Wednesday 10/26
"Let's Dance & Occupy Seattle" with DJ Riz, Michael Manahan, Ramiro
(Westlake Park) You may know the venerable DJ Riz from KEXP, and/or you may know him because he's one of the most lovable and gregarious folks around town. Riz, along with Michael Manahan (Starborne, Decibel), and Ramiro (Uniting Souls), will spin tunes in Westlake Park from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., a time that's typically been a low point in Occupy attendance. LET'S DO THIS. GRANT BRISSEY See also Stranger Suggests.
The War on Drugs, Purling Hiss, Carter Tanton
(Tractor) See Stranger Suggests and CD Review.
Gold Panda, Natasha Kmeto, DJ Nordic Soul
(Crocodile) See Data Breaker.
SBTRKT, New Look
(Neptune) See Data Breaker.
Pomplamoose, Louise & Genevieve
(Triple Door) Death-metal duo Pomplamoose (the name derives from an English-spelling approximation of the French word pamplemousse, meaning grapefruit) are pioneers in the genre. Multi- instrumentalist Jack Conte practically invented the blast beat. And who do you think first rumbled out those gruff cookie-monster vocals? It was his fucking girlfriend, Nataly Dawn, motherfucker! This explosion of punishing chugga-chugga riffs, obscenely morbid lyrics, and rapid-hammer beats is a strange pairing with the Triple Door, which'll likely never hear such fearsome aggression bleed through its sound system again. GRANT BRISSEY
Thursday 10/27
Verse Chapter Verse: Colson Whitehead, the Curious Mystery
(Chop Suey) See Stranger Suggests and preview.
Spank Rock, the Death Set, Big Freedia, Pictureplane, Franki Chan
(Neumos) See Sound Check.
The Damned, Cute Lepers
(Showbox at the Market) For the Damned's "35th Anniversary Tour," they are going to play ALL of their incendiary 1977 debut album, Damned Damned Damned. This is still one of the most wide-open PUNK records... you know, like the MC5 meets the Stooges?! Also, they will be playing the entirety of The Black Album! Yeah, what an odd pairing. I love The Black Album, but it seems to be regarded as less than "classic," as the group was in transition from goofy punk to a more considered Bat Caver, um... thing! The Damned canceled their last Seattle date two years ago, so go see 'em TONIGHT! You got nothing to lose. MIKE NIPPER
Face Scrunchers (P Smoov), City Hall, Panama Gold Shit Machine
(Comet) Two important things about P Smoov's Face Scrunchers Vol. 2. One, it saved Mad Rad and returned the crew to the center of things. Two, it closed the door on any doubt that 2011 is a great year for local hiphopâthe other great years are 2005 and 2009. P Smoov's new joint features performances from the Mad Rad crew and the elite of local hiphop (Rik Rude, Grynch, OC Notes, El Mizell, and Fatal Lucciauno). Drummer Trent Moorman also appears on the beat-heavy instrumental "Invisible Cities of the Cathode Navajo." Vol. 2. rocks from sunrise to sunset, and Fatal Lucciauno definitely soars on "Sun Tzu Em." P Smoov is still a force in this city; he has still got something to prove. CHARLES MUDEDE
Shellac of North America, Helen Money
(Vera) Many early reviews of Shellac pegged the band as "industrial"âwhich was curious, considering they never employed the electronic components of the more popular industrial bands, relying instead on the more conventional rock instrumentation of drums, bass, and guitar. Perhaps the reference was a carryover from the merciless programmed-drum attack of guitarist/vocalist Steve Albini's first band, Big Black. More likely, those early critics heard the mechanical punch of EinstĂŒrzende Neubauten, the cold precision of This Heat, or the harsh malice of Whitehouse in Shellac's calculated throb. But the industrial tag doesn't get thrown around these days; Shellac are just Shellac. They're their own reference point, and a common basis for comparison for a legion of new bands striving for their stark and economical crunch. BRIAN COOK
Friday 10/28
Nurses, Dominant Legs, Jabon
(Sunset) The weirdo-pop arrangements of whimsical Portland trio Nurses' third full-length, Dracula, touch on disparate genres, all rightâdub (in the boxy, boop-boop-bee-doop bass lines), no wave (de-emphasis on melody), psychedelic rock and contemporary Americana (hella reverb). And while whimsicality is a quality best kept in tight shackles, if at all, Nurses treat it with a fair amount of restraint. (The pitched-up, nasally vocals will be a deal breaker for some.) Unfortunately, there's nothing particularly arresting about these songs. For those keeping track, Dracula is reportedly a less intimate concern than 2009's Apple's Acre, which was recorded on a MacBook using one microphone in an attic. (I've not heard it, so I'll take your word for it, people who wrote that.) Committed listeners may find good times somewhere in here, though. GRANT BRISSEY
Ilyas Ahmed, Seven Colors, A. T. & Love
