Local Options

By Lizz Kannenberg in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 4, 2008 6:41PM

Let's take a look at some of the best live & local music in our fair city this week:

Monday, 2/4: Tom Schraeder & His Ego, Wild Sweet Orange, Brent Pulse at Schubas, 8:00 p.m., $6
Ain't no party like a folk rock party, 'cause a folk rock party don't stop...erm, Chicago born-and-bred Schraeder has been racking up the positive press going into his Practice Space residency at Schubas. Alabama indie kids Wild Sweet Orange are along for the ride this week and the following two weeks, and bedroom pop maestro Pulse lends a tranquil moment or two to the bill.

MP3: Tom Schraeder & His Ego - The Whiskey Song

Monday, 2/4: Mt. St. Helens, Johnny Rumble, Strange Young Lovers at Empty Bottle, 9:00 p.m., Free
Post-hardcore rockers Mt. St, Helens have garnered fan support and considerable respect for their huge-sounding live show. Garage kids Jonny Rumble play solid, early-'00s inspired guitar rock, and Strange Young Lovers have been described as "shit-kicking cowboy rock."

MP3: Mt. St. Helens - Want Out

Thursday, 2/7: Mucca Pazza (with Baby Dee) at Empty Bottle, 10:00 p.m., $12

Balancing somewhere between circus spectacle and a really weird acid trip, Mucca Pazza boasts some of the city's finest musicians behind all those cheerleaders and vintage marching band uniforms. If you close your eyes, you might just realize that the carny punk coming out of portable amps as the double-digit-member ensemble swarms around the floor of whatever venue they're defiling is actually good enough to stand on its own.

MP3: Mucca Pazza - Surf

Saturday, 2/9: Joe Pug (with Jim Ward) at Schubas, 7:00 p.m.
Up-and-coming folk throwback Joe Pug has been turning ears to his Dust Bowl reminiscent balladry for several months, and this prime spot opening for At The Drive In/Sparta leader Jim Ward will surely raise the youngster's profile among fans of challenging acoustic music.

MP3: Joe Pug - Hymn 101

Photo of Mucca Pazza from their MySpace page