This week, our music critics have picked everything from Taylor Swift's Reputation tour to a two-night birthday tribute to jazz demigod Miles Davis to the Sasquatch Music Festival with Modest Mouse, Grizzly Bear, Spoon, and others. Follow the links below for ticket links and music clips for all of their picks, and find even more shows on our complete music calendar.
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MONDAY

CLASSICAL/OPERA

UW Gospel Choir
Longtime UW choir director Phyllis Byrdwell will be joined by a 100-voice gospel choir for an evening of piano and song and plentiful expressions of the gospel tradition.

JAZZ

Show Divine at 9th & Pine
Get wild Roaring '20s-style for the Paramount's 90th birthday, with live music by Tedde Gibson on the mighty Wurlitzer organ, and guest vocalists singing popular songs from 1928.

ROCK/POP

Fever Ray, Bunny Michael
Karin Dreijer doesn’t put out music very often, but when she does, it’s as if she’s making up for lost time. Last year’s Plunge, the first Fever Ray record since 2009’s Fever Ray, is restless, demanding music that hits with an urgency more akin to punk than electro-pop. Her alien-sounding, pitch-shifted vocals rip through your speakers, the synths are harsh and prickly, and the drums punctuate the music more than drive it forward. Like Dreijer’s work with the Knife, who were years ahead of their time, Fever Ray’s mutant pop sounds like a transmission from the future. ANDREW GOSPE

TV Girl, Wished Bone
TV Girl make breezy, ear-wormy experimental pop where much of the production and beats are created with keys, samplers, and synthesizers. Their vaguely groove-oriented sounds are accentuated by vocalist Brad Petering’s distinctive, nasally-nerdy, and blasé singing. I can’t vouch for the quality of the LA ensemble’s live capabilities—these kinds of acts can be hit or miss onstage. But Barboza is an intimate venue, and this show could end up being a big, sweaty dance party. If you’re a fan of bands like Jamaican Queens, Javelin, or Cults, you might end up having a righteous good time. LEILANI POLK

SOUL/R&B

Janiva Magness
Award-winning blues, soul, and jazz chanteuse Janiva Magness will take the stage in support of her latest album Love Wins Again.

TUESDAY

ROCK/POP

Hinds, Goodbye Honolulu
Straight outta Madrid, Spain, Hinds jangle and shamble with endearing aplomb. This is lo-fi twee pop done right, with sparkling nonchalance and cute melodic instincts. Fans of Jonathan Richman, Vivian Girls, and Grass Widow should take note—and then rush the stage when Hinds commandeer it. I, for one, am rooting for these underdogs. DAVE SEGAL

Taylor Swift
In the five years between 2012's Red and 2017's Reputation, Taylor Swift devolved from critical darling to punching bag. She's done herself no favors with this year's lackluster cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's "September," that weird UPS truck campaign, and her refusal to disavow the neo-Nazis who have claimed her for their own. Nonetheless, Reputation, which is no worse than the stuff her pop peers have been churning out, has sold two million copies. With an army of 85.6 million Twitter followers and the ability to push buttons with every move she makes, Swift is the dictionary definition of critic-proof. KATHY FENNESSY

METAL/PUNK

Obituary, Pallbearer, Skeletonwitch, Dust Bolt
Classic Florida death metal had a good year in 2017. Cannibal Corpse continued their streak of warped precision with Red Before Black and Morbid Angel redeemed their foray into industrial metal with the inhuman speed and savagery of Kingdoms Disdained. Obituary never rivaled their peers in terms of technical extremes, opting instead to exploit death metal’s basest musical attributes. You can approach the riffage on Blessed Are the Sick or the songwriting on Butchered at Birth with a degree of academic respect, but Obituary always went straight for the jugular, and their self-titled album from last year is as primordial and exhilarating as their early output. BRIAN COOK

