Arbouretum @ Windup Space Tonight

When last we posted about Arbouretum, we had some very nice things to say about them and clearly enumerated the reasons you should go out and see them. We also mentioned that we had a cold, and as it turned out, we did not make it to the show.

Arbouretum plays the Windup Space tonight. 9 pm Doors.

Just the other day we said they’d be right up there with Lower Dens, choke-slamming 2011 and defining what will eventually become known as the Baltimore sound. Their new album, The Gathering out next month on Thrill Jockey is a conceptual exploration of the work of Carl Jung. We think it will be a very good record. We are not kidding about this.

When they come through the Windup Space tonight, they’ll be joined by Hush Arbors, who record on Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace! label, as well as experimental jazzman Jason Ajemian.

We don’t like to go negative on this blog if we can help it, but there are only 3 bands playing tonight, and if you wanted to show up late and just catch Arbouretum, well, we wouldn’t blame you. To our mind it’s a very fine line between what we hope will become the Baltimore Sound and something else entirely.

Future Islands, Lonnie Walker @ Ottobar Tonight

Well, we’ve got company this weekend. One thing to be said for the holidays is that they’re good for bringing people back to home and hearth and all that. People who used to live in Maryland come back to Maryland, and we’re glad to have them as ever.

So it is entirely possible that we’re going to be spending most of the weekend indoors, drinking the good stuff, eating like gluttons and doing a bit of the old male bonding you’ve heard so much about. You know: the sign on the front door of the house saying “no girls allowed” and all of that.

If we do make it out though, odds are it will be to the Ottobar for the Future Islands/ Lonnie Walker show.

Future Islands play the Ottobar tonight with Lonnie Walker. 10 pm Doors.

Future Islands has just been getting better and better for a solid year. They really hit their stride with the release of In Evening Air earlier this year, and are still coasting on that. We’re fond of saying that they’re going to ride it all the way to a Saturday Night Live appearance, and we might even start a facebook page about it. (And by might, we mean we won’t. Ever.)

Sharing the stage tonight is North Carolina’s Lonnie Walker, who are also sharing a new 7″ with Future Islands on Baltimore’s Friends Records label. We’d really like to see Lonnie Walker live, if nothing else because we can’t quite tell if they’re yanking our chain or not. 2009’s These Times Old Times was a well produced record which was a showcase for the band’s better than average writing and playing abilities, but at the same time we’re afraid to try to describe the sound at all, especially since it’s one of those cases where what you see live may or may not be reflective of what’s on the record. For us, seeing a band’s live set has always been a good indication of whether they should be listened to more closely or written off, and we suspect this could be the case with Lonnie Walker. If nothing else, they’re certainly one of those unique bands, for which every listener will have to make up his own mind.

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Ottobar is at 2549 N. Howard St. in Charles Village. Winks and Bobby are also on the bill. This is a late show: Doors at 10 pm, Show at 10:30. All Ages.

Fundraiser Show to Benefit Current Gallery Today

Well, we told you that charities, non-profits, and do-gooders of all types were about to come out of the woodwork raising funds as the holidays approach, and we were right. Fortunately, we’re in a giving and generous mood today, so we’re heading down to the new Current Space (421 N. Howard St.) to check out their new (ish) environs and support their endeavors by attending today’s benefit show.

Weekend afternoon shows used to be a pretty regular thing, back before punks and scenesters all started liking football. It’s a tradition we’d love to see reinstated, although today’s bill is more of a mini-Whartscape than a CBGB’s Sunday matinee. If you liked Whartscape this summer, but thought it was entirely too hot and crowded and stinky and confusing to go from place to place, then today’s show should be right up your alley.

Current Gallery holds a fundraiser today. 2-11 pm.

With 9 bands including Thrill Jockey labelmates Double Dagger and Thank You, the festivities also include several craft and rummage tables, as well as beers from the Brewer’s Art (No Natty Boh’s today, Hon.), and a chance to view the gallery’s current exhibition Force: On the Culture of Rape.

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We’re not going to force you to vote for the Chop in the Mobbies, but it is highly encouraged. We’re nominated in the Music/Nightlife, Misfits, and Personal categories, and we’re going to need your vote to push us over the top. You can and should vote daily from now until Nov. 12.

Arbouretum, Caltrop, Pilgrim @ Metro Gallery Tonight

Well, it’s official. The Chop is definitely suffering from some sort of double reverse culture shock. Being cooped up in the sealed fuselages of germy planes for better than 24 hours has given us a terrible cold, right at the same time we actually need to be productive for the first time in 2 or 3 weeks. Yes, you would think that we would need to be productive while doing actual work, not screwing around online most of the day, but that’s where you’re wrong. The last 3 weeks or so have been pretty relaxed. Lots of waiting around, mostly, and not a lot of overtime, which is really the only part of the job that requires actual work anyway.

So we’ve had a lot of time to sit around in the desert and daydream about all the things we wanted to do upon arrival back home. Then there’s the whole other list of things we have to do, the giant stack of mail, dealing with the bank, chores around the house, fixing the car, sundry other personal business. Add to that the giant list of shopping we’re trying to knock out; new shoes, jeans, buying (and learning how to use) one of those new Blackberry Torch phones, food, restocking the bar… and furniture. Furniture is a lot of work. We just scored a sofabed, and are in the process of hunting up a dining room group, which of course will also necessitate finding paint, wallpaper, curtains, etc. It’s getting to be a task just to squeeze in recreation.

Arbouretum plays the Metro Gallery tonight with Caltrop and Pilgrim. 8 pm Doors.

