Laura Musselman

Wild Flag at the High Dive last November.

​Speaking of SXSW (Rock & Roll Circus! The untouchable Head and the Heart!), how's this for an eclectic lineup? Village Voice's 2011 SXSW party, presented along with Frank 151, will feature Wild Flag, Wu-Tang Clan, Fishbone, Yelawolf, Trae Tha Truth, Marz Lovejoy, Rocky Business, Trouble Andrew, Ume, and a DJ set from Erykah Badu. So for those of you who thought you'd never see Carrie Brownstein share a bill with Ghostface Killah, you were wrong.

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​SPIN posted a list of their 35 Must-Heart Acts at SXSW this morning, and shockingly, Seattle's The Head and the Heart appear second on the list. The Head and the Heart is severely under-recognized--seriously, why does no one ever talk about this band?--so it's nice to see them finally get some attention. Of THATH, SPIN says:

WHY THEY MATTER: This folk-rock outfit have been called the Emerald City's Next Big Thing -- and these five twentysomethings, led by Josiah Johnson and Jon Russell, are well on their way to fulfilling that prophecy. In under a year, they went from collaborating at an open-mic night at a Seattle coffee shop to releasing their self-titled debut (which topped local charts with its melancholic Americana sounds) and opening for Vampire Weekend at Seattle's 2,800-capacity Paramount Theater.

YOU SHOULD KNOW: Hometown indie giant Sub Pop recently signed the Head and the Heart and re-released their self-titled album. The band are currently working on music for their their follow-up.

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^^^Oscar winner.

Yes, Trent Reznor fucked the Oscars like an animal last night. And Randy Newman has a suit made entirely out of gold statuettes. But were you aware of last night's other music-world Oscar winner? Audrey Marrs produced "Inside Job," the film about the 2007-2010 financial crisis that won for best documentary picture last night (sorry, Banksy), and she accepted the award alongside director Charles Ferguson. Well, if that award wasn't going to go to an anarchic graffiti prankster, at least it went to a former keyboardist of Bratmobile.

Before she was in the movies, Marrs played on Olympia riot grrrl band Bratmobile's 2002 album Girls Get Busy. Before that, she was in Olympia band Mocket along with Matthew Steinke (also of excellent new wave mopers Satisfact and DIY electronic experimentalists Octant). Fun fact: Audrey's sister Leona was also in local acts Pretty Girls Make Graves and Hint Hint. Now, everyone in Seattle is that much closer to Kevin Bacon. Or something.

Speaking of which, remember when Elliot Smith played at the Oscars:

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​Every March, the entire music industry descends on Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival March 15 to 20, and Seattle's scene is no exception. Dozens of bands are making the trip, and they'll be playing more shows and downing more free Red Stripes than can be calculated.

We normally reserve our "Reverb Questionnaire" for non-music folks like Michelle Norris and Michael Chabon, but in preparation for the massive trip south, we tweaked our standard questions and presented them to a few of the local emissaries making the journey.

Here's what we learned about Brent Amaker, frontman of Brent Amaker & the Rodeo:

SW: What music have you been listening to today? Did you like it?

Amaker: I'm in Oklahoma visiting my parents today. As I write this response I'm listening to Il Divo on my Dad's iTunes. It's not my first choice for inspiration, but it'll do. Personally I'd prefer to hear the original DEVO. That's more my style.

What's your preferred method for listening to music (iPod, car, home stereo, etc.)?

When I'm back in Seattle, I ONLY listen to records on my turntable. MP3s are convenient, but they tend to suck the life out of the music listening process. I find a lot of joy in putting the needle down and then flipping the record when side A is over. It forces you to sit down in a room and actively listen to music. MP3 culture is a drag.

When was the last time you heard "Stairway to Heaven"? Did you turn it off?

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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
The Showbox
Friday, Feb. 25

"We worked hard for this moment," Macklemore told the Showbox on Friday night, the first of his three sold-out hometown dates. "And when I say we, I don't mean just the people on this stage--I mean Seattle hip-hop."

It was a well-spoken sentiment, and while he was referring as much to the fans as to his fellow musicians, the deep lineup didn't fail to impress. Sol rose to the occasion, playing quite possibly the best show he ever has. I savored the irony of the unnecessarily affectionate couple nearby slow-dancing through The Physics' "I Just Wanna Beat"--the highlight of a set from what may be the most underrated town gem. Grieves' comedy and charisma clashed beautifully with the somber tunes, accented by the incredible musicality of producer Budo.

But that look, the seemingly somber deadpan Macklemore wears on his face while staring at a sold-out crowd--that tells the true story of the night.

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​Q. Have you ever seen someone with a portrait tattoo of yourself? How did you feel about that?

Cheers, Liam

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Visqueen's Queen, looking hella Flotarded.

​Stag's Rock & Roll Circus debuted last year at the humblest of venues: Darrell's Tavern in Shoreline, which, before Dan Dyckman took it over, was best known as a blue-collar uber-dive with a cavalcade of vintage Lincolns marooned out front. On March 18, however, the Circus will come to another town, Austin (Tex.), as an unofficial South by Southwest entry, with a whopper of a local lineup that'll blow the boards off the stage at Zax Restaurant (312 Barton Springs Rd.) beginning at noon and continuing right up 'til suppertime. Best of all, it'll be free.

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Lots of options tonight. One is Olympia trio Gun Outfit at the Sunset, which I recommend in this week's Short List. But if you're not in an indie-rock mood, perhaps you'd like a three-hour DJ set from world-class Detroit techno producer Carl Craig? Yes, yes of course you would. Craig's edits, remixes, and original productions are lovely things, tracks that can slowly build from minimal melodies or grooves to big, raving, hands-in-the-air, sweat-on-the-walls peaks, and his skills as a DJ--pacing, mixing, selection--are all impeccable. Local producer of eccentric house and other musics Jon McMillion opens. Not to be missed.

Baltic Room, 9 p.m., $15, 21+.

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Renee McMahon

​In 2010, Sub Pop-signed Avi Buffalo essentially lived up to the hype, releasing and touring behind one of the best albums of the year. Their self-titled debut was an exceptional summer album full of frontman Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg's masterful guitar playing and songwriting about the perils of adolescent love, like standout track "What's In It For?" For the maturity of Avi Buffalo's material, it's hard to believe Zahner-Isenberg still isn't even old enough to drink.

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It's a little old place where you can get together, with KK.

​Last Wednesday at Harlow's Saloon (on Ballard Avenue) was a great exercise in how to turn a dead karaoke night into an awesome one. I walked in at 9:15 to a bartender and two lone people bellied up in a big empty room, and it took a moment to realize karaoke was even happening. The KJ was set up next to the front door and I'd walked right passed him, but as soon as I saw him and the singer on the floor I was happy to stick around. I had a good laid-back buzz going. All the snow talk that day got me feeling frisky (thinking I'd be calling in stranded to work the next morning), so I'd already spent a few hours with some Rainiers and an ouzo at the Red Door.

I grabbed a book and took a seat at the bar. The two other people at the bar were regulars and did not look like they were involved in the rotation. One of them happened to be an incredibly attractive brunette with glasses. I snuck a gander at her as I looked for my song and she instantly reminded me of the young Kelly LeBrock. I decided do "Let's Go" for my first number. I sang the hell out of it, but it didn't deliver. As energized as that original Cars version is, I just can't seem to bring it to life on the karaoke stage. I tried it the night before at Fourno's and didn't get a rise out of anyone there either.

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