JUNE
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10–14 NOISE FOR THE NEEDY This annual concert series benefits a handful of charitable organizations from the Red Cross Family Relief Fund to the Vera Project, just so that you can feel good about rocking out. Headliners this year are the Constantines, Art Brut, Grand Archives, and 1990s. Various venues, various prices, noisefortheneedy.org.
12 THE LEMONHEADS Last time Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando was due to play the Tractor, in 2005, he pulled a no-show. As the story goes, he actually called the club well after he was supposed to have taken the stage, claiming he'd "overslept." How brave, then, for the Tractor to give Dando another shot. If he shows up this time, fans can expect a wonderful rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" off the band's eclectic new cover album, Varshons, which features supermodel Kate Moss singing lead vocals on "Dirty Robot." Tractor Tavern, tractortavern.ypguides.net. $18–$20.
12 NO AGE As part of SIFF's "Face the Music" series, the innovative rock band will perform an original score to Jacques Annaud's Césár, the Bear. Triple Door, tripledoor.net. $20 adv./$22 DOS.
13 RENAISSANCE SINGERS To Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, the human voice is an instrument. And he plays it accordingly, from achingly sustained sounds to chandelier-shaking climaxes. Singing Pärt takes stamina, and the young Renaissance Singers are just the people to pull it off. This is not your sister's voice recital. Trinity Parish Church, trinityseattle.org. $17.
17 THE B-52S To kick off a summer chock-full of New Wave concerts, the B-52s will bring the timeless jams—"Rock Lobster," "Love Shack"—which have proven to be a foolproof way to get the party started (and keep it going all night) since 1979. Woodland Park Zoo, zoo.org/zootunes. $27.
20 KHINGZ Seattle hip-hop is better off for having an artist like Khingz contributing to the local scene. The Afro-avant-garde MC worked tirelessly alongside Gabriel Teodros in the group Abyssinian Creole for years before striking out to pursue his solo career. With his latest release, From Slaveships to Spaceships, Khingz establishes himself as a thinking man's MC, crafting lyrics so poignant and vivid that catching him live is a must. Chop Suey, chopsuey.com. $10 adv./12 DOS.
20–21 FREMONT FAIR To hear it from Capitol Hill snobs, it's not cool to hang out with hippies in Fremont, but we say to hell with it: We'd rather celebrate the solstice with fun-loving, stoned hippies than get elbowed and vomited on by drunk, sour-faced hipsters any day of the week. Expect fun bands and lots of crunchy granola baubles—and if you're really lucky, some generous dude will share his joint with you. It's all about love, man. fremontfair.org. Free.
21 THE WALLFLOWERS The Wallflowers hit Seattle a week after they release their hits/rarities package Collected, bringing to mind this question: Why not just re-release Bringing Down the Horse with a few B-sides? Aside from a few tracks on the follow-up, Breach, I've passed on everything they've done since their 1996 breakthrough. But Horse—razor-sharp pop music for old people—has been in high rotation ever since. And hearing Jakob Dylan and company dust off a few old ones in their most intimate Seattle date in years is enough to get my ass out of the house on a Sunday afternoon. Showbox at the Market, showboxonline.com. $22 adv./$24 DOS.
21 ZAP MAMA The women of French-African band Zap Mama specialize in their own stylized blend of hip-hop and African tribal music, which serves as a gentle reminder that without the essential influence of African folk music (and Latin, and Carribean—you get the idea), hip-hop would not exist. By far one of the most fun live shows you'll see this summer. Triple Door, tripledoor.net. $35.
23 RODRIGUEZ Tracked and mixed in late 1969, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez's Cold Fact was a complex, intellectual folk record with splashes of psychedelia that slowly garnered an underground following. The Detroit native is now enjoying a fresh wave of popularity in the wake of local label Light in the Attic's reissue of Cold Fact and his sophomore effort, Coming From Reality. This will be his first Seattle show ever, so get tickets early. Triple Door, tripledoor.net. $20 adv./$23 DOS.
24 DAVID BYRNE Whether he's running around in a tutu or making co-lab bangers with anti-dance duo N.A.S.A., you can always count on the eccentric Talking Heads genius to rocket past your wildest expectations. The Paramount, theparamount.com. $45.
26—July 5 VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL Sonny Rollins is the mega-headliner this year (performing June 29), but the real draws for serious listeners are the many avant groups and Euro imports who annually make this one of the most progressive jazz events in North America. Various venues in Vancouver, B.C.; coastaljazz.ca. Various prices.
27—Sept. 6 OLYMPIC MUSIC FESTIVAL The programming couldn't be more conservative, but the setting is charming, with seating inside a barn (on hay bales) or outside on the lawn. Quilcene, Wash., olympicmusicfestival.org. $12–$30.
28 THE ESOTERICS Any choir can rip out Mozart's Requiem. It takes a special group to pull off the surreal and elegant a cappella madrigals of Romanian composer Paul Constantinescu. This is that choir. St. Joseph's Catholic Church, theesoterics.org. $10–$18.
