Thursday, Feb. 12
Since the release of its self-titled debut in 2013, local experimental group Heatwarmer has lost two members but gained a recently completed sophomore album. There has been no mention of a title, release date, or even a new single, but based on a 42-second teaser the band posted, the album is going to be as eclectic as its predecessor. On Heatwarmer, the trio jumps from circus-inspired rock (“Magic Hearts”) and instrumental arrangements (“My Life Is So Random”) to Parisian cafe vibes via accordion (“You Move”) and jazz (“Jungle of Mystery”). With Industrial Revelation, McTuff. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 8 p.m. $12. 21 and over.
Friday, Feb. 13
While I can’t guarantee that Dancing on the Valentine X will be completely flower- and chocolate-free, the show, which benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, looks to make good on a hefty lineup of local acts (Evening Bell, Exohxo, Gibraltar, Goodbye Heart’s Sam Ford, Jupe Jupe, Katie Kate, Lazer Kitty, Strong Suit, the Service Providers, the Swearengens, 3rd Base, Thunderpussy, Trick Candles, and DJ Mike Steves) performing the music of The Cure, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Joy Division, New Order, and Madonna. Neumos. 8 p.m. $15. 21 and over.
Saturday. Feb. 14
Admit it. We’ve all had at least a puppy-dog crush on a musician we’ve seen onstage. This Valentine’s Day, the Dream Boats Artist Auction will let you tell a few local musicians/cuties just how much you like them, with proceeds benefitting the North Helpline Food Bank. Ten Americana, folk, and bluegrass artists will be on the auction block as they perform sets of (what else?) love songs. The highest bidder gets a one-on-one lesson or a private concert with their chosen dreamboat. And who knows? If these “dates” go well, you could be the inspiration for a new song. High Dive, 513 N. 36th St., 632-0212, highdiveseattle.com. 8 p.m. $10. 21 and over.
Whether you viewed Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” as a body-positivity anthem or thought it missed the mark, the song and Trainor’s debut, Title, have been nearly inescapable since their release. Trainor’s blend of bubblegum pop, doo-wop, hip-hop, and R&B, plus Millennial-centric lyrics, helped the album knock Taylor Swift’s 1989 out of the top spot to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200—an impressive feat for anyone, especially a newcomer. And with Trainor’s second single, “Lips Are Movin,” holding its own on the charts, it looks as if Taylor may have even more competition on her hands. With Sheppard. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., 682-1414, stgpresents.org/neptune. 8 p.m. $25 and up. All ages.
International acclaim has been a long time coming for Irish singer/songwriter Hozier (full name: Andrew Hozier-Byrne). The singer’s breakthrough hit, “Take Me to Church,” first appeared in 2013 on his EP of the same name, but it wasn’t until almost a year later, and the release of Hozier’s self-titled debut full-length, that North American audiences caught on to his bluesy-soul mix and lyrics that deal with heavy subject matter like the hypocrisy he sees in the Catholic church. He’s making up for time lost: the songwriter just performed at the Grammys with Annie Lenox, and most dates of his current U.S. tour are sold out, including this one. With As geir. The Paramount, 911 Pine St., 682-1414, stgpresents.org/paramount. 8:30 p.m. SOLD OUT. All ages.
Texas (by way of New York and Missouri) musician Israel Nash might be a bit of a Luddite. He did away with modern technology when it came to tracking his latest album, Rain Plans, and instead chose to use an analog tape machine for the entire project. According to Nash, he did this so the album would sound like the 15 acres in Dripping Springs, Texas, he now calls home. Judging by Rain Plans, his third full-length, Nash’s stretch of land must be an Americana artist’s dream. There’s a dusty feel to Nash’s mid-tempo strumming that makes each lyric come across as a bit of old Western folklore. With Wild Reeds. Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-4880, sunsettavern.com. 9 p.m. $10. 21 and over.
After listening to its latest release, Never the Place, I’m fairly certain the members of dance quintet the West have Red Bull flowing through their veins. Energetic doesn’t even begin to cover it. The band takes the brightness of ‘80s synth-pop and combines it with the thumping drive of Foals’ “My Number” and the funky grooves of just about any Fitz and the Tantrums cut. Call-and-response vocals from lead singer Anthony Darnell, who also handles rhythm guitar and synth, and backing vocalist Adrienne Clark, also on synth, give off a B-52s vibe, which adds to the liveliness. FYI: Peter and the Tribe, Dacha, Intisaar Jubran, and Johndus Beckman will be playing the Back Bar tonight, too. With Ever So Android, Dead End Friend, Goodbye Heart. The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-4618, thecrocodile.com. 8 p.m. $5/back Bar, $10/showroom, $12/both rooms. All ages.
