Les ClaypoolaE™s Oddity Faire, Wednesday, March 11: Even though putting Saul Williams and Les Claypool on the same bill is a little bizarre, naming a Les Claypool-headlined tour the aEœOddity FaireaE is still redundant. By now, you should probably expect that the erstwhile Primus singer-bassist and master/practitioner of almost every style of music imaginable (and member of about 37 other bizarro music projects, including Colonel Les ClaypoolaE™s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and Colonel ClaypoolaE™s Bucket of Bernie Brains) will come out on a flaming unicycle wearing a tuxedo and a giant platypus head and play Frank ZappaaE™s Uncle Meat in its entirety with his mutating band of crazies, while fixing sandwiches onstage for the audience during some of the lengthy instrumental bits. But maybe heaE™ll just surprise us and play songs from his new album, Of Fungi and Foe, which evolved out of the music he was commissioned to write for the Wii game Mushroom Men. Which reminds me of a joke: A mushroom walks into a bar, and the bartender says, aEœIaE™m sorry, I canaE™t serve you.aE And the mushroom replies, aEœWhy not, IaE™m a fungi!aEA With Yard Dogs Road Show. Showbox SODO, 1700 1st Ave. S., 652-0444. 7 p.m., $32 adv., $35 dos. All ages. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Disney Cover Night, Wednesday, March 11: Kane Hodder lead singer Andrew Moore has been known to end a show with minor injuries. And really, what else would you expect from a hardcore group given to shrieking lyrics like aEœI hate the taste of your blood, black as pitch/But I'd hate it even more to see my skull mounted next to some pompous grin.aE Aww. Needless to say, the band named for the man behind Freddy KruegeraE™s vile mask isnaE™t what first comes to mind when watching a cartoon Merlin pack up his things while singing aEœhigitus figitus zumbabazing!aE in the Disney classic The Sword in the Stone. But tonight, play it they will. ItaE™s all part of Disney Cover Night, a somewhat annual tradition when local indie-punk-pop stars like Aqueduct, The Catch and People Eating People return to childhood, rocking out to tunes from Dumbo to The Little Mermaid. This is, however, a 21-and-over show, so no kids are allowed in Chop Suey tonightaE”just the young at heart. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison, 324-8005. 8 p.m. $7. Note by LAURA ONSTOT

aE¦And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Thursday, March 12: Based on the last two albums from aE¦And You Will Known Us by the Trail of Dead aE“ which were packed full of bloated, unsatisfying, more-or-less boring prog-rock epics aE“ it seemed like the Austin, Texas band had reached the point of diminishing returns, light years away from their dynamic 1999 self-titled debut and even 2002aE™s career high point, Source Codes & Tags. ThataE™s what makes new disc The Century of Self that much more gratifying aE“ itaE™s the sound of Trail of Dead back from the dead. Not that theyaE™ve completely abandoned their designs on ambitious structures and soundscapes, but here those tendencies are tempered by the in-your-face fire, energy, and chaos of old. Ultimately, theyaE™ve made their guitar-fueled bombast and feverish vocals a lot easier to get inside, and live, that approach should have no trouble bringing back the fans who may have strayed. With Funeral Party, Midnight Masses. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m., $12. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Kurt Vile, Thursday, March 12: ItaE™s damn near difficult not to froth at the mouth when discussing PhillyaE™s Kurt Vile. Along with Ariel Pink and Kevin Debroux (a.k.a. Pink Reason), heaE™s the best of indie rockaE™s recent lo-fi/bedroom recordings revival. ThereaE™s good reason for this: beneath all the arty shenanigans (four-track crud, vintage drum machines, synthed-out shoegaze dreaminess) lurks a classic pop-rock songwriter and lyricist. Track down a copy of his album Constant Hitmaker, and I guarantee you wonaE™t make it past he opening anthem aEœFreewayaE for, like, the first two weeks. ItaE™s perfect the way aEœTractor Rape Chain,aE aEœJessieaE™s GirlaE and aEœHey TonightaE are all perfect. Of course, comparing Vile to Pollard and Fogerty (but not Springfield) is some kind of artistaE™s kiss of death. But fuck it. The dude just might be that good. Sonic Boom Records, 514 15th Ave. E., 568-2666. 6 p.m., NC. All ages. Note by JUSTIN F. FARRAR

