Matthew Dear | Mobius Band | Tree Wave (The Granada) Just about everything you need to know about Matthew Dear is covered by Stonedranger in his excellent interview with the man himself if you'll look below this post. Matthew Dear has been somewhat of a crossover act this decade, due to his charmingly minimal "Microhouse" records and his increasing tendency towards pop experimentalism. Treewave has continued to be great as a one-man act this year and I loved watching him baffle the crowd at a Voot Cha Index | Black Tie Dynasty show at Hailey's this past summer. He made an onstage announcement that his next set would feature (paraphrasing here) "reworked Christian music, and I'm not joking." We'll see if that's the case tonight. Mobius Band is affiliated with Matthew Dear's Ghostly International as well as highly regarded Austin, TX imprint, Misra. There are electronic touches blended in to their work, but it's a little more straight-forward rock music.

Naxat | MC Router | Cheap Dinosaurs | Red Rocket (1919 Hemphill)
This is the debut show for Alex Atchley's Naxat project, which is melodramatic 8-bit metal. Continuing in that vein is touring act Cheap Dinosaurs, who's 8-bit sound is more pop oriented. MC Router plays with similar sounds but instead, raps over it. Red Rocket takes things a little more seriously, with electronics that don't sound as throwback and anguished vocals.

Jesu | Wolves In The Throne Room | USSA (Hailey's)
With a pedigree that includes Napalm Death and Swans, Jesu doesn't exactly bring the ominous and heavy attack you would imagine. The music is dense, thick and dark, but it's much more atmospheric and melodic with whispery vocals to top it off. Wolves In The Throne Room might steal this show, with music that's not exactly all that heavy but with uncontrolled shrieking and screaming that will probably be awesome live. USSA is a real disappointment for Jesus Lizard fans, as if Tomahawk wasn't bad enough. Seems like Duane Denison can do no right since the band that made him famous disbanded. Let's just hope that Qui is as good as I heard they were live, later this month. I can tell you myself not to bother with their debut record, unfortunately. I blame the Mike Patton connection.

Great Lake Swimmers | Doug Burr (The Cavern)
Local favorite Doug Burr is celebrating an album release as he opens for this acclaimed breezy pop act.

Music critics who bash all genres of music, except for the ones that THEY like = failed artists/musicians/humans who pretend (and oh SO desire!) to be a somebody in the music scene.
You blog all over yourselves because you think you're something. You may sway the opinion of a few in this area, but in the grand scheme of things, you're words mean nothing, and that's the way it will always be.
Further, if you really enjoyed music so much, you'd allude to the shortcomings of certain bands or musicians instead of simply saying they suck. Oh, but that would take intelligence or creativity.

yeah Jesu was awesome and so were Wolves In The Throne Room. USSA was awful.

Jesu wasn't boring. they were great. so was Wolves In The Throne Room.

1919 was fun and not well attended. Good sets from everyone.

Genius. Line of the day.

out with the 8-Bit
in with the Q-Bit.

"...reworked Christian music..." Hmm, I wonder if that means Paul's going to do some kind of Geez 'n' Gosh type of thing.

I had no idea that treewave was a one man act! I totally dig his shit, I heard it on NPR at first, and thought it was some lost MBV track. Right on man.

I thought Jesu was kind of boring last night. Wolves, on the other hand, blew me away. You called it, DL. Well worth the price of admission.

Jesu is good, but no where near the level of Godflesh. Justin was doing the slow, almost beautiful vocals music as far back as the the first Godflesh record and Streetcleaner. It was just denser sounding.

The first Tomahawk album is decent.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM!

Denison Kimball Trio is awesome, but other than that, fully agree on the Duane Denison thing.
http://www.southern.com/southern/band/DENNK/
http://www.skingraftrecords.com/mp3/LP_MP3/DK3_Terminal2.mp3

MIKE PATTON GO HOME.

Astronautalis @ RGRS

And the most boorish.

Misra is the boringest label ever.

Reeeally looking forward to the Wolves in the Throne Room show.

Patton burn!