Located somewhere along the noisy, experimental continuum that stretches from the Blood Brothers to Future of the Left, local racket-makers Gladiators Eat Fire are doing some pretty fearless work. The cleverly titled songs on their debut EP, Keep the Beat Alive, vacillate wildly from feral frenzies of punk discord (Its Awake-O-Clock, Bitch) to more hushed, exploratory soundscapes (The Porter). They also have a fetching philanthropic side: you can download the digital EP for free via gladiatorseatfire.com, but if you purchase a hard copy at a show, they donate the proceeds to Rising Out of the Shadows, a non-profit agency that serves the homeless population in the University District. With Poop Attack, 26,000 Volts, Last American Badass. HANNAH LEVIN
Fri., Dec. 18, 9:30 p.m., 2009