(Cairo) The musical arc of Portland's Ilyas Ahmed resembles that of Six Organs of Admittance: Both guitarist/vocalists have gradually moved from troubadourian loner/stoner folk to more electrified explorations of folk-rock idioms. Ahmed's most accomplished expression of that impulse comes on 2009's Goner. The disc exudes an air of light gravitas and an overcast mysticism, with Ahmed's calm, assured vocals drifting through the fuzzed electric-guitar filigree and acoustic-guitar ambles like a specter. There's a lovely tension between tranquility and unease in Ahmed's songs, as if mid-'70s Neil Young had become possessed by the languid, morose spirit of Nick Drake. DAVE SEGAL
Jeff Beck
(Moore) Rolling Stone ranked Jeff Beck at number 14 on its "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" list. So, see you at the show. You want more? Okay, Beck, now 67, catalyzed the Yardbirds' explosive and cosmic garage-sike attack in the '60s with artful distortion, fuzz, and feedback, and then went on to lead some fantastic bands throughout the '70s and add mercenary six-string firepower for Stevie Wonder, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, and other millionaires. Beck is a mercurial embellisher of blues, rock, funk, and heavy-metal tropes, but his peak came with "Beck's Bolero" off 1968's Truth. There, he reconfigured Ravel's classical standard into a grandiloquent rave-up, an obelisk of the most sublimely coruscating guitar tones. It's one of the greatest recordings ever. DAVE SEGAL
Glenn or Glennda? (Misfits tribute), Strong Killings, Steel Tigers of Death
(Crocodile) Ye ol' horror-punk band the Misfits, formed in 1977 by singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Jerry Only, are probably the most covered bandâwith the most tribute shows every Halloween. Why? The quick-and-dirty punk songs are easy to play, sound scary enough, and, well, who doesn't wanna take a bunch of cheap hair gel and make a Jerry Only devil lock with their bangs? This incarnation of Misfits-cover-band combines the classic 1953 gender-bending cult film Glen or Glenda? with Glenn Danzig (get it? Two n's, like Glenn!). These crossdressing punks celebrate 10 years of being crossdressing punks. It's rumored this show might be their last, so go. With Strong Killings and Steel Tigers of Death opening, it's sure to be one of the rowdiest live shows this Halloween. KELLY O
Genius Inspires Genius: With Bach's Brandenburg No. 5
(Benaroya) The sound of the harpsichordâthis string-plucking little desk that was a forerunner to the piano, but found its greatest expression in Bachâis exactly the right soundtrack for leaves falling. When I see leaves fall, I hear a harpsichord, and when I hear a harpsichord, I see leaves fall. This natural synesthetic situation is why I am recommending this concert to you: In addition to a popular Brandenburg concerto, it features Bach's concerto for harpsichord in D minor. There's also Webern, Stravinsky, and wine tasting for 10 bucks beforehand. JEN GRAVES
Saturday 10/29
Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Black Label Society, Lady Starlight
(WaMu Theater) So this is it, then? Thirty-five years after Rob Halford first belted out "Victim of Changes," kick-starting the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" and revolutionizing heavy music, they're putting a close to the book of Judas Priest. With 16 studio albums, several different lineups, and dozens of world tours, it's safe to say these dudes deserve to hang up their leather boots. But something tells me this won't be it. As we've seen so many times in rock, farewells aren't forever. Goodbye for now, see you on the victory lap. Master shredder Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society and a Phil Lynott-less Thin Lizzy open the show, certainly enough to warrant an old-fashioned preshow heavy-metal parking lot. KEVIN DIERS See also preview, page 49.
Dwarves, Zeke, the Bonitos, the Insurgence, All Bets On Death
(El CorazĂłn) Call them sexist, misogynistic, sick, depraved, or just tasteless; whatever it is, Chicago-based party punks Dwarves certainly know how to evoke a response through short, three-chord anthems about fucking, sucking, or drinking, and artwork depicting nude women doused in blood and huge, raging boners. Regardless of image, Dwarves play ultra-catchy punk rock, a perfect companion to Zeke's full-on rock 'n' roll forceâa force that's only gotten louder over time. Come, gather, and get offended by awesomeness. Show up early for the always-badass All Bets On Death and local skatepunks the Insurgence, or miss out on the whirlwind of a circle pit. KEVIN DIERS
Sunday 10/30
Mac Miller, People Under the Stairs, Casey Veggies, the Come Up
(Showbox Sodo) Mac Miller is crazy popular for some reason. The 19-year-old's Sodo show is sold out, he has more than 1 million Twitter followers, and his YouTube videos have nearly 168 million views. But it's hard to tell exactly what sets Miller apart from the sea of other blog-friendly rappers out there. His lyrics rarely deviate from cliché cool-schoolkid subject matter (weed, girls, clothes, shoes, poppin' bottles, and gettin' money) and his singsong hooks take a page straight out of fellow Pittsburgher Wiz Khalifa's success manual. Does Miller really have that much "#swag" or is he just "well-connected"? MIKE RAMOS See also My Philosophy.
