Wednesday, May 31
The Boy Least Likely To + the Bicycles
See CD review.
Chop Suey, 8 p.m. $10 All ages
Elefant + Voxtrot + Silversun Pickups
You love the ’80s revival thing but sometimes Interpol just gets you down. Solution: Elefant! This upbeat, heavy-bass-line band released their second album, Black Magic Show, in February to follow their 2004 new wave, jaw-dropper debut Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid (both on Kemado). Plus, Argentine-American lead singer Diego Garcia is quite the hottie. Neumo’s, 8 p.m. $12 adv./$14 All ages
Mobb Deep
See article.
Showbox, 8 p.m. $30 18+
Pete Rock
Sometimes, inexplicably great things happen with the help of advertising cha-ching, like last year’s Red Bull Music Academy, which brought ?uestlove, Ewan Pearson, Leon Ware, and many more musical inspirations to Seattle for the summer. And now, soulful rapper/producer Pete Rock is here—for free if you RSVP via the War Room’s Web site—thanks to a car company that will remain unnamed. DJs Klever, Kwestion, and Scene also play. War Room, 9 p.m. NC
Thursday, June 1
Charlatans UK + Boy Kill Boy
With 16 years and nine albums under their belt, the Charlatans are getting on in years—and trying a bit of ill-advised dance punk on this year’s Simpatico (Sanctuary)—but they remain one of Brit-pop’s finest. And fear not, purists, the psychedelic swirl of guitars prevail. Showbox, 8 p.m. $17
Jucifer
Does this mean that Jucifer—the Atlanta-based duo of drummer Ed Livengood and guitarist/vocalist Amber Valentine—are working on new material? With three albums of sludgy, fuzztastic rock (most recently, Name You Destroyer on Velocette) since 1998, they predate the ’00s duo craze with technical mastery and scary-good chops. With Playing Enemy, Girth, and the Abodox. El Corazon, 8 p.m. $8 adv./$10
Panda and Angel
Dipping into melancholy shoegazer territory à la Autolux and My Bloody Valentine, locals Panda and Angel make some of the most emotionally fragile music in town. Their self-titled EP is set for a July release on Jade Tree and is packed with all of the familiar, icy heartache and loneliness of their live show. Young Sportsmen, Math and Physics Club, and Ghost Stories share the stage. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. NC
Friday, June 2
DJ Keoki
Fez—err, Wilmer Valderrama—played the self-styled Superstar DJ in the oh-so-disappointing B-movie film Party Monster, next to Macaulay Culkin’s Michael Alig and Seth Green’s James St. James. If these names don’t ring a bell, we advise you to keep walking. But if the thought of rubbing glittered elbows with one of ’90s rave’s last-standing hedonists gets you going, by all means, bug out. DJs Translucent and Venus also spin. Element, 10 p.m. $10 before 11 p.m./$15
Planet of the Drums
This long-running drum and bass tour has a hippified name that might lead you to believe it’s all about soothing rhythms and hug-the-world vibes, but that’d be the wrong assumption with DJs Dieselboy, AK1200, and Dara at the helm. Don’t these dudes ever get tired of this? MC Messinian, Aaron Simpson, the Dowlz, and Tha Specialist add vocals to the barrage. Showbox, 9 p.m. $25 18+
Saturday, June 3
Alias and Tarsier
With a generous dose of Boards of Canada–ish electronic stylings, Alias’ 2003 disc Muted, on Anticon., showed that he’s one of the more adventurous in that indie hip-hop stable. His latest is a collaboration called Brookland/Oaklyn, made by sending music back and forth across the country with musician/vocalist Rona “Tarsier” Rapadas. Rainbow, 9 p.m. $6
Boyz II Men
It’s a disturbing compulsion you can’t deny: you wanted to lose your v-card to “I’ll Make Love to You.” Find those old overalls, and if you’re lucky, maybe the slow-jam kings won’t play any of the songs they made after 1994. You can sentimentally sing along while attempting to recall what you did with that v-card anyway. Paramount, 8:30 p.m. $35
Georgetown Music Fest
Go a little out of your way (or right down the street, depending) for a day of fun in the (please, god, please) sun with excellent bands Okkervil River, the Divorce, Bicycle, Post Stardom Depression, the Western States, the Treatment, Boat, Emblematic, Izabelle, and LillyDale. 12th Street South, between Airport Way and South Bailey, Noon. $10
The Hunches + the Histrionics
The Hunches are an indie/punk/garage foursome from Portland who have a new 7-inch out and are well worth your time. The Histrionics are a Patti Smith/VU–influenced trio of ladies from Seattle with a mini-EP of their own . . . the only way you’ll get the goods is to get in the tavern! Comet Tavern, 9 p.m. $5
Keek Out Freak Out
One-half of party promoters Perfect Hit (with DJ Wesley Holmes), Fortune Kiki, as he’s called, is celebrating . . . something! What’s new? But it’s the third edition of this particular party, with most of the best DJs in town, including Curtis, Damaged Goods, Erin O’Connor, Hyasynth, Jacob London, Kadeejah Streets, and Recess. Chop Suey, 9 p.m. NC
Pelican + Mono + Eluvium
All hail the enlightened minds of today’s metalheads! People are crossing boundaries with their show bookings that make subtle yet highly dramatic sense (think Isis + Mogwai), and tonight is no exception. The instrumental art metal of Pelican vs. the experimental sounds of Japanese band Mono vs. the quiet drone-hiss of Eluvium = a battle where everyone wins. Neumo’s, 7 p.m. $12 adv./$14
The Spoils
There’s some buzz about the Spoils, who are supposed to be the best studio musicians you’ve never heard of, their down-time music something to do with the Melvins, Bread, Stevie Wonder, and ZZ Top. They’ve come out of hiding tonight for a party called Baz.R, where fashion from Cap Hill’s Pretty Parlor meets drunk punk photos meets the musical pastiche mentioned above. Baltic Room, 9 p.m.
Studio 66: the Invisible Eyes + the Parallels
For the second anniversary of Seattle’s bi-monthly Studio 66 (aka Mod Night Out), the Eastlake performance space will host local garage-punks the Invisible Eyes and Vancouver’s Sir Douglas–schooled the Parallels, not to mention Go-Go dancing by Tangerine Tonic and a host of DJs (including Scorpio, Chrispo, and Vodka Twist) spinning their collections of psych, garage and soul sides. Lo Fi, 9 p.m. $7
Sunday, June 4
Eels + Smoosh
See CD review.
Showbox, 8 p.m. $15 All ages
Frontline Assembly
The Artificial Soldier tour finds Leeb and Fulber showcasing their new album of the same name, which is said to be their best in over a decade. It’s out on Metropolis this June. The vocal guests from Covenant and Front 242 may not be appearing, but Strumkern and DJ? Acucrack are along for the ride. Fenix Underground, 8 p.m. $20 adv./$25
Shoplifting + Kiosk + Finally Punk + Midwife
See article. Consolidated Works, 6 p.m. $5 with club card/$6 All ages
Tuesday, June 6
Aceyalone + Ugly Duckling + the Procussions + Diverse + Mayday! + Wrekonize
Veteran rapper Aceyalone’s latest, Magnificent City (Decon), benefited from RJD2’s beats, but needed little help to begin with. Live, it should be extra hot. Chop Suey, 8 p.m. $12 All ages
Court and Spark + Oakley Hall + Whalebones
See CD review.
Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $8
Howlin’ Rain + Liverburst + Tiny Vipers
See article.
Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $7
Imaginational Anthem
See article.
Tractor Tavern, 9 p.m. $8
