THURSDAY 11/4


SUSHIROBO, THE GLASSES, INFOMATIK, FEY RAY
(Nectar) Sushirobo seem to exist to put life's narcotic highs and alcohol-fueled lows all in perspective. You'd think that the band would be content to knock out their Teutonic-style locked grooves and jagged-edge guitar frenzies and just throw some hiccupping dejected hipster vocals on top and call it a day. But no, they've got to get all smart and put this guy Arthur Roberts out in front and it's all clearly enunciated literate alliteration with a little bit of surreal finger pointing thrown in. It's spastic rock for scientists. JON PRUETT

MEDESKI, MARTIN AND WOOD
(Showbox) For 12 years, this New York trio has been almost all things to almost everybody without blanding out. With enviable dexterity and flexibility, John Medeski (keyboards), Billy Martin (drums, percussion), and Chris Wood (basses) reinvigorate classic '60s soul jazz and funk, incorporate world influences into trippy excursions (jam-band fans adore them), and go off on odd tangents that get downtown NY avant-gardists all hot under their hair shirts. The new End of the World Party (Just in Case)--robustly produced by Dust Brother John King--reaffirms MM+W's impeccable versatility and virtuosity. Whether you're a gearhead marveling at the group's chops or you just want to dance your ass off, this gig will satisfy your needs. DAVE SEGAL

JIMMY EAT WORLD, RECOVER, SMOOSH
(Premier) After three full-lengths, Jimmy Eat World finally found success with their 2001 self-titled release. The hit single, "The Middle," got the band write ups in magazines like Rolling Stone and People. Having had that initial taste of national success, it seems JEW are hoping they can keep the ball rolling with their new record, Futures. The album's weighty pop songs are gleaming with overproduction, and any hint of aggression is quickly subverted with an overabundance of sensitive sappiness. Futures is completely lacking that desired Jimmy Eat World edge. In a word, it's boring. But the band never fails to put forth an energetic live show, so I guess I'll still be there. MEGAN SELING

UNKLE, DJ EVA
(Chop Suey) UNKLE have lost the plot. Their early releases for band leader James Lavelle's Mo' Wax still sound vibrant, taking down-tempo funk and instrumental hiphop to astral planes where few have dwelled. But now UNKLE feel the urge to "rock," and they've succumbed to a bombastic-is-best mindset. Their tunes cloy rather than uplift, and even appearances by Massive Attack's 3D, Brian Eno, and Stone Roses' Mani and Ian Brown can't rescue the widescreen Never, Never, Land from overwrought blandness. For tonight's show, UNKLE masterminds Lavelle and Richard File plan a "decks and effects" multimedia presentation of the band's old and new songs. Pray they do "The Time Has Come" and "Berry Meditation." DAVE SEGAL

FRIDAY 11/5


STRAYLIGHT RUN, HOT ROD CIRCUIT, NORTHSTAR, SAY ANYTHING
(Graceland) See All Ages Action, page 47.

...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD, DANCE DISASTER MOVEMENT, THE CASSETTES
(Neumo's) See Stranger Suggests, page 19.

THE DWARVES, POISON IDEA, BAD WIZARD, THE WITNESSES
(Graceland) The Witnesses are basic bar-band rock with a tour van. Bad Wizard have that same earthy classic rock thing going on, but they're like the drunken offspring of the Riverboat Gamblers and Zen Guerrilla (catchy, heavy, lots of hair). And when they played I-Spy forever ago, Bad Wizard's frontman got so drunk he took off his shoes and pulled out his dick. JENNIFER MAERZ

HARDCORE UFOS, THE COPS, THE JEUNES
(Sunset) When a local band's debut live show involves opening for the Walkmen, you know you're in for something good. And the Cops are very, very good. With members hailing from local bands Hello from Waveland and Kinski, this four-piece singe the stage with their equal parts Elvis Costello, the Clash, the Smithereens, Dramarama, and Pixies. This show celebrates the release of their debut Why Kids Go Wrong, due out November 2 on Mt. Fuji Records. The Jeunes will open the night with their darkly delicious blend of old wave infused indie-rock: Think of all the favorite riffs of your Hoodoo Gurus, Joy Division, and early R.E.M. vinyl collection blaring through duel vintage VOX speakers. DANA BOS

SUN CITY GIRLS, SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE
(Triple Door) Sun City Girls' semi-frequent gigging of late has been a godsend for folks into unpredictable, pan-global, polyglot, mind-fucking music. With the Triple Door's vaunted sound system, SCG's shape-shifting songs should come to hideously vivid life. Six Organs of Admittance warm up the crowd with haunting folk-guitar excursions that open out into spellbinding mantras. Expect sublime frequencies aplenty. DAVE SEGAL

SATURDAY 11/6


PSYCHIC TV, BLACK ATMOSPHERE, THE LIQUEFIED
(Chop Suey) See preview, page 30.

