaimed politics are boring on an early track, Moral Crux finds the field riveting. More importantly, the 20-year-old Eastern Washington outfit keeps its discourse interesting for listeners as well, without resorting to cartoonishly radical rhetoric or ostentatious obscenity. ANDREW MILLER

DJ MOSES, RICHARD SEGOVIA, PURO BANDIDO, JON LEMMON, JEROMY NAIL
(Baltic Room) Latin dance music from San Francisco? If you can think of a sexier way to bring in 2004 than this (with your clothes on), please do tell. Part of the Uniting Souls posse, DJ Moses spins that tuneful brand of organic-sounding house that makes you shiver and shake with equal brio. Joining him on the bill are Richard Segovia and his Puro Bandido, who are sure to pound out spicy beats on instruments that end with vowels. These cats have played with Carlos Santana, Sheila E, and Pete Escovedo, so they've got cred and skills to burn (and make you burn). With residents Jon Lemmon and Jeromy Nail. DAVE SEGAL