Freaky Friday
Why Surfer Blood’s JP Pitts Would Trade Spots With Gaga
Earlier this year, Surfer Blood ran into the Pixies at a New Zealand airport; lead singer JP Pitts struck up a conversation with Kim Deal, and now the two bands are gearing up to hit the road together this fall. During a recent phone call, Pitts called the upcoming tour “one of the coolest things that’s ever happened to me. We all grew up listening to their records a lot, so we couldn’t be happier.”
Surfer Blood will have a handful of new songs to play—in October, they’ll release a four-song EP called Tarot Classics, which Pitts says has an expanded sonic palette—more synths, samples, and even horns—than their guitar-driven debut album, last year’s Astro Coast. Surfer Blood’s been all over the world, fans and critics are highly anticipating their new material, and they’re about to tour with their rock idols, but in Pitts’ mind, there’s more ground to cover. When asked which Top-40 pop star he’d change places with, he names Lady Gaga. “She seems like a free spirit,” he says. “She has a lot of freedom. She can do whatever she wants.”
107.7 The End’s Concert 4 A Cause Starring Surfer Blood Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467, neumos.com. $10.77. 8 p.m. Wed., Aug. 31.
Reverb Recommends
Blink-182/Thursday, Sept. 1
Eight years after their most recent album together, Mark, Tom, and Travis are friends again and back with a new record, Neighborhoods; from the sound of the first single, “Up All Night,” the trio is still pushing their trademark puckish pop-punk. With My Chemical Romance, Rancid. White River Amphitheater, 40601 Auburn-Enumclaw Rd., Auburn, 360-802-1469. 6:30 p.m. $25–$69. All ages.
Fleet Foxes/Monday, Sept. 5-Tuesday, Sept. 6
For the biggest name in Seattle music, there’s no such thing as a sophomore slump—the exquisite Helplessness Blues is a full-blown commercial and critical smash; surprisingly, tickets to both Paramount shows were still available at press time. With the Walkmen. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., 467-5510. 7:30 p.m. $34. All ages.
Witch Gardens/Thursday, Sept. 8
After releasing the winsome Agatha, Alice, Branch & Christ earlier this summer, Witch Gardens’ star continues to rise—tonight marks the lovable lo-fi quartet’s biggest headlining show to date. With Stephanie, Don’t Talk to the Cops. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8000. 9 p.m. $7.
The Antlers/Friday, Sept. 9
The Antlers’ radiant Burst Apart is one of the year’s most gorgeous pop records; hearing Peter Silberman’s dazzling falsetto live is worth the ticket price alone. With Avi Buffalo, Ghosts I’ve Met. Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., 467-5510. 9 p.m. $15 adv./$17 DOS. All ages.
Ke$ha/Saturday, Sept. 10
Get your blue lipstick and garbage-bag outfits on—America’s trashiest pop star is hitting town, and if it’ll be anything like her February set at Showbox SoDo, watch out for underage, hard-partying, projectile-vomiting, Ke$ha-lifestyle wannabes. With LMFAO, Spank Rock. WaMu Theater, 800 Occidental Ave. S., 381-7555. 7:30 p.m. $47.50.
Glass Candy/Sunday, Sept. 11
The Portland duo of Johnny Jewel and Ida No get things sexy with their glamorous brand of dark disco, most recently heard on last year’s flashy Feeling Without Touching EP. With Chromatics, Cosmetics, DJ Porq. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $10.
Selena Gomez and the Scene/Monday, Sept. 12
Selena Gomez’s “Love You Like a Love Song” is a slickly executed little piece of pop magic and a promising indication that she’ll be able to move beyond the Disney princess/Justin Bieber’s girlfriend tags. Puyallup Fair & Events Center, 110 Ninth Ave. S.W., Puyallup, 253-841-5045. 7:30 p.m. $30–$50. All ages.
Active Child/Friday, Sept.23
Active Child is the solo synth-pop project of L.A.’s Patrick James Grossi, who just released a delicate, euphonious full-length called You Are All I See. With Chad Valley. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-7416. 8 p.m. $10.
Carissa’s Wierd/Saturday, Sept. 24
It’s Carissa’s Wierd’s second reunion in as many years, but this time, unlike last year’s one-off concert, they’re coming back with new recorded material—their first in seven years. With Royal Eyes. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $18.
Bon Iver/Monday, Sept. 26
It’s hard to top a couple of glitzy collaborations with Kanye West, but Justin Vernon managed to do just that with his second album, fittingly titled Bon Iver, which takes small-town folk in modern, unexpected directions unexplored by any other artist. With Other Lives. Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., 467-5510. 7:30 p.m. $34.50. All ages.
