Wednesday 5/2
Perpetual Ritual, Slashed Tires, OC Notes, the Creakies
(Crocodile) See Underage.
Washed Out, Memoryhouse
(Neptune) Comparisons between M83 and Washed Out, which are legion, miss the point. M83's dynamics take you soaring over the Himalayas all alone at dusk, and Washed Out's plodding, claustrophobic compositions are like drifting through an empty living room after midnight in slow motion, only you're with your honey, and it's all you really want to be doing. One is thrilling and surreal; the other is pleasant and numbing. There is room in your ears for both. GRANT BRISSEY
Thursday 5/3
Bloom Blap: Love and Light, Gladkill, Russ Liquid
(Neumos) See Data Breaker.
Ruins Alone, Bill Horist, Yohobitat
(Chop Suey) For several years in the '90s and '00s, Japan's Ruins ranked among the finest post-zeuhl groups on the planet (zeuhl being the rarefied subgenre of manic, operatic, jazz-gospel-inflected prog rock pioneered by Magma). Now dubbed Ruins Alone, the group dropped its rotating cast of bassists and now consists solely of original drummer Tatsuya Yoshida. Like an Asian Christian Vander, Tatsuya is one of the few sticksmen who can make Zach Hill seem lazy. Tat's fills have fills; his mercurially morphing time signatures could give Brian Chippendale whiplash. On top of all that, Tatsuya sings with barking-mad bravado, too. Get near the front of gawp at the man's magnificent multitasking. DAVE SEGAL
Evening Meetings, Universe People, Detective Agency
(Rendezvous) Anyone mourning the absence of A Frames/AFCGT or the Lights may find solace in Evening Meetings. Composed of members of those two groups, plus players from LoveTan, Factums, and Le Sang Song, Evening Meetings deal out that ramshackle, hypno-klang rock the Fall perfected on Grotesque, while also tinkering with the subterranean, nightmare-toned pop of the Ralph Records posse. Treasure these guys before they morph into something else. Seattle foursome Detective Agency sound tailor-made for a deal with Slumberland Recordsâmeaning they chime and jangle as if in a Scottish garage circa 1986. This they do with bubbly charm and slyly insinuating melodies. DAVE SEGAL
Ayron Jones and the Way, Down North, the Chris Eger Band, Megan Larson
(Rat and Raven) My promise to you: Witnessing Ayron Jones play the guitar will be the best show you'll see all week. No hyperbole. Your mind will be blown. Jones is the young leader of the trio Ayron Jones and the Way, who play a hard, soulful blues reminiscent of legends like Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. But Jones gets heavyâreal heavy. He can't stand still; he can't not amaze. He wanders the room while playing his guitar one-handed or lifted over and behind his head. He'll tear through a guitar solo while adjusting the bill of his baseball cap. He's a complete showboat, but when you're that fucking talented, c'mon. You can do whatever you want. MEGAN SELING
Vivivi, the Witches Titties, Jackie Hell, Orson Wagon & His Plastic Chair, ArtStar, Chad Carver, An Magi, Gaydolf Hitler with Hardtimes
(Comet) This lineup of wannabe witches from Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco comes together to celebrate neo-paganism and the passing of the ancient Gaelic holiday of Beltaneâa springtime festival of optimism and purification. The event promises to be an "evening of queer pagan pageantry," so wear your gayest Wiccan frock (or anything with leopard print, which gets you $1 off at the door). The performers range from goth-pop to performance art. There'll be drag queens and dancersâpainters, zine-makers, tarot card readers, and birthday blessings for one of the members of Witches Titties. KELLY O See also The Homosexual Agenda.
Friday 5/4
Debacle Fest: Mark McGuire, Brain Fruit, Sean McCann, Brother Raven, No UFO's, Panabrite, Secret Colors, Eye Myths, Megabats
(Black Lodge) See preview and Stranger Suggests.
Kithkin, Tomten, Nude, Feet
(Chop Suey) See Underage.
