Monday, February 28

THE CONCRETES with MillionYoung, Speaker Speaker @ Neumos

The Swedish group returns after three years without an album. Not that former lead singer Victoria Bergsman has gone off to pursue her own thing (Taken By Trees), the Concretes are free to explore avenues beyond the “Swedish pop” sound they’ve been known for, namely dance music. Check out their new sound as they perform with the excellent MillionYoung. (8PM, $13 adv, 21+)

Tuesday, March 1

MORCHEEBA with the Mumlers @ Showbox at the Market

Last year, Morcheeba returned to form as the Godfrey brothers reunited with former vocalist Skye Edwards. As Edwards says herself, the latest album, Blood Like Lemonade, “sounds like Morcheeba.” Fans of classic trip-hop and electronic rock won’t want to miss this! (8 pm, $22.50-$25.00, 21+)

BATHS with Braids, Gobble Gobble @ Chop Suey

21-year-old beatmaker Will Wiesenfeld creates some warm grooves on his debut, Cerulean. (8PM, $12, All Ages + Bar w/ID)

Wednesday, March 2

ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN @ Showbox at the Market

From the Showbox website: “One Night of Queen is a stunning live 2 hour concert recreating and celebrating the music of Queen. Performed by Gary Mullen and The Works, with fantastic staging, lighting and effects this show will rock you!” Need we say more? (7PM, $25.00-$28.00, 21+)

Thursday, March 3

SXSW KICK-OFF PARTY AND MUSICIAN’S BAZAAR with live sets from D. Black, Wild Orchid Children, State of The Artist, Tea Cozies @ Crocodile

Help represent Seattle at SXSW by supporting our hometown bands headed down to Austin this month. The annual SxSeattle showcase at “South-by” hosts some of the best the Emerald City has to offer, but it ain’t easy getting down there, so starting at 5PM, the Crocodile is hosting a FREE all-ages Musician’s Bazaar in their back room, where fans can meet Seattle bands and purchase unique items to help fund their trip to Austin. CDs and vinyl, t-shirts, hand-made and one-of-a-kind goodies, and even a caricature stand and kissing booth from Campfire OK (???), will be among goodies you can pick up. Afterwards, D. Black, Wild Orchid Children, State of The Artist, Tea Cozies perform live. (bazaar 5PM, FREE, All Ages / show 8PM, $8adv/$12, 21+)

THE LONELY FOREST with The Oregon Donor, The Violins @ Vera Project

The Seattle band won’t be playing shows this intimate for much longer! You’ll want to see them now before their forthcoming album, Arrows, shoots them into the stratosphere. (7:30PM, $10, All Ages)

EARTH (CD Release), Mount Eerie, Low Hums @ Tractor Tavern

Seattle’s drone doom pioneers Earth are back with a new album and ready to lay down thick slabs of sonic goodness at the Tractor. (9PM, $12, 21+)

CAHALEN MORRISON & ELI WEST with Squirrel Butter, Ben Gilmer @ Columbia City Theater

Relative young ‘uns to the Seattle roots scene, Morrison and West merge their songwriting and fingerpicking talents to create heartwarming traditional and original numbers. (9PM, $6, 21+)

Friday, March 4

ASOBI SEKSU with Brahms, The Fascination Movement @ Chop Suey

The dreampop band Asobi Seksu just released their fifth album a couple of weeks ago and are bringing their gorgeous melodies once again to Seattle. (9PM, $14, 21+)

An Evening with NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS @ Crocodile

Footstomping roots music doesn’t get much better than with the ‘Allstars. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson wrote their latest album, Keys to the Kingdom, in tribute to their late father, and legendary producer, Jim Dickinson. It’s reverent, soulful, but never mournful. Be prepared to shake the dust off! (8PM, $20, 21+)

DREW GROW & THE PASTORS’ WIVES with AgesandAges (CD release show), Baltic Cousins @ Columbia City Theater

Just last month they were playing for him; now Drew Grow’s fans will be happy to hear that he’s taking the stage to perform after his debilitating car accident. But don’t be surprised if Portland collective Agesandages steals the show. Their lively multi-performer harmonies are joyously uplifting. (9:30PM, $8, 21+)

