Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Serious Blonds

DREAD HEAD: The average Radiohead fan might
have guessed that a run-in between the famed progressive rock act
and any other genre would result in a sloppy sonic mess. They’d be
wrong, however. The Easy Star All-Stars have earned praise from
reggae fans and Radiohead nuts alike for their take on OK Computer,
the aptly titled Radiodread. A follow-up to 2003’s The Dub Side of
the Moon, which daringly shined the light of Pink Floyd through a
reggae prism, Radiodread put the Easy Star All-Stars’ musical
prowess to the test, since few other songs are as firmly ingrained
in the minds of alt-rock fans as “Paranoid Android” and “Karma
Police.”

The All-Stars comprise the brightest reggae acts from New York’s
Easy Star label: Michael G, Ticklah, Eric Smith, and Lem
Oppenheimer. No mere cover act, the members can individually count
Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, MC Solaar, the Toasters, and
Gil Scott-Heron among the many acts they’ve performed with.
Together, however, they’ve proven that dedicated musicians can
transform even the best-known works into something they can call
their own. Catch the Santa Barbara stop on the group’s West Coast
tour on Thursday, October 19, at SOhO. — Drew
Mackie

HIP-HOP HOOK-UP: Rocks is the place to be
tonight, Thursday, October 19, for your hip-hop fix. The evening
belongs to the 805 Hip-Hop Showcase, comprised of the four furious
emcees Sinuous, Scoobroc, Rocright, and FeelingTheGreat, all of
whom have been quite busy. Sinuous has recently released his first
full-length, Da Archives on Lock, while Scoobroc and Rocright have
been hitting the promotional side of local lyricism. The ensemble
is known for brandishing an eclectic blend of blues, jazz, and rap,
and the rhyme fest will throw down at 8 pm.  — Levi
Michaels

PSEUDO STEVIE: Should we suppose that the real
Stevie Nicks was busy, off somewhere casting spells and arranging
her collection of billowy dresses? Let her do her thing, for in her
stead we have Bella Donna, a Southern California-based artist who
has made a name for herself by channeling the spirit of Nicks’s
onstage persona. Audiences can expect the full repertoire of Nicks
hits, including both her solo efforts and those recorded with
Fleetwood Mac. Opening for Bella Donna are Antara and Delilah, two
local chanteuses whose harmonies, lush instrumentation, and, yes,
long blond hair should make them a nice match to Bella Donna. They
perform Saturday, October 21, at SOhO.  — DM

ONE-UPPING OUTFIT: The Archie Bronson Outfit
plays the kind of serious, literate rock music that’s desperately
lacking on radio stations, television screens, and blogs these
days. Rather than following the overground path of their U.K.
labelmates on indie powerhouse Domino Records (home of Franz
Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys), they follow rock’s subterranean
genealogy — preferring The Gun Club and The Birthday Party to The
Jam and The Clash. The Outfit’s second album, Derdang Derdang, was
released in April to rave reviews and their live show promises to
be just as thrilling (preview it on youtube.com). They open for She Wants
Revenge this Friday, October 20, at UCSB’s Hub, so don’t be
surprised if they upstage those Interpol-by-way-of-Depeche-Mode
copyists.  — Max Burke

PUNK PALETTE: Stop by Velvet Jones on Friday,
October 20, for a punk rock pick-me-up. Featured on the bill are
Los Angeles punk veterans the Angry Samoans, who are approaching
their third politically incorrect decade of disobedience. Joining
them will be Damaged Goods, who have been roaming up and down the
coast in support of their latest release, Greatest Hits. Also
scheduled to make an appearance are Orange County boys The Pillz,
as well as the S.B.-native Deveros. Just be prepared to duck when
that chair gets thrown. – LM