Wednesday, March 19
THIS WILL DESTROY YOU has turned instrumental rock into an art form. Whether gradually inducing euphoria with layered guitars (“The Mighty Rio Grande”) or pulverizing you with ominous, cacophonous walls of sound (“Little Smoke”), this quartet makes each track an exhaustive, cleansing experience. They are working on a follow-up to 2011’s Tunnel Blanket. With Silent Land, Time Machine. Barboza, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, thebarboza.com. 8 p.m. $12. 21 and over. BRIAN PALMER
The Greatest Generation, the fourth LP from The Wonder Years, was the band’s first to crack the Billboard Top 20, simultaneously earning it the best reviews of its career. PunkNews.org called it “a powerful, personal, and creative masterpiece.” Now off the festival circuit, the band will play a full-length set not possible on Warped Tour. With Defeater, Real Friends, Citizen, Modern Baseball. El Corazon, 109 Eastlake Ave. E., 262-0482. elcorazon.com. 6:30 p.m. $16.50 adv./$20 DOS. DAVE LAKE
When The Sounds made landfall in the United States in 2003, it was clear that the Swedish synth-pop band was aping Blondie, yet no one seemed to care. After all, this was the throwback era of the Strokes and the Hives, and few were going to deny the warm, nostalgic embrace of the familiar so soon after 9/11. Yet the Sounds remained defiantly au courant. Their debut album featured a breakout hit that declared “We’re not living in America, but we’re not sorry,” and was released mere days after the U.S. invasion of Iraq officially concluded the world’s post-traumatic love affair with us. For many music fans who actually were living in America, it was a wishful anthem to which you could dance your ass off. Over 10 years and five albums, the band has continued to do its Blondie thing while writing some of the best hooks to come out of Scandinavian pop. The latest, Weekend, is not its best; but the band deserves an audience for old times’ sake at the very least. With Blondfire, Strange Talk. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 7 p.m. $20 adv. All ages. MARK S. BAUMGARTEN
PAPER BIRD is not afraid to change with the times. This Colorado septet’s Americana, bluegrass, and folk foundation was augmented on 2013’s Rooms by the addition of pop and rock sensibilities to their arsenal. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement when this band gets going. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599, tractortavern.com. 8 p.m. $10. All ages. BP
Paula “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone” Cole wrote one of the most depressing songs of the ’90s, and continues to mine the darker side of life in Raven, independently released last year. The Triple Door, 216 Union St., 838-4333, thetripledoor.net. 7:30 p.m. $30–$40. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT
Thursday, March 20
New Jersey’s Railroad Earth describes itself as “an amplified string band with drums,” but that doesn’t do justice to how seamlessly it blends styles, meshing bluegrass with Celtic, classical, country, and a whole lot more. With The Deadly Gentlemen. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., 682-1414, stgpresents.org/neptune. 8 p.m. $26 adv./$28 DOS. DL
RA Scion & Vox Mod RA Scion’s The Sickle & the Sword was one of our favorite releases last year, which made it even more of a bummer when word got out that Rodney Hazard, the man behind the album’s production, was suing the local rapper on an alleged breach of contract. Not to be deterred, RA flipped Hazard the bird and remixed the album with a new collaborator—Seattle’s acid-loving electro-wizard Vox Mod. The result, Sharper Tool; Bigger Weapon, sets RA’s metaphysical musings to Vox Mod’s astral sci-fi soundscapes, making for some of the most high-minded hip-hop you’ll hear out of Seattle this year. Some chakras will likely get realigned at tonight’s release show. With Gran Rapids, Imprints, Marcus Medeiros. Neumos. 8 p.m. $10. 21 and over. KELTON SEARS
Friday, March 21
