2 [KILLER SHOW(S) ALERT] SRG's July 2009 Concert Recommendations

Holy Crap! There are a ton of good shows scheduled in July so far. I have taken the liberty of scouring the calendars of all the best venues in Seattle, along with ticket sellers and various Seattle publications to compile this list of seattlerockguy.com concert recommendations. These are shows that I am personally attending, thinking about attending, or might attend if something else isn't conflicting. I get a lot of folks asking me about what shows are coming up, and which ones I am attending, so this list just about says it all. Again this is a biased list, this is only stuff I dig but again I think I have pretty good taste in music. Contact me if you want to know more about these shows, and leave some comments if I missed anything or you have other recommendations to share. Seattle Rock City!

Late June/July Concert Recommendations:

6/30 Pentagram, Nactmystium @ Studio Seven

- Legends of doom metal Pentagram and the future legends of psychedelic black metal on the same bill, kick ass!

7/1-2 Heiress @ Rendevouz and @ Comet Tavern

- Do you miss Himsa as much as I do? Catch John Pettibone’s new project two days in a row.

7/2 See Me River, Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death @ Chop Suey

- Kerry Zetel of Das llamas newish doom folk band with noise rock from Spencer Moody of Murder City Devils, excellent local music showcase.

7/3 Summer Slaughter Tour with Necrophagist, Suffocation, Darkest Hour and more @ King Cat Theater

- How can you go wrong with death metal legends Suffocation and Dying Fetus, Necrophagist, Darkest Hour, Origin, and Beneath the Massacre all on the same bill. This tour always features up and coming metal bands too. Who will be the next big thing?

7/3 Dirty Projectors @ Chop Suey

- Much hyped experimental indie band gets lots of love from KEXP, see them in a intimate setting before their new record “Bitte Orca” moves them up in the world.

7/8 Jim Rose Circus vs. Jake the Snake Roberts @ Showbox at the Market

- Very intrigued about this non-music event and odd combo of washed up WWF wrestler and Seattle’s own Jim Rose Circus. Jim Rose’s circus sideshow was made famous by his tours in the early nineties with Lollapalooza and Nine Inch Nails. I’d expect this to be a little on the crazy side.

7/9 Skeletonwitch, Saviours @ Chop Suey

- Skeletonwitch just got done recording their new record here in Seattle at Stone Gossard’s Studio Litho in my neighborhood with legendary grunge producer Jack Endino. They play speed thrash metal like it’s supposed to be played. Also on the bill is very cool stoner thrash band Saviours.

7/11 Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes): A Drink for the Kids Finale Benefit for Vera Project @ Neumos

- The Fleet Foxes are one of Seattle’s biggest bands at the moment lead by the hypnotizing vocals of Robin Pecknold. Supposedly he has a bunch of solo stuff for a possible solo record and I’m assuming will play some of those songs along with FF classics here to benefit the Vera Project.

7/11 No Depression Festival with Gillian Welch, Iron and Wine and more @ Marymoor Park

- A whole slew of folk artists get together at Marymoor Park, Iron and Wine should be the highlight.

7/12 Abigail Williams, Goatwhore, Daath, and Abysmal Dawn @ El Corazon

- Goatwhore is worth the price of admission, their southern tinged blackened death metal is as evil as their name suggests. The others make for a solid but sort of generic synth and melodic black/death metal lineup.

7/14 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival with Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Killswitch Engage, Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Job for a Cowboy, Trivium and more @ White River Amphitheater

- SLAYER with a bunch of metal’s brightest and most accessible acts.

7/16 Wolves in the Throne Room with Minsk, Ninth Moon Black, Samothrace @ Neumos

- Excellent local black metal from Wolves in the Throne Room, and killer sludge from Minsk. Really good show here!

7/17 The Decemberists , Andrew Bird, Blind Pilot @ Marymoor Park

- Hazards of Love is an interesting listen, with sudo Black Sabbath riffs and prog rock elements it was even better live at Sasquatch.

7/17 YOB, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Lesbian @ El Corazon

- 3 of the heaviest bands around! PDX’s YOB reunited after Middian was caught up in some legal nonsense over their name, BOTSC is Tad Doyle’s ridiculously heavy new project and Lesbian is one of Seattle’s best metal acts right now. Check it!

7/17 Social Distortion @ Showbox Sodo

- Punk legends, always a fun show.

7/18-19 Death Cab for Cutie, The New Pornographers, Ra Ra Riot @ Marymoor Park

- Really liked “Narrow Stairs”, there is something about DCFC that draws me in, maybe I’m a sucker for pop rock?

7/19 Red Fang, Helms Alee, Black Eyes and Neckties @ Comet Tavern

- This show is the one I am looking forward to almost as much as the CHBP. Red Fang is one of best metal bands coming out of Portland right now, and they get to share the stage with the best stoner metal band in Seattle right now Helms Alee which features Ben Verellen of Harkonen. Last time I saw Helms Alee it was at the Comet standing right next to the speaker. Best fucking show ever!

7/23 Flight To Mars (UFO tribute featuring Mike McCready of Pearl Jam)

- Rockin’ good time from Mike McCready’s UFO tribute band, come out and support CCFA.

7/24 Candlebox and Soul Asylum @ Snoqualmie Casino

- Wouldn’t probably ever set foot in this casino or waste money on this show, but it was intriguing enough to add to the list. What’s up with the 90’s band resurgence, some are welcome but not too sure about these hacks.

7/24 Clutch, Baroness @ King Cat Theater

- Too bad this is conflicting with The Jesus Lizard, otherwise I would be front row center for this stoner rock goodness.

7/24 Warning: Danger! @ The Funhouse

- Local hardcore punk with an amusing shtik. Warning: Danger! ain’t nothin’ to fuck with!

7/24-25 Capitol Hill Block Party featuring Sonic Youth, The Jesus Lizard, The Gossip, The Black Lips, The Thermals, Built to Spill, The Moondoggies, Earth, Akimbo, Pela, Deerhunter, Spinnerette, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and many more great bands.

- Hands down best local festival this year, kudos to the CHBP team for curating such a diverse and strong lineup.

7/27 Gomez with Mother Hips @ Showbox at the Market

- Going on tour with Pearl Jam in Europe, must be better than that one Grey’s Anatomy song suggests. Intriguing but probably won’t be in attendance, maybe I’ll see what the hypes about this fall, crossing my fingers.

7/31 Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands @ Sunset Tavern

- Have yet to see Ex-Screaming Trees drummers rock-country project just hear a lot of good things.

7/31 Blitzen Trapper, Throw Me the Statue @ Seattle Center

- Free show put on by KEXP with Portland's resident folk rockers and Seattle's lo-fi indie poppers.