English electronic duo Plaid will make a rare Seattle appearance at the Crocodile on Friday. Tim Saccenti
This week, our music critics have picked everything from the music of A Charlie Brown Christmas to Portland punks Poison Idea to healing songstress Sera Cahoone. Follow the links below for ticket links and music clips for all of their picks, and find even more shows on our complete music calendar.
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MONDAY & SATURDAY
JAZZ
The Music of ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
Because the Royal Room does the music of Charlie Brown every year, every year I have to write this love poem to the core tune, “Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental),” this masterpiece of American culture. It is, I think, one of the most beautiful pieces of jazz ever composed. Listening to it is like watching the falling snow through a window. The room is warm, something is roasting in the oven, and outside, the flakes are falling faintly through the universe and upon the trees, the hedges, the water gutters, the telephone poles, and the rooftops of a thousand apartment buildings. This is where you want to be forever. This is Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental).” It opens with a trembling bass, like someone coming out of the cold, stamping their feet, brushing the snow off their shoulders, hanging their winter coat, rubbing and blowing on numb fingers, and entering the living room where there is a window, watching the flakes falling faintly upon all the buildings and the living. CHARLES MUDEDE
TUESDAY
ROCK/POP
The Joy Formidable, TWEN, Bryde
Welsh alt-rock band the Joy Formidable will bring their dreamy-yet-brash soundscapes to Seattle with support from TWEN and Bryde. LEILANI POLK
X (Nights 1 & 2)
They were contemporaries of SoCal punk bands like the Germs and Black Flag, but X’s relevance and influence can still be heard draped across the sounds of the rock underground. I reckon you could say, even as their music is deeply rooted in, well, roots rock, at this point they MIGHT be considered roots rock themselves. And don’t forget they were/are universally loved by the nerdy college kids, punks, AND the goths. I bet it’s safe to say 1970s Exene is prolly still an archetype. Uh, now that I think about it, a two-day party might not be enough. MIKE NIPPER
YACHT
This isn’t yacht rock—it’s YACHT rock. The long-running project of Portland musician Jona Bechtolt, which added Claire L. Evans as a member a few albums ago, traffics in theatrical synthetic disco and plays shows that border on performance art. Even though they live in L.A. now, the whole shtick has a very Portlandia vibe, with a book of personal philosophy called The Secret Teachings of the Mystery Lights published and lyrics that reflect on utopias and self-help. Thankfully, the tunes are catchy enough in that DFA-indebted way (so spiky! So blippy!) that the extracurricular stuff doesn’t distract, and judging by the eponymous lead single of I Thought the Future Would Be Cooler, neither the funk nor the brainy shtick show any signs of letting up. KYLE FLECK
Live music, comedy, karaoke, football, and much more. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner 7 days/wk w/ two full bars.
TUESDAY & SUNDAY
CLASSICAL
Seattle Men’s Chorus: ‘Tis The Season
In a landmark holiday event, the Seattle Men’s Chorus will perform dazzling tracks of the season, like their own revamped takes on “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Festival Gloria,” “Here We Come A-Caroling,” and many more.
WEDNESDAY
FUNK/REGGAE
Eric Rachmany, Ted Browne & The John Dank Show
Roots-reggae acts Eric Rachmany and Ted Browne & the John Dank Show will donate all proceeds from this show to the Last Prisoner Project, a nonprofit that grants clemency, expungement, and support to nonviolent cannabis prisoners.
ROCK/POP
A.C.E
Massively popular K-pop group A.C.E. will hit Seattle on the winter leg of their 2019 world tour in promotion of their latest album.
Authority Zero, Kids on Fire, Good Touch, Boss Tanaka, Longward
Nineties-formed Arizona punk band Authority Zero will come to Eastlake with local support from Kids on Fire, Good Touch, Boss Tanaka, and Longward.
Bayside, Capstan
Pop-punk heavy-hitters Bayside will come to Seattle with opening support from Capstan.
