THURSDAY 2/22

MARK EITZEL
(EMP) As this is part of EMP's Speaker Series, expect Mark Eitzel's dour charm and easy intelligence to inform both his performance as well as his nonmusical chit-chat. Above all that, there's Eitzel's knack for throwing some chords into the mix--a knack that makes him a superior singer-songwriter upon whom the listener rarely wishes for extra instrumentation to descend. (I think of Tracy Chapman, whose career began its downward spiral the second she threw that plunkety fucking banjo into "Freedom Now.") In the vein of contemporaries like Ryan Adams or Elliott Smith, Eitzel began his career with a good band, American Music Club, only to prove himself far more compelling as a solo performer on acoustic guitar. Imagine a younger, smarter Joe Cocker, with thoughtful songs set in a bleak, booze-soaked America. JEFF DeROCHE

THE NEED, S, EXBESTFRIENDS
(Graceland) When the Need visited late last year, the group was a fierce female punk-metal duo with rather operatic tendencies: It was entirely congruous to find out the band had staged an opera several months before (surprisingly, a stinker). But without the encumbrances of plot and philosophy, the Need's live show is an intense shoot-out of drums, voice, and guitar, which ambitiously builds from old genres something that feels thrillingly new. With the addition of Joe Preston (Melvins) on bass and guitar, I doubt the Need has quieted down any. If you are a fan of Crash Worship, later Fugazi, the Blood Brothers, or the Ring Cycle, this is your kind of thing. See exbestfriends preview this issue. GRANT COGSWELL

BRIAN BERG
(Liquid Lounge at EMP) Singer/songwriter Brian Berg heads up Portland's 44 Long, but he's a prolific solo performer, too. His distinctive, reedy voice imparts a lasting resonance to his clever lyrics about time, the road, and that old songwriter's standby, love. KATHLEEN WILSON

TRANSMARINE, THE RUBY DOE, TEXAS INSTRUMENT
(Sit & Spin) Transmarine kicks off its West Coast tour this evening at Sit & Spin. This Seattle quintet, which features Fairgrove drummer Chris Vandebrooke on guitar and vocals, creates an even balance of shoegazer and indie rock, sounding more shoegazer when it shimmers and meanders on extended guitar jams, and more indie when Vandebrooke sings in a voice that is fine but reluctant--equal parts endearing and distracting. When the two guitar players are going at their instruments, you can easily see why this is an excellent band. When Vandebrooke is hesitant, you wait for him, and for Transmarine, to let go and fulfill their promise. JEFF DeROCHE


FRIDAY 2/23

CARISSA'S WIERD, KINGSBURY MANX, SWORDS PROJECT
(Crocodile) Pretty beyond belief, the Kingsbury Manx crosses all territories between unadorned a cappella and sweeping majesty. Some will hear influences of early Pink Floyd as well as the Beach Boys in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina four-piece, but Kingsbury Manx is certainly not retro-sounding. The band's ethereal lushness and slowed-down tempos encompass that elusive modern-day skill for molding influences into something fresh and alive, with none of that stench of irony, or gassy archivist's laziness. The Swords Project might be Portland's answer to godspeed you black emperor! (the band's exclamation point, not mine). Among its eight members the instrumental group features two sets of drummers, two guitar players, a bass player, and two gals who manage to simultaneously juggle between them a Rhodes piano, accordion, violin, and flute. KATHLEEN WILSON

THE BRIEFS, THE GLORYHOLES, 10-4 BACKDOOR
(Gibson's) Ask your folks what the name means. I'll just let you know that the Gloryholes (not to mention tonight's other local act the Briefs) have been stirring the pot, so to speak, of this city's ardent little punk scene. Loud, fast, energetic, and honest punk rock is a damn fine way to celebrate a birthday, if I do say so myself, which is exactly what I'll be doing at Gibson's tonight. Once again (with a wash of blisteringly satisfying music and warm, dark beer) I can put off the age-old question: At what age does one no longer have the right to enjoy such wanton hedonism? NATE LEVIN

TINY KINGS, HONEY TONGUE, PREACHER BOY
(OK Hotel) Christopher Watkins chooses to perform under the name "Preacher Boy," a fitting moniker given the dusky, slightly backwoodsish country blues he creates. His latest album, The Devil's Buttermilk, combines the raspy eclecticism of Tom Waits, the doom-and-gloom glory of Nick Cave, and the Appalachian-tinged prophecy of 16 Horsepower, among other influences. Like many artists treading off the beaten path, he's managed to garner acclaim abroad, racking up critical praise (and touring and recording with the likes of Eagle Eye Cherry) in other countries, while remaining relatively unknown here. If you like your music dark, beautiful, desperate, and soulful, you definitely won't want to miss this show. BARBARA MITCHELL

