Your place probably doesn’t have AC. Might as well venture out and chill out with some (fellow music) fans.
OK, that lead-in was pretty lame. Sorry about that. It’s just too hot in this room to even… <passes out from heat>.. Wait? What? Where were we? Oh, right. As a token of our apologies, here are the best options of the week in our opinion.
8/5 (Tuesday) Parquet Courts, Naomi Punk, Gag @ The Vera Project
Jagged Malkmus-esque “American punk” rock from Brooklyn
After a bit of a snooze, we’re back and energized to serve up some excellent live music options that will help you make the most of this brilliant mid-summer week. As always, we pour over venue calendars, picks from our fellow bloggers and updates from our favorite artists to give you a short-list of can’t miss shows. Be sure to let us know who else we should include in the weeks ahead.
7/29 (Tuesday) Miniature Tigers, The Griswolds, Scarves @ The Vera Project
Catchy synth-pop from loveable, former power pop enthusiasts
As fans of and from the Pacific Northwest music scene, it’s hard not to hear elements of PacNW favorites in a large portion of bands we listen to regardless of what city or town they actually call home. While tonight’s recommended act hails from Brooklyn and Atlanta, we couldn’t help but hear Seattle and Portland in the the mix of rich influences and sonic tendencies.
Made up of usually-solo artist Kevin Devine and usually-with-band frontman Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra, Bad Books combines the audio approaches of their main acts with a healthy dose of influences that broaden the Books’ sound beyond a simple sum. The side project turned full band with help from the rest of Manchester Orchestra plays hook-laden, often dark yet always playfully self-aware rock.
Listen for Elliott Smith allusions in songs like “No Rewards,” Dave Bazan’s Headphones similarities in the chorus of the album’s lead single “Forest Whitaker,” among other seemingly local flavors. As with their main gigs, Devine and Hull’s immense lyrical skills stay front and center making these songs linger in your head well beyond an initial listen. Be sure to get to Neumos on time for this early show for first-rate openers The Drowning Men and Harrison Hudson.
10/6 – Bad Books (ft. Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra) with The Drowning Men + Harrison Hudson @ Neumos, Doors at 6PM, $14 advance
Impressive musical comedy from an extremely talented, once (and future?) Seattleite
6/7 (Thursday) – Viper Creek Club @ Chop Suey
Electro-pop duo from Seattle
6/8 (Friday) – Cataldo @ Sunset Tavern
Highly intelligent, emotional pop rock with a hint of folk from Seattle
6/9 (Saturday) – Horse Feathers @ Barboza
Rustic and often beautiful folk tunes of discomfort and despair from sweet-voiced Portlandians.
6/9 (Saturday) – Rocky Votolato @ Neumos
Delicate, contemplative and often melancholic folk from a Seattle staple
6/10 (Sunday) – Brendan Benson @ The Croc
Top-shelf pop rock from a Michigan-based singer-songwriter with Nashville connections
A genre-defying blend of jazz, country and more experimentation from legendary Nashville speak-singer Kurt Wagner
5/2 (Wednesday) – Washed Out @ Neptune
Hazy pop electronica expands to fill one of the city’s best revived venues
5/3 (Thursday) – Benjamin Francis Leftwich @ The Croc
Contemplative acoustic pop from a young, but rapidly embraced English singer-songwriter
5/4 (Friday) – Delta Spirit @ Neumos
Raw, folk-infused rock from the lauded San Diego band fronted by former busker and emotive lyricist, Matthew Vasquez
5/5 (Saturday) – Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Neumos
Retro-leaning rock from Portland-based psychedelic pop enthusiasts
5/6 (Sunday) – Torn ACLs @ Neumos
Usually simple, often goofy and always fun Seattle pop rock