THURSDAY
BLUES/COUNTRY/FOLK
Greyhounds, Caitlin Sherman
Austin act Greyhounds are keyboardist Anthony Farrell and guitarist Andrew Trube (both formerly members of JJ Grey and Mofro), joined by drummer Ed Miles. Their sound is rock dosed heavily with Motown-influenced R&B, blues, funk, and soul with a dash of country roots. Farrell and Trube share vocal duties; the former hits baritone lows and has a resounding, deeply soulful quality, while the latter has a higher-toned drawl with a light rasp. This tour falls behind last year’s Cheyenne Valley Drive, their seventh full-length. RIYL: St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. LEILANI POLK
ELECTRONIC
deadmau5, MSTRKRFT, Qrion, Lights
Deadmau5’s current CUBE V3 Tour is named after his signature self-programmed projector set piece. The Canadian DJ and producer recently studied how to write code specifically so he could generate one-of-a-kind visuals at his shows in real time, rather than rely on recordings. LED light baths and rafter-filling graphics will not be in short supply, as the artist is known for continually leveling up. With shakedown grips and saber-esque blips, his latest single, “Fall,” is a seven-minute beckon from the mask’s stark side. Supporting act Qrion’s songs—“Foggy August,” “Safeway Sushi”—are electronic microcosms of her hometown of Sapporo, Japan, and current base in San Francisco. AJ DENT
Tourist, Matthew Dear
This bill features a fine, non-ravey electronic alternative to the head-fueled house beats happening a few miles away. In a roundabout way, you’ve heard Tourist; the artist otherwise known as William Phillips cowrote Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me” and won a Grammy for it. But his own solo work is subtly expressive, atmospheric, beat-light electro with the odd vocal splices and found sounds. He dropped two LPs in 2019, Everyday in February and Wild in October. Matthew Dear has a heavier, electro-synthy avant pop style that sometimes feels dark or melancholic, which has much to do with his deep, dour vocal timbre. His latest release, 2018’s Bunny, is decidedly weird and fun, with a few key guest spots by Tegan and Sara. LEILANI POLK
FUNK/REGGAE
Anuhea
Hawaiian singer-songwriter Anuhea, the winner of two Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and Billboard Hot 100 hitter, will perform her pop, R&B, and island-infused reggae in Seattle on her All Is Bright 2019 tour.
THURSDAY-SUNDAY
JAZZ
Judy Collins Holidays & Hits
Sublime jazzy folk icon Judy Collins will sing holiday favorites and share stories from her life at this seasonal show set.
FRIDAY
BLUES/COUNTRY/FOLK
Country Lips, Santa Poco, Double Country
Tap your boots to honky tonk jams from locals Country Lips on one of the longest nights of the year. They’ll be joined by Santa Poco and Double Country at this holiday concert.
Ivan & Alyosha “Carols By the Fireside”
Originally from Seattle, folk-pop band Ivan & Alyosha have achieved national acclaim thanks to outlets like NPR. They’ll join together for two nights of Christmas carols, holiday songs, and special guests out in Ballard.
ELECTRONIC
Plaid
English duo Plaid have been making high-quality electronic music for nearly 30 years. Mainstays of important British label Warp, Plaid (Ed Handley and Andy Turner) emerged out of IDM legends the Black Dog in 1991 and ever since have been dropping fascinating releases every two to five years to a modest yet rabid cult following. Plaid’s knack for combining nimble beats, sweetly tart melodies, and unusual textures coaxed Björk into working with them, so they have that cachet. The newest Plaid album, Polymers, is as engrossing and strange as anything in their rich catalog. It would be a mistake to miss a rare Seattle appearance by these legends. DAVE SEGAL
HIP-HOP/RAP
BRRR! Winter Solstice Celebration
Dance in the shortest day of the year with a constellation of local hip-hop favorites. Lo-Fi’s multitude of eclectic corners will feature six acts throughout the night. The duo of Remember Face grafts abstract beats behind stoic storytelling, while Portland’s Blossom swirls autobiographical lyrics in R&B liqueur. The trap and boom bap of multi-instrumentalist Samurai Del will elasticize the evening’s energy, as DJ Kween Kay$h keeps the hype up and the cold out, while Portland producer Sxlxmxn is sure to fire up his recent EYRST record label remixes. Seattle rapper and singer-songwriter Mr. Hentvii hosts. AJ DENT
Donny D’usse Memorial Show
In memory of the late Seattle hip-hop artist Donny D’usse, who passed away this summer, enjoy performances by local artists Karma Knows, Jango, SantanaBands, J. Apollo, and others.
METAL/PUNK
AJJ, Amigo The Devil, Days N Daze, The Bridge City Sinners
The boisterous, punk-kicking folk outfit from Phoenix formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad have shortened their moniker to a simple acronym, AJJ, and were recently on the road behind two 2017 releases—a vinyl live album, Decade of Regression: Live at SideOneDummy, and a short and sweet EP of surprisingly mellow yet intriguing new songs, Back in the Jazz Coffin. LEILANI POLK
ROCK/POP
5th Annual Kristin Chambers “Snow Globe”
Now in its fifth year, the Snow Globe will bring a flurry of holiday spirit with a live soundtrack provided by Kristin Chambers’s dulcet tones, and the Mack Grout Trio playing Vince Guaraldi’s score from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Get into the rhythm of season’s givings by bringing some non-perishable food items for Northwest Harvest.