Betty Ford Falcons, Friday, March 13: A couple winters ago I found myself, for lack of anything better to do, in the Central with two ex-friends of mine. The band playing that night was local quartet Betty Ford Falcons, who with their double-guitar attack, towering Marshall stacks, and half-punk/half-metal attack reminded me of a cross between MommyaE™s Little Monster-era Social Distortion and MotA¶rhead (of any era, really). The shit was punchy, spiky, full of snarling attitude, and loud. Really loud, as any good rock aE™n roll show at a small, divey joint should be. After barely three songs, my two companions literally ran out of the Central, whining about the volume and how their heads hurt. Pussies! I stayed, and was rewarded by a rippinaE™ set by one of the better straight-up rock bands in town. I was deaf for most of the following day, but so what? Real rock aE™n roll isnaE™t for the meek.A With Load Levelers, Shivering Denizens. SlimaE™s Last Chance Chili Shack and Watering Hole, 5606 1st Ave. S. 762-7900. 9 p.m., NC. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG MP3: Master Blaster

Jessica Lurie, Friday, March 13: On her MySpace page, Seattle-born Jessica Lurie chose to classify her music as experimental folk jazz. Listen to her self-released album, Shop of Wild Dreams, and youaE™ll find the combination of descriptors to be correct. Her music ranges from straightforward, melodic tunes like aEœNumber SixaE to more experimental stuff aE“ an example of this is aEœThe Usual Things,aE in which odd guitar sounds provide a backdrop to Lurie'sA free improvisations, which proceed unexpectedly into more approachable pop territory as the song progresses. Sometimes, though, the experimentation goes a little overboard. For instance, on tunes like aEœPinjuraE and aEœCircus Rain,aE the instruments seem to be all over the place, which makes for a confusing listening experience. But itaE™s not all experimental weirdness aE“ aEœFlying Man,aE for example, showcases the great chemistry between pianist Erik Deutsch, Lurie and banjoist Brandon Seabrook. At this homecoming gig, Lurie and drummer Greg Campbell will perform together as multimedia artist Danijel Zezelj creates a painting on the spotaE”itaE™s the kind of creative partnership you donaE™t see every day. Gallery 1412 18th Ave. E. 324-0671. 8 p.m., $5-$15 suggested donation. All ages. Note by ERNEST BARTELDES

BOAT, Peter Parker, Friday, March 13: Hometown heroes BOAT are finally coming into their own after years of steady touring and supporting other regional darlings like Menomena and Blitzen Trapper. ThereaE™s an endless barrage of clever descriptions you could use to pontificate upon BOATaE™s sound aE“ The Shins meet The Special Goodness meet Beck, aEœslop-pop,aE handclapping Wurlitzer-mania aE“ but really, all you need to know is that theyaE™re one of the best things happening for SeattleaE™s music scene at the moment. Joining them will be the wondrous little tour-de-force known as Peter Parker, whose driving, layered vocals set atop roller coaster baselines will inevitably get pulses racing. Newcomers Connecticut Four find themselves on a very fortunate bill with the aforementioned bands, but their explosive guitar riffs and lead singer Cristina BautistaaE™s Benatar-esque vocals are up for the challenge. Blue Moon Tavern, 712 NE 45th St., 675 9116. 10 p.m., $5. Note by RAECHEL SIMS MP3: The Bar Is Too Low To Fail

Simian Mobile Disco, Friday, March 13: Simian Mobile Disco smacked dance music with a big olaE™ pop wallop with its debut disc, 2007aE™s Attack Decay Sustain Release. Unapologetically accessible, the British duo tore the rusty roof off the avant-noise that too often dominates electronica, opting instead to take the form back to its warehouse rootsaE”with a little twist. At an average of about three to four minutes apiece, each track on Attack is a compressed time-capsule releasing chunks of New Wave, classic hip-hop, and, of course, layered, well-aimed synths. aEœI Got This DownaE is an Afrika Bambaataa-like boom-box jam sliced up with orchestral ambienceaE”you know, in case you get boredaE”while aEœItaE™s the BeataE squeaks and taps with synths slathered over hard, dissonant textures. Head over to YouTube for a taste of SMDaE™s live shows and tracks from the bandaE™s upcoming album. With Nordic Soul, Colby B. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m., $15. Note by KEVIN CAPP

