Following a righteously screaming set at this year’s Musicfest NW in Portland, Black Elk hit the road in support of their album, Always A 6, Never A 9. The album finds the band doing what they do best, both in the studio and on the stage: screaming their faces off and making your ears bleed. But there is a method to the madness behind this noise rock. Singer Tom Glose’s ability to crescendo over the cavalcade of clashing guitars and reckless drums behind him transcends Black Elk’s sound from simple chaos to incredulously orchestrated rockage in the vein of Hammerhead and Guzzard. Bringing some youth to the show will be local heroes Black Eyes & Neckties, whose live performances have made them a staple on the West Coast garage-punk scene for several years now; it’s the clever interplay of downright Goth lyrics over pop punk guitars–with an organ thrown in for good measure–that keeps the tunes from becoming too formulaic.

Fri., Dec. 5, 9 p.m., 2008