Benjamin Gibbard, Johnathan Rice
The last time I saw Ben(jamin) perform was at a Town Hall tribute to the late Leonard Cohen, wherein local luminaries covered folk classics that made a chapel full of adults rock with silent sobs for two straight hours. Hopefully this performance will be less of a wake, but just as honest, warm, and generous as Ben’s Cohen interpretations were that night. He’ll be joined by singer-songwriter and frequent Jenny Lewis collaborator Johnathan Rice, whose song “So Sweet” appeared on 2004’s Music From The OC: Mix 2 … and no, I’m not ashamed to say that’s why I know who he is. KIM SELLING
Razor Clam, Wild Powwers, Deep Creep
Named after the mollusk that makes its home on the Pacific Northwest’s sandy beaches, Seattle quintet Razor Clam bring grit, glamour, and goth-pop to the stage. The all-femme band centers queerness in both their music and their live performances, fostering a space where everyone feels safe and free to be themselves. Their 2018 EP Vicious Sea Cows is packed with a mix of salty and sweet tracks that recall goth-rock bands such as Siouxsie and the Banshees: “ITB” is a buoyant and synthy bop, perfect for bouncing around the dance floor, while the spooky, drum-driven “There” is made to conjure spells to. JASMYNE KEIMIG
SOUL/R&B
Tower of Power
Oakland’s fabulous funk and soul-jazz heavies Tower of Power return for yet another Seattle residency. Reports from the most gushing-est of fans claim that every TOP show is a killer dance party, but then they are the “Hipper Than Hip” from “Bump City” and would obviously know how to dig it deep “In the Slot”! That they keep killin’ it time and again is REALLY saying something, as Tower of Power have been active for over 50 years and show no signs of getting up from all their serious getting down! MIKE NIPPER
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
CLASSICAL
Northwest Boychoir’s 41st Annual Festival of Lessons & Carols
For the 41st year, Northwest Boychoir will join with Vocalpoint! Seattle to present the story of the Nativity told through reading, choral arrangements, and audience-participation carols.
ROCK/POP
Fruit Bats, Cataldo, Kacey Johansing
Eric D. Johnson’s high-toned twang and songwriting chops have driven the warm, ambling, AM-radio-kissed folk rock of the Fruit Bats since he originally formed the group in 1997. He’s the engine that drives the band train, its sole creative force, facilitator of their “breakup” in 2013, and then “reunion” a few years later. (I use the quotes because it’s really just him being active/inactive under that particular moniker.) Last November, Johnson and company released a bouncy alt-country number about touring, “Getting in a Van Again”—their first piece of new music since 2016 full-length Absolute Loser—and announced that Fruit Bats had signed to Merge Records, with a record expected sometime later in 2019. LEILANI POLK
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
CLASSICAL
Handel’s Messiah
Fun Fact: Even though people celebrate the virgin birth of Mr. Jesus with Handel’s Messiah every Christmas, librettist Charles Jennens actually conceived of the piece as an Easter opera. That’s because the last two-thirds of the composition cover the life, death, and resurrection of the Nazarene prophet. But traditions are hard to kick, and that “Hallelujah!” chorus still rules, as does the Seattle Symphony Chorale, who will surely be in rare form. RICH SMITH
SATURDAY
BLUES/COUNTRY/FOLK
SeaMuse
Dusty Strings’ annual solstice celebration welcomes back SeaMuse, a four-piece band with local ties and global sounds. With a repertoire of traditional folk songs from Turkey, Greece, England, and more, their set is a chance to see instruments such as lutes and glockenspiels in action. SeaMuse’s seasonal numbers and original poetry will light up the Fremont space as they prepare to release their upcoming album, Solstice Fire. Celebrating 40 years in business this month, Dusty Strings offers warm hues and rich acoustics—a fittingly convivial venue in which to salute the longest night of the year. AJ DENT
DJ
Hit Me Baby! – A Britney Spears Dance Party!
The songs of Britney Spears and her contemporaries will take over this DJ night.
Lost Kings, Martin Jensen
DJ duo Lost Kings (aka Robert Abisi and Nick Shanholtz) will stop in town on their Lost Angeles Tour with support from Martin Jensen.
Queens of Pop Dance Party with DJ Baby Van Beezly – XMAS Edition!
Dance your butt off to all your favorite holiday pop songs by Carly Rae Jepsen, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and other pillars of 4X4 perfection with DJ Baby Van Beezly.
