Scene and Unheard: Sick Sad World, Health Problems, Lié, Help Yourself Records and More!

On any given weekend in Seattle, there are a million amazing shows to see - from jazz at a coffee shop or theater, to a grunge show at a DIY space, to a major act at any one of our large venues. Maybe this weekend you want to try something new, maybe you heard one song by this small electronic, folk, grunge group, maybe it as on Audioasis, maybe it was from a friend, or maybe you’re just tired of what you’ve been previously listening to. Luckily for you, the PNW is ripe with local acts. Because we love the amazing diversity of venues, art spaces, producers, bookers, musicians, and talent, we’re going to suggest a few. This week we recommend Ruby Fray, Sick Sad World, and Mega Bog at 1412 Gallery; Health Problems, Warcry, Gag, and Cop Rot at Nuthole; Lié, Stickers, Slashed Tires, and Peeping Tomboys at Heartland; Chastity Belt Record release show at Barboza.

Thursday August 22nd:

Gallery 1412 will be hosting K Records' Ruby Fray along with Seattle's Sick Sad World and Mega Bog this Thursday for an exceptional all-ages show. Sick Sad World have surprised me each time I've seen them with their poppy enthusiasm, which springs from the long-blonde-haired Jake Jones. It takes guts to tackle pop in a city that began grunge, but frankly sometimes Seattlites need to loosen up and just listen to a really good love story and a totally solid riff. Need the more melancholy to counter all that nostalgia for a simpler day? Ruby Fray's got enough eerie simplicity and almost-ambient concoctions to save the day, and Mega Bog is as delightful as seeing an UFO! Which is, in fact, very delightful. More info here. Gallery 1412, 7pm, $5-$10 SD, all-ages.

Sick Sad World:

Ruby Fray:

Mega Bog:

Friday, August 23rd:

Seattle's most recent bloodily birthed noise-makers Health Problems are headed on a brief but substantial west coast tour which starts with their show at NUTHOLE with WARCRY, Cop Rot, and GAG. After an obliterating set at Summit Ave Block Party a few weekends ago, my neck was aching and my soul craving more. Imagine any insane stage antic performed by the most sickly sincere frontman ever, and you pretty much have the perfect emotional cocktail of revolutionary revulsion to start making things happen. I'm not sure what thing, but definitely violent, compulsive, out-of-control things. More (or less) info here. NUTHOLE.

Health Problems:

Cop Rot:

Saturday August 24th:

While I have yet to see Lié, based on the sounds of their first self-titled cassette earlier this year and following recordings, I feel confident recommending them. Moodily punk, the three piece cultures a distant sparkling drone instead of in-your-face jagged shout. In fact, their music has a kind of punk smoothness that's most interesting to see live - some bands hold onto it, while with others you would need a wall between you and the music for it to sound the same. They'll be performing along with Slashed Tires, who might have had the best experimental mind-bending cassette this year, snarky Stickers, and newcomers heavy/scratchy-voiced Peeping Tomboys. More info here. Heartland, 8pm, SD, all-ages.

Lié:

Slashed Tires:

Stickers:

Peeping Tomboys:

Tuesday, August 27th:

On the off chance you missed the news, Seattle's very own Chastity Belt has kind of grown up and released an album to much critical acclaim! Not only have we been playing No Regerts non-stop at the station, but we've also been playing it pretty much everywhere else - our cars, showers, laundromats, beds... Really you should have zero regerts about definitely stopping by their album release party then  - with the bonus of being able to also heckle the Help Yourself Records guys about that song you recorded in your living room last weekend while they DJ. Oh - and also with Dude York, Ubu Roi, and Stickers. More info here. Barboza, 8pm, $6, 21+.

Chastity Belt:

Dude York:

Ubu Roi:

Honorable Mentions:

This Wednesday, August 21st you can catch a night of ghostly folk with Julie Byrne of Chicago who apparently is moving to Seattle, along with CS Luxem, Craig Salt Peters, and confusion rap group GRR at Heartland (SD, all-ages.) Heartland also holds down Thursday, August 22nd with Parisian punks Bitpart - who lived in/loved Olympia - with friends from Paris Le BECASSES, and Seattle's Half-Breed and Murder In The Woods (SD, all-ages). Friday, August 23rd see experimental noise savant Noisepoetnobody at the Josephine. Cairo hosts Vancouver's weird swag-rapper Young Braised in all of his internet art glory, with visuals by Strawberry Jaccuzzi along with Secret Colors, and DJ sets by Rezound and Cousin Cole (all-ages). Melrose Market has an entirely free 21+ party with J/K Pop's DJ Hojo, Dutty Wilderness, a.k.a. Reed Juenger of Beat Connection, and DJ Alex of Hush Hush Records to launch Petrichor clothing's new designs (free, 21+). Saturday, Burger Record's Sam Flax takes over Cairo with Portland's The Memories, Mega Bog, and the experiment in greatness that is Punishment (all-ages). Monday, August 26th Vermillion is taken over by the glitched/witched electronic angst of duo Foreign Friends, the remixed dreams of Hauhet, and Teen Girl Dies at Rave (free, 21+).