Raphael Saadiq/Wednesday, April 13
Columbia Records
Raphael Saadiq, bringing the soul fire.
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To exist in the modern musical sphere but consistently draw comparisons to past R&B legends like the Temptations, Al Green, and the Four Tops is a feat only achievable with considerable and concerted dedication. Oakland-born Raphael Saadiq is more than happy to ignore hip-hop stylings and most other current sonic standards—his music stands as proof that the sounds of the '60s just need a revival, not an update. That's not to say he's incapable of the alternative, as production credits for the likes of TLC and John Legend and collaborations with the late, great J Dilla prove, but with his honeyed vocals, retro-soul seems a perfect fit for the former Tony! Toni! Toné! frontman. Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151. 8 p.m. $22 adv./$25 DOS. NICK FELDMAN
Wire/Wednesday, April 13
Most associate Wire with a trilogy of albums (1977's Pink Flag, 1978's Chairs Missing, 1979's 154) that, as a whole, predicted punk's evolution into synth-pop. Wire broke up in 1980, reformed in 1985 as an electro-rock group, disbanded again in 1990, sat out the '90s, and reformed again in 2000, just early enough to resist being swept up in the post-punk revival and subsequent nostalgia trend. As its history proves, Wire doesn't break up and reform because it's cool, but because it prefers to record only when inspired. The latest addition to its sporadic catalog, Red Barked Tree, is a protest/ concept record railing against our too- modernized society. The metallic, fuzzed-out rhythms are there, but acoustic guitars also sneak in (a first!). Still, Wire has hardly gone soft. If anything, the members have simply embraced their status as 50- something post-punkers in a young man's game. With Nazca Lines. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $20. BRIAN J. BARR
J*DaVeY/Thursday, April 14
Lately the intersection of electro-funk and new-wave soul has seen an exciting reawakening—and few encapsulate that retro-futurist appeal better than J*DaVeY, which has caught the eyes of legends like Sa-Ra and Prince. The Los Angeles duo of Briana Cartwright (who performs under the name Jack Davey) and producer Brook D'Leau have yet to drop a proper full-length—New Designer Drug is due later this year—but their 2008 double-EP debut, The Beauty in Distortion/The Land of the Lost, covers plenty of ground. Sporting 23 tracks of the songstress' self-assured vocals and production that draws influences from both the P- and G- varieties of funk, J*DaVeY's ability to master a groove is undeniable. Malice & Mario Sweet, representatives of The Physics' camp and pilots of Seattle's feel-good neo-soul spaceship, join the bill. With Shaprece, DJ 100Proof. Nectar, 412 N. 36th St., 632-2020. 8 p.m. $10. NICK FELDMAN
Magnog/Thursday, April 14
Who knew that Edmonds had its very own Kranky-signed, Hovercraft-affiliated space-rock band back in the mid-'90s? I for one would never have heard of Magnog if not for an earlier iteration of tonight's show that included Portland noisemaker White Rainbow (he's since dropped off the bill, but I'm glad he caught my attention). Magnog can do the slow-motion-takeoff, floating-weightless stuff: Drums keep time distant and soft; guitars echo and pile up and swirl in and out of measured melodies; a voice stretches across the space or occasionally interjects some soft spoken words. They can also go up like the Challenger explosion: guitars burning rocket fuel, drums bursting. The band broke up more than a decade ago, but returned to live performance this year; it should be interesting to see how they've held up. With Slow Burning Chocolate Carnival, Dull Knife.Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-4880. 9:30 p.m. $7. ERIC GRANDY
Rusko/Saturday, April 16
The UK bass music commonly called dubstep has gained plenty of stateside traction—to the point of being sometimes derided as "bro-step"—but has it yet landed anything like a star producer—a Fatboy Slim to be the face of what is surely the most successful British Invasion of electronic music since big beat? (Yes, the musics are nothing alike, but the hype cycle and lifespan give every indication of being very much the same, with dubstep having already well reached its frat-boy stage.) Perhaps its most bankable name is that of Leeds musician, producer, and DJ Rusko, who in a few years has gone from dropping typically low-end, wobbling 12-inches to cutting crossover tracks with Dirty Projectors vocalist Amber Coffman for Diplo's massively connected Mad Decent label. Not that he's lost that bass wobble or anything. Tonight he brings his ever-expanding rave to Showbox SoDo. With Doorly. Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., 628-3151. 8 p.m. $26 adv./$36 DOS. All ages. ERIC GRANDY
Ani DiFranco/Saturday, April 16
It's no surprise that Ani DiFranco's show this evening sold out weeks ago. The Buffalo, N.Y.–hailing singer/songwriter and feminist icon has a solid cult following that dates back to the '90s, when young women found refuge in her defiant, angst-ridden music. Since then, DiFranco has embraced motherhood and revealed a softer, more vulnerable self in her songs. She isn't as radical as she used to be, but neither are her fans, many of whom now also have families of their own. Troubled or not, DiFranco always delivers an emotionally charged live performance and thankfully never loses perspective on what attracted her fans in the first place. When someone heckles her to play something for those who are still depressed (there are always a few in the audience), she kindly obliges with a rendition of—what else?—"Grey." With Animal Prufrock. Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151. 7 p.m. Sold out. ERIKA HOBART
