Lovin’ & Listenin’

Thursday, Feb. 23

The Blow, Blitzen Trapper, Copy, The Kingdom, Strategy, The Snuggle Ups and more
The Holocene, 8:30 p.m. $8 (includes CD). 21+

The club Holocene has started their own record label and this is the CD release party for the label’s sampler/remix album. The album, It’s Important For Me to Be One Step Further Than One Step Behind, features the likes of the Blow, Blitzen Trapper, and the Kingdom remixed by Kittenz, Copy and DJ Tant. As I’m all about indie rock-electronic mixes, this sounds like a cool CD and a cool show.

Friday, Feb. 24

Nada Surf, Rogue Wave, Inara George
Aladdin Theater, 8 p.m. $13.50 adv. $15 DOS. All Ages.

Apparently a lot of people really, really like Rogue Wave. I’m not sure why, but something about the bands

sixties garage meets electronic music aesthetic feels fresh to people. Nada Surf, most famous for their hit

song “Popular,” has attempted a comeback as a Death Cab-esque indie-pop band.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Craig Wedren, The Dead Science, Eight Chainsaw Per Spider
Towne Lounge, 9:30 p.m. $8 adv. $10 DOS. 21+

Craig Wedren wrote a lot of the songs featured in the Todd Haynes film “Velvet Goldmine,” and therefore is responsible for some of the greatest neo-glam rock songs ever written. Whether he’ll play “Ballad of Maxwell Demon” in between his other material is anybody’s guess. Dead Science is friends with psychotic synth-pop group Xiu Xiu but I don’t have find the former nearly as cool as the latter.

Dilated Peoples, Little Brother, Defari, DJ O.G. One
Berbati’s Pan, 9:30 p.m. $20. 21+

Dilated Peoples are weak. I don’t care that their DJ is a member of The Beat Junkies or that they’r ex-B-boys. No amount of hip-hop cred can disguise the fact that they make boring, stale music. Little Brother, however, have at least one good thing going for them and that’s producer-genius 9th Wonder, the man responsible for “Threat” off Jay-Z’s Black Album.

Sunday, Feb. 26

Robert Pollard, Swords
Doug Fir, 9 p.m. $16 adv. $17 DOS. 21+

Bob Pollard is the man. Even if his solo work has never been as good as the best Guided By Voices stuff, he’s never going to stop being the guy who wrote “Tractor Rape Chain” and “I Am a Scientist.” And unlike other polite front men (with the exception of Jeff Tweedy), Pollard pulls no punches, talking serious shit onstage about anyone and everyone.