The Tripwires, The Picketts, Tony Fulgham & The Blood @ The Tractor Tavern | 6/18 | $10 | 21+

The last few years, The Tripwires have been criminally underrated on the national scene.  Selfishly, we like to keep it that way here in Seattle, because we don’t have to share their classy power-pop craft with any of the other trend-setters.  Just listing the other bands The Tripwires have been involved in is a jaw-dropper.  Band-leader John Ramberg plays lead guitar for The Minus 5, and has another great local band in The Model Rockets.  Its impossible to not compare his voice to a middle-aged Paul McCartney or a young Elvis Costello.   Drummer John Pickerel used to play for The Screaming Trees, he’s the guy with the most propulsive power-pop drumming chops this side of paradise.  He’s guaranteed to be juggling drum sticks like he’s playing in a basement with his buddies, which gives the band a fun vibe.  The other guitarists are Jim Sangster (a local legend from Young Fresh Fellows) and Johnny Sangster, who’s produced so many killer local records its hard to believe (Mudhoney, Supersuckers, The F**king Eagles, Murder City Devils, The Cute Lepers, etc.).

The Tripwires write sizzling pop songs that are both simple and danceable, and all four members have some of the best fashion sense around.  The Picketts rarely play shows any more, so expect a whole lot of solid rock’n'roll from them.  Openers Tony Fulgham & The Blood play fierce and quiet Americana of the alternative variety, which should be a great appetizer for what comes after.

James Farm @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley | 6/17-6/20 | $28.50 | 7:30 pm & 10 pm | all ages

New jazz supergroup James Farm will be at Jazz Alley every night this weekend.  They are a collective without a leader, all formidable players who bring sharp minds to create music that is fresh and important. They play experimental, expansive jazz that is rhythmically and sonically complex, pushing  the listener’s ear to places it doesn’t normally go. Under their groove is a lot of sincere emotion, which makes them compelling to watch. The group includes saxophone legend Joshua Redman, but most exciting to see might be local pianist Aaron Parks.  He’s a young and staggeringly talented musician with a record deal on Blue Note. He’s played with Terence Blanchard and been featured in a number of Spike Lee films.  He really doesn’t sound like any other pianist out there, which is one of the main reasons James Farm is among the best new jazz groups of the twenty-first century.