THURSDAY 4/18

BLANKET MUSIC CD RELEASE, DECEMBERISTS

(Lola's Room) Every word sung by Chad Crouch, the vocalist and primary songwriter of Blanket Music, sounds like a swath of velvet unrolling out of his mouth. Sure, it's all got to do with the leisurely timbre of his voice and the steamy atmosphere created by BM's languid, quiet bossa nova tunes, but it's just perfect behind their breezy pop take on Jobim rhythms. Their newest CD, Move (on Crouch's own label, Hush), shows Blanket Music further refining the quiet sparks within their pretty songs by adding electronic programming, lovely back-up harmonies by Corrina Repp and Esperanza Spalding. (Not to mention a full-on slow jam/sweet-talking interlude!) For the chignoned ladies and debonair boys making the cha-cha hips when they walk. Also on the bill: the heavenly Decemberists, whose heart-melting new record shall debut soon, also on Hush. JULIANNE SHEPHERD

DOLOMITES, WORLD/INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT ISSUE ORCHESTRA

(Satyricon) Devils prevail tonight, led by The Dolomites' dark take on gypsy dervishes and pirate klezmer anthems that play out like a clacking demonic rock opera, a band of ne'er-do-wells, or a cabaret of street minstrels gone mad at the thought of a full moon, plus a performance of Broadway proportions. Supposedly, they're a drinking band, but whatever! These guys gotta have their shit together to pull off such an expertly arranged cornucopia of theatrics and whimsy. The medicine show punk of World/Inferno and the Govt. Issue Orchestra provide the extra push off the plank. JS

TONY LEVIN BAND

(Aladdin) Now this is what I'm talking about. Outside of King Crimson, virtuoso bass player Tony Levin's efforts have been innocuous at best; but this time around, his band actually gives us some of that hot criminalistic guitar noodling we prog fags have all grown accustomed to. Sure, there's some cheesy stuff in there, but the angles usurp the boring parts. Like, finally! JS

WADSWORTH, VOLUMEN, STARANTULA

(Blackbird) Missoula's Volumen market a T-shirt with a picture of a robot riding a unicorn above the caption "We're Gay." Apparently, irony is still alive and kicking in Montana--but the music is crafted space-pop with enough variety and hooks to almost excuse how much dorkier these guys are than they're trying to be. Wadsworth are firmly at the head of the instru-metal pack, simply because they are neither a tribute nor a joke. The former Add-X guitar hero leads his trio across some mountainous terrain, fusing metal and avant-garde rock with a King Crimson sensibility--great players on a musical adventure that satisfies with more rock than quirk. Finally, Starantula's Seantos was once the sax-slinger for the not-missed-enough Sow Belly; the madness continues with his latest outfit. NATHAN CARSON


FRIDAY 4/19

PINEHURST KIDS, DIZZY ELMER, UHF, PURUSA

(Tonic) Recently, Devin Morrow, one of the guitarists from the Pinehurst Kids, had a really bad, scary accident involving a Skil Saw. This show is a benefit to help cover his medical costs, so he can get back to normalcy and back to the rock. Send him well wishes and drop a couple bucks in the hospital jar. JS

LOST GOAT, WITCH MOUNTAIN, SYX, TV:616

(Satyricon) Lost Goat's most recent record, The Dirty Ones, is an exposé of rotting façades, as singer/bassist Erica Stoltz's caustic growls uncover caged rodents crawling with sickness, inescapable addictions, and relationships that end in fantasies of suicide. This is a dark record, with a heaviness that oozes through every pockmarked pore of the dense, Heart-meets-Sabbath metal this trio produces. Darkness doesn't mean total desperation, though, and the band is too street-tough and skilled at the art of dirgy melodies to wallow in sonic doom. JENNIFER MAERZ

HESOHI, KEANE, ELLIOTT

(Fez) A super groove and stellar funk nasty from SF electronic/live deep house-ist Hesohi, of Imperial Dub Records, plus paintings, collages, and well, some pre-420 devotion. JS

FRIDGE, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, SWORDS PROJECT

(Dante's) See Music pg 15

PORNSTORE JANITOR, MONKEY FUR, SK & THE PUNKASS BITCHES, CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRLS

(Ash Street) I prefer the punker who can switch up a song's tempo with the control and precision of concert maestro, and the type of punk singer who can turn a nonsensical shout and "wah" and "raah" into something lyrical and musical. That's what Janitor Jon, the lead singer for Pornstar Janitor, brings to the stage (and their new CD). What's even more alluring is that drummer General Lee Loaded has sharpshooter precision with his beats. Their songs may not have more insight than an extended middle finger, but they have more style and talent than noise. PHIL DOT BUSSE