Which is why we’re taking it down a notch tonight with Arbouretum at the Metro Gallery.

You may ask yourself, ‘But why go out at all? Why not just take it easy for a while?’ Well, because after last night, this is taking it easy. It’s the kind of show where you can cop a barstool, open a tab, and just sit back and enjoy some really good music. Plus there’s likely to be women there. And the plain truth is we just haven’t seen many of those in the last 3 months.

Why should you turn out tonight? Because you’ve got to show a little love, that’s why. Despite being objectively talented with an impressive musical resume and a comfortable spot in the Thrill Jockey stable, we feel like ever since its founding (8 years ago! Time flies!) Dave Heumann’s band has often fallen victim to what we like to refer to as “The Oranges Band Syndrome”, meaning that everyone likes them, but somehow they’re nobody’s favorite.

You may or may not agree, but one thing that’s undeniable is that they are indeed the perfect band for Fall. Arbouretum has never been the band you play loudly in the car when you can finally roll down the windows in April. They’re not that summer festival band you have to catch on the sidestage. They’re not even the band you put on the iPod to brace up and shovel out of 4 feet of snow. They’re a band for October. So wrap your scarf, pack your flask, don your cap, and get down to the Metro Gallery. We’ll see you there.

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Metro Gallery is at 1700 N. Charles in Station North. Doors at 8 pm. $8.

Double Dagger, Future Islands @ Floristree Tonight

We were actually pretty happy when Secret Mountains won last week’s poll. They’re the real deal live, and quickly becoming one of our favorite Baltimore Bands. We sure hated to miss Double Dagger and Future Islands though, and it’s been a long week we’ve been waiting for tonight’s show.

We shouldn’t have to tell you how awesome Double Dagger is, since we’ve been doing just that from day one. We will remind you though that this is your last chance to see them before they set off to tour Europe and the UK.

Double Dagger and Future Islands play Floristree tonight. 8 pm doors.

We also shouldn’t have to tell you how awesome Future Islands is, since that’s all anyone seems to tell us. We will reiterate our prediction that they make it all the way to Saturday Night Live though. When the new record comes out May 4, they’re going to become a household name.

We’re just trying to figure out how to help them along to the SNL stage. Write a letter to Thrill Jockey? A Twitter hashtag? #FIonSNL Maybe? A Facebook page perhaps? A deal with the Devil? We’ll do whatever it takes.

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Floristree is located in the H & H Building. 405 W. Franklin St. 6th floor. Doors are at 8 pm. It’s like, a private residence, man. And should be treated accordingly.

Double Secret Island Swans @ The Windup Cat Tonight

Well, isn’t this something. It’s already Earth Day and we still haven’t figured out what we’re doing tonight. There are two shows on the Chop’s radar this evening, and unlike we sometimes do we can’t try being in two places at once tonight. It’s a tough call. We’ll give you the facts and let you sort it out.

Double Dagger/ Future Islands/ Ed Schrader Play the Black Cat tonight. 9pm.

Baltimore is taking over DC tonight when Double Dagger invades the Black Cat back stage with Ed Schrader and the superheated Future Islands who are so hot right now you’d think they were the next Joy Division or something. Seriously, they’ve been setting the internet on fire with that Tin Man Video and when In Evening Air comes out on May 4th it’s going to sell about a million copies and they’ll probably end up on Saturday Night Live. (And remember, you heard that prediction here first. SNL. For real.)

This is clearly a great show, and one of the last opportunities to see both these bands before they both undertake a long touring schedule and get rich and world famous and snort caviar off of Suicide Girls. It’s also a very good chance to go down and thumb our nose at DC a little and remind them that we really are cooler than they are at the end of the day.

There are two very compelling reasons to skip it though, cause who wants to drive to DC anyway? Also: We’re planning on seeing both of these bands at Floristree next week.

Secret Mountains, Soft Cat play the Windup Space tonight. 9 pm.

Our other, equally enticing option for tonight is to keep it local and low-key and check out the Earth Day show at the Windup Space headlined by Secret Mountains. We’ve blogged about SM before, and they’re another Baltimore band that we basically cannot get tired of listening to or seeing live.

They’re supported by fellow locals Soft Cat, who seem to have an awful lot of members for such a pared down sound; New Jersey’s European Swans, who sound pretty good, but who’d definitely fit in over at LATFH, and Shaun David Gould.

Like we said, we’re torn. So in an unprecedented and exclusive first ever world premiere, we’re going to let you, the Reader, decide which show we check out tonight. Don’t steer us wrong.

Double Dagger, Sick Weapons Record Releases @ Hexagon Tonight

You ain’t reading blogs today. You’re hiding pretty eggs from your nieces and nephews and drinking Madras’ and eating more chocolate than is good for you.

But once that’s all done, go to the Hexagon tonight.

Double Dagger, Sick Weapons, Hollywood play Hexagon tonight. 7 pm doors.

Tonight’s not just about some guy named Jebus. Tonight is going down as a milestone in the Baltimore music scene when Double Dagger drops the Masks EP on Thrill Jockey.

But wait… There’s More! Sick Weapons gives you a Birthday Gift courtesy of Reptilian.

But Wait… There’s More! HOLLYWOOD shows you Some Stunts by way of Some Records.

But Wait… There’s More! Dope Body shows you how you can get Your Dopest Body on sparkling crystal clear DVD.

This is maybe the most important Baltimore Show in 10 years. Come to it. Bring booze. Bring money for records. If you don’t you’re going to regret it for a long, long time.