Sunday, Feb. 15
Ohio native Jessica Lea Mayfield is a genre chameleon. She grew up performing in her family’s bluegrass band before taking an alt-country turn for her first two solo releases, both of which were produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. On her latest full-length, Make My Head Sing . . . , Mayfield pairs her pure voice with thick guitar riffs for a darker, grungier feel. Most recently, the singer teamed with the Avett Brothers’ Seth Avett for a forthcoming collection of Elliott Smith covers aptly titled Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith. The Crocodile. 8 p.m. $15. All ages.
Every Sunday, Seamonster Lounge hosts Monster Jam, which invites members of different local bands to share the stage in an epic jam session. Tonight’s Monster Jam is hosted by Joe Doria, who has been composing for and playing on the Hammond Organ for years. Doria plays in McTuff, alongside Andy Coe and Tarik Abouzied, and as one-third of the Joe Doria Trio. Doria has also worked with the likes of guitarists Carlos Santana, Johnny Lang, and Orianthi, members of Critters Buggin, the Headhunters, the Screaming Trees, and Fitz and the Tantrums, and bands like Kinski and the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra—there’s no telling who might drop in. Seamonster Lounge, 2202 N. 45th St., 992-1120, sea monsterlounge.com. 10 p.m. Free. 21 and over.
The Bang on a Can
Marathon folks aren’t kidding about that marathon part. This six-hour show from the eclectic New York–based contemporary classical-music collective begins with a signature performance of Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports and ends with the Seattle premiere of Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians,” performed by Bang on a Can All-Stars and UC San Diego’s red fish blue fish. In between, composer Jherek Bischoff, Scrape Ensemble, and composer Jim Knapp will collaborate on a piece; viola/voice duo Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenney and piano/percussion duo Gust Burns and Greg Campbell will perform; and much, much more. Rest up, folks. The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., 877-784-4849, stgpresents.org/moore. 4 p.m. $45. All ages.
Monday, Feb. 16
Seattle-born singer/songwriter Judy Collins
has a knack for making a tune her own. Her 1961 debut, A Mai
d of Constant Sorrow, featured covers of folk classics like “Wild Mountain Thyme,” “Pretty Saro,” and “A Sailor’s Life”; and her latest, Bohemian, includes her take on “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Jimmy Webb’s “Campo de Encino,” Woody Guthrie’s “Pastures of Plenty,” and more, plus a few originals (“Wings of Angels” and “In the Twilight”). With Rachael Sage. The Neptune. 8 p.m. $45. All ages.
Tuesday, Feb. 17
There’s a simplicity to The Weatherman, the latest from Johannesburg-born, Colorado-based singer Gregory Alan Isakov, that gives the album a real sense of folk authenticity. That could be because it was recorded outside a Colorado mountain town, or because Isakov recorded The Weatherman with analog gear and mixed it on tape. His storytelling manner of singing plus minimal backing instrumentation only adds to the genuine folk vibe. It will be interesting, then, to see how that simplicity transfers to this show, as Isakov will be backed by the Wesley Schulz–conducted Seattle Symphony. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4800, seattlesymphony.org. 7:30 p.m. $20 and up. All ages.
For Houston-based 10-piece the Suffers, slow and soulful wins the race. The band’s latest, a four-song EP called Make Some Room, is soul-pop at its finest. Frontwoman Kam Franklin, who is backed by fantastic rhythm and horn sections, is the epitome of a powerhouse vocalist, able to belt it out one minute and sweet-talk listeners with a softer lilt the next. “Do you want a sandwich?/I’ll make one for you . . . Do you want some lovin’, baby?/I’ll give that to you,” she sings on the title track. The band gets a little funkier on “Gwan,” but for the most part, the Suffers stick to sensual slow jams, especially the closing track “Giver.” With Tess Henley, Sam Russell. Sunset Tavern. 8 p.m. $8. 21 and over.
