CATWALK CLUB172 S. Washington St., 206-622-1863PAULA MAYASeattle WeeklyMusic Awards Showcase6 PM-1 AM • 50 BANDS8 PIONEER SQUARE CLUBSYOU PICK THE WINNERS• Online ballot and MP3 previews• Lineup overview• More informationRaised in Rio, Maya has been a prolific performer around Seattle since the late ’90s. Her unusual mix of Brazilian music and rock, anchored by her own tart, strong vocals, continues to earn her new fans. In 1998, as a recent Northwest transplant, she released her first EP with help from Heart drummer Ben Smith, still part of her band; she’s also hosted her own radio show on KBCS-FM since 1997. World/Reggae. 7 p.m.INFOMATIKInfomatikInfomatik play a sort of darkish synth pop that’s amassed a considerable following in Seattle. While reviving the sound of bands like the Cure and Joy Division has lately become a path of least resistance to minor notoriety in music circles, Infomatik avoid slights by keeping things very much their own. The sound is sterile but cathartic, as evidenced by their four-song demo, smartly packaged in a modified floppy disk case. Indie Rock/ Garage Rock. 8 p.m.THE DEAD SCIENCEThis four-piece is made up of Jherek Bischoff on stand-up bass and vocals, Korum Bischoff and Nick Tamburro both on drums, and guitarist/vocalist Sam Mickens. String players and others frequently collaborate. Together they create dark, dreamlike scenarios that dwell in an unexplored gray area between jazz, rock, pop, and cabaret. Indie Rock/Garage Rock. 9 p.m.SENATE ARCADETheir 2003 EP, Vitamins Taste Like Dying, was Seattle’s first taste of this local indie trio’s angular sound, on the louder side of the math-rock equation. (It’s also been said that they fall somewhere between prog rock and new wave.) From all accounts, singer/bassist Todd Schlosser, guitarist Matt Terich, and drummer Austin Hugill are excellent live—and until the inevitable full-length release, that’s the only way to keep tabs on their growing catalog. Indie Rock/Garage Rock. 10 p.m.PLAN BJames van Leuven, aka Plan B, is an underrated figure in the Seattle—not to mention international—music scene. Through his approach at self-described “electronic indie pop,” Van Leuven creates languorous and buoyant soundscapes. Live performances find him behind his laptop, remixing tracks on which he’s played any number of traditional instruments. Fresh off a brief European tour, during which he produced the music for the break-dance theater production Kopf und Tuch, Van Leuven will surely have some new ideas to share. Electronica. 11 p.m.CANCER RISINGConsisting of MCs Judas and Gatsby and DJ Tiles One, Cancer Rising have infiltrated the forefront of Seattle’s burgeoning hip-hop scene thanks to a steady work ethic, some choice live shows, and several releases, including the Sippin Music EP and a couple of mixtapes, LockDown and Fuck the Frail Shit. Their forthcoming album will be titled Search for the Cure. Hip Hop. Midnight.CENTRAL SALOON207 First Ave. S., 206-622-0209ROBB BENSONRobb BensonBenson has been a mainstay of the Seattle music scene since the mid-’90s, when he formed the Nevada Bachelors. Since then, he’s been carving out a niche for himself, honing his gift for intricately crafted acoustic pop under the name Dear John Letters. This year, he steps out under his own name—well, sort of. With Jon Markel on bass and Eric Eagle on drums, he’ll perform as Robb Benson and the Tree Mind. Singer/Songwriter. 6 p.m.THE SWAINSConsisting of Danny Baker, Kris Geren, Will Henry, Bob Knetzger, and Barry “Bearbeatz” Semple, the Swains are all veterans of various country, roots, and rockabilly groups from Washington, Kansas, Arizona, and Alabama, forming last year in Seattle to great acclaim. With Baker’s soulful voice and expert songwriting up front, the group has gigged heavily, including a spot at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Americana/Roots/Country/Rockabilly. 7 p.m.KIM VIRANTSince the 1996 breakup of her band Lazy Susan, Virant has traveled back in time. 1998’s Signals Crossed and Meanings Lost was an evocative, bluesy throwback to ’70s rock—apropos, since Lazy Susan once opened for Page & Plant. Her latest album, Stealing Days (Good Ink), ventures into twang territory with the assurance of an artist who’s been around the block a few times—and has something to say about it. Best Vocalist. 8 p.m.ALL-AMERICAN PLAYBOYSThe All-American Playboys sport suits, look like the Yardbirds fed through a metrosexual filter, swig beer, smoke onstage, and generally affect an air of casual debauchery. In other words, they’re a rock and roll band, attempting to bring back that moment when all rock was dance music before it was anything else. Their saxophone-sporting style of the big beat unites punk kids and their boomer parents. Americana/Roots/Country/ Rockabilly. 