It’s four-for-one plus a former cult sensation at the Puyallup Fair this weekend.
Devo (remember their infamous red “energy-dome” hats?) brought the musical concept of human de-evolution to the mid-1970s, complete with electronics, and scored with hits such as “Whip It,” “Space Junk” and “Freedom of Choice.”
One of the New Wave era’s most innovative bands influenced Nirvana and Soundgarden, and performs tonight.
Bow Wow, Omarion, Sean Kingston and Paula DeAnda will perform long into the night Saturday.
Bow Wow was the youngest solo rapper to have a No. 1 album. Only 20, he released his fifth studio album, “The Price of Fame,” last spring.
Omarion started his career in a Kellogg’s Corn Pops commercial, joined the R&B group B2K, and then went solo with the “O” album, which hit the Billboard sweet spot. He’s also appeared in the TV shows “Fat Albert” and “Bernie Mac.”
Kingston’s “Beautiful” was a hit with its catchy reggae beat and doo-wop harmonies. Teenager DeAnda had a rhythm radio hit with “Doing Too Much.”
Dervish: The traditional Irish band plays the three elements of Irish music the goltrai, the piece that can bring tears; the geantri, the part that makes you want to dance; and the suantra, a soothing element.
DjangoFest Northwest: The festival continues to celebrate gypsy jazz (or gypsy swing) and the music of Django Reinhardt. In gypsy jazz, guitar and violin are the main solo instruments, although clarinet and accordion are common. The rhythm guitar is played using a distinct percussive technique.
Arcade Fire: Epic topics are fodder for founder and songwriter Win Butler, occasionally bringing to mind the spirit of a melancholy U2, which once failed to convince the band to come along on a world tour. The indie band’s debut album was on a number of critics’ lists in 2005, and it’s one of the few bands that can truly attract fans who believe that music can make a difference while they articulate complicated feelings.
Andrea Marcovicci: The cabaret star is also an actress who started her TV career in the daytime series “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.” In a 17-performance stretch, Marcovicci sings music of Fred Astaire and re-creates the nostalgia of the 1930s.
Cheryl Wheeler: To truly appreciate the singer-songwriter’s gift, including legendary humor and the ability to create emotional portraits, catch a concert. Wheeler’s gone a long way since serenading her mother with a toy ukulele. Her road tours are packed with solo dates, unless she’s performing with Kenny White. Some of her songs have been hits in the mainstream, including Suzy Bogguss’ “Aces” and Dan Seals’ “Addicted.”
Guster: The fan-friendly alt-rock band has had moderate success with singles “Careful” and “Amsterdam,” an album (“Ganging Up on the Sun”) that reached the 25th spot on the Billboard 200, and songs on the movies “Wedding Crashers” and “Life as a House.” Last year, Guster won Album of the Year at the Boston Music Awards.
Joe Bonamassa: The blues singer is on a roll. “Sloe Gin” topped Billboard’s blues chart and “You and Me” was ranked 13th. Bonamassa has been playing the blues since he was age 8 and performing at 10. B.B. King said the youngster’s potential was “unbelievable … he’s one of a kind.”
Dark Star Orchestra: Forget the hippie wigs and fake beards. DSO re-creates the Grateful Dead by playing the set list song for song in the same arrangements used by the Dead at specific shows way back when.
Josh Rouse: The singer-songwriter opens the Northshore Performing Arts Center’s season. Rouse’s “Country Mouse, City Mouse” is his seventh full-length album, and includes themes of nature, religion, death, isolation and dreaming. Other performers in NPAC’s season include Reilly &Maloney, Nick Lowe and Roger McGuinn.
Out and about: Backburner and Stay Tuned perform at a CD release party (Saturday, Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church) … Jamaican Everton Blender (Blender standing for being one of the first in Jamaican music to blend roots reggae and dancehall styles) brings great beats to his show (Saturday, Nectar’s) … Banjo and guitar player Joel Mabus combines acoustic music with storytelling (Saturday, Phinney Neighborhood Center) … Mishka Shubaly is a country-rock singer-songwriter with a well-honed bad attitude (Saturday, Skylark Club) … The multi-Grammy-winning vocal group The Manhattan Transfer is in town for an eight-show run (Thursday through Sept. 30, Jazz Alley) … E.S.T. has been a force in Europe’s jazz scene and was the first European jazz band to make the cover of Downbeat magazine (Tuesday, Jazz Alley) … Indonesian percussion ensemble Gamelan Pacifica and Javanese musician Sutrisno Hartana offer traditional and contemporary music (Saturday, Good Shepherd Center) … Trumpeter Christian Scott represents the next generation of New Orleans horn men (Wednesday, Jazz Alley) … The big band ensemble, 17-piece SRJO, draws from the turn-of-the-20th century ragtime to turn-of-the-21st-century avant-garde (Sunday, Jazz Alley) … The Plays Monk trio dedicates itself to playing the varied compositions of pianist Thelonious Monk (Tuesday, Tractor Tavern).
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