Wednesday, April 26

Ladytron + The Presets

New Zealand duo the Presets have amassed quite a buzz around their electro-rock act, but to us it looks a little like Bellingham’s Idiot Pilot (graciously minus the grating vocals). It’s yet to be seen if they’ll achieve the delicate balance of kitsch and staying power that their tourmates have. Neumo’s, 8 p.m. $18

Massive Attack

Bristol’s finest have always made music that defies categorization as mere trip-hop. Their new Collected disc is an overview of their career’s greatest, and while the Wild Bunch has become a laid-back pair, it’s not over just yet. This rare appearance should thrill fans, who don’t care whether they sing or sneeze so long as they’re here. Paramount Theatre, 8 p.m. $38

Thursday, April 27

Editors + stellastarr* + Monsters Are Waiting

“David Byrne meets Goat Boy”? Give stellastarr* a break, people! Their new-wave steez isn’t half as pretentious as many of their peers, and they’ve got the exquisitely glimmering guitars thing down cold. Monsters are Waiting open the show, and Editors give a headlining lesson on tasteful British post-punk. Chop Suey, 8 p.m. $15 All ages. Editors also at Easy Street, Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. NC

Jazzanova

The last time this combo funked through the Baltic it sold out quickly, so don’t miss the German nu-jazz visionaries again. With Seattle’s able DJ collective SunTzu Sound, of course. Baltic Room, 9 p.m. $10

Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio + Jon Auer + .22

The Downer Trio? They’re not kidding. Live, Phelps’ songs seem even more spare and sad—maybe because his slight form makes you worry about him. Might also just be because the sometimes-acoustic, sometimes-electric folk songs are indeed quite frail and somber. Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $7

Friday, April 28

Asylum Street Spankers

Austin’s Spankers are troublemakers, it’s true, but they aren’t a novelty act, even if they did write an entire album of songs based on weed, titled Spanker Madness (Bloodshot). Rooted in ’20s and ’30s acoustic blues and jazz, their Re-Assembly DVD documents their recent 10th anniversary show, and is out now. Tractor Tavern, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. $12 adv./$14

Derrick Carter

People will tell you that Detroit birthed techno and Chicago birthed house—and Carter’s the one that made the latter city jack its body throughout the ’90s, when the sound was fresh, funky, and exciting. A perfect hit! War Room, 9 p.m.

Billy Childish

Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $10

The Epoxies + The Start + Speaker Speaker

Portland’s Fat Wreck Chords darlings the Epoxies—fronted by the dashing Roxy Epoxy—are a mess of synthesized, electro-fied punk rawk. The Start, with singer Aimee Echo, is also fun—as is local group Speaker Speaker, even though singer Colin doesn’t have a fancy nickname. El Corazon, 7 p.m. $10 All ages

The David Grisman Quintet

When roll is called for mandolin virtuosos, David Grisman can walk right up behind Bill Monroe to receive his honor. His playing is effortlessly slick and exceedingly professional, but it doesn’t matter. Grisman has mastered his instrument, and there’s not many folk that have done so and remained this listenable, let alone played on the Grateful Dead’s American Beauty! Moore Theatre, 8 p.m. $32.50–$37.50

Junior Brown

The steel guitar maestro and singer plays a pleasing amalgam of country and rock, and released a greatest hits album last year on Curb—so this performance should include plenty of old favorites, and maybe a new tune or two? Crocodile Cafe, 8 p.m. $25 adv./$28

Saturday, April 29

SW Music Awards Showcase: DJ Cherry Canoe + Jett City + Stay Tuned + 1234 + the Buttersprites + thee Emergency + the Ruby Doe + the Cops + Kinski

Outdoor Stage, 5410 Ballard Ave. N.W., 3 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: DJ Scorpio + Maiden Seattle + Nigel Mustafa + Girth + Sunday Night Blackout + The Valley + the Hollowpoints + Blöödhag + Kinski

Sunset Tavern 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W. 5 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: DJs Mamma Casserole, FCS North + Joy Wants Eternity + Central Services + the Lonely H + Cantona + Velella Velella + Mercir + Tim Seely