Puerto Plata with Edilio Paredes, Saturday, March 14: One of the best things about the whole Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon is that it has provided a template for world-music impresarios to pluck masterful, aging players out of regional obscurity and successfully bring them to a huge and affluent audience. And they can do it, too, without watering the sound down into Westernized, electronicized pap. Indeed the aEœauthenticityaE of these playersaE”their retro aesthetic, their decades of insulation from the corrupting influence of the more developed worldaE”is a big part of how theyaE™re marketed. Sometimes I get a little cynical about the formula. But not when it helps promote brilliant players like Jose Manuel Cobles (stage name: Puerto Plata) and Edilio Paredes, two giants of Dominican guitar. Cobles also sings, beautifully. Their sextet, with electric bass and three percussionists, captures a hundred different Latin influences, with music thataE™s danceable, wistful, lascivious, and virtuosic at once. TheyaE™ve been getting new exposure through the efforts of Benjamin De Menil, a Putumayo veteran with a Harvard MBA. His new label, iASO Records, is testimony to the fact that, even in the sub-prime economy, keen business skills can be put to positive use. Meany Hall, 15th Ave NE and NE 40th St, 543-4880. 8 p.m. $33. All ages. Note by MARK D. FEFER

Hoquiam, Saturday, March 14: Before heading out on his lengthy spring tour, Damien Jurado is sneaking in one last hometown show with his side-project-of-brotherly-love Hoquiam. Together with his lanky younger brother Drake, Damien uses Hoquiam to create songs inspired by his and DrakeaE™s coastal Washington upbringing. Like Mark Lanegan, Damien has a voice that is reflective of our vast, gloomy Northwest corneraE”his natural vocals sound like they are being echoed back the hollow-body of an acoustic guitar.A This haunting tone is fitting for the Hoquiam numbers, which tend to be darker and more impressionistic, thanks in no small part to DrakeaE™s gray, minimal washes of keyboard (not to mention the fact that he spends his time on stage unsmiling and hiding creepily behind sunglasses). Having recently signed to Secretly Canadian, this intimate all-ages show will make for a nice see-them-before-everyone-else-does experience. And speaking of best-kept secrets, this show is also a perfect opportunity to show your support for up-and-coming community White Center, where cool shit (like a punk rock ice cream and beer parlor hosting shows such as this one) is becoming more common. Sure, aEœgrittyaE is still the adjective locals use to describe it. But remember, they said the same thing about Ballard, so hurry down before all the assholes catch on. Full Tilt Ice Cream, 929 16th Ae S.W., 767-4811. 8 p.m., NC. All ages. Note by BRIAN J. BARR

Brett Dennen, Saturday, March 14: aEœThis guy is a camp counselor with a guitar,aE could be the criticism of any flash-in-the-pan acoustic axeman to make a splash on adult contemporary radio. But, unlike the long and short-hairs who ape James Taylor to death, Brett Dennen has an ace in the hole: He really is a camp counselor with a guitar, via the Mosaic Project, a non-profit targeting kids in California. And he is seemingly content to make a living merely by extending his campfire. There's no hint of delusion that he's penning the next Mud Slide Slim or Tea For Tillerman. This is just a sandy-haired kid who pens the songs kids like to roast saE™mores to. With Angus & Julia Stone. Showbox at the Market, 1426 1st Ave., 628-3151. 8 p.m., $22.50 adv., $25 dos. All ages. Note by CHRIS KORNELIS

Von Iva, Monday, March 16: Electro-punk trio Von Iva first gained notoriety in the Bay area for their Suicide Girl pin-up model looks and explosive live performances. They pour whiskey on their fans, gyrate atop speakers, and strut in stilettos, all while playing kick ass dance music influenced by disco, electronica, and punk. The bandaE™s 2008 EP Girls on Film sounds like something The Donnas would record, except rawer and sexier. Von Iva frontwoman Jillian Iva trumps her competition when she throatily sings lyrics like, aEœReveal your back seat dreams to me/Put your tight skirt on and bend for me.aE Admittedly, itaE™s hard to distinguish whether Von Iva is a musical or exhibitionist act. Maybe itaE™s a little of both. With Semi Precious Weapons, The Greatest Hits, The Knast, Creem City, and Sister Hyde. El Corazon, 109 Eastlake Ave., 381-3094. 7 p.m., $8 adv., $10 dos. All ages. Note by ERIKA HOBART