Manchester Orchestra, White Denim, the Dear Hunter, Little Hurricane
(Showbox at the Market) Manchester Orchestra are your Death Cab for Cutie from the South. If you're okay with Ben Gibbard's voice, you probably already own I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child, Mean Everything to Nothing, and/or this year's Simple Math, whose title track has already been viewed more than a million times on YouTube. But if you know what's good for you, you're heading to this show for Austin's White Denim. This year's D, their first recording in a proper studio (the previous two were reportedly recorded in a "Silver Bullet caravan on the outskirts of Austin"), is an ebullient helping of (mostly) acoustic/psychedelicâ pop alchemy. Initial spins of their subsequent EP, Takes Place in Your Work Space, suggest they're following that winning path. GRANT BRISSEY
Vendetta Red is the Smithsfits, Nirwannabe, the Ramoans, the Four Stooges
(Neumos) Vendetta Red were one of those local rock bands that kicked serious ass and then suddenly broke up in 2006. Tonight, they reunite to pay tribute and cover songs both by the Misfits (no waaay and/or see also Glenn or Glennda on Friday night?) and the Smiths. Joining their "Smithsfits" creepy holiday party are members of Fall of Troy and Just Like Vinyl, who will play Nirvana covers from In Utero; members of Helms Alee and Schoolyard Heroes playing Ramones covers; and some dudes, probably four, one of whom will try to sound and look like Iggy Pop. KELLY O
Harry and the Potters
(Vera) Due to my deep-seated nerdosity, Harry and the Potters are the only band about which I'll ever get to say, "I saw them before they were famous!" Brothers Paul and Joe DeGeorge each embody Harry Potter (from different yearsâhe stole a time-turner!) and their lyrics will absolutely slay hardcore HP fans. Sample song titles: "Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock" and "Stick It to Dolores." If that excites you at all, you must attendâthey are a fucking riot live, and they stay perfectly in character the whole time. Also: They're playing Occupy Boston. They're completely independent. And they helped found the Harry Potter Alliance, a nonprofit that "uses parallels from Harry Potter to inspire... fans to act as heroes in our world" by raising money for issues like literacy and fair trade and for places like Rwanda and Haiti. ANNA MINARD
Radiation City
(Sunset) Their band name sounds like a forbidden outpost in an Eisenhower-era Superman comic book, and there's more than a hint of retro to the sound of this Portland dream-pop quartet. Lizzy Ellison's hazy vocals and analog keyboards call to mind classic '60s girl groups and the early Stereolab catalog, but Radiation City never descend into obvious pastiche on their charming debut, The Hands That Take You (issued by Tender Loving Empire). More than anything, what shines through in these songs is the enduring indie sensibility that working with limited means should never prevent a band from expressing the maximum amount of joy possible. KURT B. REIGHLEY
Monday 10/31
HALLOWEEN!
See a complete list of all Halloween parties, events, and concerts here.
King Tuff, the Audacity, Ziskis, Night Beats
(Funhouse) All you really need to know is that King Tuff writes implausibly infectious scrappy guitar-pop from garages and you should go to this show. GRANT BRISSEY
Tuesday 11/1
TrentemĂžller, Xylos, the Sight Below, Nordic Soul
(Showbox at the Market) See Data Breaker.
Still Corners, Ganglians, Witch Gardens
(Sunset) When Sub Pop finds a band that achieves a modicum of success, it tends to sign another couple in that vein to try to replicate that formula. So it goes with Still Corners, as evidenced on their Sub Pop debut, Creatures of an Hour. You can hear clear echoes of Beach House in Tessa Murray's diaphanous vocals and Greg Hughes's murmuring organ flourishes and hushed atmospheres. You will also notice unmistakable evocations of Broadcast's more melancholically splendorous moments. That Still Corners grip me harder than do Beach House speaks to the former's more robust rhythmic thrust, closer resemblance to the aforementioned Broadcast, and overall darker melodic spectrum. DAVE SEGAL
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette
(Benaroya) On July 10, 2007, the great jazz pianist Keith Jarrett (his The Köln Concert is a late masterpiece) walked on the stage at Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia (it is one of the biggest jazz festivals in Europe) and yelled: "I do not speak Italian, so someone who speaks English can tell all these ass-holes with cameras to turn them fucking off right now. Right now! No more photographs, including that red light right there. If we see any more lights, I reserve the right (and I think the privilege is yours to hear us), but I reserve the right and Jack and Gary reserve the right to stop playing and leave the goddamn city!" There were no flashes during the performance, but the next day it was announced that Jarrett (a man who has played with giants like Miles Davis and Art Blakey, and whose work between the mid-'60s and the mid-'70s is canonized) would not be invited to the festival again, as he had deeply insulted the audience and the city of Perugia. I bring this up because if Meredith Kercher had not been murdered four months later, this sad episode at the jazz festival would have been Perugia's biggest story of the year. CHARLES MUDEDE
