Thursday, December 21
John E. Hollingsworth
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Das Vibenbass
I'll be up front and admit that I don't really know from jazz and tend to find most of it boring or too pseudo-sexy because of that. For the jazz tourist, there's awful, bearable, enjoyable, and "Wow!" The young quartet Das Vibenbass decidedly fall in the latter category. Having played together since 2001, vibraphonist Justin Sorensen, upright bassist Geoff Larson, drummer JC Bockman, and tattooed tenor saxophonist Josh Clifford self-describe their brand of jazz as "muscular and dirty," though it's also loose-limbed, liquid, and sparkling at times. Their just-released second album, Mindwrestling, rose to the Top 10 on KEXP's jazz chart this fall, but I recommend checking out their live show if you haven't yet hopped on the bandwagon. And what nicer place to pop your jazz cherry (or just see Das for the first or hundredth time) than the Triple Door's cozy Musicquarium? The circular bar affords good views of typically well-heeled patrons, and the bartenders' drinks are tasty as candy—but the eye and ear candy's grooving onstage. RACHEL SHIMP Triple Door, 9 p.m. Free
The Maldives + Drew Victor + Grand Hallway
SEE FEATURE (the Maldives) P.58. Tractor Tavern, 9 p.m. $6
Friday, December 22
Black Celebration
"Your optimistic eyes seem like paradise/To someone like me/I want to take you in my arms/Forgetting all I couldn't do today/Black celebration tonight," goes the title track from Depeche Mode's fifth and most gothilicious (and underrated, I think) album, which this local band pays tribute to with its very name. The longtime group honors its idols with hits and rarities about once a month, vowing to convey the atmosphere made by Gahan & Co. as well as the music. Does this mean tight black leather and snaky dance moves are involved? Since the real deal failed to play "Halo" or "Never Let Me Down Again" during their Key Arena performance last year, both of which are on Black Celebration's current playlist, perhaps we'll be treated to these seldom-heard gems? Either way, Depeche devotees won't be disappointed as they show you the world in their eyes. Tonight, with 80's Invasion and DJ Davey D. RACHEL SHIMP Neumo's, 8 p.m. $10
Julep + the Kindness Kind + Eastern Grip + Territory + Hombre
While Seattle band Dolour seems to be on hiatus—frontman Shane Tutmarc is rolling solo these days—the project served as a Petri dish for a newer local act. The Kindness Kind songwriters Nicolas Danielson and Charles Larson found themselves thrown together in the bacteria-filled breeding ground that is a tour van during stints as Dolour members on a 2005 cross-country tour. The elements combined and expanded, adding drummer Kevin Bray, bassist Brian Todd, and finally a dose of the double X chromosome—vocalist Alessandra Rose. The result is a promising experiment with traces of Blonde Redhead, Radiohead, even a hint of fuzzed-out Strokes circa Is This It. Spacey and ambient soundscapes (the Twilight Zone theme is reminiscent in "Roadmaps and Guidebooks") are spanned by Rose's throaty, Feist–meets–Karen O in a karaoke throwdown voice. While fresh out of the incubator (they've played just a handful of shows), the test results of the group's full-length debut, slated for February '07 release, promise to prove positive. AJA PECKNOLD Jules Maes, 9 p.m.
Ian McFeron Band + Acron Project
As young and hardworking up-and-comers in the local roots rock scene, McFeron and his band have been rapidly on the move the last couple of years. Their unique style incorporates rock, blues guitar, jazz-tinged drums, Texas fiddle, and even a dash of funk, for a sound often placed in the mental catalog between the Dave Matthews Band and Carbon Leaf. Subsequently, they're a big hit with the Mountain crowd, though roomfuls of indie kids at the High Dive have been known to rock out on the music as well, bolstered by the band's enthusiastic and often tireless stage presence. Perhaps there's a follow-up to last year's sophomore release, A Long Way to Freedom, in the works? Time will tell, but we think it'll be kind to these rising stars. Pleasantly funky Bellingham band the Acorn Project also play tonight's holiday bash. RACHEL SHIMP Crocodile Cafe, 8 p.m. $12
Zappa Plays Zappa
SEE FEATURE (www.seattleweekly.com). Paramount Theatre, 8 p.m. $37–$67
Saturday, December 23
BOAT + Shake Some Action + Patience Please
BOAT's Songs You Might Not Like was one of those records that arrived here and was played immediately because the cover reeked of DIY. The pink background and notebook drawings of the band members holding up the letters B-O-A-T was so endearing it begged to be heard. The tunes inside, however, were much more accomplished, though still far from polished. BOAT plays sloppy indie pop that is jangly, echoy, and relatively lo-fi. There is a ProTools-ish production quality to their work, which places their music on par with the Shins' first album. But singer/keyboardist D. Crane is a little more droll and milky, something that places BOAT within the lineage of bands inspired by early-'90s indie rock (i.e., Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel). True to the DIY aesthetic, BOAT recorded Songs You Might Not Like in various basements across the Northwest, and the record features an array of noises, including whistles, theremin, and distorted pianos. BRIAN J. BARR Crocodile Cafe, 8 p.m. $5
Sunday, December 24