Portland’s Blackwitch Pudding comprises three wizards (Space Wizard, Lizard Wizard, Wizard Wizard), who dress in sparkly robes and tights and have a song titled “Super Sluts From Outer Space.” As silly as this sounds, the riffs these stoner-rock warlocks churn out are anything but. Its 2013 debut record, Taste the Pudding, is loaded with deadly serious fuzzed-out guitar, with an added sense of humor in the lyrics. With Serial Hawk, Grenades, LB! The Highline, 210 Broadway E., 328-7837, highlineseattle.com. 9 p.m. $7 adv. 21 and over. JAMES BALLINGER
An Evening With Mike Gordon The Phish bassist tours behind his fourth solo album, Overstep. The Neptune. 9 p.m. $25. GE
A Canadian singer/songwriter with South African roots, Sam Roberts has, to type, always been pleasantly conflicted, his songs sweetly melodic while maintaining some heady lyrical content. His band’s latest, Lo-Fantasy, kicks the conflict up a notch, delivering hefty messages over a sound that has evolved into buoyant, danceable rock verging on disco, complete with walking bass line and staccato guitar riffage. With Western Haunts. Tractor Tavern. 9 p.m. $15. 21 and over. MSB
Saturday, March 22
Local black-metal outfit A God or an Other’s first full-length, last year’s Towers of Silence, pushed the boundaries of traditional black metal and added elements of doom, post-rock, and other genres to the mix. Blast beats still remain, but lush soundscapes break up the monotony and are more than welcome. With Winter in the Blood, Mongrel Gods, Un. 2-Bit Saloon, 4818 17th Ave. N.W., 708-6917, the2bitsaloon.com. 9 p.m. $6. 21 and over. JB
If any album could prep listeners for the sunny days of spring, it’s Galore, the vibrant debut from Sub Pop signees THUMPERS. The London-based alt-pop duo—Marcus Pepperell and John Hamson Jr., who were two-thirds of indie-rock trio Pull Tiger Tail—has created a truly joyous record, including the bouncy “Unkinder (A Tougher Love)” and the sing-along-ready “Sound of Screams.” With Pattern Is Movement, Yellow Ostrich. Barboza. 7 p.m. $12 adv. 21 and over. AZARIA C. PODPLESKY
Leo Kottke The veteran guitarist mixes music and recollections from his long, distinguished career. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4800, seattle symphony.org/benaroya. 8 p.m. $41–$51. SW
Daniel Rossen, of Grizzly Bear and Department of Eagles, released his debut solo EP, Silent Hour/Golden Mile, back in 2012, but this marks his first solo tour, and he’s not holding anything back. Audience members can expect songs from Silent Hour, which features an interesting blend of indie rock and chamber pop; tunes from DOE’s In Ear Park; and likely some unreleased material. With William Tyler. Neumos. 8 p.m. $17. 21 and over. ACP
Punk-rock quartet SKATERS wants to make it clear that it hearts N.Y. For one thing, the band named its debut album Manhattan. Then there’s album-opener “One of Us,” which features audio of an announcement from a subway car heading to the city, and “To Be Young in NYC,” which chronicles the daily life of a 20-something. With Team Spirit, Black Whales. Tractor Tavern. 9 p.m. $10. 21 and over. ACP
Sunday, March 23
It is rare for a band to combine dance, rock, bhangra, Celtic, and world music, but that is exactly what DELHI 2 DUBLIN does. 2012’s Turn Up the Stereo shows the band is evolving on the lyrical front, infusing its music with socially conscious and politically charged content. With Parlo, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid. The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-4618, thecrocodile.com. 8 p.m. $15 adv. 21 and over. BP
ZZ Top Can these graybeards still twirl their guitars? Who cares, as long as they crank out hits like “Legs,” “Pearl Necklace,” and “Cheap Sunglasses.” With Tim Montana and the Shrednecks. The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., 682-1414, stgpresents.org/moore. 7 p.m. $55–$85. GE
