Tonight's Show Suggestions

Peter Broderick, courtesy Hanne Hvattum

Quite a lot happening for a Wednesday night, folks!

Tiny Vipers, Peter Broderick, Balmorhea at Nectar, 8 p.m., $8

It is possible — although there is no way to confirm this — that Peter Broderick has sold his soul to the devil. How else can you explain the 22-year-old's musical mastery of pretty much every instrument ever made? In the past three years, he's shown off his violin, mandolin and musical saw skills with countless bands: At 19, Broderick was part of Portland's Horse Feathers, where his classically-inspired violin added emotional depth to the band's music. In 2007, he dropped everything and moved to Copenhagen to join Danish ensemble Efterklang. He also served as a studio musician on She & Him's debut Volume One. Now, it looks like the devil is making good on his side of the bargain, because last year Broderick released a solo album of all-original work. Honest and listing, the songs on Home demonstrate a musical wisdom well-beyond Broderick's years — all the more proof that his talent might be supernatural. PAIGE RICHMOND

Balmorhea in-store at Wall of Sound, 5 p.m., all ages, free

Balmorhea's woodwinds-and-strings approach works well in alternative venues, given the transportive power of its acoustic drones. If that seems like a surprising assertion, you may be thinking of Baltimora, the flamboyant Italians behind "Tarzan Boy." Hailing from Austin, this duo (with occasional accompanists on piano, violin and cello) plays a more serene version of the lush, ebbing-and-flowing post-rock favored by fellow Texans Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You. Imagine the gorgeous melodic passages from those groups' dynamic compositions contrasted not by high-volume sonic avalanches, but instead by even quieter reflections. Perhaps too subtle to fully register on the recordings, at least with listeners who aren't completely committed to the experience, Balmorhea's instrumentals prove thoroughly immersing live, inspiring closed-eye bliss. ANDREW MILLER

Department of Eagles, Cave Singers at Neumos, 8 p.m., $13

Upon hearing The Cave Singers for the first time, with their candescent warmth sprawling from gently plucked acoustic guitars and faithfully plodding bass pedals, it's hard to figure out how this spring-in-your-step folk trio ever constructed themselves from the ashes of Pretty Girls Make Graves. But take a closer listen, and you'll notice that the same dramatic, arching themes and melodies that carried much of PGMG's boisterous art-rock are reincarnated with The Cave Singers—just under much more calm pretenses. Joining The Cave Singers will be Department of Eagles, who are making their way down the West Coast from a lengthy date list back East. Not to be outdone by the most recent wave of counterparts, the original dorm rock duo is still creating an expansive, collective sound that only grows wiser with time. In Ear Park, their second, full-length album, will move you in unexpected ways with its combination of quirk, honesty and heartache. RAECHEL SIMS

Etta James at the Paramount Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $35-$65, all ages

"I don't think she looks like me." That's what Etta James told the press last year, when Beyoncé Knowles portrayed her in Cadillac Records. The ingénue told Elle, upon the film's release, that she seemed to have James' approval in the end, even though the film takes liberties with large chunks of the songstress' life story. Her tumultuous past had already been chronicled in the autobiography Rage to Survive, and her star has studded Hollywood and La Brea since 2003. After many years of battling health issues, the 71-year-old James is once again able to sing standing up at her concerts. For devoted fans and those who've recently come to know her (perhaps by Beyoncé's moving performance of the 1960 ballad "All I Could Do Is Cry"), James' Seattle appearance is cause for celebration. Her most recent album, All the Way (2006), is a collection of covers of songs by R. Kelly, John Lennon, Prince, and others. Her 40-year canon includes such relentless classics as Barack and Michelle's Inaugural Ball favorite "At Last." James' luscious contralto conveys better than nearly anyone else's the joy, grief, and all emotions in between of a life thoroughly lived. RACHEL SHIMP

Loch Lomond, Carrie Biell, Husbands Love Your Wives at Tractor Tavern, 8 p.m., $12

And folks, because I know a lot of you are like me and can't help but be fashionably late (or just late), keep in mind that 8 p.m. is probably the start time, not the door time. I found this out the hard way at the Knitters show last week.

Too often the phrase "orchestral pop" is tossed around without full cognizance of what it truly means, let alone as a descriptor for anything nearly as righteous as seeing Loch Lomond live on stage. Melding a symphonic mix of mandolins, clarinets, vibraphones and varying percussion, the self-described "chamber folk" outfit's gorgeous four-part vocal harmonies lend balance to what could otherwise be overwhelming instrumentation. Very much a thriving example of a band greater than the sum of its parts, Loch Lomond's live performance instills a sense of wonderment and awe not usually garnered from music so delicate. Jamie Anne Spiess' haunting voice will serve as support with Husbands, Love Your Wives, and Carrie Biell will round out the ticket from behind a swell of steel guitars. RAECHEL SIMS