SIGNER, ARIEL PINK, GREG DAVIS
(Lo_Fi Performance Gallery) See Data Breaker, page 29.

LAURA VEIRS, LYREBIRD, KARL BLAU
(Tractor) See preview, page 33.

BYRDIE, BLUE SCHOLARS MUSIC VIDEO SCREENING PARTY FEATURING RA SCION AND DJ TONE
(Vera Project) See My Philosophy, page 38 and Stranger Suggests, page 19.

THE FAINT, TV ON THE RADIO, BEEP BEEP
(Showbox) When they named a song "Your Retro Career Melted" on 2001's Danse Macabre, the Faint probably didn't foresee it becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Yet that's exactly what's happened with Wet from Birth, the Nebraska boys' first major disappointment since forming in the mid-'90s. Vocalist Todd Baechle sounds like he's going through the motions and his lyrical skills are suddenly limited to tongue-in-cheek confessions ("I was acting indifferent at the merch booth, putting on makeup") and ridiculous sex paeans. Even those embarrassing bon mots could be forgiven, however, if the band's music was anything but the most predictable nostalgia trip, complete with brazen rip-offs of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" ("Symptom Finger") and Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" ("Erection"). The new Faint don't blow up so much as, well, melt down. JIMMY DRAPER See also Stranger Suggests, page 19.

CARMEN ELECTRA
(Element) Venerable thespian Carmen Electra magnanimously donates her time (11 pm-1 am) tonight to host Element's Atmosphere, and to help celebrate the opening of Heaven, the exclusive VIP room at Seattle's new mainstream-dance mecca. DAVE SEGAL

KINSKI, MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE, MIMINOKOTO
(Sunset) Tokyo garage-psych group Miminokoto recall Ghost at their most spectral and dewy, judging by the MP3s I sampled on their website. Master Musicians of Bukkake can wow you with boozy Beefheartian blooz-rock Dadaism or woo you with their deranged version of whirled musick [sic]. MMOB's The Visible Sign of the Invisible Order (Abduction) comes out November 16 and is highly recommended. Kinski continue to improve, getting more adventurously exploratory and rocking with more gusto. Their recent shows bode well for their forthcoming album in early 2005. DAVE SEGAL

GOGOL BORDELLO, DEVOTCHKA
(Graceland) I've never been to Teatro ZinZanni. No offense, but dinner theatre sounds kinda gay to me. I have however seen Gogol Bordello live, and if Teatro ZinZanni is anything like their self-described Gypsy Punk Cabaret, then "table for two Mr. Balloon Pants." Made up of immigrants from Russia, the Ukraine, and Israel, the band now lives in New York where they draw from the traditional musical influences of their countries as well as their love of punk rock 'n' roll. Not to be missed, the live show has been known to feature Brazilian drummers, throat singers, and ballerinas. Openers DeVotchKa were described by CMJ as the best unsigned band in America. No wonder nobody reads that magazine anymore. JED MAHEU

TIM ARMSTRONG & LARS FREDERICKSON, MXPX, EDDIE SPAGHETTI
(Fenix Underground) While tonight's show does feature one half of the classic Berkeley punk band Rancid, don't expect the same elating chaos typical Rancid shows supply. Tonight Tim and Lars are stripping their songs down to the bare bones and playing acoustic, which I think could be amazing. MxPx open the show with an acoustic set of their own, which is perfect since the band is releasing an acoustic EP along with their DVD, B-Movie, later this year. MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 11/7


BNSF, DJ RAMITECH
(CHAC Lower Level) Releasing an album on Chicago's Locust Music label is an honor, and Seattle trio BNSF earn it with Object 6. At its most extreme, BNSF's music ripples, squeals, wails, splutters, and ululates like a menagerie of agitated beasts forced to endure Mariah Carey's Greatest Hits. Saxophonist Adam scars the air with the tenacity of free-jazz titan Archie Shepp while percussionist Matt Crane and guitarist Jason E. Anderson conjure the chaotic scrabbling of improv explorers M.E.V. As if deconstructing the sounds of a construction zone, BNSF recreate the subliminal susurrations and cryptic whirs of machines whose functions you can't fathom. DAVE SEGAL

MONDAY 11/8


BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, MELLOWDRONE, COCAINE UNICORNS
(Crocodile) As the recent film Dig! reminds us, the BJM is the least reliable live act in the history of recorded music. One listen to any of their many great albums confirms their talent, but one quick memory scan recalls shows that ranged from boring to incredibly boring, a few moments of brilliance, and the unshakeable impression that the band would be happier looking in a mirror than standing on a stage. It's been several years, though, so one hopes they're more into it now. Also, Portland's Cocaine Unicorn offer--in addition to the best band name of this or any other year--satisfyingly melodic indie pop, with a distinct '66 vintage strain. SEAN NELSON