Willis Earl Beal
(Barboza ???) I usually don't read other reviews of a record or act before I write about them, fearing the opinions I consume will taint any absolute impressions I'd get on my own. I especially apply this to Pitchfork reviews. Hell, most of the time, I just read the home-page synopsis, peek at the score, and then bounce, but for some reason I read the whole dang opinion on Willis Earl Beal's Acousmatic Sorcery, and I can't shake "there's also a nagging sense that the songwriting and vision hasn't quite caught up with the talent" while listening to these tracks. To be sure, Beal is a magnificent vocalist, and whether lilting through ballads or howling out missives, he's got a gritted voice of gold. But these skeletal blues and folk instrumentals leave you wanting something more, like, say, his next album, to appear right away. Still, I'd rather listen to this guy take a stab and maybe miss than to most other acts out there as they make their hits. This show should be an engrossing look at a man who's sure to go on to greatness. GRANT BRISSEY
Grave Babies, Posse, Haunted Horses, Wimps
(Funhouse) Oh yes. This show takes the Best Local Lineup Award for the week. Fresh off their Gothdamnit EP and a tour, dour, fried punkers Grave Babies unleash a resolute girth of volume and gloom that swallows the room whole. Posse trade in a competent nod to '90s greatsâlike a more steady and unwavering version of the Pixiesâand quietly released their self-titled debut last year, shooting just under everyone's radar. (Point those fuckers a little lower, people. That's where the goods are.) Haunted Horses are two dudes, a guitar, drums, and a shitload of amps, and their blown-out, no-wave noise is something I seemingly cannot shut the fuck up about lately. Lastly, Wimps hammer through brash, crude punk skronk and are relatively new here. GRANT BRISSEY
Lady Gaga vs. Madonna
(Nectar) With a dance night devoted to nothing but Lady Gaga and Madonna, everyone's a winner, but let's get serious about that "vs.," which begs to be turned into a "<" or a ">." Sure, the title track of Gaga's Born This Way was a blatant "Express Yourself" rip/nod, but Madonna retaliated by flaunting Gaga-isms all over her new MDNA, from Madge's (not unsuccessful) attempts at Gaga's signature name-checking retardo-chants to her appropriation of the sub-chorus structure that gives Gaga's greatest hits their brain-hijacking power. But seriously, fuck anyone who'd actually pit these women against each other. They clearly share some magical DNA only a fraction of humanity gets access to, and if the world doesn't have room enough for two ferociously talented, driven, and disciplined pop goddesses, I don't want to live here. Sorry for the screed. This night at Nectar will be delightful. DAVID SCHMADER
Colin Stetson, Sarah Neufeld, Gregory Rogove
(Columbia City Theater) You could take the cynical route and say that avant-garde woodwind player Colin Stetson is well accepted in the zeitgeist because he's worked with acts like Arcade Fire and Bon Iver (you may only know him as "the guy who played sax on that one cheesy song at the end of the Bon Iver record") and is lauded by institutions like Pitchfork. (YES THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE MENTIONED PITCHFORK IN THE UP & COMINGS. IT IS A FLUKE.) Or you could simply listen to his music and have your mind blown. Stetson records with no loops or overdubs, and the utterly wondrous, alien compositions he creates are like nothing you've ever heard. GRANT BRISSEY
Saturday 5/5
Brian Jonestown Massacre
(Neptune) See Stranger Suggests and Sound Check.
Debacle Fest: Eternal Tapestry, King Tears Bat Trip, Operative, Emuul, L.A. Lungs, Pulse Emitter, Hive, Matt Carlson, Karnak Temples
(Black Lodge) See preview.
Country Lips, Tyrannosaurus Grace, Scrumptious & the Backbeat
(Blue Moon) See preview.
Fred P, Anthony Parasole
(Melrose Market Studios) See Data Breaker.
Addison Groove, Doc Daneeka, Ill Cosby, Kid Hops, Sounds in Silence
(Deep Down Lounge) See Data Breaker.
