Nov. 3 - 9, 2004
Wednesday, Nov. 3
Dawn Clement Trio
At 25, pianist Clement is one of the most sterling new voices in jazz—she can blow with the best of 'em, but is even better at holding back, earning comparisons with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett. Part of Earshot Jazz Festival. Tula's, 8 p.m. $12
The Handsome Family + Giant Sand
Giant Sand's Howe Gelb has wended often-inspired guitar through equally winding songs for a couple decades now; he shows no sign of speeding up, slowing down, or veering from course. The Handsome Family—lyricist/autoharpist Rennie Sparks and vocalist/composer Brett—are the spookiest and maybe best alt-country band in the world. An excellent bill. Tractor Tavern, 9 p.m. $15
Nancy Sinatra
Right, the Morrissey-produced album is kind of a snooze. But her packed appearance at Bumbershoot this year was a triumph, thanks in part to a crack band that, in part, will be with her at the Triple Door as well. Triple Door, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $35
Mindy Smith
The big-voiced folkie comes back for her third (fourth? fifth?) appearance this year—not that her rapidly growing cult is complaining. Moore Theatre, 8 p.m. $24
Tegan and Sara
The twin Canadian strummers started as a cutesy-yet-vampy folk duo, evolved into a cutesy-yet-vampy rock duo, and now they're somewhere in between. The identity crisis is frustrating on wax, particularly the disappointing, just-released So Jealous, but they're a chatty blast live. Crocodile Cafe, 8 p.m. $15 adv./$17
Wives
There's a little bit of Lightning Bolt in these unhinged Cali noise-punks, and even that little bit should generate utter fucking destruction at a house show. Punkin House, 5036 Seventh Ave. N.E., 206-632-3442, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 4
Liz Carroll
The Cherish the Ladies fiddler, originally from Chicago, has also done some good solo work on the Shanachie and Green Linnet labels. Her stuff with the Ladies is fiercely traditional, whereas most of her own records feature self-written songs, making her a true double threat—and one of the world's finest female writer-interpreters of Celtic music. Tractor Tavern, 8 p.m. $20
Medeski, Martin and Wood
Jazz-funk's biggest rock stars, this trio's been the most effective ambassador of the B-3 organ since the heyday of Jimmy McGriff, whom they've learned plenty from. They can teach you a few things, too. Showbox, 8 p.m. $25 adv.
Noise for the Needy: The Glasses + Sushirobo
This show benefits Compass Center, which in turn services homeless and low-income Seattleites. Catch the Glasses' set for bright Monkees-style retro pop; Sushirobo's for an electronically bent punk/pop approach. Nectar, 9 p.m. $10 suggested donation
UNKLEsounds: James Lavelle and Richard File
Professional style maven Lavelle occasionally makes music as well, and his UNKLE project's newest, Never, Never Land (Mo Wax/Island), is as tediously bombastic as his recent Global Underground mix-CD. Chop Suey, 9 p.m. $15 adv.
Friday, Nov. 5
. . .And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
They escaped the trappings of that set-ending instrument-demolition thing by delivering a stellar major label debut, Source Tags and Codes. Look for the new departure single "Worlds Apart" among other assuredly rambunctious debuts tonight. Neumo's, 8 p.m. $13 adv./$15
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Do you love rock and roll? Then you should probably see this show, even if casinos aren't exactly your thing. They're probably not Jett's, either, but she's one of the most reliably fantabulous stage performers in any music, much less the butt-simple riffery she inhabits as fully as anyone. Seven Cedars Casino, 270756 Highway 101, Sequim, 360-683-7777, 9 p.m. $40. Also at Emerald Queen Casino, 8 p.m. Sat. Nov. 6.
Sun City Girls + Six Organs of Admittance
Very few shows of this kind—art-damaged performance punk and/or apparitional, divergent psych-folk—have ever graced the Triple Door, so you have two reasons to go: (a) Both acts will likely kill, and (b) The grand, remodeled cabaret house needs to know that this kind of programming should continue. Triple Door, 8 p.m. $12
Saturday, Nov. 6
Camper Van Beethoven
'80s college rock's premier poker-faced jokers (and ironically inclined heartbreakers) have returned with the middling New Roman Times, which some folks are inexplicably calling great. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $10 adv./$12. Also at Easy Street Records Queen Anne, 6 p.m.
