Kings of Leon, Sharon Jones, Big Head Todd among acts in Seattle

  • By Andy Rathbun Herald Writer
  • Wednesday, March 26, 2014 6:41pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Kings of Leon’s future was uncertain three years ago.

Then, with the band in the middle of an arena tour, lead singer Caleb Followill left the stage in Dallas, saying he was about to be sick and needed to drink a beer — not exactly an inspiring combination.

The group went on hiatus a few months later. It seemed like Kings of Leon, a band that became an international sensation thanks to its hit “Use Somebody,” was flaming out.

Instead, Followill got sober. The group, which also includes Followill’s brothers and one cousin, went back to the studio. They returned last year with “Mechanical Bull.”

Now the Followill clan is headed to KeyArena for a show at 8 tonight, and the group seems reinvigorated. Critics have praised the new record as a return to form, and lead single “Supersoaker” has become a staple on rock radio.

Tickets are $40.63 to $72.58 at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

That’s not the only big show coming to Seattle, though.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will headline a pair of concerts at the Showbox at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.

The Brooklyn-based soul revivalists have carved out a name for themselves since forming in 2001, with critics praising the act’s one-two punch.

Charismatic frontwoman Sharon Jones, who turns 58 this year, has been a natural leader. The Dap-Kings, meanwhile, have become one of the most acclaimed backing bands around, perhaps best known for their work with Amy Winehouse on her hit album “Back to Black.”

The group is touring now behind the January release “Give the People What They Want,” which hit No. 22 on the Billboard 200.

Tickets are $31.50 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.

Big Head Todd &the Monsters also headline the Showbox, with a concert at 8 tonight. The bluesy jam band has cultivated a loyal following over a career that has spanned more than two decades.

After first cracking into the mainstream in 1993 with its gold-selling album “Sister Sweetly,” the group spent much of the rest of the decade following its muse, dabbling in blues and rock.

The group returned to the charts this February with “Black Beehive,” an album praised as a return to the radio-friendly sound that first helped the group make its mark.

Tickets are $30 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.

Rapper Kid Ink also is headed to Seattle, as he tours behind his latest chart success, “My Own Lane.” He plays the Neptune Theatre at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Kid Ink started his career with a bang when his debut album, “Up and Away,” bowed at No. 20 on the Billboard 200.

Since then, the rapper has gained a reputation for clever lyrics. He returned this year with “My Own Lane,” his major label debut, which hit No. 3.

Tickets are $25 at stgpresents.org or 877-784-4849.

And then there’s Carcass. The group — which hails from Liverpool, the same city as The Beatles — helped elevate the subgenre of death metal and grind core.

The group, which plays the Showbox at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, formed in 1985. Its abrasive sound earned it a loyal fanbase despite — or perhaps because of — its gory lyrics.

The group returned to the charts in 2013 with “Surgical Steel,” its first new album in 17 years. Like past releases, the record found the band reveling in the grotesque on songs such as “The Master Butcher’s Apron” and “Mount of Execution.”

Tickets are $27.50 at showboxonline.com or 888-929-7849.

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