[img, artbrut.nikkidio.com]

It really seems that there are lines to be drawn by your selection of Saturday evening entertainment. We already know that certain metbloggers won’t be seeing the big Belle & Sebastian / New Pornographers extravaganza at the Paramount. If you decided against that show, or just didn’t buy your tickets when we told you about it ages ago, there is still hope.

Let’s start with the U.K. import heavyweight in the other corner. Those who find Belle & Sebastian a bit too twee for their punk soul, will be happy to know that tickets still seem to be available for Art Brut at Neumo’s [#]. I don’t know if you can blame the non-sold out status of the show on everyone seeing something else, or just on simple luck. But get a ticket before the rest of the crowd remembers that this is the band that recorded Bang Bang Rock And Roll, Pitchfork’s number three album of the ‘aught-5 (which is pretty high praise [ED: perhaps a little too high? --yes, maybe so. but still.], considering it was bested by Illinois and Late Registration). They sing confident songs about identity creation, incipient fandom, and (possibly, I’m bad with lyrics) about impotence.

At first, you listen and think that somewhere in there, there must be an in-joke. But after a few close listens, you suspect that the earnest might just outweigh the ironic here. Beyond these questions, though, is a soundtrack for a few hours of fun. The type of concert where the band’s showmanship combined with the infectious melodies just might inspire a sort of “dancing” in the crowd. It’s enough to make me almost wish that I was back in Seattle a few days early. Have fun out there, be nice to your neighbors, and please don’t go all superfan.

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And speaking of hyped bands dropping by Seattle. Don’t forget to start your Saturday music extravaganza by trekking over to Ballard to crowd into Sonic Boom for a free in-store from Tapes ‘n Tapes. Seriously, if mp3blog praise was gold, these kids would be swimming in a vault Scrooge McDuck style. And if you listen to a few of their tracks (available on their website — in the “tapes” section), you’ll understand why. Layers of spare urgent vocals over rolling almost-suspenseful atmospherics and all the sudden, you’re hooked.

They made the long drive from Minnesota, be sure to drop in to say hello, gobble up cred points, and meet one of your new favorite bands.

Related posts:

1. thursday agenda : tapes ‘n tapes, small sins
2. weekend agenda : bird, tapes, sam
3. we are scientists + art brut = super fun times : a follow-up report
4. Seattle Space
5. Two nights of hot Seattle jazz