9 p.m.LEFT HAND SMOKELocal mainstay Left Hand Smoke seem to have fans tucked into every last demographic in Seattle, and a live show brings them out of the woodwork. Loved by many for their relentless touring of the college circuit, LHS also get national attention for their brand of feel-good rhythm-and-blues rock, and lead guitarist Will Mish somehow channels the feeling of the genre’s forefathers up onto the stage. Pop/Pop Rock. 10 p.m.RAZREZRazrez seemingly materialized out of nowhere about six months ago, and ever since they’ve been lassoing accolades, nominations, and awards from anyone who’s paying attention. The band, in fact, has some notable lineage; members’ resumes feature, among others, bands like Automaton, West Section Line, and Boss Martians. The foursome isn’t afraid to admit an appreciation for Gang of Four et al., but in a field otherwise wrought with hurried facsimile, this particular revisionism features promising modifications. Pop/Pop Rock. 11 p.m.MS. LEDReleasing their latest, These Things We Say, on the day after the last election, Ms. Led solidified their standing as a power-pop band with a decidedly political bent. Comprised of bassist Matt Menovcik, guitarist Peg Wood, drummer Steph Hasselman, and frontwoman Lesli Wood, the band often garners comparisons to Visqueen and Sleater-Kinney. Indie Rock/Garage Rock. Midnight.CONTOUR807 First Ave., 206-447-7704BEBOP & DESTRUCTIONThis four-piece has been bringing old-school bop jazz to the people, as their name suggests, for over 10 years. Ryan Burns, Marc Fendel, Jose Martinez, and Geoff Harper use their collective skills for good rather than for evil, recalling a time when jazz was meant to be enjoyed interactively, rather than as a spectator sport. If you can’t make this showcase, catch Bebop during one of their Tuesday jam sessions at Post Alley’s Owl and Thistle. Jazz. 7 p.m.PK & WHAT ARMYNot to be confused with P.K. Dwyer (see Fenix Aboveground), the “PK” of PK & What Army is bassist Paul Kemmish, a musical polymath who counts everything from Prince to Judas Priest to Cachao to Charles Mingus as formative listening. And plenty of it comes out in this combo, a loose conglomeration of local players and friends, interpreting Kemmish’s smart songbook as well as “de-ranging [the] classics.” Jazz. 8 p.m.SUPERSONESSeattle’s very own Buena Vista Social Club, this local five-piece often plays music by Compay Segundo and other BVSC favorites. The Supersones—some members Seattle-born, one a native of Mexico City, all serious students of the Cuban son, the form that gave birth to salsa—also emphasize African elements in the music and, frankly, are a little easier to catch live than those far-flung Buena Vista boys. World/Reggae. 9 p.m.FELICIA LOUD & THE SOULFelicia LoudFelicia Loud is one of Seattle’s great modern soul singers, and her band, the Soul—drummer Vaneke Staten, guitarist Josh Evans, bassist Chris Brummel, and keyboardist Ryan Smith—shadow her every step of the way. Loud isn’t just adept at performing her own material, either. She just finished an extended stay at Emerson’s Bar and Grill performing a one-woman play, Lady Day, in which the singer acted and sang as Billie Holiday. Soul/R&B. 10 p.m.OPTIMUS RHYMEOptimus Rhyme are rappers with a healthy sense of their own absurdity, which you’d probably guess from the name. Over their own live beats, they rap about rapping, rap while being robots, rap about being out to save Seattle (and, by extension, the world) from “Wackacons,” and sometimes they just rap really fast. Their grooves (consisting of beats, “low end,” which means bass, and “high end,” which means everything else) are just as silly and slippery. Hip-Hop. 11 p.m.MANGOSONMangoSon are a seven-piece from Seattle who play acoustic, folk- oriented interpretations more akin to something you’d hear below—or at least closer to—the equator. A hybrid of countless musical styles and cultures from throughout the world, MangoSon strive to create the sound of a street-corner dance party somewhere in pre-keyboard-and-electric-guitar Latin America. World/Reggae. Midnight.DOC MAYNARD’S610 First Ave., 206-682-4649BECKI SUE & HER BIG ROCKIN’ DADDIESThe Tumwater-based five-piece is serious about having a good time. Driven by Becki Sue’s high-octane vocals, the Big Rockin’ Daddies respond with their instrumental skills for an energetic live show that will surely delight fans of the Northwest blues scene. Talented yet unpretentious, they have been racking up acclaim; they were nominated in four categories at the 2005 Washington Blues Society Awards. Blues. 