Friday 25
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ROGUE WAVE My comrade Keith Harris once described the ruling musical principle of the present age as “High Pop Formalism,” meaning the most viable option for contemporary artists is the refinement of previous styles. That sounds like a bad scene, but it doesn’t have to be–when I hear a band like Rogue Wave, I’m reminded of all the little things I like about living in an evacuated and decadent historical cul-de-sac. For instance, front man Zach Rogue never lets a display of emotion, either genuine or calculated, get in the way of a song whose pop perfection is itself affecting–and there are a lot of songs like that on the new Descended Like Vultures (Sub Pop). “Salesman at the Day of the Parade,” “10:1,” and “Are You on My Side” have the lift and sweep of the best tunes from Modest Mouse or Broken Social Scene, and without all the messy bodily fluids. Devin Davis and Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s open. 10 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $10 in advance, $12 at the door. –J. Niimi
Saturday 26
EARLY MAN I was at a party recently where the hosts occupied us for a little while with a bootleg DVD of a 1970 Black Sabbath concert–and, man, everything else in the room just disappeared. It’s easy to forget how perfect unadorned, straightforward riffing can be (not to mention how adorable Ozzy used to be–I really wanted to pinch his chubby little cheeks). But Closing In (Matador), the newest from Ohio duo Early Man, reminded me once again. It’s a thick, chugging blend of all that was fine and honorable about metal in its youth–besides Sabbath I hear fellow Birminghamians Judas Priest (at least the early stuff), a bit of Iron Maiden, maybe even a hint of Saxon. Both the young men in the band were raised Pentecostal, and they’re so happy to have finally discovered the devil’s music that listening to their take on it is like seeing a favorite old place through the eyes of someone new, who helps you to be dazzled by it all over again. Priestess opens; DJ Velcro Lewis plays between bands. 9:30 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $8 in advance, $10 at the door. –Monica Kendrick
TARANTULA A.D. Book of Sand (Kemodo), the first full-length from these New Yorkers, is a strange, sprawling prog-rock beast: Danny Bensi (cello, violin), Gregory Rogove (piano, drums), and Saunder Jurriaans (guitar, bass) act as a sort of overblown chamber trio, alternating between heavy-metal bombast and faux-classical melodrama. They’ve obviously spent time working over the arrangements, but the actual music sounds like little more than a spliced-together series of florid introductions, hydroplaning interludes, and incendiary climaxes. A few tracks feature vocals from Devendra Banhart and CocoRosie’s Sierra Casady that sketch out hazy melodies, but despite the album’s rigor and ambition I had a hard time remembering much of it once it was over. Rope opens. 9 PM, Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, 773-525-2508, $8. –Peter Margasak
