Wednesday, Sept. 22
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Yep, they're still around, and nope, they haven't done anything of note in ages. Except reunite with Neil whatshisname every few years to really rake it in. Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14111 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, 425-415-3300, 7 p.m. $49.50–$69.50
Maroon5
If you're going to turn modern-rock radio into your playground, there are worse ways of going about it than being as tuneful as this L.A. unit, who add a little bit of R&B with the typical alt-stylings. Puyallup Fairgrounds, 110 9th Ave. S.W., Puyallup, 253-841-5045, 7 p.m. $15
Martyr A.D.
Crisply produced baseball cap hardcore imbued with more than its fair share of thrash. If these dudes and Darkest Hour are any indication, Victory Records is slithering in the right direction again, just a few years after abetting that unfortunate screamo windfall. Catwalk, 8 p.m. $7
David Sanborn
Compared to what came after (namely, Kenny G and Najee), Sanborn's a-little-too-smooth tone is a tonic. But not compared to much else. Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, 8 p.m. $28.50–$32.50 Also Thurs., Sept. 23–Sun., Sept. 26.
Thursday, Sept. 23
Dead Science
On their latest album, local band Dead Science have tracks called "Unseeing Eye" and "Girl With the Unseen Hand." It sounds like a trite cliché, but both tracks remind you of Thom Yorke's weird, wandering peepers. Radiohead should've had a cello; they would've been as good as these guys. Rendezvous, 10:30 p.m. $5
No Vote Left Behind: Scissor Sisters
SEE SW THIS WEEK, P. 53, AND PREVIEW, P. 55 Showbox, 8 p.m. $12 adv./$14
Gretchen Wilson
SEE CD REVIEW, P. 61. Puyallup Fairgrounds, 7 p.m. $39.50–$44.50
Friday, Sept. 24
Decibel Festival: Fourthcity National Laptop Battle Championships
SEE FEATURE, P. 57. Chop Suey, 9 p.m. $10. Also Thurs., Sept. 23–Sat., Sept. 26 at various venues.
The Good Life
Tim Kasher's rambling side project doesn't get nearly as much acclaim as Cursive, but the Good Life's agreeably messy compositions complement his tangential rants. VERA Project, 8 p.m. $8 with club card/$9
Metal Church
For a band two decades removed from its classic prime, the Church sound pretty spry on new release The Weight of the World (this is the release party), uncoiling falsettos and solos as if they stepped out of a time machine directly after the release of Priest's Screaming for Vengeance. Studio Seven, 8 p.m. $10 adv./$12
Tegan and Sara
Sometimes it's hard to defend these gals. The quirky, chatty Canadian twins rocked up their post-Lilith coffeehouse approach on 2003's clever, cynical If It Was You. Latest effort So Jealous (also on Sanctuary/Vapor) is a little more turgid, almost as if they grew out of the sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll phase that made them so damn alluring. Sonic Boom Ballard, 2209 N.W. Market St., 206-297-2666, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25
Biography of Ferns
On the heels of Olympia's Yeah! Fest, local arty weirdos and Kill Rock Stars guests (they're on KRS's latest comp) Biography of Ferns will show you what the first wave of post-punk would have sounded like had it all gone down in Fremont. Fusion Cafe, 904 Fourth Ave., 206-382-5010, 8 p.m.
Endfest: The Lashes
SEE CD REVIEW, P. 61. White River Amphitheatre, 40601 Auburn Enumclaw Rd., Auburn, 206-628-0888, 3 p.m. $10.77–$37
The Ex
SEE FEATURE, P. 55. VERA Project, 7:30 p.m. $9 with club card/$10. Also at Neumo's, Sun. Sept. 26.
Jack Johnson
Wait a second—the Gorge?! This surfing bag of polite acoustic wuss is playing the Gorge?! Heaven help us! Gorge Amphitheatre, 754 Silica Rd. N.W., George, 206-628-0888, 6 p.m. $40.95
Los Lobos
The new covers EP isn't doing much for their downslide—they haven't put out anything all that good as a band since 1996's utterly great Colossal Head. But it doesn't mean they won't do a lot of things well onstage. Puyallup Fairgrounds, 7 p.m. $15
Lyle Lovett
Hard to argue with Lovett's bona fides: commanding stage presence, smart patter, better-than-you-recall voice, a catalog. If he always seemed kinda slight, well, he is; but he's pretty sturdy, too. Paramount Theatre, 8 p.m. $40–$52.58. Also Sun., Sept. 26.
Rilo Kiley
The Warner Brothers–distributed More Adventurous is Rilo Kiley's third album—and, you guessed it, their most adventurous, too. The L.A.–based band runs the gamut from indie-pop cool to alt-country clean. Neumo's, 7 p.m. $10 adv.
Sunday, Sept. 26
An Evening with Siouxsie
SEE FEATURE, P. 61. Showbox, 8 p.m. $27.50 adv./$30
Tish Hinojosa
Austin singer/songwriter Tish Hinojosa blends her Mexican heritage with her Texan upbringing, creating folk songs with Latin flair and crisp Southern sensibilities. Named Folk Album of the Year in 1992 by the National Association of Record Distributors, her Culture Swings (Rounder) is a great entry point for prospective fans. Triple Door, 7:30 p.m. $15
Tuesday, Sept. 28
Christian McBride Band
The premier young jazz bassist of the '90s, McBride's new quartet features Geoffrey Keezer on piano, Terreon Gully on drums, and saxophonist Ron Blake. Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, 8 p.m. $20.50–$22.50 Also Wed., Sept. 29.
Norah Jones
Remember her? She sold a million copies of her second record the week it was released. Right, that one. Who knows how her breezy mellowness will play in an arena, though. KeyArena, 8 p.m. $28.50–$58
Scream Club
Just when you thought it was safe for blinkered collegiate types to embrace hip-hop, along come this Olympia duo with one of the worst albums in memory. Or do we mean history? Hideaway, 8 p.m. $6
