The Icarus Kid / Wednesday, July 14
Courtesy of Live Nation
Old man Young is coming to town.
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Often it's no fun to watch someone else play Nintendo for hours—like that time your kid sister stole your NES from your room and broke your Contra cartridge and you had to blow on it, like, 50 times...But tonight is not like that night. Tonight, the Comet brings in four local chiptune DJs who use NES and Game Boy sound chips to create quirky, awkwardly sweaty dance music, from the aggressive, hyper break beats of Fighter X to leeni's twisting 8-bit melodies and dreamy vocals. Headliner The Icarus Kid remixes throwback NES soundtracks and adds his own new beats with an intense LED light show. And who says nerds don't know how to dance? With Sean Bad. Comet Tavern, 922 E. Pike St., 323-9853. 8 p.m. $6. MARY PAULINE DIAZ
Snoop Dogg / Wednesday, July 14 See preview.
Steve Miller Band / Wednesday, July 14
Disown him all you want, but if you're between 35 and 50, Steve Miller was your high-school soundtrack. Roll up the windows if "Rockin' Me Baby" comes on as you traverse the city's snottier enclaves, because you know you're fuckin' singin' along—there's just no fighting it. Miller won't have that problem at Chateau Ste. Michelle. There, there will be no ironic worship, just hero worship and picnic baskets. But if Miller pulls the sort of stunt he did at Bumbershoot 2006, by all means walk out. That stunt: Playing half-a-dozen totally self-indulgent blues tracks before launching into "Fly Like an Eagle." And then he had his band's only black member rap a verse, as though his predominantly white fan base had just discovered rap and this lone brother was some sort of talking museum exhibit. It was one of the most cringeworthy moments ever in Memorial Stadium; let's hope history doesn't repeat itself in Woodinville. Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, 14111 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, 425-415-3300. $49–$89. All ages.MIKE SEELY
Blue Giant / Thursday, July 15
When Conor Oberst went from angsty indie to twangy country, he sounded a little ridiculous, lost in foreign territory. But when Kevin and Anita Robinson of the fuzzy, psychedelic Portland rock duo Viva Voce work as the rootsy country quintet Blue Giant, the transition is much smoother. The Robinsons have roots in their blood, coming to the Northwest from Nashville by way of Alabama. Since forming in 2008, Blue Giant's spent much of their career playing shows in their hometown with friends like Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney, M. Ward, and the Portland Cello Project. But now they're touring in support of their new self-titled full-length, a collection of full and folksy songs deeply steeped in the blues. Sonic Boom Records, 1525 Melrose Ave., 568-BOOM. 7 p.m. Free. All ages. ERIN K.THOMPSON
Cataldo / Thursday, July 15
There's nothing too new about Cataldo, Eric Anderson's mostly-but-not-always-solo project. He's a guy who writes head-bobby pop songs with simple chords on acoustic guitar, banjo, or piano, most of them about the most universal pop theme of all time: love. But there's a reason this stuff works—with lyrics so carefully conversational, Cataldo's music is helplessly infectious. Anderson recently toured with Laura Veirs, and usually plays his shows with a rotating cast of familiar local musicians. It's really just a bunch of friends having fun onstage—the perfect sunny sound for summer. With Loch Lomond, Kyle Bradford. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 448-2114. 8 p.m. $8. MARY PAULINE DIAZ
Maps & Atlases / Thursday, July 15 See music lead.
Yes / Thursday, July 15
It's safe to say that Yes bears more than their fair share of blame for the current bloated onslaught of jam bands. However, drop a needle on a vinyl copy of Fragile or Close to the Edge while losing yourself in Roger Dean's moonscapes and all is forgiven. Yes somehow combines Simon and Garfunkel's harmonic love, the early Grateful Dead's jam-session vibe, Pink Floyd's darker, more atmospheric explorations, and classical music's uplifting beauty into a challenging (but incredibly palatable) presentation. While Yes has had the lineup changes and periods of less-than-stellar work that typically come with a 40-year career, it continues to show that progressive pop doesn't have to be dumbed down to make an impact. With Peter Frampton. Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, 425-888-1234. 6 p.m. $40–$95. GREGORY FRANKLIN
Friday Mile / Friday, July 16
The story of Friday Mile isn't unique. The pop-rock band played around Tacoma and Seattle for five years, touring when they could and self-releasing an album, Good Luck Studio, last year. Fans were loyal, but Friday Mile never broke into the Seattle mainstream. Last week, the band announced they were taking an "indefinite hiatus," but with all the members embarking on different musical projects, it sounds like a clean split. The bright side to the breakup is that vocalist and keyboardist Hannah Williams will continue to make music through her side project, Youth Rescue Mission. Her voice, crystal-clear and always on key, was always the star of Friday Mile. With Two Sheds, M. Bison. Columbia City Theater, 4918 Rainier Ave. S. 9 p.m. $12. PAIGE RICHMOND
The Heels / Friday, July 16
The Heels' high-energy punk sounds exactly like what you'd expect to hear from a quartet of fishnet- and leopard print–wearing rocker chicks (and one man) who call their audience members "sluts" and sing songs about having flash floods in their pants. Loud, fast, bouncy, and sexually explicit, these women put on a messy rock show that translates best in gritty dives—though the Heels have landed some cush gigs, like a stint opening for X at the Showbox last year. And yet, while the Heels' quick-draw drums and simply phrased lyrics scream punk, the euphemisms and a pop sensibility keep things lighthearted and more approachable than some of the band's fem-punk predecessors. With Autolite Strike, the Laundronauts. Blue Moon Tavern, 712 N.E. 45th St., 675-9116. 10 p.m. $5.SARA BRICKNER