COBIRDS UNITE (feat. Rusty Willoughby & Rachel Flotard), Shelby Earl (CD Release), Jason Dodson & Friends @ Tractor Tavern

While in CoBirds Unite we see the softer side of Rachel Flotard, don’t call it Visquite Lite. Her collaboration with songwriter Rusty Willoughby provides a unique showcase for her vocal talents. And supporters Shelby Ear and Jason Dodson shouldn’t be missed. You can’t be that for under $10! (9:30PM, $8, 21+)

Saturday, March 5

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS with Blueprint, Xperience, and Grynch @ Showbox at the Market

The last of three shows in just over a week, this one’s been long sold out! Macklemore’s hit the big time. (8PM, SOLD OUT, All Ages / Bar with ID)

DEVOTCHKA @ Paramount Theatre

KEXP listeners have long been fans of DeVotchKa, so there’s not much we need to say about this one. The beautiful setting of the Paramount is absolutely fitting for the beautiful sounds of this band. Aerialists not included. (7:30PM, $26.50 adv, All Ages)

GRAND HALLWAY with Heartwarmer, Youth Rescue Mission (CD Release) @ Columbia City Theater

The lush sounds of Grand Hallway… there’s just no better way to describe them. After playing a few solo shows around town, Tomo Nakayama performs with the full chamber pop group at the Columbia City Theater. a(9PM, $12, 21+)

DAMIEN JURADO with Viva Voce, Loch Lomond @ Crocodile

Yeah, we know he’s been playing around a bit lately in and around Seattle, but this show is reported to be his last for quite a while. Damien is supported by two excellent NW bands Viva Voce and Loch Lomond, so you’ll want to be front and center. (8PM, 21+)

PIERCED ARROWS with The F-Holes, Rat City Brass, Diver Down @ Fun House

The Portland-based trio comprised of Fred and Toody Cole of the seminal punk band Dead Moon and drummer Kelly Halliburton, are tearing up the Fun House… old school style! Herb Alpert aficionados Rat City Brass will tear it up in a whole different way. Suits and graffiti? We’re there!(9:30PM, $8, 21+)

SOUND OFF! Finals @ EMP Sky Church
The three semi-finalists — The Oh Wells, Fit for Hounds and Northern Departure — and a wildcard — Tomten — face off for the Final Round of the 2011 Sound Off!, the competition that has in the past brought great bands like The Lonely Forest, New Faces, and The Globes to wider attention in the Seattle music scene. (7PM, $10, All Ages)

YANN TIERSEN with Breathe Owl Breathe @ Neumos

You might not recognize the French musician and composer by name, but he’s the one who scored the beautiful soundtrack to Amélie. Tiersen recently released his sixth studio album, Dust Lane, on Anti- Records, home of Tom Waits, DeVotchKa, Grinderman, Mavis Staples, and a lot of other greats. Supporting act Breathe Owl Breathe is most definitely worth the admission alone. KEXP DJ Kevin Cole named BOB’s Magic Central as one of his top ten albums of 2010! (8PM, $17.50 adv, 21+)

KEXP AUDIOASIS SHOWCASE benefit for PCC Farmland Trust feat. See Me River, Summer Babes, The First Times @ The Sunset

Once again, Audioasis presents another great showcase for another great cause. All proceeds from the show go to PCC Farmland Trust, but all the fun goes to you as See Me River, Summer Babes, and The First Times take the stage. (8:30PM, $8, 21+)

Sunday, March 6

KISSES with Seapony, Sea Fever @ Vera Project

Jesse Kivel has momentarily set aside his gig as guitarist and vocalist of indie pop band Princeton to focus on his disco-loving side project with partner (both musically and beyond) Zinzi Edmundson. Bring your own partner to the Vera for this great lineup. (7:30PM, $11, All Ages)

A HAWK AND A HACKSAW with Shenandoah Davis @ Tractor

The Albuquerque instrumentalists have been contemporizing Eastern European and Balkan music well before the more popular Beirut (fun fact, AHAH backed Zach Condon his first LP, Gulag Orkestar). On Cervantine, their first release on their own new label, the group blends folk and gypsy music of former Yugoslavia, Greece and Romania with sounds from their actual home in the desert plains of the American Southwest. Frequent Grand Hallway vocalist Shenandoah Davis opens. (8PM, $12, 21+)