BERLIN, THE GOVERNMENT, EVIL LITTLE MAN
(Ballard Firehouse) Yes, this is the Berlin of the 1980s. They had that one hit where she went, "Riding on the Met-ro-oh-oh..." and, of course, "Take My Breath Away," from Top Gun. That was a dramatic video. She was holding a scarf as it blew in the wind.... JEFF DeROCHE

SEAN LENNON, CARRIE AKRE, DAMIEN JURADO, TIMO ELLIS
(EMP) Perhaps the most exciting thing about Sean Lennon's performance tonight at the EMP is that he will own the title of Closest Relative of Yoko Ono Currently in Seattle. Otherwise, the story is kind of boring: The hip offspring of a genius (and a husband who ruined her by turning her into a hippie) grows up, starts hanging out with the Beastie Boys, dates that pretty lady from Cibo Matto, puts out a record of lovey-dovey snoozers, and comes to Seattle to play the EMP. If you're one of those people who feels the need to touch fire, no amount of yammering from me is going to stop you. At least you can say that you supported Home Alive, for which the show is a benefit. JEFF DeROCHE

NOMEANSNO, REMOVAL, AUTOMATON
(Graceland) NoMeansNo is a revved up, drum-and-bass-driven punk band that came out of quaint Victoria, BC back in 1981. This is a band that must be seen or heard to be understood, but if you need a point of reference, maybe think Devo meets Mr. Bungle. The brothers in NoMeansNo give smart, silly, consistently off-kilter lyrics performed over abrupt, hard-hitting drums and remarkably synchronized bass, capable of filling Graceland with 20 years of punk rock history still in the making. JEFF DeROCHE


SATURDAY 2/24

POST STARDOM DEPRESSION, LOUDERMILK, AUTOMATIC
(Crocodile) In a city full of rock bands that strive to appear egoless, it's shocking--and at times invigorating--to see a couple of local bands flood a club stage with bombast. Two of this bill's groups have caught the eyes of major labels: Post Stardom Depression recently snagged a multimillion-dollar deal with Interscope, and Loudermilk is signed to Rick Rubin's American Recordings. Post Stardom Depression features a few of Seattle's music veterans and sounds a bit like the Black Crowes and early Rolling Stones, while Loudermilk calls to mind Thin Lizzy, Guns N' Roses, and Mötley Crüe, the latter of which the band toured with last year. Given their obvious influences, both PSD and Loudermilk rock with an all but lost abandon. KATHLEEN WILSON

2 LIVE CREW
(Jimmy Z's) Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew deeply penetrated American culture. He rubbed the rap game up and down to give himself both infamy and millions of dollars, was the secret lover of Miami when that city banned his album, and got George Lucas all hot and bothered over his appropriation of the name Luke Skywalker. He even got his pen wet in the publishing industry with an autobiography. For a number of years he had the entire nation shifting in its seat (even in courtrooms), hot under the collar and sweaty-palmed, discussing his performance. Campbell hasn't been weaseling his hand up our skirts in almost 10 years; the most he's done are "Best of" compilations, which in this context is akin to some barfly talking about how much play he used to get. Campbell is not coming to the Northwest to pimp the Tacoma Dome or to sex up the Showbox, but to reminisce at Jimmy Z's in Everett. You might snicker at a has-been, but when you hear "Heeeyyy, we want some puuuusaaaay," you'll begin to remember the affair. BRIAN GOEDDE


SUNDAY 2/25

SEATTLE CHAMBERS PLAYERS & JOHN ZORN
(Benaroya Hall) Of all the current musicians and composers that Ken Burns could have neglected to mention at the end of his PBS magnum opus Jazz, none was so glaring as John Zorn (with the exception of David S. Ware, Matthew Shipp, and William Parker). To ignore the profound output of this singular personality shows how narrow the perspective of the canon can be. Sure, Zorn is a rule-breaker. He's combative, strange, and downright scary. But in terms of the ideas informing the execution of a composition, none are so interesting as Mauricio Kagel's and John Zorn's. The Seattle Chamber Players will be performing with Zorn a selection of his eclectic classical compositions, like the spooky lullaby "Music for Children," and "Cat O' Nine Tails" for strings. Also on the bill are an assortment of improvisational pieces, some from his Masada project, and his game piece "Rugby." KREG HASEGAWA