7 p.m.TIM CASEY & THE BLUESCATSRelocating from Los Angeles to Seattle was apparently a good career move for the Bluescats—they’ve been garnering rave notices and galvanizing live audiences since their arrival in 1997. Their amalgam of Eisenhower- era jump blues and rock is a perennial favorite with folks out for an old-fashioned rump-shaking good time. Blues. 8 p.m.NICK VIGARINONick VigarinoThe holder of several awards from the Washington Blues Society, Nick Vigarino is a quadruple threat, equally expert at guitar (particularly slide guitar), Dobro, harmonica, and vocals, and as well-respected as an accompanist as he is a frontman. He’s frequently backed by his combo, Meantown Blues, featuring drummer Chris Leighton, bassist Rob Moitoza, and saxophonist Sue Orfield. Blues. 9 p.m.CHARLES WHITE BANDThe Charles White Band roll seven members deep, including a punchy horn section, playing high-octane rhythm and blues. White left Houston for Seattle in the 1960s, bringing along the classic Texas blues style he witnessed firsthand. He’s got the showman air of a Bobby Bland, and onstage it’s clear how his years of experience allow him to work a crowd. Blues. 10 p.m.HUDSON BLUES BANDHudson Blues Band formed in 1992 to combine classic Chicago-style blues with the gritty, country-tinged variant 3,000 miles to the south in Texas. Their earthy sound has been welcomed around the Seattle nightclub circuit amongst those who favor hard blues to go with their food, drink, and dance. Their harmonica-led sound has found them playing alongside blues legends like Hubert Sumlin, and they’ve recorded two CDs, mixing up standards and originals. Blues. 11 p.m.TYPE A!Type A! (note the exclamation point) are a ball of energy, throwing down good-times funk no matter the venue, audience, or event. The 13-member band, with blazing horns, mixes up originals with hyped-up covers that cover all ground between funk and soul, R&B and Latin boogie, big-band swing and supper-club torch crooning, and Motown and Stax. Soul/R&B. Midnight.FENIX ABOVEGROUND109 S. Washington St., 206-405-4313P.K. DWYERP.K. Dwyer (not to be confused with PK & What Army—see Contour) has been singing the blues since he began busking in Los Angeles in 1970. He moved back here a year later and began his street-performing career in earnest, going on to assemble the first band to busk at the Pike Place Market and recording a pair of CDs, 2001’s Up to My Balls in the Blues and 2003’s Blues Guy Now. Blues. 7 p.m.JOSH WILLIAMSONJosh WilliamsonDespite his background playing in blues clubs in Southern California—at one point opening for Kenny Wayne Shepherd—Williamson’s sound is pure straight-ahead rock. Accompanied by co-conspirators Patrick McDaniel and Matt Bos, Williamson has endeared himself to local audiences since moving here in 2001. Williamson’s blues roots combine with nu-metal for a unique sound that has built him an ever-growing local fan base. Best Guitarist. 8 p.m.KJ SAWKAWhen DJs and journalists dubbed the post-rave dance- music style known initially as jungle “drum and bass,” they were referring to the music’s two main motors—slow, deep, heavy low-end pressure rumbling under and alongside sped-up, shrapnelized hip-hop breakbeats. They weren’t expecting folks like superdrummer KJ Sawka to pick up the lead and go nova with it. But that’s what this local musician does, turning a DJ-centric style into one tailor-made for live performance—and Sawka’s bridged that gap at last year’s electronic-music extravaganza, the Decibel Festival, among others. Best Percussion/Drums. 9 p.m.WINDOWPANEWindowpane’s three-piece, muscular rock lays down heavy grooves that lean heavily on the driving hooks of guitarist Glenn Cannon. Though not Seattle natives, their classically Pacific Northwest–style riff-rock led them to work with Pearl Jam live engineer Brett Eliason, who’s also worked with Mad Season and Neil Young, bands that neatly triangulate the Windowpane sound. Their live performances showcase why Cannon is nominated in this year’s Best Guitarist category. Best Guitarist (Glenn Cannon). 