*Updated 4/7* Upcoming Seattle Shows

Hey all. There are relatively few shows this week, but a bunch of solid ones nonetheless. Gothic/post-punk icon Nick Cave is coming to the Paramount with his Bad Seeds, space-rock guru Spiritualized will be at the Neptune, and singer/songwriter Jessie Ware (who among other notable contributions to music, just told Big Pun's estate "Fuck Big Pun" when they started whining about samples) at the Crocodile. However, if you don't want to drop a bunch of cash on expensive STG tickets (and who can blame you?), there are still a bunch of cheap local shows to choose from. The Electric Tea Garden is hosting a night of stellar synthpop tonight (Sunday) with Philadelphia's Void Vision, New Orleans' Pressures, and a DJ set by Dr. Troy of Seattle's Medical Records. Likewise, 'Mo-wave, Seattle's queer music and arts festival, has some promising acts (with the 13th at Chop Suey being the best option in my mind), and weirdo instrumentalists the Corespondents are staging a two day party at the Josephine for the release of their new record, Land of the Low People. Have a great week! 

April

7 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at Paramount Theater

7 Pressures, Void Vision, Futility and Dr. Troy at Electric Tea Garden

8 Spiritualized at Neptune

9 Jessie Ware at The Crocodile
13 'Mo-Wave Day 2: Team Dresch, Gaytheist, Big Dipper, Magic Mouth, Night Cadet Eric Blood, Wishbeard, Eighteen Individual Eyes at Chop Suey
13 OCnotes, Pollens, and Amos Miller at Columbia City Theater 

13 CD release Party Deux: EURODANCEPARTYUSASUPERCOOL, Correspondents with Ava Grapes, Prawnyxx at The Josephine

14 ‘Mo-Wave day 3: Blackie: a tribute to Blondie, Dynasty Handbag, Double Duchess, DickBinge, and Pony Time, at Chop Suey

14 Naomi Punk, The Exquisites, Wild Moth and Elch at Black Lodge

15 Johnny Marr at Neumos

15 Bad Religion at Showbox at SODO

15 The Telescopes, LSD, Flavor Crystals, Black Nite Crash at the Comet.

16 Bat for Lashes at the Showbox at the Market

17 Medical Record Showcase Pressures, Void Vision and Futility at Electric Tea Garden

18 Prince at Showbox at the Market

18 The Revival Tour 2013 with Rocky Votolato, Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Tim McIlrath

(Rise Against) and more at TRACTOR TAVERN (venue change)
18 Airport, Black Hat, Bankie Phones, and Magisterial at Electric Tea Garden

19 Big Eyes, Shivas, Hornet Let and Mega Bog at the Josephine

19 Gems with Gold Wolf Galaxy and Vox Mod at The Sunset

19 Prince at Showbox at the Market (Sold Out)

20 Abbey Arts presents CATHEDRALS: Mirah, Moondoggies acoustic, Shenandoah Davis at St Mark's

20 The Men and Dude York at Vera Project

23 James Blake at The Neptune 

24 Purity Ring at Neptune

24 Grave Babies, Dreamsalon and Starskate at the Mercury

25 Yours, EP release with 1-2-1-2 and Moose Portrait at the Crocodile

25 Week of Wonders, Seacat, Detective Agency and Say Calm at Columbia City Theater

26 Chad Valley and Ski Lodge at Barboza

26 Space Needles, Universe People and the Gallow Swings at Blue Moon

28 Golden Gardens, Snowdrift at the Sunset
30 Mindless Self Indulgence at Showbox at the Market

30 Crystal Castles at Moore 
May

1 Bleached, EX-COPS and Guests at Chop Suey

1 New Build with NO CEREMONY/// at Neumos

2 Marina and the Diamonds with Charli XCX at Showbox at the Market
2 & 3 Allen Stone's Prom-Themed Bumbershoot Final Lineup Announcement Party at The Crocodile 

4 Metz at Neumos

5 Stacian, Samantha Glass and DR. Troy at Electric Tea Garden

10 Kisses and Trails and Ways at Barboza

10 Dude York, Vapor Trails (Ron 9/Love Battery) Pytons, We Are Golden at The Highline

12 The Appleseed Cast, Hospital Ships and Guests at Chop Suey           

15 MGMT at Showbox SODO

16 Hair and Space Museum and JJAAXXNN at Electric Tea Garden

17 Yo La Tengo at Showbox at the Market
17 Beat Connection at Neumos

17 Golden Gardens, Tokyoidaho, Kelli Frances Corrado at Columbia City Theater

19 Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death at El Corazon

19 Vox Mod with Dairos (ft. members of Pollens and Totem and Cabana at Barboza

22 Flying Lotus with Thundercat at Showbox SODO

23 (Portland) Haim at Keller Auditorium

25 Thermals and WIMPS at Neumos

25 Avi Buffalo at Barboza 
June 2013

6 They Might Be Giants at Showbox at SODO
7 Alkaline Trio at Showbox at the Market

14 Mount Kimbie, Holy Other and Vinyl Williams at Neumos

16 Dreamsalon, Fuzzy Cloaks, Chest Cavity/ BBQ Party at Leather Lounge
21 The Dandy Warhols at Showbox at the Market

22 Camera Obscura at Showbox at the Market 
July 

17 The Postal Service at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, OR

19 Peter Murphy performing only Bauhaus material with Ours at Showbox at the Market

26-28 Capitol Hill Block Party

SWL #12: Wimps, "Stop Having Fun"

Wimps don't necessarily write songs for the punk or alternative youth, in my opinion. This song, which features the yelling break "Everyone! Stop Having! Stop Having! Fun Right Now!", is made for those of us who have grown up, gotten "adult" jobs, and find ourselves thinking those things we swore we never would, like "Pull your pants up! I can see your underwear!", etc. Of course the song is tongue-in-cheek. That's what makes it fun (despite the demand to stop having said fun). Hand on my hip, finger wagging, I quote the line from the song "It's that time of the month for you to shut up!" whenever I'm feeling silly.

SWL #11: Weapons of Mass Destruction, "Ripples"

On his Facebook page Weapons of Mass Destruction (aka. Madison Levine; also of Children of Kids) describes his work as “sample based beat heavy music with large textural sound design”. This is an apt general description, but in the case of “Ripples” it doesn’t quite cover it. When IDM is done poorly it imparts a sterile, boring feeling, but Levine's juxtaposition here of measured piano sample and syncopated percussion make the track a living thing--pulsing and writhing along effortlessly with seemingly bated breath for almost 3 minutes until it fades out, presumably to inspire elsewhere. The song appears alongside a bunch of other great tunes on CTPAK's Kill Room mixtape, which is available here. To my knowledge there aren’t any WMD shows or extended play releases in the future, but there really should be.

SWL #10: j.Faraday, "Home"

 

Garnering early comparisons to notable producers like Clams Casino, 21-year-old Houston beatmaker j.Faraday (aka Javier Escareno) has been making waves recently with his syrupy brand of dark, ambient hip-hop.  His debut release on Seattle’s Hush Hush Records, Beat Tape #1, came out on the 25th of last month (March) and it features a collection of songs hand-tailored to soundtrack your spring/summer nights. "Home" is the wonderfully emotive and slightly out-of-place closer off that tape, and when I flew back into Seattle this last Monday evening the titled seemed to fit particularly well. The sample, which to me sounds like Bon Iver, and production of the song resonate deeply with me for some reason (who says drum machines have no soul?), but the whole tape is pretty awesome. You can get it on bandcamp as a name your price download; I recommend you do that now before it changes.