The Melismatics (with Sick Of Sarah, Matthew Clay, The Dharma Bums )

Vaudeville Mews – Saturday, February 28, 5:00 pm – Showtime: 5:30 pm – All Ages – $5 (indie/new wave/post punk)

Too broke to see Andrew Bird but still want to catch some live music on Saturday? Have no fear! A wide variety of shows are being held around town. One of those shows features Minneapolis’ The Melismatics, whose hook-filled, new wave inspired power pop is sure to infect you with its dancy-ness and catchy-ness. If you like them enough, you can stick around and catch them at the later show, opening for The Ben Lehl Band. Described as both “smart rock” and “dumb fun” (in the same sentence, even!), The Melismatics will have you bouncing on your feet the entire night. And for those who get bored easily, you will find comfort in the variation provided by married couple Pony and Ryan Smith trading off vocals. This show will be anything but boring, as the diverse lineup indicates. Sick of Sarah will share their brand of female-fronted indie pop, Matthew Clay will bring his keys, and The Dharma Bums will top it all off with some psychedelic grunge blues.

Ryland Bouchard (with Emperor X, Man Of The Mountain, Seaberg, Dot Coma)

Vaudeville Mews – Sunday, March 1, 5:00 pm – Showtime: 5:30 pm – All Ages – $7

Portland is a really cool place. It should come as no surprise someone as cool and different as Ryland Bouchard happens to come from Portland. If he seems familiar, it is probably because he was the front man for cult folk/noise band The Robot Ate Me, a band who put out five albums in five years before ultimately “retiring” in 2007. Here’s a fun game to play while at the show: try to name all the different woodwind instruments he and his band use. It will bring you back to the throes of music class in elementary school (another reason music programs in schools should not be cut). You will definitely hear things you have never heard before. Don’t miss Emperor X–a one-man indie/electronica band. Or, for that matter, Man of the Mountain, Seaberg, and Dot Coma. These local bands will also be supplying some fine electronic music.

The Academy Is… (with This Providence and Evan Taubenfeld)

The Maintenance Shop – Wednesday, March 4, 7:30 pm – Showtime: 8:00pm – $10 General Admission – ($2 Day-of-show increase)

The Academy Is . . . is bringing its Snakes and Suits Acoustic Tour to Ames. So, if acoustic renditions of pop punk songs is your thing, then this is the show for you! The pop sensibility of their songs translates well to acoustic-ness (yes, I realize that’s probably not a real word). You might recognize supporting act Evan Taubenfeld from his time as the guitarist for Avril Lavigne. Now free of the Sk8er Boi lover, Evan is on his own making catchy, dancy pop punk. This Providence, another (surprise, surprise) pop punk band, will also be helping get the party started. This show is a do not miss for the diehard pop punk fan, that’s for sure.

Other Shows This Week:

• Jacob Tyler Wolfgang – Mars Café – Thursday, February 26, 8:30 pm – FREE (acoustic) 

• Summer Camp: On the Road (featuring Mooseknuckle, Mr. Baber’s Neighbors, Neumoniker. Maximilian Eubank) – Vaudeville Mews – Thursday, February 26, 9:30 pm – Showtime: 10:00 pm – 21+ – $5 (jam/bluegrass/rock) 

• Let Me Introduce You to The End – Vaudeville Mews – Friday, February 27, 6:00 pm – Showtime: 6:30 pm – All Ages – $7 (photography/music/film) 

• Fiancé (with Keepers Of The Carpet, Ely Falls, Color Cast) – Vaudeville Mews – Friday, February 27, 9:30 pm – Showtime: 10:00 pm – 21+ – $5 (indie/pop/rock) 

• We The Kings (with The Maine, The CAB, Therefore Tomorrow, Versa Emerge) – People’s Court – Saturday February, 28, 5:00 pm – ALL AGES – $15 advance ($18 at door) (rock, power pop, pop punk) 

• Andrew Bird – Hoyt-Sherman Place – February 28, 8:00 pm – All Ages – $22-$30 Reserved Seating 

• Dr. Manhattan (with Funks G, Goodbye Kai, Fire Alarm Fetish, The Capote Flat) – Vaudeville Mews – Monday, March 2, 5:00 pm – Showtime: 5:30 pm – All Ages – $5 (pop/rock/punk) 

• Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights (with Kiriko) – Vaudeville Mews – Monday, March 2, 9:30 pm – Showtime: 10:00 pm – 21+ – $5 (blues/soul/roots music) 

• Po’ Girl (with The Parish Festival and Anais Mitchell) – The Maintenance Shop – Tuesday, March 3, 7:30 pm – Showtime: 8:00pm – Seated Show – $6 Students; $8 Public ($2 Day-of-show increase) (roots/alt. country) 

• The Besties (with Seedlings) – Vaudeville Mews – Tuesday, March 3, 9:30 pm – Showtime: 10:00 pm – All Ages – $5 (punk/pop/indie) 

• The Dreaming (with Eve to Adam, The Ben Lehl Band, Tempest Rose, and Censored) – House of Bricks – Wednesday, March 4, 4:45 pm – All Ages – $13 ($10 advance) – (punk, metal, new wave) 

• The Explorers Club – The Maintenance Shop – Thursday, February 26, 7:30 – Showtime: 8:00pm – $6 Students – $ 8 Public ($2 Day-of-show increase) (Surf/Psychedelic Pop) 

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