Seattle Weekly

Seattle has one of the most renowned local music scenes in the United States, and to celebrate, Seattle Weekly is having both a Music Awards contest and an accompanying showcase concert. Across nine Pioneer Square bars in one night (Sunday, Aug. 10), the Awards Showcasefeaturing 52 of the nominated bandspresents some of local musics brightest talents. Heres a guide to the bandsand a cheat sheet to their set times and venues.

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LAST SUPPER CLUB
124 S. Washington St., 206-748-9975

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DORKWEED
They may be ridiculously prolific (five releases in four years), they may know how to crank out memorable song titles ("It's Not Like I'm a Cat"), and lead singer Brent Amacher may insist that you call him "Weed," but is there a solid rock core beneath Dorkweed's garden of quirks? A scan of the creative sampling and molten riffs saturating their latest LP, Fluxivity Test Project (Shaky), indicates "Hell, yes." Keeping the quirk fertile, the band is striving to out-trip Floyd with what Amacher calls "Dorkweed Karaoke," a Fluxivity DVD with original art videos that will coincide with the album. 4 p.m. Indie Pop

MS. LED
With a sound that falls somewhere in between other Northwest female-fronted bands like Sleater-Kinney and Visqueen, Ms. Led are a power-pop four-piece with a strong but not heavy-handed feminist message and a straightforward punch. Fronted by Lesli Wood (whose name and clear, sirenlike voice will be familiar to those who recall her former band, lesliwood) and backed by notables Matt Menovcik of Saeta, Peg Wood, and Stephanie Hasselman, Ms. Led are an energetic, inspired act with enough experience and stage presence to give their sincere songwriting a solid backbone. 5 p.m. Punk/Hardcore

GRAIG MARKEL & VERSES ON VENUS
Released this year on Pattern 25, The Gospel Project was recorded and performed entirely by Graig Markel and displays the songwriter's affection for '70s pop, smooth soul, and mellow R&B. Of Markel's previous release, Hard Grammer, CMJ magazine wrote, "This is the album your love life has been waiting for." Clearly, Markel is as influenced by the pitfalls of modern romance as he is by performers like Prince, Steely Dan, and vintage Chicago. Also a noted recording engineer, Markel is a seasoned Seattle veteran who has worked with local bands like Tagging Satellites and Hello From Waveland. 6 p.m. Indie Pop

PLEASEEASAUR
Take King Missile-style humor, throw in DAT and video projections that draw from all things pleasurable from video games to ethnic food, and you're starting to approach the unparalleled DIY force connecting this "boy and his machines." Pleaseeasaur, aka J.P. Hasson, has previously tripped around the country with Dead Milkmen's Joe Talcum in the bands We're Not From Idaho and Touch Me Zoo, and both his costumes and lyrics give Mike Patton a run for his money. Not one for rock jocks or those who take themselves too seriously, his full-lengths include The Yellow Pages and As Seen on TV (Imputor?), the Australia-only Pleaseeasaur International Airport (Black Hole/ VB Recordings), and the Beef Flavored Island Adventures EP (Razler). www.pleaseeasaur.com. 7 p.m. Experimental/ Avant-Garde/Electronic

THE FADING COLLECTION
This down-tempo trip-hop duo comprises Sarah McColloch on vocals and Matt Frickelton on production. Their first LP, Interactive Family Radio, combines samples, drum loops, synthesizers, and organic elements to create what the duo describes as "groove-based soundscapes." The Collection are fairly prolific performers, appearing at all the usual suspects around town and having made numerous appearances at EMP's Liquid Lounge. 8 p.m. Experimental/ Avant-Garde/Electronic

TRICK DECK
With a rotating cast of contributors and performers over the years, Trick Deck is the creative brain of Mark Wand's delays, tweaks, and hallucinogenic effects. Sounds like a studio obsession, but with frequent live performances and the aid of vocalists Nichole Halleen and the High Children's Mr. E, Trick Deck mixes electronic wizardry with hip-hop influences and live instrumentation to challenge clubbers to step beyond their typical scene. Full-length releases include Freaky Love and Trick Deck (Infrasonic), with appearances on the Ponga Remix CD (Loosegroove), Hi Fi Killers' Loaded (Loosegroove), and the Womb Till Tomb compilation. www.trickdeck.com. 9 p.m. Experimental/ Avant-Garde/Electronic

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TIKI BOB'S CANTINA
166 S. King St., 206-382-8454

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ONRY OZZBORN
Apocalyptic raps, darkened backgrounds, and boasts are hardly news in hip-hop, but throw out some props to chess champion Bobby Fischer and references to songwriter/kid poet Shel Silverstein, and you've got a unique spit. Proving to be one of the more prolific of the sprawling Portland-Seattle alliance Oldominion, Onry Ozzborn blends all of the above on slick productions and stout beats. Along with The Grey Area, just days off the press, and the soon-to-drop In Between EP, you can catch Onry's flow on his solo debut, Alone, all on BSI/One Drop Recordings. 4 p.m. Hip-Hop/Rap

ZACHARIA
One of the founders of the Northwest's drum and bass scene, Zacharia introduced Seattle to jungle's ominous backgrounds, Reese bass lines, and breakneck "amen" breakbeats in the puddled shadows of the Alaskan Way Viaduct back in 1996 with the 360BPM crew (Marcus Lalario and DJs Nitsuj, Maxx, and Theory). The drum and bass buyer for Platinum Records, Zacharia is a rave and club mainstay across the Northwest, holding his own against the biggest international names with slots at Groovetech, the Baltic Room, Temple Billiards, Aristocrats, and his current monthly at Noiselab among his residencies. Bets are you can't find a beat-head around who hasn't felt his pressure. www.360bpm.com. 5 p.m. DJ/Turntablist