Lovin’ and Listenin’
Friday, Nov. 11
Broken Social Scene, Feist, The Most Serene Republic
The Roseland
9 p.m. $15. All Ages.
What a Veteran’s Day show! It’s as if the Canadians have decided to exhibit some of their best musicians as some sort of tribute to our country’s military superiority. Broken Social Scene is one of the best bands around today in any genre, their super-collective indie-rock is a brilliant amalgam of Fleetwood Mac, Brian Eno and Pavement. Feist is Leslie Feist, who sings part-time in Broken Social Scene along with making her own records. Frankly, I don’t like her solo work that much; it’s too damn adult-contempo. The Most Serene Republic is like a Canadian Belle and Sebastian with more electronics and less cheeky Scottish cleverness. Really, this show is all about the Broken Social Scene, who could be on a bill with Clay Aiken and Usher and the show would still be sweet.
Saturday, Nov.12
Chicks on Speed, Kevin Blechdom, Planningtorock, DJ Megablast
Holocene
9 p.m. $15, $10 with PSU ID. 21+.
Finally do something good with your Higher One ID card and get into this show at a discount. Headliners Chicks on Speed are an electroclash band/feminist art troupe from Berlin, a band that all the chic-looking women’s studies majors have to appreciate, if not exactly worship. Kevin Blechdom is Kristin Erickson, a woman who makes super-glitchy IDM for Kid 606’s Tigerbeat label. This show could be danceable or it could be head-nodding, but either way it’s going to be fun.
Sunday, Nov. 13
Liz Phair, Missy Higgins
Crystal Ballroom
8 p.m. $20, $23 DOS. All Ages
There’s no point in asking what happened to Liz Phair. She got sick of being indie-rock’s girl-next-door and decided she wanted a bigger audience. The only problem with that is that Liz Phair isn’t Sheryl Crow or Alanis Morrisette; her brand of songwriting isn’t helped by overproduction or a slick radio sheen. But despite how bad her new material is, the fact remains that Phair’s first two albums, Exile in Guyville and Whip-Smart, are beyond brilliant. Sad, funny, angry and endlessly listenable, those two albums are everything rock ‘n’ roll albums should be. So check out this show just for the chance of hearing something from one of those two classics.
Monday, Nov. 14
The Clientele, Radar Bros, Annie Hayden
Doug Fir Lounge
9 p.m. $10 adv. $12 DOS. 21+.
The Clientele have like six good songs total. But those six good songs are like the soundtrack to the greatest British coming-of-age film of all time. If ever there is a British version of “The Graduate,” then The Clientele has to score it. Because “Rain,” off the Clientele’s first album, is the greatest song that Simon and Garfunkel never wrote.
