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Everything Old Is New Again

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 18, 2005 6:01PM

For those punk fans who do not suffer from the curse of procrastination, this weekend will be just like heaven as Rise Against headlines a pair of sold-out shows at Metro. You could just as easily bill these shows as “Rise Against...and Friends” as The Methadones open the Saturday show and Break The Silence opens on Sunday. Rise Against seems poised to break wide as their profile has risen considerably in the last month with appearances in various national music columns and a performance on MTV.

A few other shows of note this weekend...

Sharon Jones's Cribs episode was the least-watched ever.While “crunk” gets all the ink in Vibe and The Source, the old-school flava of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings represents a genre of Black music that you won’t be seeing in a Dave Chappelle skit anytime soon. But no matter. Until James Brown starts making more appearances onstage than on the police blotter, the tight grooves and horny horns of SJ & TDK will sassify those who yearn for 70s basement dance parties powered by an old Victrola and an armful of maximum R&B. Friday, Double Door, 10 PM, $14, 21+.

The current 80s revival is progressing in much the same way that the decade itself did; the homage to post-punk new wave has given way to the introduction of this decade’s Boy George and the Culture Club in the form of Antony & The Johnsons. They’ll be co-headlining with Shivaree, a group that’s dominated by the Poly-Styrene-meets-Billie-Holliday melodies of lead singer Ambrosia Parsley. Friday and Saturday, Schuba’s, 10 PM, $12, 21+

Lastly, while OK Go technically starts the first leg of their 2005 world tour in Madison, Wisconsin tonight, the hometown crowd will be able to give them a proper send off in a pair of shows this weekend: an all-ages 9 PM show at Open End Gallery on Saturday night and one for the old folks at Empty Bottle on Sunday at 9:30. Both shows are $12

Image: Daptone Records