DJ Cherry Canoe
Cool-rockin’ mama, girl about town, and all-around rabble-rouser, Cherry Canoe is even good with words—check out her MySpace page. A favorite among the Pabst Blue Ribbon crowd, she seems to be everywhere at once. A deep and wide record collection drawing on many eras of rock and soul is only one item in her bag of tricks. DJ/Turntablist. Between bands.
Jett City
Unique in the annals of tribute bands, the cleverly named Jett City kick “all Joan, all the time” without resorting to cheesy impersonation or black hair dye. Rapidly becoming a staple on area stages, they celebrate the repertoire of one of rock’s truest true believers. It’s the perfect soundtrack for a sodden night out. Cover/Tribute. 3 p.m.
Stay Tuned
We all have our favorite TV theme song, and we can’t seem to resist the urge to belt it out when our show comes on. But Stay Tuned have taken it to an entirely new level. Mixing and revamping childhood favorites from Happy Days to Who’s the Boss, the band members have proclaimed themselves the “Ultimate Television Rock Tribute Experience.” Imagine Welcome Back Kotter set to a hard bass and streaming guitar riffs. Very cool. Cover/Tribute. 3:45 p.m.
1234
Given that a Ramones reunion is even less likely than a Beatles one, 1234’s musically and visually faithful tribute counts as something of a public service—especially for fans too young to have caught the real thing. The band has even taken its repertoire (everything from “Rock and Roll High School” to “You’re Gonna Kill That Girl”) to at least one wedding party. Pizza? We want some! Cover/Tribute. 4:30 p.m.
The Buttersprites
Self-described as “Tuff Japanese indie-pop meets ’80s downtown art-punk via Seattle, Hawaii, and Japan!,” these sassy sprites are more than meets the eye or ear. Guitarist Elizabeth Jameson is a renowned visual artist who constructs fanciful costumes for the band, and vocalist Haruko Nishimura gets experimental in the Degenerate Art Ensemble. Lushy bassist Lunarre Omura, keyboardist Julie Grant, and drummer Jen Gay are essential to the Buttersprites’ smooth recipe. Pop/Rock. 5:15 p.m.
Thee Emergency
Channeling rock and roll grit from the center of it—Detroit—these garage rockers infuse their music and performances with equal parts rhythm and blues. Vocalist Dita Vox is a former jazz singer, bringing a sultry sound to the rebel-yell ethos of the still-underground band. “I sweat sex/From every pore/You’re a wreck/From wanting more.” Yowza! New Artist. 6 p.m.
The Ruby Doe
Math-rock or wanna-be Motörhead? The Ruby Doe have been tagged both, but there’s fun in splitting the difference. Always With Wings (Loveless) is the latest in a growing discography that’s won nationwide praise. Join the smart patrol and dig in. Metal/Hard Rock. 6:45 p.m.
The Cops
Rising punk stars the Cops take many of their cues from the old school: Clash, Buzzcocks—like that. Beneficiaries of both commercial and noncommercial airplay, the band has made a name for itself on bills with the Walkmen and Sebadoh. A full-length follow-up to their Why Kids Go Wrong EP (Mt. Fuji) is imminent. Indie/Garage. 7:30 p.m.
Kinski
Since their recently reissued 1999 debut, SpaceLaunch for Frenchie (Strange Attractors), Kinski’s smart, heavy rock has been a must for music fans hell-bent on tinnitus. Citing everything from Black Sabbath to Terry Riley in their Sub Pop bio, the quartet make art music that’s far from arty; last year’s Alpine Static could be the soundtrack for a particularly intense beer bash. Metal/Hard Rock. 8:15 p.m.
