Local raw-rockers the Knockout Pills--another personal local fave--are also on the bill. The band will release its debut album in a couple months, and if the four-track demo version they gave me is any indication, it's gonna be a doozy.
Opening the show is The Ballad of Johnny Glen, whose namesake is a veteran of the local music scene who's always up to something interesting.
The Solace Brothers, the Knockout Pills and The Ballad of Johnny Glen perform at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. For more info call 798-1298.
ORGAN GRINDER: Like Bright Eyes' and Desaparecidos' Conor Oberst, Tim Kasher hails from Omaha, Neb., and fronts two bands--Cursive and The Good Life--that record for the Saddle Creek label. But the comparisons stop there. Or do they?
Both songwriters explore the darker sides of interpersonal and, especially, romantic relationships, with songs whose lyrics read like diary entries. But while Oberst's main gig falls into the folk-rock camp (even if it's often chamber-folk), Kasher's Cursive rocks much harder, favoring jagged-edged guitar shrapnel dangled over thunderous drumming; it's pure aural catharsis and the lyrics match the attack. Kasher favors albums with an overriding theme: 2000's Domestica was the sound of his marriage falling apart, and the band's new album, The Ugly Organ, picks up thematically where Domestica left off, following the aftermath of the divorce, with all its attendant soul-searching and anonymous sex in the quest to salve the wounds. (Look at the title again--though the album's cover art features a keyboard, it's a double entendre.) Misery hasn't sounded this good since the Afghan Whigs dropped Gentleman.
Cursive performs on Sunday, April 27, at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. Opening the show at 9 p.m. is Lawrence, Kansas-based experimental emo band the Appleseed Cast. Cover for the all-ages show is $8 for those over 21, $10 for those under. Questions? Call 622-8848.
MARCHING ORDERS: We haven't had a chance to drop by yet, but there's a new club in town that looks like it's set to enter the fray of booking risk-taking live music. Pat and Bob's Club's initial out-of-town booking--at least the first that we've heard about--will feature Sub Pop recording artists the Baptist Generals, whose new album, No Silver/No Gold, has been generating positive reviews that compare them to the likes of Will Oldham and Neutral Milk Hotel.
Opening the show at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28, are the Fuse, the Mean Reds and Gary Bear. Pat and Bob's Club is located at 449 E. Fort Lowell Road, on the north side of the street, behind Tucson Futon. Admission is $6, and you can call 293-1213 with questions.
ALIEN INVASION: Based solely on their name, I had always assumed the Boss Martians were a surf-rock band, and apparently, I was right. Sort of.
Turns out they used to mine the garage-surf vibe, but have since abandoned it in favor of straight-up '70s-style rock and roll. The band's latest album, last year's Making the Rounds (MuSick) is pure power-pop, played as hard as possible, while still being able to be called power-pop. Confused? If the Supersuckers ever covered Cheap Trick (anyone remember the 'Suckers' Live at Budokan 7"?) it would sound exactly like the Boss Martians.
The Boss Martians perform at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., on Friday, April 25. Locals Camp Courageous open the show at 9 p.m., and cover is $6. That number again is 622-8848.
SCRAP HEAP: Known mostly for booking cutting-edge shows that appeal to their core all-ages demographic, the folks over at Skrappys have lately been throwing a few bones to the old-timers. Following last week's performance from Youth Brigade, this week brings a show from Oxnard's finest, old-school political hardcore band, Ill Repute. Sharing the bill are Missing 23rd, Four Finger Discount, Car Full of Bosnians, Line of Fire, and False Promise. It all goes down at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. Skrappys is located at 201 E. Broadway. For further details call 358-4287.
PICTURE THIS: Anotha holla out to all in local bands: We want your band photographs to use in our paper. Give 'em to us and they'll magically appear in the pages of our humble little rag. Cool? So just send 'em and we'll get this show on the road. OK, like, now. Seriously, quit putting it off, or it'll never get done, alright? Just stick it in an envelope and send it to: Michaela Steed, PO Box 27087, Tucson, AZ 85726. Even better, for those who are "computer savvy," you can just load it onto your little machine there, and send it to: msteed@tucsonweekly.com.