Saintseneca Not only is this Columbus, Ohio, quartet fun to look at, what with their eclectic acoustic instrumentation and lead singer Zac Little’s Yosemite Sam mustache, but they are a delight to listen to, riding the edge between old weird Appalachian Americana and melodic indie pop. It takes a lot of talent to break out of a small Midwestern DIY scene, but the band has the potential, and has found an audience with heavy hitters like Mike Mogis, who produced the band’s second album, Dark Arc, which will be released by Anti- on April 1. With Vikesh Kapoor, Courtney Marie Andrews. Tractor Tavern. 8 p.m. $10 adv. 21 and over. MSB
Monday, March 24
On January’s Restoring Force, California metalcore quintet Of Mice & Men has found a middle ground, both lyrically and musically, between the light and dark sides of its personality. Its mix of screams and clean vocals (from Austin Carlile and Aaron Pauley, respectively) and crunching guitar riffs are still there, but there’s a sense of balance to the album that makes it even more engaging. With Bring Me the Horizon, Issues, letlive. Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., 652-0444, showboxonline.com. 8 p.m. SOLD OUT. All ages. ACP
Lorde The teenage sensation from New Zealand is joined by Lo-Fang. WaMu Theater, 1000 Occidental Ave. S., 381-7555, ticketmaster.com. $44 and up. 8 p.m. SW
“I am full of light! I am filled with joy! I am full of hope!” Perfect Pussy frontwoman Meredith Graves screams like a child being strangled on “I,” the first track on the N.Y. punk outfit’s I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling. It’s the only line you can actually hear her sing on the white-hot EP, a fantastic record whose charm is indebted largely to the ridiculous amount of distorted compression on every track, making for a blown-out punk wonderland that thrashes so hard you’ll get whiplash. Tonight is the band’s Seattle debut, part of the group’s tour in support of its upcoming debut LP, Say Yes to Love. With Future Fridays. Vera Project, 305 Harrison St., 956-8372, thevera project.org. 7:30 p.m. $8–$9. All ages. KS
Tuesday, March 25
Animals as Leaders serve instrumental progressive-metal shredding, aided by leader Tosin Abasi’s fondness for eight-string guitars (let’s see your average guitar hero do that). The band’s third LP, The Joy of Motion, is out this week, its first for major indie Sumerian. With After the Burial, Navene-K, CHON, Numbers. El Corazon. 7 p.m. $17 adv./$20 DOS. DL
The first of John Roderick’s every-other-Tuesday residencies at the Rendezvous sold out. This will be his second. His concept for the hour-long shindig is “some storytelling, some bullshitting, some new music, and some surprise guests.” JewelBox Theater at the Rendezvous, 2322 Second Ave., 441-5823, jewelboxtheater.com. SOLD OUT. 6 p.m. DL
Widespread Panic This Southern-rock jam band continues to draw stoners and music geeks alike. The Moore. $32.50–$42.50. 7:30 p.m. SW
As The Runaround, the second album from Austin-based indie-folk septet Wild Child, grew, so too did the band (it was once a duo). With the addition of keyboards, banjo, percussion, bass, and cello, the group creates a fuller, though still dreamy, sound. And don’t fret; the Ben Kweller–produced Runaround still features the ukulele accompaniment that made Wild Child’s 2010 debut, Pillow Talk, so charming. With Robert Ellis, Mike Giacolino. Tractor Tavern. 8 p.m. $10. 21 and over. ACP
Wanting Born Wanting Qu, this Vancouver-based singer/songwriter was inspired by the music of Sarah McLaughlin and Dido; through her dogged efforts, she is now their labelmate. With Dawen Wang.The Triple Door. 8 p.m. $25. GE
Astronautalis is an odd talent in the world of hip-hop, an artist whose music is largely reminiscent of David Bowie’s and Isaac Brock’s. It’s fitting, then, that the wandering MC, known to the taxman as Andy Bothwell, has found a home in the Twin Cities, where supremely talented oddball rappers are embraced and celebrated. But it is too damn cold there, which is why he is touring the West on this, his Escape the Vortex Tour. With Playdough. Vera Project. 7:30 p.m. $13 adv. All ages. MSB
