When it rains, it pours...

So...we're definitely in the heart of that magical time of year on the concert calendar between the stark winter doldrums and the giant outdoor summer tours. What this means is that we get pretty much anyone and everyone who's touring right now playing all of the best small to medium-size clubs in the city. No big tour hype, no trying to squint to see the band, no need to pack the bug-spray...just great music in great venues, without the hassle. (unless, of course, you were one of those poor bastards who got denied Coldplay tickets after waiting outside for hours) Naturally, I wish all of these great shows could be spaced out a little farther, but that's the breaks and like going to SXSW you've just got to suck it up and try to catch as much as possible. Besides all of the big national acts in town this weekend, there's also some good local shows to check out. Here's a couple you may have missed: Tonight (5/13) American Automatic: Kill Memory Crash Album Release Dance Party Congress Theatre 10p-5a $7 or $5 after 2a featuring... Kill Memory Crash Ectomorph Hidden Variable and DJ sets by Traxx Trancid and Rayaline For over 10 years, Alex and Adam of Chicago's Kill Memory Crash have been developing their own blend of dark electronic music without major release, until now. Having started their musical career in Detroit, Kill Memory Crash began performing at raves and warehouse parties in the mid-to-late 90's, slowly translating their leftfield influences into their own cryptic language. Standing on the dividing lines between techno and other musics forced the duo to develop their own style and early works resembled dark chasms of industrial noise. Their indifference to the popular styles of the day led them into an almost self-imposed exile from the music business and only extremely limited vinyl pressings ever surfaced. Alex and Adam have honed their music to its current state, a sinister blend of industrial, ambient and IDM, working away at the boundaries that held them as outsiders until now.

www.ghostly.com

Saturday (5/14) Palliard album release party Open End Gallery (2000 W. Fulton) Doors open at 9pm All ages, BYOB $6 featuring... Palliard Lesser Birds of Paradise Manatella DJ Mary Nisi from WLUW This Saturday night the wonderful Chicago band Palliard is having their CD release party and they have kindly asked us to take part in the evening's festivities. So....Saturday May 14th at Open End Gallery. Come on out. The evening will start off with the ladies of Manatella, followed by Palliard and then the Lesser Birds. There will probably be some record spinnin' and iPod blastin' between sets and if all goes well, and the beer don't run out, we plan on having a post-show dance party with DJ Mary Nisi. So yeah, the beer not running out...Its BYOB but we'll be providing a good amount of ammunition for you. But it wouldn't hurt to bring your hip flask or your 40s. Drinking you say? So it must be 21+?....Oh but its not. This show is All Ages. But that doesn't give you an excuse to drink. Professor Janka will be cracking down on some illegal activities. This should be an exciting night. It's really just an excuse to have a party and we're just happy to be part of it. We'll provide some new songs as well.

www.lesserbirds.com

Saturday (5/14) THE ROAD TO HELL PAVED WITH UNBOUGHT STUFFED DOGS... buddY (1542 N. Milwaukee) 9:30 pm All ages, $6 suggested donation featuring... Pictures on the wall in form of Xerox by: Brian Klein, someone named Carol, Anne, Jiha Lee, Nick Rahn, Eric Graf, Dolan Geiman, Michael Merck, and others... with music by: PINE*AM three-girl psychedelic pop band from Japan IT'S A TRAP Chicago panic party puslators FEMME FATALITY St. louis electropop pals