Fashawn/Wednesday, March 2
Christaan Felber
Asobi Seksu celebrates itself.
Fiction Records
Alien-orgasmic: Crystal Castles.
Related Content
More About
With a premium placed on maturity, it's easy to forget hip-hop's roots are in youth. But 22-year-old Fresno rapper Fashawn, who dropped his wave-making debut Boy Meets World when he was still shy of drinking age, proves that's just a number when the discussion turns to talent. Weaving narratives of his growing pains, tales of a good West Coast kid coming up in a rough world, his songs alternate between harsh realities—born of his upbringing in California's foster-care system due to an incarcerated father and drug-addicted mother—and uplifting reflections on finding his place in a brighter tomorrow. Though the situations may not be unheard of, Fashawn's greatest talent lies in being not only an admirable storyteller but a unique one. With Evidence, CurT@!n$, Gilbert Forte. Nectar, 412 N. 36th St., 632-2020. 8 p.m. $10. All ages. NICK FELDMAN
Stryper/Wednesday, March 2
The world of '80s glam metal was about as excessive and decadent as the music world has ever seen (see any Mötley Crüe video for reference). Deviating from the "party/girls/booze all the time" platform of the moment would've been a death knell for most bands, but somehow the bee-striped, Bible-thumping bombast of Stryper ended up going double platinum, with the band dominating MTV and opening for Bon Jovi and Ratt. Spending most of the '90s in broken-up limbo, Stryper is back, touring behind a new album, The Covering, full of classic metal covers (Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath among them). Given Stryper's penchant for theatrical production and frontman Michael Sweet's epic voice atop these classic cuts, missing an intimate Stryper show sounds like hell on Earth. With Witchburn, 7 Horns 7 Eyes. El Corazon, 109 Eastlake Ave. E., 381-3094. 8 p.m. $27.50. All ages. GREGORY FRANKLIN
Cahalen Morrison & Eli West/Thursday, March 3
It's really, really en vogue for Seattle bands to incorporate undertones of Appalachian folk into their sound right now. So prevalent is all this hand-clapping, lyrical purity, and earnest harmonizing by otherwise polished musicians that a backlash might soon be in the offing. That said, it's tough to take much issue with Cahalen Morrison & Eli West. Their music is true bluegrass that'll thrill aficionados but is unlikely to hold much mass appeal. The odds of their opening for Dave Matthews or Vampire Weekend anytime soon are virtually nil. But the odds of them making you wish you were in a sunny meadow with no shoes on your feet and a jug of moonshine at your campsite are outstanding. With Squirrel Butter, Ben Gilmer & the Sidearms. Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. S., 722-3009. 9 p.m. $6. MIKE SEELY
Earth/Thursday, March 3
So here's a strange symmetry: Dylan Carlson's Earth began life just over 20 years ago as a sludgy, epically slow-riffing doom-metal band, but has in recent years explored a more acoustic landscape of twanging desert drones. Meanwhile, Mount Eerie's Phil Elverum got his start making spaciously layered songs on acoustic guitar and drums as the Microphones, but has lately honed his "black wooden" sound, adding shuddering waves of electric-guitar distortion and noise to his still-gentle singing. You can imagine them, at some point in the past decade, playing the exact same thing, their paths crossing perfectly before they continued in their opposite directions. Earth's latest, Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I (a sequel is expected next year), continues in their current vein, dour but clean, adding the prolific Lori Goldston on cello and frequent Elverum collaborator and distinguished solo artist Karl Blau on bass. With Mount Eerie, Low Hums. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599. 9 p.m. $12. ERIC GRANDY
SXSW Kick-Off Party/Thursday, March 3
Last year was local rapper D. Black's first trip to SXSW. Since he's a religious man (Orthodox Judaism), one can assume the nonstop booze-and-tweak-fest that is the music industry's spring break is not necessarily D. Black's scene. But he's headed back for a repeat performance, and tonight is his send-off party. Though his music took a turn for the mature and inspirational with the release of 2009's Ali'Yah, his focus and commitment have only grown stronger—proof being The Blackest Brown EP he released last year with producer B. Brown, which owes much to the collaborations of Kanye and Common circa Be. B. Brown provides some serious soul-jacking beats, allowing D. Black to rhyme about his life, his faith, and his responsibilities. With any luck, he'll give those hedonists in Austin something to ponder. With Wild Orchid Children, State of the Artist, Tea Cozies. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-7416. 5 p.m. $8 adv./$12 DOS. All ages. BRIAN J. BARR
Asobi Seksu/Friday, March 4
Asobi Seksu couldn't be a less fitting name for a band that creates such sentimental dream pop (it's Japanese slang for "casual sex"). Influenced by the likes of My Bloody Valentine and Mazzy Star, the New York band employs lush instrumentation, distortion, and breathy vocals on its lovelorn melodies. Its new and fifth studio album Fluorescence comes across simultaneously as experimental and nostalgic, with whimsical lyrics paired with Phil Spector–esque production. (Coincidentally, Asobi Seksu does a charming rendition of the Crystals' "Then He Kissed Me.") Lead singer Yuki Chikudate graces each pop gem with her girlish voice, and appears petite and precious enough onstage to sleep in a jewelry box— but she often surprises the audience by dropping the f-bomb and sharing anecdotes about 'shroom trips gone bad. In other words, she's a girl after Seattle's own heart. With Brahms, The Fascination Movement. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8000. 9 p.m. $12 adv./$14 DOS. ERIKA HOBART