THE HIGH VIOLETS CD RELEASE, SLEEPOVER DISASTER, TAGGING SATELLITES

(Berbati's) See CD Review pg 15

STUMPTOWN COFFEE COMP RELEASE PARTY STARRING THE PLANET THE, BOOTYPROOF, NICHOLAS MARSHALL, SCHICKY GNAROVITZ & THE TRANSPARENT WINGS OF JOY

(Blackbird) You're addicted to the coffee, now acquaint yourselves with the music of the employees (even though half of the cats playing this show don't even actually work at Stumptown anymore). JS See My What a Busy Week pg 13


SATURDAY 4/20

ACEYALONE

(Roseland) Aceyalone is an MC, and his music is kind of like a gymnastics routine--so flippy and rubbery, one just can't believe his voice is capable of being so crazy. He makes a lot of references to '70s soul--the good, melodic parts of his music--but also adds some very unique, contemporary flow in the mix, that is fast and scratchy. Live, he'll tear it up. KD

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE CONCERT

(Lewis & Clark, Evans Aud, 8 pm) What the hell is this geeky shit, you ask? A frigging student percussion ensemble concert? Scoff if you will, my friends, but these badass student percussionists will be performing John Cage's "Amores" piece, not to mention Terry Riley's minimalist "In C," complete with marimba, xylophones, vibes, bells, and pianos. You wouldn't get all haughty if you were getting your ass kicked in a wind tunnel, would you? Well, it's kind of the same thing. But artier. JS

THE SESSION: 420 W/BLAK SCIENZ TRIBE, MADGESDIQ, EVIL E, SOUND SCULPTURES

(Lewis & Clark, Rusty Nail) Get your hotbox on with an open mic/emcee battle (7-9 pm), and then enjoy the 420 with some great local hiphop. It's apparently an "international holiday," and who are we to step on the toes of the nations of the world? JS

RON JEREMY'S S&M SIDESHOW, MY REGRETS

(Dante's) For some reason, I used to think Ron Jeremy was cool, during some wannabe hardcore stage where I thought porn and eating steak at the Acropolis were cool. I realized I don't like any of those things, especially Ron Jeremy, when I saw his crappy S&M sideshow. Balloon-breasted women fawn over his saggy ass, he does a dumb comedy routine, and a band plays. A bunch of frat boys yell about how they love Ron Jeremy, so unless you're in that category, don't go. KATIE SHIMER

PINETOP SEVEN, DOLOREAN, MINES

(Blackbird) Like slow gypsy shadows, Tim Hardin's haunting voice moves through Pinetop Seven's operatic fairytales. The music is a murky, eerie, and slippery surrealism, cluttered with iconic Depression-era Appalachia spoons, slide guitars, and stand-up basses, that, like an anxious summer breeze, never quite settles on one mood. A collection of 17 Chicago-based musicians, Pinetop Seven keeps a revolving cast of characters and talent. After spending almost a decade diligently and patiently pimping their first recordings (both recorded in their landlord's attic), the troupe finally gained national recognition and a steady base of fans. Sometimes it just takes time for the world to catch up. PDB

DANIEL ASH

(Aladdin) Goth king revamps with dance beats for surprisingly unembarrassing results. Rescheduled from last month. JS

CANNIBAL CORPSE, DARK FUNERAL, INCANTATION, PISSING RAZORS

(Roseland) A stellar death/black metal show, not for the weak of heart. Also, if you're Christian, you also may want to stay at home, too. See My What a Busy Week pg 13

MARQUES WYATT

(Ohm) Life is a horrible unending quagmire of water bills, unmowed lawns, persnickety neighbors, and phone calls telling you someone's in the hospital, so I can see why deejays like Marques Wyatt get famous. House music like he mixes, makes everything better--feel-good, with the typical diva/divon (What is a male diva called?) vocals, but with sharp beats that slice like scissors. JS


SUNDAY 4/21

RADAR BROTHERS, TERROR SHEETS, THE FORTY-FIRST

(Blackbird) If you were an early fan of the bands Acetone or Idaho, you've no doubt heard of their contemporaries the Radar Bros, who put out two slow-paced, bittersweet albums in the mid-'90s before disappearing just as their "sound" was about to become all the rage. Tonight's lineup will feature two more members, adding strings and orchestral accents to the stark sentimentality. KATHLEEN WILSON

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS, KHAN, KID CONGO POWERS

(Crystal) See My What a Busy Week pg 13


MONDAY 4/22

THE FLESHIES, IOWASKA, THE CURSE

(Meow Meow) Oakland's The Fleshies play spastic, over-the-top rock 'n' roll, and have been known to get naked. You have been warned. Their Alternative Tentacles labelmates, Iowaska, play old school political crust punk straight outta Britain, comparable to Penis Envy-era Crass or Amebix. In fact, guitarist/vocalist Sam Skraeling lent her venomous vocals on Amebix's No Sanctuary EP. With local punkers The Curse. OWEN ASHWORTH