10 p.m.KUMAKumaWinners of last year’s award in the category Best New Artist, Kuma produce highly theatrical, gothic-minded soundscapes. Live, light shows and costuming give the songs extra texture. Frontwoman Bree Loughlin is undeniably the star of the show; Dave Dayton, Corey Paganucci, Neal Hallmark, and Aaron Nicholes provide solid backing. Pop/Pop Rock. 11 p.m.GO LIKE HELLGo Like Hell play a revved-up punk-rock beat while their guitars riff somewhere between crude garage and stadium metal (think Kiss meet the Cramps), and singer Alexi Void inherits the mantle of the Plasmatic’s Wendy O. Williams, replete with Mohawk. Their relentless attack and theatrical stage show brings to mind Motorhead’s Lemmy waking up in a babydoll dress with half his head shaved. Punk/Hardcore. Midnight.FENIX UNDERGROUND109 S. Washington St., 206-405-4313LUKE TEMPLELuke TempleAnother sensitive East Coast singer/songwriter who sets sad words to pretty melodies? It’s a dumb stereotype, and Temple—a Massachusetts native who spent a stretch of his post-high-school days living in a sleeping bag in the California woods—defies it. He worked with Best Percussionist nominee Matt Chamberlain on his debut full-length, Hold a Match for a Gasoline World (Mill Pond), and counts blues interpreters from Leadbelly to James Taylor among his influences. Singer/Songwriter. 7 p.m.STAY TUNEDWhy didn’t we think of this? Stay Tuned—keyboardist Matt Krahlman, bassist Randy Williams, and drummer Fred Donaldson—don’t just cover classic songs, they cover classic TV-show themes. But they don’t just play slavish adaptations of the songs; instead, they rearrange them in their own inimitable alternative-rock style. Cover/Tribute. 8 p.m.1234It’s not every band that could be called “conceptually perfect,” but New York’s Ramones were that band, the guiding light of every punk who ever wore a black leather jacket and a slouch, and whose first four albums were the shot heard round the rock world. Their after-echoes continue to this day, most obviously in Seattle’s 1234, who do the originals proud with note-, jacket-, and slouch- perfect re-creations of the bruddas’ classics. Cover/Tribute. 9 p.m.MAIDEN SEATTLENot only do Maiden Seattle deliver all your favorite Iron Maiden classics (“Number of the Beast,” “Can I Play With Madness,” “Run to the Hills,” “Flight of Icarus,” “Two Minutes to Midnight,” and more) with precision and power, they do so in character, with each member taking the name of the band member they correspond with—vocalist Ken Rich is “Bruce,” for example, while guitarists Tommy Steinley and Joe Kurtz are “Dave” and “Adrian,” respectively. Cover/Tribute. 10 p.m.UTTERANCEUtterance fuses rap, rock, and hardcore in a style not a million miles from their admitted influences Rage Against the Machine, though singer/MC Zack Pearson also mentions the original blastmaster KRS-One and the crunching metalcore of Hatebreed. They mix up detuned, crunching guitars, punchy bass, impassioned vocals, and DJ scratching with aplomb. Metal/Hard Rock. 11 p.m.BLooDHAGDespite any inclinations the name may give, Bloodhag are not an ultraserious death- metal outfit. Rather, they’re four dudes clad in thick-rimmed glasses, white button-up shirts, and ties, and they fire off ultraserious death-metal-sounding numbers about—and here’s the catch—science-fiction authors. It’s self-described “Edu-Core,” and if you survive the blast-beat lesson plans, you may just walk away a fan of the genre, albeit with a newfound interest in science fiction. Metal/Hard Rock. Midnight.LAST SUPPER CLUB124 S. Washington St., 206-748-9975DARRIUS WILLRICH PROJECTSince earning a degree in jazz piano from Cornish, Willrich has been stealthily making a name for himself with his smooth, Fender Rhodes–based nouveau-soul excursions. Blending his jazz training with hip-hop and R&B, Willrich crafts slow jams that have delighted fans of his music. You’re sure to hear a few cuts from his upcoming third album at his showcase performance. Soul/R&B. 7 p.m.MARMALADERecently featured on the ToST calendar under the descriptor “Soul-disco, funky house, spoken-word: A conscious recipe of nu-soul and lyrical wisdom,” Marmalade are a kind of all-star jam (sorry) session featuring several of Seattle’s best players. The participants include Piece (from Jumbalaya), Chad Redlight (from NuSol Tribe), Bob “Tyrone” Lovelace and Brian “Stingshark” Ray (both of Phat Sidy Smokehouse), and Victor Funklove (of Kimo and Faith). Soul/R&B. 8 p.m.MEMPHIS RADIO KINGSMemphis Radio KingsLead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Charlie Beck, lead guitarist and Dobro player Tim Jones, and drummer and backup singer Tony Leamer make up the core of local roots favorites Memphis Radio Kings, who won the Seattle Weekly Music Award for Best Roots/Americana artist in 2003. Conjuring contemporaries like Old 97’s and Alejandro Escovedo, as well as forebears like the dB’s and the Replacements, the Kings play hard to earn their crown. Americana/Roots/Country/ Rockabilly. 