WEDNESDAY

ROCK/POP

The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Daydream Machine
Through sheer doggedness and a keen ear for quality lysergic pastiche, Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe has maintained a career in underground rock, even though some observers likely thought he'd crash and burn during the George W. Bush era. But Newcombe has stabilized his volatile personality—maybe moving to Berlin had something to do with it?—and created some records in the last decade that cover more adventurous ground than his early years of (admittedly good) record-collector rock. On 2017's Don't Get Lost, BJM take in influences from krautrock, analog-synth tomfoolery, and even a hint of disco, making you reassess your biases about the band's previous paisley-shaped obsessions. DAVE SEGAL

Lauren Ruth Ward
Lauren Ruth Ward and her band draw from 60's rock melodies, coupled with the singer's emotional lyrics. They'll be joined by Yip Yops and Cumulus.

THURSDAY

BLUES/COUNTRY/FOLK

All Our Exes Live In Texas, Caitlin Sherman, Wildcat Rose
All Our Exes Live In Texas—who won Best Roots & Blues Album at the 2017 ARIA Awards (Australia's version of the Grammy Awards)—will stop in Seattle on their US tour, joined by Caitlin Sherman of Evening Bell and local broody country band Wildcat Rose.

ROCK/POP

Biblioteka, Antonioni, Velvet Q
This show promises a combination of rock and lull, with three all-women bands owning the evening. Biblioteka’s single “Raspberry Jelly” (on Goat Lady Records) is a perfectly sticky-sweet haze of a song: a treat perfect for summer that stays good all year long, just like its namesake. Accompanying act Antonioni’s soaring vocals capture the messy sincerity of young love, while the rage-fueled lyrics of Velvet Q are as refreshing as a Rainier on a warm summer night—that is, when you’re throwing said Rainier in the face of that one asshole who wouldn’t leave you alone at the rock show. SOPHIA STEPHENS

David Byrne, Benjamin Clementine
The former Talking Heads frontman has had, shall we say, a patchy solo career. For every mind-boggler like My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (with Brian Eno) or The Catherine Wheel, there’s a dud (Look into the Eyeball, Feelings). The longer he goes, the more David Byrne lapses into corny sentimentality—at least melodically and vocally. The new American Utopia has contributions from Eno and Oneohtrix Point Never, but there’s still a conservativeness to the production and a blandness to the songwriting. Even if Byrne’s lyrics were challenging Ta-Nehisi Coates for perceptiveness about the United States’ sociopolitical temperature, American Utopia would still be tough to love. But Byrne is such an engaging live performer and boasts such a bulging cache of classics, this set is sure to have some spectacular moments. DAVE SEGAL

Erik Blood, Shit Ghost, Newaxeyes, Wall Of Ears
We’ve got three extraordinary and very sonically diverse local crushers opening up for the prodigal Erik Blood returning to appease Seattle with his seductive freak-pop persuasion. Shit Ghost send you down a warp tunnel where John Maus is somewhere at the end. Newaxeyes, deliverers of electro-industrial soundscapes, are still pretty fresh off their Black Fax album produced by Randall Dunn, and we’re in for a treat with psych-pop outfit Wall of Ears opening. The thread of weird unspools throughout the night. It's a clutch pregame for Sasquatch or just a solid offering if you're staying in town. ZACH FRIMMEL

Nordic Nights: SĂłley, Lowly
Nordic Nights will welcome Icelandic singer and multi-instrumentalist SĂłley. Joining her will be Danish indie pop musicians Lowly.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Wonderl&
This all-star lineup of local QTPOC artists includes Stass THEE Boss, D. Dynasty, Amber Flame, Nic Masangkay, and Taqueets. Stop by for live performances and drinks and snacks.