Research: D.Dan
Berlin-based techno DJ and producer D.Dan creates frenetic and heavy-hitting funky beats to groove the night away to. His hard and acidic edge is bolstered by intense and rapid-fire percussive elements. He also has excellent releases on Lobster Theremin and Arsenik, and is a relatively recent resident at the nightclub Mala Junta, a pillar of queer nightlife in Berlin. D.Dan’s open-to-close set is sure to nourish both the mind and the body. JASMYNE KEIMIG
Rezz, Peekaboo, Black Gummy
Young DJ and producer REZZ from Niagara Falls will regale you with a set of heavy underground minimalist techno and dark, spooky industrial cuts. She’ll be joined by additional guests Peekaboo and Black Gummy as a part of their winter tour.
ROCK/POP
Poison Idea
Long-running PDX dirtbags and notable kings of punk Poison Idea are supposedly wrapping up their long career, as this El Corazon date is billed as their last Pacific Northwest show. WHUT!?! Hard to believe, but I dig—they ain’t exactly kids anymore, and perhaps it’s their time “Just to Get Away.” Funny, though, the last time I saw them play live was… when the original, re-formed 1980s lineup played their “last show” sometime in the late 1990s, so maybe they’ll reunite and play again one day. But until that day, THIS is it, y’all!! MIKE NIPPER
Sera Cahoone, Lydia Ramsey
Three years ago, I wrote: “Sera Cahoone’s innate language is that of heartbreak, of knowing what you have in this life is perfect, or as perfect as humans can access, and there’s no way it could ever last.” I stand by this assertion, but I recently saw her again at the Carissa’s Wierd reunion show of sorts at the Abbey, and got to update my own feelings about her work. Cahoone’s music holds the power of healing in its simplicity; know yourself, know that you can always learn and grow, and let yourself be present in every moment. Heal from within, so that you may feel it all. She’s a gem, and her music, even when it hurts, feels so good. KIM SELLING
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
DJ
Chromeo, the Juan Maclean
The last time I saw the Juan Maclean spin records from the Nectar main stage, I commiserated that live music venues always leave DJ sets feeling like an afterthought. But Nectar is doubling down on the disc jockey this pre-Xmas weekend, bringing in the latter-day funk masters behind Chromeo to join the Juan Maclean for a two-night-run of DJ sets. (Saturday sold out so quickly, a Sunday show was added.) While I confess to some surprise at Chromeo’s 15-year longevity—their 2018 release Head Over Heels was panned as tasteless and out of touch with contemporary gender politics—I’m curious what kind of record collection they’ve amassed along the way. But the real intrigue is flinty Maclean, a DFA Records staple whose techno and house machinations belie a career that stretches back to Six Finger Satellite, 1990s-era post-hardcore synth junkies with four Sub Pop releases. I promise better tunes than your company holiday party. GREGORY SCRUGGS
SUNDAY
DJ
Flammable: A Very Pezzner Christmas!
If the tail end of the weekend presents an insurmountable obstacle to going out, like, say, to work, then the Sunday before Christmas is your ticket—there’s no slower workweek than the last one of the year (notwithstanding the indentured servants, *ahem,* sorry, I mean elves, chained inside Amazon fulfillment centers). It’s the perfect excuse to pay a visit to the longest running house night west of Chicago in the form of Flammable—all the better on a night when they are hosting one of Seattle’s finest electronic music exports. Pezzner has carved out a career of intriguing beeps and bloops for more than two decades. His October EP for respected German label Get Physical teeters on the edge of musique concrète before diving into four-on-the-floor rhythms. It’s just the right balance of chin-stroking and booty-shaking that has made him such a local treasure. GREGORY SCRUGGS
CLASSICAL
Seasonal Sundays
Enjoy live choral music in the glasshouse and watch artists craft glass candy canes every Sunday in December.
HIP-HOP/RAP
CURREN$Y, OG Mambo Fresh, Ragustax
Burgeoning New Orleans rapper Curren$y will come through town on his Hot August Nights Forever West Coast Tour, joined by PNW rappers OG Mambo Fresh and Ragustax.
JAZZ
Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Jose “Juicy” Gonzales Trio will bring you the entire A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack at this Christmas party around the baby grand piano.
METAL/PUNK
Steel Panther
LA-based hair metal band Steel Panther played weekly on the Sunset Strip for thirteen years. Hear them perform on their Heavy Metal Rules Tour.
ROCK/POP
Charlie and the Rays, Guests
Enjoy the earnest, sunshine-soaked, folk-pop stylings of Charlie and the Rays with opening sets from additional guests.