NightBeat: Opeth
From its origins as that “weird” Swedish death-metal band that used odd, elegiac textures to salve the genre’s brutal lyrics and volume, Opeth has grown into one of the world’s biggest and most interesting progressive bands. Wry main-man Mikael Akerfeldt’s wide range of vocal styles and his obsessive love for obscure ’70s bands has aided him in plotting the course of the group’s nine studio albums, with its latest, Watershed, an epic concept disc with more stylistic breadth than ever. Opeth’s current set list covers the band’s entire output – surely something to please nearly everyone in its picky fan-base – and coupled with the lightning-strike doom and drone of opening groups High on Fire, and Baroness, this is a night of thinking-person’s metal par excellence.
Tues. at the Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 388-1400, livenation.com.
This Week’s Highlights
Thursday, October 2
Amon Amarth, Ensiferium, Belphegor, The Absence. Swedes Amon Amarth are renowned as the kings of Viking-themed death metal. Avalon, Hollywood, avalonhollywood.com.
Neil Diamond. Hot October nights with Neil … and fresh off his second collaboration with Rick Rubin, too. Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, hollywoodbowl.com. Also Sat. at Staples Center, downtown L.A., staplescenter.com.
Justin Townes Earle, Sarah Gayle Meech, Whispering Pines. Earle (the 26-year-old son of Steve) leads a trio of American roots artists at this special Thursday edition of Grand Ol’ Echo. The Echo, Echo Park, attheecho.com.
Gram Rabbit, Semi Precious Weapons, The Ringers. Local bands only tonight, most notable for the country psychedelia of headliners Gram Rabbit. House of Blues Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, hob.com.
James, Unkle Bob. Nineties U.K. indie stars James never quite hit here, despite great singles “Laid” and “Sit Down.” El Rey Theatre, Miracle Mile, theelrey.com.
Ben Kweller. The onetime Radish phenom heads down a more introspective path these days. The Troubadour, West Hollywood, troubadour.com.
McCabe’s Guitar Shop’s 50th Anniversary. The humble Santa Monica venue is feted by such stars as Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, Odetta, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Ricky Jay, Peter Case, and special guests to be announced. Royce Hall, UCLA, uclalive.org.
My Bloody Valentine, Gemma Hayes. Long-awaited comeback from the high-volume/distorted guitar-playing Brits whose masterwork, Loveless, remains one of the best albums of the last 25 years. Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica.
Rancid. California’s best punkers return for a lengthy homestand. Music Box @ Fonda, Hollywood, henryfondatheatre.com. Also Fri.-Sun.
Santana. Carlos Santana’s upcoming double album, Multi-Dimensional Warrior, is the Latin legend’s latest exploration of guitar’s outer limits. Nokia Theatre LA Live, downtown L.A., nokiatheatrelalive.com. Also Fri.
Sigur Ros. The Icelandic masters of alien sonic-scapes return. Greek Theatre, Griffith Park, greektheatrela.com.
Unclassified: Lou Reed and Ulrich Krieger. Rock icon Reed and experimental music practitioner Krieger improvise a set of avant music. REDCAT, downtown L.A., redcat.org. Also Fri.
Friday, October 3
David Byrne. The former Talking Head plays “Music of Byrne and Eno.” Greek Theatre.
Nikka Costa. The blues-funk momma promotes her latest, Pebble to a Pearl. El Rey Theatre.
The Dandy Warhols, A Place to Bury Strangers. Portland’s finest neo-glamsters, the Dandies should play the almost-hits from their five albums. The Wiltern, Los Angeles, livenation.com.
Deerhoof, Okay, The Happy Hollows. Bay Area alt-rock kings Deerhoof make another Friend Opportunity. Avalon.
Great Big Sea. Long-running Canadian Celtic folk artists make a rare local appearance. House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Kronos Quartet. The quartet performs Awakening: A Musical Meditation on the Anniversary of 9/11. Royce Hall.
Odetta. One of American music’s true giants, even sitting in her wheelchair, the 77-year-old is a compelling and rousing artist. McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, mccabes.com.
Saturday, October 4
Detour Festival with the Mars Volta, Gogol Bordello, Shiny Toy Guns, the Presets, and many more. Downtown L.A., detour.laweekly.com.
Dr. John & the Lower 911. Mac Rebennack leads his Louisiana crew through his marvelous R&B revue. House of Blues Sunset Strip.
2nd Annual Murder the Dancefloor Event presents four stages of electro-dance artists and DJs, including Alice Deejay, Adam F, the Toxic Avenger, Dash Berlin, 3Oh!3, and many more. Shrine Expo Center, downtown L.A., theknivesarecoming.com.
Eagle Rock Music Festival. Over 50 bands, including Earlimart, Mika Miko, Radar Bros., Abe Vigoda, and Crystal Antlers, will perform. 5 p.m.-midnight, Colorado Boulevard between Eagle Rock Boulevard and Argus. Free. Myspace.com/eaglerockmusicfestival.
The Swell Season, Iron & Wine. Glen Hansard (the Frames) and Marketa Irglova reprise their Oscar-winning musical roles from the movie Once; plus hush-voiced Sam Beam brings Iron & Wine to the big stage. Greek Theatre.
Tarfest presents Love Lies Sleeping, Castledoor, DJ Diabetic (Shepard Fairey), and the Illuminoids. El Rey Theatre.
Sunday, October 5
Jackson Browne. Hiding behind a salt-and-pepper beard these days, Browne has released a new opus, Time the Conqueror, which finds The Pretender with his mind on our troubled times. Orpheum Theatre, downtown L.A., laorpheum.com.
Grand Ol’ Echo. The hoedown begins at 5 p.m. with guests Mike Stinson, Dime Box Band, Chris Laterzo & Buffalo Robe, and Banjo Fred Stamer. The Echo, myspace.com/thegrandoleecho.com.
Liz Phair. Get your girlysound action here when Phair performs her classic Exile in Guyville album in its entirety. The Troubadour. Also Mon.
Monday, October 6
Helloween, Gamma Ray. Not one but two veteran German heavy metal bands join forces to blitzkrieg us unsuspecting Yanks! House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Noah and the Whale. Young, sunny-sounding Brits with a fiddle player named – seriously – Tom Fiddle. Spaceland, Silver Lake, clubspaceland.com.
Tuesday, October 7
Cubensis, Highway 61 Revisited. Call ’em tribute or cover bands, the music of Dylan and the Dead is performed tonight. House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Heavy Trash. Onetime blues exploder Jon Spencer kicks out the ya-yas and the uhn-uhns with his new rock duo. The Echo.
Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s. Eclectic chamber pop from this Indianapolis octet. The Troubadour.
Wednesday, October 8
Gavin DeGraw, Charlotte Sometimes. Mainstream pop has been very good to Mr. DeGraw; Charlotte Sometimes (a.k.a. Jessica Poland) is a rising young singer from New Jersey. House of Blues Sunset Strip.
Giant Sand. Howe Gelb and co. continue their 22-year mission to stay willfully obscure. The Echo.
Nachtmystium. Currently the best black metal group America has to offer. Knitting Factory, Hollywood, knittingfactory.com.
New Kids on the Block. Wait … grunge didn’t kill them off? Staples Center.
Sherwood, The Pink Spiders. Underrated pop-punkers the Pink Spiders support San Luis Obispo Christian emo types Sherwood. The Troubadour.
Wailing Souls. The Jamaican reggae legends, evidently still jammin’ with verve. Key Club.
Published: 10/01/2008
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