Starting tonight, and running through the weekend, a large majority of the shows you’d want to be seeing anyway will have the added benefit of helping to raise money to support a good cause (beyond your enjoyment of great music). This year, more than forty local, national, and international bands have teamed up with Noise for the Needy to support Transitional Resources, a licensed mental health center and residential program that offers a full spectrum of optimistic and respectful mental health services to adults with major mental illnesses. Founded in 1976 as a residential treatment program for fifteen, the West Seattle-based center has serves over 200 individuals each year through six different programs.

As for the live music, there are so many options to draw you in, you’d be hard pressed to go wrong. Throw Me the Statue has an eagerly-awaited album coming out very soon, Grand Archives are back from a big European tour with likely previews of new material, I Was A King have come all the way from Norway for you, and as far as I can tell, you have to be dead to not be having fun at an Art Brut show or dancing sweatily when you’re in the capable hands of the Emerald City Soul Club. Similarly, if you’ve been in search of incentives to check out rising local stars, there are no shortage of showcases. Black Ties and Neckties put on the most theatrical horror show of a rock spectacle while still being a real band, Cataldo charmed me senselessly when I caught them as openers a few months ago, Speaker Speaker are a heartskipping good time, and I’ve been particularly negligent in not getting out to see New Faces, the Pica Beats, and Hey Marseilles despite hearing nothing but praise sung from every corner.  

The impressive lineup is listed below. For more information about the charities, venues, bands, and tickets, visit noisefortheneedy.org

Wednesday June 10

• Slender Means, Fences, New Faces, Red Sea Sharks : Neumo’s, 8p, [$10]
• Coulter, This is a Process of a Still Life, Safer, Skeletons With Flesh On them : the Comet, 9p, [$7]

Thursday June 11

• Throw Me the Statue, “Awesome”, Velella Velella : Tractor Tavern , 9p, [$10]
• Adam Stephens and the Finite Plain, Widower, Jack Wilson & the Wife Stealers, Shane Tutmarc : Sunset, 8p,[$10]
• Half Light, Trentalange, Cataldo,  Cosmic Panther Land Band (All Star Line-up) : Conor Byrne, 9p, [$7]

Friday, June 12, 2009

• Grand Archives, See Me River, the Curious Mystery : the Crocodile, 9p, [$12 ($15 d.o.s.)]
• the Whore Moans, Speaker Speaker, Wallpaper, the Greatest Hits, the Raggedy Anns : Underground Events Center, Belltown, 8p, [$7]

Saturday June 13

• Art Brut (UK), Miike Snow Neumo’s, 8p, Bar w/ID, [$13]
• Black Eyes & Neckties, Telepathic Liberation Army, Loving Thunder, the Beats, Man: Wildrose, 9p, [$7]
• Kissing Potion, Fells Acres, High Dive, 5p, $5
• Furniture Girls, Hotels, Born Anchors, Anomie Belle : High Dive, 9p, [$8]
• Brent Amaker & the Rodeo, the Valley, An Invitation to Love, the Beautiful Confusion, the Thoughts : the Comet, 8p, [$8]
• Point Juncture, WA, the Pica Beats, Black Whales, Grant Olsen (Arthur & Yu), Djs Tom Conqergood & Cuddleup : Chop Suey, 9p, [$10]
• Emerald City Soul Club (Resident DJs: Gene Balk, Mike Chrietzberg, Brian Everett, George Gell, KennyMac, Alvin Mangosing, Marc Muller, Mike Nipper; Guest DJ: George Rodriguez) : Lo-Fi/Victory Lounge, 9p, $10

Sunday June 14

• Constantines, Crystal Antlers, Hey Marseilles, I Was a King : Neumo’s, 8p, [$12]
• Reptet, Gravelroad, Purty Mouth, Sam Marshall Trio : the Comet, 5p, [$6]