Ty Segall, White Fence, the Pharmacy, Tea Cozies
(Chop Suey) For the last four years, under his own name, Ty Segall's been one of the country's most fertile fonts of punchy garage-sike nuggets to which you can sing along after one listen. It almost seems too easy for him to pen these shaggy, infectious tunes, although it's doubtful anyone's complaining about this state of affairs. Linked with tourmates White Fence on the new Hair (not a cover of the hippie-rock musical), Segall and buds create more instantly lovable garage-sike jams that are slightly more fleshed out with high-flying organ embellishments than previous Segall compositions (see the thrilling "I Am Not a Game" for proof). But they still bear Ty's trademark lust-for-life melody/rhythm collisions that demand repeat listens. DAVE SEGAL
Lotus Plaza, Wymond Miles, Frankie Broyles
(Barboza ???) Lotus Plaza (aka Lockett Pundt) probably will always operate in the shadow of his other band, Deerhunter. Listening to his two albums on Kranky Recordsâ2009's The Floodlight Collective and the new Spooky Action at a Distanceâyou can't help hearing Deerhunter's fraught shoegaze haze webbing around your ears. Pundt's vocals even resemble Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox's fragile, hymnal emanations. Still, Lotus Plaza's elegant, melodious tapestries of sound have the power to enchant, much in the same way that Grasshopper and the Golden Crickets' did while peacefully coexisting with Mercury Rev. DAVE SEGAL
Van Halen, Kool & the Gang
(Tacoma Dome) Ah, the glory of the preinternet days, when a teenage me, hungry for music writing, was forced to read the same issue of Creem over and over for an entire month. Bonus: I have entire issues of Creem committed to memory, including one holding an interview with Women and Children Firstâera David Lee Roth, who shot down criticisms that he stole his signature yowl-screech from Black Oak Arkansas by crowing about his true inspiration: "That's the Ohio Players, baby!" Now, 750 years later, David Lee Roth makes Van Halen's R&B influence explicit, on a tour where the reunited Van Halen share a bill with the incredible Kool & the Gang. This bill is insane and will create a crowdâhalf aging butt rockers, half decked-out R&B fansâthat will have so much fucking fun. Jump, celebrate, repeat. DAVID SCHMADER
Madama Butterfly (free simulcast)
(KeyArena) Before Richard Wagner got his hands on opera, hushed people up, and turned down the hall lights, there were beer and hot dog vendors wandering the aisles during the music, so think of this as a throwback: While Seattle Opera patrons sit quietly in McCaw Hall on opening night of Puccini's classic Madama Butterfly this Saturday, thousands moreâwearing whatever they like, probably munching on popcorn and soft pretzelsâwill watch Seattle Opera's first-ever live, free-of-charge simulcast at KeyArena. Combined attendance could be more than 10,000. JEN GRAVES
Sunday 5/6
Debacle Fest: Dull Knife, Thunder Grey Pilgrim, Crystal Hell Pool, WaMĂź, Slates, Blsphm, Squim, Paintings for Animals, Mood Organ, Wind Swept Planes
(Josephine) See preview.
Gauntlet Hair, IG88, Dana Buoy
(Barboza ???) See Data Breaker.
The West, Ambulance, the Torn ACLs
(Neumos) The Torn ACLs' "neat as a new pin" pop (confession: I just learned that phrase from the thesaurus and decided to go with it) was recently the perfect sonic companion while I wandered along the steep hills of Queen Anne. The sun was out, the trees were bursting with pink and white petals, just like the band's blossoming choruses. And the laid-back but steady pace was just the "keep walking, keep moving" motivation I needed to crest the top of Queen Anne Hill. While the song "Can't Say No to Friday" is so sweet that it feels a little too goofy, other tracks like "Two Four Six Eight" and "Just Don't Crash the Boss's Car" are more interesting, with happy hooks that will stick with you even when the rain comes. MEGAN SELING
Monday 5/7
Father John Misty, Har Mar Superstar
(Neumos) If only Father John Misty's music were as wildly ambitious as the lavish CD packaging of their debut album, Fear Fun, is. Sub Pop and FJMâled by Fleet Foxes' former drummer J. Tillmanâreally went all out with Dimitri Drjuchin's outsider-surrealist artwork, the 17-by-17-inch lyric sheet, which includes an epic proposal for a "hypothetical video game" called Bed Bug Mountain (the font is too tiny and the margins are too wide for me to read it; if you have a free week, have at it). As for the music, Father John Misty hew closely to FF's burnished, earnest folk pop, but feature more hand claps, which are crisply and vigorously delivered. Guaranteed: You will love FJM if you love Fleet Foxes, and vice versa if you hate 'em. Anyone with eyes, however, should cherish the CD packaging, which probably cost more to manufacture than you'll earn this year. DAVE SEGAL
Tuesday 5/8
Black Moth Super Rainbow, Lumerians, Pictorials
(Neumos) Last year, I spilled so much enthusiastic ink over Oakland group Lumerians, it's hard to know what to add to all those superlatives. Suffice it to say, Lumerians are one of the nation's most exciting, synapse-frying psych-rock bands on the live circuit, as they proved by owning 2011's Capitol Hill Block Party. Speaking of brain-bonking psych, Black Moth Super Rainbow have delivered their own peculiar strain of it on two excellent albums, Dandelion Gum and Eating Us. Their songs appear to be glistening with otherworldly goo and oozing with alien emotions only accessible when you've ingested the most powerful psilocybins while listening to Boards of Canada cover "Strawberry Fields Forever." BMSR have their own thing going, and it behooves you to sign on for their wonder-filled inner-space trip. DAVE SEGAL