ENTRANCE, JOHN ATKINS, MAT BROOKE
(The Sunset) Entrance is the stage name for Guy Blakeslee, whose basement blues have been collected in a new disc of lo-fi wanderlust, Wandering Stranger (Fat Possum). His wailing, whimpering vocals tremble across fingerpicking acoustic-guitar work, fleshing out the sparse singer-songwriter thing with a range of off-kilter emotion. JENNIFER MAERZ

LES SAVY FAV, COBRA HIGH, SMOKE AND SMOKE, DJ ROY
(Neumo's) On Love Suffers Long, a title evoking a theme common to singer Spencer Moody's paintings, his band Smoke and Smoke delivers a scorching comment on stark observations and the ugly sights they may reveal. Seattle can spawn beauty and it can just as easily suck the life right out of it, and while Moody swings from homage to contempt for the city he grew up in, the rest of his band--bassist Mike Kunka and drummer Dan Haugh (the power duo of the late godheadSilo)--pound out a blood-pumping sonic swell as melodious as it is seizing. Love Suffers Long is a proud (albeit brief at under 30 minutes) debut from this rarely seen band, a record that feels as solid and hard as a plank of hickory to the back of the head, and suggests the beauty of nature is quite possibly in a state of ruin. KATHLEEN WILSON See also Stranger Suggests, page 19.

SHINEDOWN, SILVERTIDE, FUTURE LEADERS OF THE WORLD
(Graceland) Silvertide are the Black Crowes minus Kate Hudson. If you've gotten a bad case of Alzheimer's since that band broke up, you might find Silvertide's denim boogie refreshing, but then again you might find shitting in your pants refreshing, too. JENNIFER MAERZ

TUESDAY 11/9


TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS, LUCERO, THE LASHES, THE REPUTATION
(Neumo's) The urgency of DC/NJ dynamo Ted Leo defies the maudlin molasses of emo, and trumps the dewy-eyed posturing of contemporary singer-songwriting. But if it's his intensity that wins you over, it's his airtight craft that makes his records--especially 2001's The Tyranny of Distance--classic artifacts of the invisible hit parade. His new one, Shake the Sheets, is another great salvo from Leo's seemingly bottomless arsenal of frantic pop. And his live show is every bit as thrilling as his records. SEAN NELSON

McLUSKY, YOURCODENAMEIS: MILO, THE LIGHTS
(Crocodile) I'd love to see Grammys given to artists with the best album and song titles. Then Mclusky would not only sweep this year's ceremony, collecting a bronze gramaphone for their current offering, The Difference Between You and Me Is That I'm Not on Fire, but they also might garner a lifetime-achievement award for the cumulative hilarity of such gems as "Lightsaber Cocksucking Blues," and "White-on-White Liberal Action." Since that's not going to happen, all smart punk fans (particularly those still harboring affection for Fugazi, Slint, Shellac or No Means No) should attend these shows and give the thunderous, whip-smart Welsh trio the standing ovation they deserve. HANNAH LEVIN See also Live Wire, page 37.

THE WARLOCKS, DEAD MEADOW, THE OUTCROWD
(Graceland) Dead Meadow's bong-psych approach to celebrating the Holy Sabbath is filthier than Kelis' hot-pink thong, and 10 times as sludgy. The trio's colorful Matador effort, Shivering King and Others, explored Deep Purple and Blue Cheer territory through rose-colored glasses with epic plodders like "I Love You, Too" and "Good Moanin.'" When triple-thick fuzz churns deep riffs toward almost hypnotic highs, it's like J. Mascis on a sick Southern-fried bummer trip, but backward for satanic effect. JOAN HILLER

THE ABODOX, KAYO DOT, PHOBOPHOBE
(Sunset) Formed from the ashes of prog-metallers Maudlin of the Well, Boston octet Kayo Dot swerve into more experimental areas with symphonic grandeur and athletic brawn on their recent Choirs of the Eye (on John Zorn's Tzadik label). Imagine a more fleet-footed Melvins or a more airy, spacious Dillinger Escape Plan and you're edging closer to Kayo Dot's uncluttered outpost of the rock spectrum. These Beantowners know how to use space for maximum poignancy like Slint did or Cerberus Shoal do and their melodic grandiosity might even sit well with Mercury Rev fans. DAVE SEGAL

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES
(Paramount) I'm sure you've heard all the buzzing major-label rumors (which are everywhere on the Internet) about Death Cab signing a deal with Atlantic. The band, their current label Barsuk Records, and Atlantic have yet to officially comment on the news, however, so it shall remain hearsay. Major label or not, Death Cab have surely been getting plenty of recognition as of late (well-deserved, I must say), and tonight they'll play to an adoring hometown crowd--the evening's sure to be enchanting. MEGAN SELING

WEDNESDAY 11/10


PANTHERS, DEATH FROM ABOVE, VIETNAM
(Chop Suey) See preview, page 29.

MCLUSKY, YOURCODENAMEIS: MILO, THE RUBY DOE
(Crocodile) See Tuesday's preview.

STAN RIDGWAY
(Triple Door) See Border Radio, page 41.