FRIDAY

BLUES/COUNTRY/FOLK

The James Hunter Six
Of all the contemporary soul “throwbacks,” the James Hunter Six might be the most remarkable. I’m not sure I should even call the JH6 a “throwback,” as Mr. Hunter has been active for more than four decades. He is exceptionally well sussed. Everything just fits—there’s an earnestness bound to the rawness of Hunter’s vocals, as the songwriting and arrangements dial in the sweetest and most swinging early-1960s R&B, deep, plaintive soulful ballads, up-tempo dancers, and an occasional nod to period ska. Full disclosure: I slept on this group till recently. Y’all better not, ’cause the James Hunter Six rule. MIKE NIPPER

CLASSICAL/OPERA

Puget Soundtrack: Bill Horist presents Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
Akira Kurosawa's eight mythic vignettes were inspired by the director’s own "nighttime visions," along with stories from Japanese folklore. In place of the film's original soundtrack, Bill Horist will provide his own dreamy score.

DJ

Hyphy
Oh boy—Neumos is doing a hyphy night? “Tell Me When to Go,” sort of the mainstream-hit-that-was-the-death-knell of what is commonly thought of as the hyphy movement, did come out 11 years ago. It used to be 20 years before the generational nostalgia cash-in started, but seeing as we passed the event horizon of this black-hole-to-hell-itself some time ago, everything is strictly get-it-while-you-can. Now, I tend to think of hyphy less as a particular slice of time and set of songs than an evolving dimension of the Bay Area rap scene, one known for fierce innovation and trendsetting originality. Something tells me that this is going to be more of a Bay Area rap night rather than an exclusively stunna-shaded, cereal-mascot-tee’d-up hyphy night. Which is great, because the Yay has created one of the world’s all-time greatest musical subcultures, from Short to HBK. (Play some fucking Turf Talk!) Just, please, no G-Eazy. Have some fuckin’ respect. LARRY MIZELL JR.

Lustré: A Queer Discotheque to Benefit Gay City
artStar Charlatan and J3ANNE-MARI3 will throw a fancy discothèque party to raise money for the queer health and culture center Gay City. Guest DJs Sappho, Gag Reflex, and Julie Herrera will throw down some danceable tunes, and Mona Real, Lady Drew Blood, Kara Phoebe, and Atasha Manila will bring the drag/performance. They say, "Dressing up isn't suggested, but DEMANDED!" Matte is anathema, shiny is good.

METAL/PUNK

Mos Generator, Hex Rays
All hail the power of the riff. Since 2000, Port Orchard’s Mos Generator have been churning out some of the highest-quality heaviness the Northwest has ever produced. Their last official full-length, 2016’s Abyssinia, was crammed full of enough well-polished hooks to get you humming their songs for days, all the while delivering thunderous riffs that give the LP a true punch. This is the record release show for their newest offering, Shadowlands. While Mos Generator proudly represent Kitsap County, they’re a touring machine that just finished a full US trip with the mighty Fu Manchu. KEVIN DIERS

WORLD/LATIN

Mdou Moctar, Publish the Quest, Beyond Captain Orca!
Mdou Moctar is a Tuareg (who are a subset of the Berber people) based out of Agadez, Niger. He strums a left-handed Fender sent to him by Christopher Kirkley, who runs the American label Sahel Sounds. Moctar electrifies older traditions in Berber guitar, sounding to my Western ears like the multifaceted explorations of early John Fahey or a slightly less hyper Doc Watson. Moctar got his big break getting shared on cell phones, which apparently is a big thing in Africa, but he’s got a new album, Sousoume Tamachek, to pick up at the show. He’s come a long way to return to the land of his guitar. ANDREW HAMLIN

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

JAZZ

Sixth Annual Miles Davis Birthday Celebration
Jazz demigod Miles Davis is honored on his birthday weekend two nights in a row by trumpeter Thomas Marriott, with vocal artist Johnaye Kendrick, pianist Dawn Clement, bassist Jeff Johnson, New York drummer Chris Beck, and more special guests.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

JAZZ

25th Annual Juan de Fuca Festival
Fans of music, comedy, and dance will fill the lovely waterfront town of Port Angeles with melodies and festivities for a whole weekend this spring. Special guests include Con Brio, Curtis Salgado, MarchFourth, Royal Jelly Jive, Naomi Wachira, Pearl Django, and many more.