9 p.m.VERONAThis four-piece band with Bellingham origins met up in Seattle in the late ’90s to begin a fruitful collaboration, and—no, this isn’t a Death Cab blurb. Unlike Gibbard & Co., Verona are more hard rock than pop these days, turning explosively outward rather than pensively inward. Plus—and let’s not underestimate this—they look really good in black. Pop/Pop Rock. 10 p.m.BIOGRAPHY OF FERNSFormed in 1998, this art- minded, punk-spirited alt-rock band features Justin Hamacher on guitar and vocals, bassist Larry Biely, and Brett Rudy on drums and backup vocals. Their sound borrows from the Clash, R.E.M., and Pavement; the recent Kill Rock Stars comp, Tracks and Fields, features their “John the Barber.” Indie Rock/Garage Rock. 11 p.m.DALMATIANSDalmatians’ party-rap/dance-punk rants are abrasive and infectious. More accustomed to playing venues with little headroom and pull-string lighting, the trio is making an unprecedented foray into Pioneer Square, and residents won’t know what hit ’em. They won’t have much time to investigate, either, as the set rarely outlasts the 20-minute mark, and we’re talking about, like, 11 songs here. Indie Rock/Garage Rock. Midnight.NEW ORLEANS114 First Ave. S., 206-622-2563PAUL RUCKER ENSEMBLECellist Rucker made the most of a King County arts grant two years ago when he released the masterful History of an Apology on local jazz indie Jackson Street; the disc, featuring fellow locals Bill Horist (see below), Julian Priester, Bill Frisell, Jay Roulston, and many more, is one of the best Northwest jazz releases of the past few years, and Rucker’s regular ensemble is one of the city’s finest, whatever they play at the Showcase. Jazz. 6 p.m.BILL HORISTBill HoristNoted guitar improviser Bill Horist has been a Seattle resident since 1995. A frequent employer of random objects (kitchen tools in the fret board, bric-a-brac over the strings), Horist is not your average guitarist. While fans of avant-jazz and its improv offshoots enjoy the cacophony, noise-rock fans would be wise to check him out, too. Jazz. 7 p.m.SHOUP GROUPA Southerner by birth, Wally Shoup grew up on blues, rhythm and blues, soul, and free jazz. As an improviser, his alto-sax style incorporates the melancholy blow of the earliest of those traditions and constantly explores the outer edges of the latter. His collaborations with local and national artists are always exciting. Jazz. 8 p.m.ALICE STUART AND THE FORMERLYSStuart is widely acknowledged as a trailblazer for women in rock. Writing and playing her own music since the early ’60s, Stuart has plotted a career trajectory that included sojourns with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Phil Ochs, and the Mothers of Invention, among others. Her song “I Ruined Your Life” appeared in the film The Station Agent. Last year, Stuart was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. According to Taj Mahal, “Alice cut the road that Bonnie Raitt traveled.” Hear her history-making music for yourself at her Music Awards showcase. Blues + Best Guitarist + Lifetime Achievement. 9 p.m.JO MILLER & HER BURLY ROUGHNECKSWestern swing, honky-tonk, and good old-fashioned country live together in perfect harmony in Jo Miller’s world. Backed by the four Burly Roughnecks, Miller continues the hillbilly tradition she began as frontwoman for Seattle’s late, beloved Ranch Romance. Her smooth, soulful voice meshes well with the Roughnecks’ musical backing, which includes stand-up bass and accordion. Americana/Roots/Country/Rockabilly. 10 p.m.JERRY & THE PHILBILLYSAcoustic and electric guitars, stand-up bass, honky-tonk piano, vocal harmonies that back up strong, prominently twanging lead vocals: Those are the ingredients that make up local twang merchants Jerry & the Philbillys, one of the city’s pre-eminent roots combos. Actually, “roots” might be a bit too general for this crew, whose signature tune, “I’d Go Crazy,” has a title that in the song finishes the statement, “If it weren’t for country music. . . . ” Americana/Roots/Country/ Rockabilly. 11 p.m.LATIGO LACELatigo Lace play high-energy, high-spirited country, but they also move to the beat of classic rock and roll, old-school R&B, and even stomping swing. But country is their real metier, moving from current CMT heavy rotation hits to old Music Row standards like it ain’t nothing but a thing. That’s probably why they’ve shared stages with everyone from Merle Haggard to Charlie Daniels and Jo Dee Messina. Americana/Roots/ Country/Rockabilly. Midnight.info@seattleweekly.com