Party with the Presidents, Seattle’s homegrown heroes

  • By Andy Rathbun Herald Writer
  • Thursday, February 11, 2010 2:00pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Really, there’s no better band to see on President’s Day weekend than Seattle’s homegrown heroes.

The Presidents of the United States of America will play a two-night stand at the Showbox at the Market beginning tonight, and no doubt will churn through their comical and quirky hits.

The group went national in the mid-1990s with a string of poppy tracks that included “Peaches” and “Lump.” The band’s giddy, irreverent music stood out on the radio dial against the grind of grunge rock.

While the Presidents’ debut went triple platinum, subsequent albums failed to catch fire. The group has since settled into its role as regional favorites.

This weekend, the group will play music from its 2008 album, “These are the Good Times People,” which produced the local hit, “Mixed Up Son of a Bitch.”

8 tonight and 8 p.m. Saturday, Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., Seattle; $19; ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

Spike and the Impalers: Rock ’n’ roll will never die.

Spike and the Impalers won’t let it.

The Seattle cover band plays another headlining show in Snohomish County this weekend, promising to ramble through a batch of classic rock covers.

The group grew out of KZOK’s morning drive staple, “The Bob Rivers Show.” Rivers decided to showcase his skill on the keyboards, while co-host Spike O’Neill took over vocal duties.

Now, Spike and the Impalers play tracks by bands including the Rolling Stones, the Who and Guns N’ Roses. The Impalers stick to those other group’s biggest hits, aiming to play tracks that can get an entire crowd singing along.

8 tonight, Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. N., Edmonds; $30 to $40; www.ec4arts.org or 425-275-9595.

Brendan Benson: The Raconteurs aren’t just Jack White’s other band.

The classic rock-styled group also keeps Brendan Benson busy.

Benson and White trade off vocal duties for the group and share writing credits on all the band’s original music. If Jack White is the Raconteur’s barrier-pushing John Lennon, then Benson is its Paul McCartney — a poppier singer who can polish off the band’s rougher edges.

Benson will come to Seattle early next week on his own, as he tours in support of his fourth solo album, “My Old, Familiar Friend.”

Like his past solo work, the album finds Benson rambling through his own precisely crafted power pop.

7 p.m. Monday, Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., Seattle; $13; ticketswest.com or 800-992-8499.

Paul van Dyk: Most people get introduced to Paul van Dyk through his work with other artists.

The electronica star has remixed Justin Timberlake, Depeche Mode and New Order, among others.

The globe-trotting German will hit Seattle for a show this weekend before heading on to Canada and Dubai — yes, Dubai — to play his trance-like house music.

8 p.m. Saturday, Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., Seattle; $35 to $50; ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

Andy Rathbun: 452-339-3455; arathbun@heraldnet.com.

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