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THIS IS SUPPOSED to be a guide to enjoying your summer without spending a lot. Well, forget the cheap thrills when it comes to the big-ticket acts passing through town in the next three months. Eat ramen, drink your fine wine from a box, reuse toilet paper—whatever it takes, you'll have to do it if you want to see your favorite bands beyond the cable box. Whether you pant for Radiohead, Janet Jackson, or Grandaddy, they're all (with a few exceptions) panting for your pocketbook, and it's gonna hurt. Unless, of course, that Christopher Cross show at the Fairgrounds ($7? That's lunch money!) will tide you over till the Summer of '02.
EVENTS
PAUL SIMON, BRIAN WILSON Tortured pop genius opens up for famous folkie, world-music wizard, and failed Broadway bard? Weird. If you don't have the cash, spring for the recently released, revamped tracks on the Beach Boy's Smiley Smile/Wild Honey; otherwise, don't miss it. Gorge Amphitheater. $44.65-$68.25. Wed., June 9.
DIDO Perhaps the only delicate British songstress whose career was jump-started by a sociopathic white rapper, Dido has stood strong on her own unsampled material since Eminem first brought her to the top 20. With endearing fellow countrymen Travis, the Coldplay of 1999. Key Arena. $30. Mon., June 11.
COLDPLAY The gleam on this British foursome has tarnished a little since their original power surge in 2000—reported infighting and overall exhaustion have apparently left the "Yellow" rockers a little, well, blue. Still, a show like this in such an unlikely venue does sound kind of kicky. Benaroya Hall. $25-$27. Mon., June 18.
SEATTLE IMPROVISED MUSIC FESTIVAL For a spirit of freedom and danger, you can't top Seattle's seven-day orgy of unplanned sounds, now in its 16th year. The festival conscripts some of the city's most fearless creators in novel combinations, as well as importing a few free-form stars from the giant, concurrent Vancouver festival (see below), such as saxophone blowers John Butcher and Frode Gjerstad. The "Asian zither summit" sounds like a highlight. Various Seattle locations. Thurs., June 21-Thurs., June 28.
BIG FREAKIN' DEAL 3 FEATURING NELLY FURTADO, DREAM, ATC, UNCLE KRACKER, DEBELAH MORGAN, VERTICAL HORIZON, SMASH MOUTH The latest pop songs that have been lodged in your cortex like a hairball in a cat's windpipe probably came from one or more of the artists above; they're all stars of the moment on the radio station sponsoring this show, 106.1, which caters to the bubbleyummiest of the one-hit-wonderful music market. Cheney Stadium. $27.50-$30.00. Fri., June 22.
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL The best and possibly only argument for annexing Canada, this 10-day event is unique in its massive breadth: Straight-ahead headliners like Hank Jones and Curtis Fuller are represented alongside Knitting Factory partisans like the Paradox Trio, trad swingers like John Pizzarelli, European experimentalists like Evan Parker, seldom-heard progressive giants like Tim Berne, plus your usual assortment of world, Latin, Afro, blues, and—of course—Emmylou Harris(?). It's more than enough reason to run for the border and kick the hell out of those Canadian dollars. Various Vancouver, B.C., locations. $10-$35. Fri., June 22-Sun., July 1.
RADIOHEAD The majority of rabid showgoers will probably have already put the band's newest release, Amnesia (out in early June), through the CD wringer roughly four million times by the time they head to the Gorge; whether the persnickety group will oblige them with Radiohead Classic or Version 2.0 is anyone's guess. With Scottish sonic explorers Beta Band. Gorge Amphitheater. $39.95. Sat., June 23.
THE WALLFLOWERS A solid, well-intended pop band if ever there was one, the Wallflowers just wanna write songs about the trials of life without being compared to their frontman's father all the time. If the world made any sense, these boys would have the top 40 hits, not those Backstreet jokers. Pier 62/63. $33. Sat., June 23.
OZZFEST 2001 FEATURING BLACK SABBATH, MARILYN MANSON, SLIPKNOT, PAPA ROACH, LINKIN PARK, CRAZY TOWN The original Iron Men head up this now-booming summer event; expect lots of Angry Young Men wearing Angry Young Band T-shirts, and about four and a half girls. And missing Ozzy in action is a grave mistake, even if he's more likely to bite the head off a Powerbar than a bat these days. Gorge Amphitheater. $60.40. Mon., June 25.
EMMYLOU HARRIS, JOE HENRY Thirty bucks to hear some of the sweetest pipes in country music? Seems a right-fair deal. And opener Henry ain't nothing to cough at neither. Pier 62/63. $30. Fri., June 29.
VANS WARPED TOUR 2001 The lineup's not announced yet, but you can bet your backyard ramp that skaters and other X Games types will be peeing for joy in their oversized shorts when it is. Gorge Amphitheater. $29.15. Tues., July 3.
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, ORQUESTA IBRAHIM FERRER, RUBEN GONZALEZ This has Amazing Event of the Summer written all over it. We can see it now: Warm breezes; deep, evocative rhythms; and an illegally imported cigar. Pier 62/63. $45. Fri., July 6-Sat., July 7.
JANET JACKSON Oh, if yer nasty, and she is. Now, of course, Janet's also an elder stateswoman of the R&B/pop scene, with an astounding catalogue of hits to run through. Expect a fully choreographed extravaganza. Key Arena. $35-$78. Sun., July 8.
AMERICAFEST World Festival of Women's Singing—Americafest? It just sounds so darn American. But if you're looking to convene with renowned international women's choirs and female choral directors, we doubt you'll have a better opportunity than this. www.americafestfestivals.org Various venues. Most events under $20. Tues., July 10-Sat., July 14.