DEATHRAY
(Crocodile) Shot with a deathray of fuzzed-out and jangly guitars, smooth and tasty vocals, and lyrics about crazy people and lies. It's no ordinary power blaster... just Sacramento pop band Deathray, featuring ex-members of another golden sun child, Cake. Locally, it seems Deathray has kindred spirits à la Alien Crime Syndicate minus the space, with a little Fountains of Wayne and the Cars for punchy kick. If these musicians' self-titled 2000 debut lands a bit on the side of over-glossed, live they will rock your crazy brain so hard, you might actually move your body for once. LISA GUNTER


MONDAY 2/26

Sorry.


TUESDAY 2/27

BRIGHT EYES, CROOKED FINGERS, AZURE RAY, SUFFERING & THE HIDEOUS THIEVES
(Paradox) On his latest release, Bring on the Snakes, former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann wallows in alcoholic misery to lovely effect. The female-fronted Azure Ray steps lightly and beautifully through elements of folk and country, and headliner Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst calls the band a favorite. Bachmann plays swoony lap steel on Azure Ray's self-titled debut, so expect to see him sitting in during that set as well. See preview this issue. KATHLEEN WILSON

BLUE RODEO, JOHN WESLEY HARDING & THE RADICAL GENTLEMEN
(Showbox) With a voice like Elvis Costello, a wit like Robyn Hitchcock, and a knack for between-song banter that would make Billy Bragg jealous, it's hard not to succumb to John Wesley Harding's Brit charm. This bloke has been going like a steam train since quitting the Ph.D. program at Cambridge, playing music, and fleeing his home in Hastings for Ballard's fair shores. You might recognize Harding's song "I'm Wrong About Everything," off his latest release, The Confessions of St. Ace, from the soundtrack of last year's High Fidelity. Tonight Wes forgoes his solo act to bring his band the Radical Gentlemen down to the Showbox in order to kick off a little tour supporting Toronto's Blue Rodeo. NATE LEVIN

THE MALINKS, SUBDWELLERS, RAGAMUFFIN
(Crocodile) Most accolades I've heard about the Subdwellers involve the assertion that what the group makes is "organic" hiphop, as in, created with traditional instruments as opposed to electronics and sampling. This comment is so off the point of relevance in judging hiphop that when it's given as a compliment, I suspect it's made by people who don't like hiphop much in the first place. They play live instruments, and that's nifty. But what the Subdwellers are really good at is throwing parties--even their website boasts of their reputation at the UW Greek scene. But don't worry: They didn't get their rep by juicing up a crowd steeped in beer. They got it because they're "conscious," without shoving anything down the listener's throat; and they're "funky," but don't pretend to be anything other than kids who like to jam. BRIAN GOEDDE


WEDNESDAY 2/28

WESLEY WILLIS, THE COUNTRY TEASERS, THE GUN ST. GIRLS, PLEASEEASAUR
(Graceland) Wesley Willis, Chicago's favorite 300-something-pound, formerly homeless, schizophrenic, head-butting, lo-fi troubadour, has a catalog of more than 400 songs and has recorded at least 20 albums in less than a decade. Impressive, even after you take into consideration that about 390 of those are more or less the same song with different lyrics about various celebrities. You'll have to judge for yourself whether exploiting Willis' "talents" is sick and twisted or a great example of taking life's lemons and making lemonade--but in watching the giant, childlike grin on his face when he performs, there's no doubt that Willis is having a grand time. Rock over London! Rock on Chicago! Rock on, Wesley. BARBARA MITCHELL

THIS BUSY MONSTER, LITTLE CHAMPIONS, ABIGAIL GRUSH
(Crocodile) It's likely that if you're familiar with Barsuk Records, it's due to the runaway success (on an indie level, at least) of label stalwarts Death Cab for Cutie. Tonight's show highlights some of the other, lesser-known artists on the Barsuk roster. This Busy Monster, Little Champions, and Abigail Grush might lack Death Cab's immediacy (some might even go so far as to say "accessibility"), but all exhibit an underlying sensibility: a charming, slightly off-kilter take on lo-fi indie pop. Take this opportunity to expand your horizons and support a great, local, artist-friendly label and its bands. BARBARA MITCHELL