Wednesday, January 18
Dirty Dancing
As entertaining as any rock show this week: here's your last chance to watch the Brown Derby's performance artists savagely destroy—or seriously elevate, depending on your taste—a film some of us consider classic. Guh-gung! Re-Bar, 7 p.m. $10
Colin Meloy + Laura Veirs
The Decemberists' leader brings his nasal croon and archaic linguistic choices to a larger audience than saw him perform by himself last year at the Triple Door, but fewer than saw him with the band at Bumbershoot. Veirs' tough-yet-dreamy style is a more than suitable match for him. Showbox, 8 p.m. $13 adv./$15
Thursday, January 19
Marcia Ball
The New Orleans blueswoman is one of the smartest and funniest around; she's also said to be teaching the Triple Door's chef her etoufée recipe before playing. Triple Door, 7:30 p.m. $25 adv./$28 Also Fri., Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Rob Dickinson
College-rock faves Catherine Wheel's frontman steps out for this appearance to support his new Fresh Wine for the Horses. Crocodile Cafe, 8:30 p.m. $12 adv./$13
Friday, January 20
Karl Blau
The songs on Karl Blau's Beneath the Waves (K Records) bounce, but they're not necessarily bouncey. File them under Folk Bebop if you'd like; longer, meatier, and more enterprising than your average urban folk song, these tracks will appeal to fans of Will Oldham and Miles Davis. The Revolutionary Hydra and Rat Cat Hogan are billed above Blau; Selector Dub Narcotic opens. Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $8
Daylight Basement + the Pale Pacific + Stars of Track and Field + the Elephants
Although Death Cab topped Three Imaginary Girls' end-of-year readers' poll, at least one band at this Best of '05 show also made the top 10: Portland's "electro-gazing" Stars of Track and Field. The rest are TIGs' personal picks, with good reason. Neumo's, 8 p.m. $8
Deepsky
If you've got the energy to keep up with this progressive trance duo, it's time to blow up like it's 1999 (when they released their intoxicating Stargazer EP on City of Angels). With BPM, Sandman, and Austin Payne. Element, 9 p.m. $10 before 11 p.m./$15
Lake Trout + Benzos
Having originally signed with a jam-band label, Lake Trout has been wrongly perceived as one since, but impressive musicianship and experimentation evolved their sound into the mood-shifting blend of jazz, rock, and electronics on Not Them, You (Palm Pictures). N.Y.C. ambient group Benzos prep the crowd, also with Viva K. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $10 adv./$12
Saturday, January 21
Crackerbash
A victim of early-'90s PNW-rock hype as industry types tried to turn Portland into "the next Seattle," Crackerbash reunited last fall for PDX's MusicFest NW and liked it so much they've done it again. Our gain. Raz Rez and Worms open. Crocodile Cafe, 9 p.m. $10
The Graves
Portland's Greg Olin makes "campfire baroque" indie-folk that's more than a little gorgeous, upping the tempo a bit on the new To Sur With Love (Hush). Little Champions headline; the Stares and the Sea Navy open. Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $7
Jazzanova + Sun Tzu Sound
SEE CD REVIEW [JAZZANOVA], P. 43. Baltic Room, 9 p.m. $12
Oral History with Julian Priester
Join legendary trombonist Priester—who was recently recognized by the Northwest Grammy chapter for a career of excellence—for an evening of jazz and discussion as part of EMP's ongoing Oral History series. JBL Theatre at EMP, 305 Harrison St., 8 p.m. $18 members/$20
J.D. Samson
This event, with Le Tigre's J.D. Samson DJ'ing along with F.I.T.S. and Fagolas, is called "Lesbian Utopia"—WYSIWYG. Chop Suey, 9 p.m. $5
Sunday, January 22
Club Pop: Romance
Oh the record-breaking rains—Seattleites can't get enough brooding gloom. Hence our latest post-punk revivalists, with the look, the accent, even the cover art that evokes our parallel universe—early '80s England, of course. This Club Pop installment with Joey Casio, DJs Colby B, F.I.T.S., and Paco. Chop Suey, 9 p.m. $6
31 Knots
"Proxy and Dominion," from 31 Knots' Talk Like Blood (Polyvinyl) isn't, to our knowledge, on any movie soundtrack, but it's pretty cinematic nonetheless. The relentless, rollicking piano attacks so theatrically that you feel like you're there; the swift pace allows you to forget that you don't know where there is. Doom Hawk and Yokohama Hooks open. Gallery 1412, 8 p.m. $5–$15
Monday, January 23
Nile
"The 'Since U Been Gone' of Egyptology-obsessed death metal," Andrew Bonazelli called this South Carolina trio's "Lashed to the Slave Stick," and the rest of their Annihilation of the Wicked follows suit—catchiness included. Opening are Hypocrisy, Soilent Green, Raging Speedhorn, and With Passion. El Corazon, 7 p.m. $20 adv./$22
The Wood Brothers
Bassist Chris Wood makes his bones as one-third of Medeski, Martin, and Wood; here he teams up with guitar-singer sib Oliver and goes bluesy. Tractor Tavern, 8 p.m. $10
Tuesday, January 24
Brubeck Brothers
Two of piano great Dave Brubeck's sons, drummer Dan and bassist Chris, join guitarist Mike DeMiccio and pianist Taylor Eigsti in their self-named group. Triple Door, 7:30 p.m. $20 adv./$25
The Elected + Future Pigeon
SEE TALK TALK [ELECTED], P. 37. Crocodile Cafe, 8 p.m. $10
Head Automatica
This dance-rock collaboration between Glassjaw vocalist Daryl Palumbo and Gorillaz producer Dan "the Automator" Nakamura wasn't the train wreck you'd think on 2004's Decadence—a fitting name for the trashy and high-energy results. Morning Wood and Rock Kills Kid open. El Corazon, 7 p.m. $10