SCIENCE CLASS WITH THE 3M COLLECTIVE AND THE DRUM BUDDY

(Beulahland) This is it, right here. The 3M Collective, who for tonight will be dressed up and known as "Your Science Instructors," will bust their dopeass weird vinyl finds (children's stories, aerobics instruction, maybe Nervous Norvus). But even further, they will bust them over beats made by the DRUM BUDDY, which, for geeks like us, is a huge, crazy scientific oscillating beat machine that runs on light like a theremin. (If you are a supergeek, go to www.drumbuddy.com, but good luck trying to figure out any of the technical language.) I recommend wearing lab coats and putting a lot of mousse in one's hair, if one intends to attend. JS

LAUNDRYROOM SQUELCHERS, PLUTONIUM PIE, XELA ZAID

(Satyricon) I think the Laundryroom Squelchers have murdered people with their music--a whooping massacre of white noise "squelching" and the wanton manipulation of vibrations. They're from one of America's murder capitals, Miami, which leaves no one wondering about the psychology of why a bunch of cats would want to make the biggest, loudest, most damaging noise bombs you can think of. It's like eating a bag of tin foil and sticking your head in the microwave. Xela Zaid, also from Miami, takes a more traditional approach, with a distorted, whispered singing and clanky guitar, an avant take on traditional lo-fi, and, based on his epic tune "Ghetto Superstar," very excellent and neat sounding. JS

LES SAVY FAV, THE APES, STATESIDE

(Blackbird) See Music pg 17


TUESDAY 4/23

CHERRY BLOSSOM BALL

(Berbati's Pan) See My What a Busy Week pg 13

PAUL WESTERBERG

(Music Millennium) Mistakes (and there are have been plenty of them) be damned, Paul Westerberg is quite possibly the finest songwriter alive today. Long before Ryan Adams ran off with his style (and hair), Westerberg paved the road for the sensitive punk rocker. One half poet and the other half asshole drunk, Westerberg is a Messiah to hoards of socially inept music nerds, myself included. From the beautiful hangover that was The Replacements, to the mildly embarrassing solo records and Singles soundtrack, Westerberg has been consistent in both amazing and disappointing his rabid fans. So when he plays a very rare in-store performance tonight, I'll be there. Look for me, I'll be the guy standing on a large stack of unsold Pete Yorn CDs trying to get a better view of my idol. CARMELO MARTINEZ


WEDNESDAY 4/24

BOB LOG III, FRANK FURTER & THE HOT DOGS, KING LOUIE ONE MAN BAND

(Satyricon) Bob Log III's drum-heavy show makes you shake around like you're having a Japanese cartoon-induced seizure--so fast and hard that it's like he's sending out shockwaves that trigger an involuntary visceral jerk. You must dance, unless you're some kind of steel-blooded automaton. It's hard to catch them all, but many of the lyrics are a kick; "I Want Your Shit On My Leg" has to be the greatest come-hither song title of all time. Everyone's busting a nut over Frank Furter, who shoulders the responsibilities of guitar, harmonica, bass drum, high hat, and hot dog suit while belting out bluesy tunes about, uh, being a hot dog. King Louie One Man Band is a rock n' roll transplant from the South, who I hope has been thinking carefully about what he's going to wear. MARJORIE SKINNER

764-HERO, SWEARING AT MOTORISTS, CARISSA'S WIERD

(Blackbird) Whereas 764-HERO was once a favorite band of mine, their latest album is a snore-a-thon. Their unique, jagged sound has been replaced by a horrific, pseudo-British radio grunge. I do not recommend seeing them. The death knell of indie rock echoes with the weight of an anvil. KD

OPUS X CD RELEASE/POETRY SLAM FINALS

(Berbati's) Everyone I know interprets the words "Poetry Slam" as "Run away fast." No kidding. But, as emcees are wont to rhyme, what are rappers if not poets? That's why, when paired with the soul-funky beats and video-game music overlays of the Opus X deejay crew, it turns into a low-key, little organic hiphop party, with a good vibe. (Because nothing filters a crowd better than the words "poetry slam." I'm sorry, but it's true.) Opus X (DJ Rundown and the DJ RuggedDryHump) release their new CD tonight, wittily titled Climbing 4 Dollar$, a mix of deep grooves and mixing, extra-heavy beats, some feel-good party thumpers, really cool, Galaga-type sound effects as rhythms, and cameos by Inaudible Jon, Hanover Fist, Don Brill, and my favorite, MC Art Therapy. So put away your Poetry Slam prejudice, cause they got a good party going on down there. JS


GOING TO SEATTLE?

Mon 4/22: Paul Westerberg (Easy Street Records)

For more info, visit www.thestranger.com

New Releases April 23: 27, Cornershop, King Kong*, Luna, Lupine Howl, Of Montreal, Still Breathing*