SANTEE

Friday, Jan. 8
Almost three months ago Josh Vega of Paris Spleen explained to me how he planned to spend his time after the band's final show, which - at least for that brief moment of time in PBR-ville - was supposed to be in late October at O'Malley's. He said it involved something bordering on folk with "a girl from Seattle named Heather." Well, I've been called a lot of things, and a genius isn't one of them, but I do believe Santee is what Vega was talking about. With one MySpace tune to go on, I'd say Vega's assessment was fairly accurate - Santee does, indeed, border on folk, and it is - in fact - a partnership between Vega and a girl from Seattle named Heather. The band bio says something about Vega being tall and avoiding underwear, and Heather being a mathematician with dusty songs. Who knows? All that's certain is the intrigue, and Santee's got some. While the specifics are hazy and no Web site lists the same bill, Friday's show at the New Frontier will definitely include Medicine Mouth, which my limited Internet research leads me to believe is Jason Freet of The Drug Purse. On that front, expect beautifully stoned songsmanship and obligatory remarks about attempting to impregnate household appliances. Good times for all. - Matt Driscoll
[The New Frontier, with Medicine Mouth (Jason Freet), maybe Trevor Dickson, possibly Stick and Moon, 9 p.m., 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]

MALICIOUS DISCHARGE

Friday, Jan. 8
Malicious Discharge will be sharing a bill with The Humans on Friday. As I've said before, The Humans kind of embody the heart and soul of straight-ahead rock n' roll. Malicious Discharge, on the other hand ... well, they don't. Their backbone can be seen as punk, if you want, but the music itself is experimental: long, noodling compositions; spacey monologues; random discord. It's sobering stuff. Crackling cymbals under long, burbling guitar lines that stretch on until explosion. Witnessing the confluence between two ends of the rock spectrum would be reason enough to attend this show. But, disregarding the presence of The Humans, the possibility of your mind being cracked wide open in the dark of the venue by Malicious Discharge should be too enticing to pass up. - Rev. Adam McKinney
[The China Clipper, with The Humans, Mangled Bohemians, 8 p.m., cover TBA, 402 Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.943.6300]

UMBER SLEEPING

Saturday, Jan. 9
Come and knock on that door, yo. Peter Tietjen's door - the one with the sick ass drum skills inside it that nearly all of Tacoma has come to worship. (Or if not worship, at least regard highly - not unlike Mrs. Roper's regard for Chrissy, Jack and Janet until the spin-off The Ropers.) Peter Tietjen, of course, is the leader of Tacoma's Umber Sleeping, a band built extraterrestrial synths, the best drumming Tacoma has to offer, two tons of reverb - and a whole bunch of retro chic. Oh, and Umber Sleeping is mildly infatuated with Three's Company, if that hasn't already become obvious. But don't think Larry Dallas cheesy here - and don't mistake Tietjen's game for some weirdo, drummer mic headset, Don Henley shit either - Umber Sleeping stands with anyone. Saturday the band shares a bill at The New Frontier with Motopony and Roman Holiday. - MD
[The New Frontier Lounge, with Motopony Roman Holiday, 9 p.m., $5, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]

THE MISSIONARY POSITION

Saturday, Jan. 9
Bobble Tiki has said it before, but it's worth repeating. Mixing a dirty, Motown-esque vibe with an eight-ball of sex and the classic gritty songwriting of Jeff Angell, The Missionary Position is not to fuck with. Diamonds in a Dead Sky, the band's somewhat recently released full-length debut proves it. In truth, at least in Bobble Tiki's humble opinion, the song "Let's Start a Fire" alone proves it. While The Missionary Position's brand of guilty guitar grooves aren't balls to the wall, all the time like Angell's more well known band - the sporadic and infamous Post Stardom Depression - there's still something very gripping about the way Angell writhes, as always. The true definition of a workingman's rocker, Angell and The Missionary Position are a nice fit for Doyle's. - Bobble Tiki
[Doyle's Public House, 9:30 p.m., no cover, 208 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.PINT]