Music
Gamelan Pacifica Cornish’s resident Indonesian percussion orchestra. PONCHO Concert Hall (Cornish College), 710 E. Roy St., Seattle WA 98102 $10-$22 Sunday, December 7, 2014, 7pm
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Kina Grannis After creating a YouTube account in 2007, acoustic-pop singer/songwriter Kina Grannis built a strong following by covering songs by everyone from Akon and Death Cab for Cutie to Fiona Apple and Rihanna, along with her own original tunes. A Super Bowl commercial contest win landed her a deal with Interscope, but she eventually left the label to self-release her material, a move that has yet to fail her. Elements, Grannis’ fifth studio album, is her most focused yet. Her sweet, airy voice is grounded by richer guitar tones, and her lyrics are still both intimate and universal, proving that Grannis’ talent transcends computer screens. All ages. The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., Seattle WA 98121 $20 adv. Monday, December 8, 2014, 7pm
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Johnny Marr English singer/guitarist Johnny Marr is rock royalty. A founding member of influential alt-rock quartet the Smiths, Marr went on to perform or record with the likes of the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, Modest Mouse, the Cribs, Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, Beck, and more. Just a year after releasing his first solo album, The Messenger, Marr is back with Playland, which combines the singing, songwriting, and guitar skills he’s honed over the years. His voice is engaging, and the grooves are tight. At only 51, Marr has a lot more up his musical sleeve. 21 and over. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St.Seattle, WA 98122 $27 adv. Monday, December 8, 2014, 8pm
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Tacos! If the band name doesn’t draw you in, heavy-metal duo Tacos!’s blend of thundering percussion and heavy guitar riffs should. Vocalist/guitarist Don Stewart and vocalist/drummer Lupe Flores make an impressive amount of noise for just two people, most recently heard on the band’s self-titled full-length. Stewart handles rage-fueled vocal duties for most of the album, though Flores occasionally jumps in and adds her own mad-as-hell energy, especially on album opener “Wake Up.” The album and the band are rough and aggressive-definitely not for the faint of heart. With Cardiel!, Big Trughk. 21 and over. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., Seattle, WA 98122 $5 Monday, December 8, 2014, 9pm
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107.7 The End’s Deck the Hall Ball This year’s 107.7 The End’s Deck the Hall Ball is a veritable who’s-who of alt-rock all-stars and up-and-comers. England’s Royal Blood, which toured with the Pixies earlier this year, will open, followed by Australia’s Vance Joy, who recorded his debut album, Dream Your Life Away, at Woodinville’s Bear Creek Studio. South African quartet KONGOS follows, then TV on the Radio will play songs from its latest, Seeds, before Mind over Matter rockers Young the Giant perform. Cage the Elephant is next, followed by Weezer, the enduring geek-rock group that recently released Everything Will Be Alright in the End. Imagine Dragons, whose 2012 song “Radioactive” is still ruling the airwaves, will close. All ages. KeyArena (Seattle Center), 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109 $50 and up Tuesday, December 9, 2014, 3pm
HOT House Party The New HOT 103.7 (KHTP) proudly announces the first HOT House Party featuring your favorite all-time old school throwback artists Bobby Brown, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Ginuwine and Rob Base. ShoWare Center, 625 W James StreetKent, WA 98032 $48.50-$114 Friday, December 12, 2014, 8pm