ROCK/POP

Sasquatch! Music Festival
Summer is coming, and things are about to get heated at Washington’s hottest festival venue. Honestly, though, it gets scorchingly hot and the crowds quickly turn into a cringe-worthy sea of sunburns, so this May 25 to 27, make sure to stay hydrated and wear that sunscreen like a second skin so you can comfortably bask in the glory of seeing one hell of a lineup. Festival highlights include Tank & the Bangas, David Byrne, Modest Mouse, Anderson Paak & the Free Nationals, Japanese Breakfast, Tyler, the Creator, Bon Iver, Neko Case, Thundercat, Grizzly Bear, Lizzo, Japandroids, and Spoon. SOPHIA STEPHENS

SATURDAY

ROCK/POP

Dear Nora, Nicholas Krgovich, Yr Heart Breaks
Lauded as "anti-folk," Katy Davidson's emotive nature-pop sound project Dear Nora is touring in support of the re-issue of their 2004 LP, Mountain Rock. They'll be joined by Nicholas Krgovich and Yr Heart Breaks.

Wooden Shjips, Prana Crafter, Black Whales
Since 2003, Portland-by-way-of-Bay-Area quartet Wooden Shjips have been splicing and dicing proto-punk, psychedelia, and krautrock with surgical precision. If there isn't significant variation from album to album—guitars permanently set to stun, underwater vocals, eight-minute trance-outs—there's something to be said for consistency and quality control. With the success of Ripley Johnson's Moon Duo project with partner Sanae Yamada, and various moves around the country, the fate of the Shjips once seemed precarious, but after five years away, they roared back to life this year with V., their appropriately titled fifth full-length. KATHY FENNESSY

METAL/PUNK

Anvil, Shadowside, Skelator
Anvil, who you may know from the documentary The Story Of Anvil, will bring their Canadian cult metal jams to Seattle, with support sets from Shadowside and Skelator.

SUNDAY

CLASSICAL

Frequency: Dialogues
Chamber ensemble Frequency, comprised of UW faculty members Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir on cello and Melia Watras on viola, along with Pacific Northwest Ballet concertmaster Michael Jinsoo Lim on violin, will perform works by Luciano Berio, Witold Lutosławski, Bruno Maderna, Maurice Ravel, and Melia Watras, with additional pieces written for duos that will showcase a collaboration with guest violinist Yura Lee.

HIPHOP/RAP

Das EFX, Ambush, Edibles, Soul the Interrogator, Bari Bux
I stopped following Das EFX after the East Coast duo’s 1993 album Straight Up Sewaside. But that and their phenomenal 1991 debut LP, Dead Serious, are so loaded with sly, pop-culture-savvy humor, contortionist wordplay, and golden-era boom-bap production that one could listen to both— preferably on cassette in your whip—for a lifetime and be content. Scanning through their subsequent releases confirms that Das EFX peaked early, but oh what peaks (seriously, who else has rhymed “jism” with “rhythm”?). At their best, MCs Andre “Drayz” Weston and Willie “Skoob” Hines were the Abbott and Costello of rap, brilliant comic foils drunk on their own goofball genius. Let’s hope they still have that mercurial flow and neck-snapping funkiness. DAVE SEGAL

ROCK/POP

The Rose
The Rose are a part of the wave of Brit-pop sweeping South Korea right now, with layered harmonies and pulsing rhythms that make them stand out from other K-Pop groups. This year marks their worldwide Paint It Rose Tour.

Stay in the know! Get all this and more on the free Stranger Things To Do mobile app (available for iOS and Android), or delivered to your inbox. Plus, take our survey and win prizes!