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Sunday, October 14 The Week to Come
The week ahead finds Rogue Wave passing through town in support of their recent release, Asleep at Heaven's Gate. That effort comes near the end of an eventful and occasionally difficult year for the Bay Area-based band. It was just eight months ago that drummer Pat Spurgeon received a kidney transplant, and the band followed that up with a switch of labels, moving from the vaunted Sub Pop to Jack Johnson's Brushfire imprint. Luckily, fears of a mellow surf groove influence on the band's music have been unfounded as Asleep at Heaven's Gate is arguably their most adventurous if not also most accomplished album to date following two solid Sub Pop releases. Rogue Wave plays the Wonder Ballroom in Portland tomorrow night with openers Port O'Brien.
Also this week, the Brooklyn-based brother/sister duo Fiery Furnaces bring their chaotic musical stew to the Aladdin Theater. The music of Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger is characterized by its refusal to remain in one place for very long at a time. Widow City is the title of their newest album, and it might be considered a step back from the asylum if only because this one doesn't feature their grandmother (which 2005's Rehearsing My Choir, in fact, did). The Fiery Furnaces stuff a lot into three and four-minute windows, and it makes for a stunning live show-- catch them Wednesday night at the Aladdin Theater (with Pit Er Pat).
Finally, Bishop Allen returns to town Thursday night at the Doug Fir, as they open up for the always outstanding John Vanderslice (more on him later in the week). Just to refresh your memory a bit, Bishop Allen self-released twelve EPs in 2006, somehow finding time to tour constantly and follow it all up with the release of the second full-length, The Broken String this past summer.
Also this week: The Stolen Sweets at Alberta St. Pub (Hurricane Katrina Benefit, Monday); Bat For Lashes at the Doug Fir (Monday); Great Lake Swimmers with Arthur & Yu at Holocene (Tuesday); The Go! Team at the Doug Fir (Wednesday); Lucero with Bobby Bare Jr. at the Hawthorne Theater (Thursday); Killed By Bears at the White Eagle (CD release show, Thursday); Iris DeMent at the Aladdin Theater (Friday); and Interpol with The Liars at the Memorial Coliseum (Friday).
Comments:
On Sunday, October 14 at 11:45pm, Mitch Thomas said:
Really liked the R.E.M. triptych. Dug the Flaming Lips and Go Team combo... the high register vocal combo w/ the group singing made me think of The Polyphonic Spree, Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket. And finally you took me back to my S.F. days seeing shows at the American Music Hall with the Our Town track from Iris. BTW, thank you for keeping the money talk to a minimum.
On Sunday, October 14 at 11:58pm, jpetersen said:
Hey Mitch, you win.....something, I'm sure, for being the first and only commenter of the night. In any case, much appreciated, glad you heard some stuff you liked.