The Faint
The Omaha synth-goth quintet's latest, Wet from Birth, is truth in advertising, spewing their most daring (the orchestral New Order swing of "Southern Belles in London Sing") and obnoxious (the useless wee-wee joke, "Erection") placental matter yet. The blinding multimedia stage setup should spawn one of the year's best dance parties. Showbox, 8 p.m. $15 adv.
Gary Bartz Quartet ft. Ishmael Reed
Alto-saxophonist Bartz—a former member of Miles Davis's electric unit and the bands of Mingus, Roach, and Blakey—brings his quartet (Barney McCall on piano and keyboards, bassist James King, and drummer Greg Bandy) as well as the formidable novelist and essayist Reed, all under the umbrella title "Poetry for Peace." Part of Earshot Jazz Festival. On the Boards, 100 W. Roy St., 206-217-9888, 8 p.m. $18 members/$20
Gogol Bordello
SEE CD REVIEW, P. 47. Graceland, 8:30 p.m. $10 adv.
Kinski + Miminokoto
If you caught Japanese psych-rock ensemble Ghost last month—or if you didn't but wished you had—you'll definitely want to see Miminokoto, another great Tokyo-based psych-Kraut-hippie act. You'll also want to catch local psych rockers Kinski; they won't be playing out much in the coming months. Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $8
Rancid
Tim and Lars go acoustic? Actually, it's a sweet idea. Along with Social D, Bad Religion, and NOFX, Rancid are among an elite faction of Warped Tour vets whose back catalogs are untouchable enough that they'll maintain relevance well into their 40s. Fenix Underground, 5 p.m. $15
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra ft. Benny Golson
That's Benny Golson, at age 29, in Art Kane's famous black and white 1958 photograph, "Great Day in Harlem." And that's Golson playing sax with Art Blakey, and that's him making compositions like "I Remember Clifford" jazz standards. And that's him here in Seattle? Don't miss it. Part of Earshot Jazz Festival. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 206-215-4800, 7:30 p.m. $21 members/$30. Also at Kirkland Performance Center, 7:30 p.m. Sun. Nov. 7.
The Thermals
Saw this band two years ago at a shithole in Spokane. They rocked. Of course, that was before they gave the boot to Kind of Like Spitting's Ben Barnett as guitarist. Haven't had the faintest aspiration to see them since then, but who knows? The singer's guitar stylings might almost compare to Barnett's. Neumo's, 9 p.m. $15
Laura Veirs
First issued, oddly enough, in England before making its way to her home shores, Seattleite Veirs' new Carbon Glacier has been garnering accolades from folks who like a few twists in more-or-less straightforward singer-songwriter stuff—and Veirs excels at both the singer-songwriting and the twists. Tractor Tavern, 9 p.m. $10
Monday, Nov. 8
Brian Jonestown Massacre
They've recorded something like 857 albums now, many of which are available for free download at their self-titled and -URL'ed Web site, but despite leader Anton Newcombe's protestations, the BJM will most likely be best remembered for the new documentary Dig! Which, given how middling the band's music is, fits. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $10 adv.
Les Savy Fav
SEE CD REVIEW, P. 47. Neumo's, 8 p.m. $10 adv./$12
Tuesday, Nov. 9
The Charity Stripe
Breathy, fey sing-songing that breaks into insistent "important stuff" speak-songing at all the right intervals, added to chugging guitars that jangle just so, make the Charity Stripe's recent debut, Islands, the latest in a local lineage of indie pop that stems from Death Cab for Cutie. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $10 adv.
Death Cab for Cutie + Pretty Girls Make Graves
ALSO SEE SW THIS WEEK, P. 39. Despite the brevity of Pretty Girls' existence, they have a strong following and a bright future. Their stylistic structure draws from various hardcore acts, such as Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, and guitarist J. Clark's previous band, Kill Sadie. Don't miss this. Paramount Theatre, 8 p.m. $22.50
Mclusky
We haven't seen dance-punk this flamboyant—and inconsistent—since Girls Against Boys. For every chaotic freakout burst on The Difference Between You and Me Is That I'm Not on Fire (Beggars Too Pure), there's a lead balloon in-joke. Can't imagine them not being wildly entertaining live, though. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $10 adv.
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
SEE CD REVIEW, P. 47. Neumo's, 8 p.m. $10 adv./$12
The Warlocks
Recently signed to Mute, California's Warlocks are about to take their drug-rocking psych-comas worldwide. Does the world need another hot girl playing tambourines in front of a lavish, six-piece time warp? To hear the Warlocks tell it, hell yes, it absolutely does. Graceland, 8 p.m. $10
