Friday, Oct. 24
Throughout her career, singer and multi-instrumentalist PJ Harvey has dabbled in just about every genre under the sun, from alternative to blues to lo-fi. It makes sense, then, that such an eclectic group of musicians will perform at the PJ Harvey Tribute Night: Alt-country crooner Star Anna, members of electro-pop duo Glitterbang, alternative singer Dejha, and more will gather to celebrate one of alt-rock’s leading ladies and her illustrious career. Featuring members of The Redwood Plan, Night Cadet, Blackie, The Intelligence, Corey J Brewer, Lesli Wood, Kate Moore. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8005, chopsuey.com. 9 p.m. $5 adv./$10 DOS. 21 and over. ACP
On its third album, Mended With Gold, Canadian indie-rock trio the Rural Alberta Advantage wanted to give each song room to evolve. While working on the record, the band played new songs live, then listened to recordings of those performances while driving to the next show. In this way, singer Nils Edenloff, percussionist Paul Banwatt, and multi-instrumentalist Amy Cole were able to hear what worked and adjust what didn’t. This hands-off attitude is evident on Mended With Gold. In conjunction with Edenloff’s full-throated vocals and the album’s soaring choruses, each track feels unforced, as if it knew all along how it wanted to sound. With July Talk. The Crocodile. 8 p.m. $13 adv. All ages. ACP
Punk rockers with a 9-to-5 will appreciate Dead Bars, the Seattle quintet and its self-titled EP. On opening track “Funhouse Monday,” front man John Maiello shouts in a spectacular rasp about hitting up McDonalds after a shift at EMP before singing karaoke at the Funhouse. And in “Los Marineros,” he’s waxing about going to a Mariners game (“I hope this season is better than the last one”) and spending every Wednesday drinking at the Little Red Hen. There’s no lack of punk attitude, but instead of fighting the Man, Dead Bars is fighting adulthood. With Sonic Avenues. Lo-Fi Performance Gallery, 429 Eastlake Ave. E., 254-2824, thelofi.net. 9 p.m. $8 adv./$10 DOS. 21 and over. ACP
While French electro-pop trio Yelle’s lyrics may not translate to most American fans, the band’s exuberance certainly will. And after listening to its third album, it’s easy to understand why this show is sold out. The Dr. Luke–produced Completement Fou (“Completely Crazy”) is a mix of jubilant synths, spacey blips, and atmospheric melodies. Lead singer Julie Budet alternates vocal styles from bright to dreamy to urban at the drop of a hat, which adds to the record’s spontaneous feel. With Lemonade, DJ Res. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 8 p.m. SOLD OUT. 21 and over. ACP
With its self-titled full-length debut, The Apache Relay has hit its stride. First single “Katie Queen of Tennessee,” a throwback to the days of classic ’70s folk pop, is likely to get you feeling nostalgic. The thumping percussion, rhythmic clapping, and otherworldly background vocals make “Ruby” sound like something out of a spaghetti Western, and the piano on “Terrible Feeling” sounds like it belongs in a saloon from the 1900s. This band is a delightful blast from the past, and the opening tracks alone are enough to draw you into the ambient world they’ve created. With Wild Feathers, Desert Noises. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599, tractortavern.com. 9 p.m. $16. 21 and over. BRIAN PALMER
Saturday, Oct. 25
If “Listen to Someone Else,” the first track from Anacortes quartet BellaMaine’s upcoming self-titled album, is any indication of what the rest of the record has to offer, fans should expect lots of lovely harmonies from the husband-and-wife vocal team of Nick and Julianne Thompson. They’re joined by drummer Gaelan Sylvia and bassist Jordan Nielsen to celebrate the release of their CD tonight. With The Weather, Silver Torches. Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. N.E., 722-3009, columbiacitytheater.com. 8:30 p.m. $8 adv./$10 DOS. 21 and over. ACP
Electro- and chamber-pop musician Perfume Genius, aka Mike Hadreas, is sticking it to homophobes everywhere with his latest album, Too Bright. Lead single “Queen” finds Hadreas singing softly, yet forcefully, “Don’t you know your queen?/Gleaming, wrapped in golden leaves/Don’t you know me?” A chorus of “No family is safe when I sashay” drives the point home, and perhaps nods to a video for his sophomore album, Put Your Back N 2 It, that was rejected from YouTube for not being “family safe” (it featured Hadreas and another shirtless man embracing). But Hadreas doesn’t care about that; he’s sharing his secrets no matter what anyone thinks. With Matteah Baim. The Neptune. 9 p.m. $16.50 adv./$18 DOS. All ages. ACP
There’s both a rasp and a clarity to Nathaniel Rateliff’s soulful folk voice, most recently heard on his sophomore album, Falling Faster Than You Can Run, that makes it immediately recognizable as his own. Whispering or wailing, the intimacy in the Missouri-born, Denver-based musician’s voice pairs well with the warm yet sparse instrumentation. And when you also consider the wide range of emotions expressed here, from triumphant to content to contemplative, it’s obvious that Falling is distinctly Rateliff. With Dry the River, Kris Orlowski. Tractor Tavern. 8:45 p.m. $13 adv./$15 DOS. 21 and over. ACP