Tractor Tavern, 6 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: SunTzu DJs + Altered States of Funk + the Long Ranger + Beehive + Choklate + Beyond Reality

Paradox, 7 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: DJ Tamara + Suicide Jack + Na + Bill Horist + Picoso + Ficus Trio + Swampdweller + Wayne Horvitz

Conor Byrne Pub, 6 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: DJ Johnny Horn + Alice Stuart + Charles White Band + the Bourbonites + Blue Healers + Tim Casey and the Bluescats + Jude Bowerman

Lock and Keel, 6 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: Eric Fridrich + Johanna Kunin + Korby Lenker + DJs Recess, Zacharia

Balmar, 5449 Ballard Ave. N.W., 7 p.m. $7 joint cover

SW Music Awards Showcase: DJ Kid Hops + Dub Championz + Georgetown Orbits + Wet City Rockers + Nuffsed

Mr. Spot’s Chai House, 7 p.m. $7 joint cover

Ice Cube + Tha Dogg Pound

Ice Cube’s long been a superstar in the film world as well as music—dude’s been having a good day for a while, and making the day of everyone from N.W.A. fans to Barbershop devotees. Showbox, 8 p.m. $35 All ages

Kronos Quartet feat. Rahman Asadollahi

Together since 1979, the prolific string quartet returns to Seattle with an appearance from master accordionist Asadollahi, who started working with the quartet at the San Francisco World Music fest. Moore Theatre, 8 p.m. $26–$32.50

Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands

Former Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel has churned out an album of dusty, echoy country songs called Snake in the Radio, soon to be released on Chicago’s purveyor of twang, Bloodshot Records. Between Pickerel’s thumb-and-forefinger plucks, and Johnny Sangster’s Duane Eddy–style string bends, the songs could be the soundtrack to a David Lynch flick set in a Bakersfield honky tonk. Steve Turner and his Bad Ideas and the Withholders also play. Comet Tavern, 9:30 p.m. $5

Sunday, April 30

Common Market + Cancer Rising + Macklemore + Abyssinian Creole

It’s all ages all day long with these rising stars of Seattle hip-hop. After the showcase, there’s “Dance Like You Couldn’t in 1999,” a Massive Monkees seven-year anniversary jam with DJs Bles One and Element, $6 or free with entry from before. Chop Suey, 7 p.m. $8 All ages

The Cuts + Invisible Eyes + The Hands

No shortage of bands doing the late ’70s Rolling Stones/Television thing these days—and sporting dead-on sartorial interpretations as well. Walking the walk and talking the talk, Oakland’s Cuts play psychotropic garage rock music that is as real as it is recycled. Comet Tavern, 9 p.m. $6

WhiteTrash Whiplash

This “hardcore honkytonk” group has a peculiar way with promotion, hence the pizza box (containing mac and cheese and an ounce of low-grade whiskey) that arrived at select media outlets recently. So is that what it takes to get mentioned in the paper? It shouldn’t be, but it’s pretty damn hilarious. With Hillstomp, and Hart and the Hurricane. Cafe Venus/Mars Bar, 9 p.m. $6

Monday, May 1

Cat Power and the Memphis Rhythm Band

Showbox, 8 p.m. $26.50 adv./$28 All ages

Psalm One

Opening for hip-hop groups Gym Class Heroes, Time Machine, and People Under the Stairs, Psalm One is the lone female rapper on respected label Rhymesayers, though she released Bio: Chemistry II: Esters and Essays on Birthwrite last year. Having been a b-girl, saxophonist, and Chemistry student, she draws on these lives and more in her rhymes. Chop Suey, 8 p.m. $12 All ages

Tuesday, May 2

Essex Green + Irving + The Capillaries

By way of harkening for the bygone era of Byrds-ish country-rock and Greenwich Village folk, the Essex Green approach the laid back, front-porch mentality of the Band. Though their new record is tied to the theme of fleeing city, you’ll have to stick around Seattle to see them live. Although you can buy Cannibal Sea (Merge) for the car ride as you head for hills the following day. Crocodile Cafe, 8 p.m. $8 All ages