Eight Local Bands Play Benefit Tonight At The Met

Two weeks ago in this column, you read about the gutless acts of vandalism inflicted on the local independent record store 4,000 Holes in June. To recap: A group of thugs hurled bricks through the windows of the record store on three occasions, causing crippling damage estimated at more than $2,500.

Making matters worse, the record store’s insurance policy doesn’t cover broken windows.

For a small business, $2,500 is a lot to come up with at one time. The windows (as is all the overhead) are financed with record sales, but with modest profits from the sale of used and underground records and CDs at only $2 or $3 a pop, that’s a lot of CDs to sell.

That’s why the local music community has gotten involved. Over the years, 4,000 Holes has helped the Spokane scene just by the mere fact it was open. Not only does the shop sell local releases, but it also specializes in music - indie rock, punk, industrial, ska - that’s hard to find in this town. If 4,000 Holes was to close because of the vandalism, it would be a loss to the town, leaving just a handful of other independents to compete with the corporate giants on whose shelves there’s little space for local and hard-to-find releases.

Many of 4,000 Holes’ regular customers - and generous local residents who don’t shop at the store - have donated financially.

There have even been benefit shows. One, a concert, was staged last Tuesday. The show, featuring local bands Fatty Lumpkin, the Sissys and Quitters Inc., raised $250 for the store.

A fund-raising screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was met with an enthusiastic turnout last Saturday at the Magic Lantern Cinemas.

The final benefit concert occurs tonight at The Met. Eight local bands, covering a broad spectrum of music, will loft their talents for free. The bands include Shoveljerk, Quitters Inc., High Lonesome, Big Comb, Boycott, the Deadbeats, Mama’s Dogma and Muddy Gumbo.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8. Tickets are $9 and are available at 4,000 Holes, G&B and at the door.

Owner Bob Gallagher is amazed by the tremendous outpouring of support.

“To me this is almost like the ‘60s, people rallying together against violence for a cause,” says the weekend hippie. “I’m just kind of surprised. It’s just a record store. I didn’t think anyone would care this much about a business.”

For those ticketholders who especially want to see Shoveljerk, the band isn’t headlining. The Coeur d’Alene-Spokane combo is also playing at a bar show later that night, so it will probably play fifth.

Dy-no-mite

The felt, black-light movie posters are billing this tour as the “Fistful of Dynamite,” starring England’s Xrays, Austin’s Motards and Spokane’s Fumes.

Fistful of Dynamite will explode at Ichabod’s North on Monday. The curtain for this spectacular medley or rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza rises at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $4 at the door.

The tour originates in Portland tonight, detonates in Seattle on Saturday and will continue its pillage of the Northwest Monday in Spokane and Tuesday in Missoula.

Each band rocks with its own uniquely explosive stick of dynamite.

The Xrays - one of the fastest rock bands east of the Atlantic - manages not to get stuck in the English muck and mud by mixing volatile elements of garage rock and punk. The sound is reckless, swift and raw.

The Motards build a combustible aural assault through sloppy musicianry and lots of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The Fumes throw crass attitude, blue-collar revelry, loud guitars and aggression into their keg of gunpowder.

All three bands have new full-length albums out on eMpTy Records. All of which would make great staples in your rock collection.

The fuse will be ignited at 9:30 p.m. The cover is $4.

Where the gods live

The Northern Corner is going to be visited by number of up-and-coming, major-label bands during the next couple of weeks, starting with God Lives Underwater and Failure on Saturday, continuing Aug. 2 with the Verve Pipe and Goodness, and Aug. 3 with Magnapop.

God Lives Underwater comes to Spokane peddling its second release, a full-length album called “Empty” (American Recordings).

The Pennsylvania band’s record company is particularly impressed with this four-piece combo, calling it “a revolutionary new brand of guitar-based techno rock.” For those not yet up to date on techno rock, think Nine-Inch-Nails-lite.

Failure, from Los Angeles, sounds as if it graduated from the noisy rock school of the Midwest. Chicago producer Steve Albini, who recorded the band’s excellent debut album, “Comfort,” probably had something to do with this.

The band is said to sometimes include former Spokanite and Tool bassist Paul D’Amour on guitar.

Distorted Silence and Cotton Mouth open at 9:30 p.m. The cover is $6. Bring your I.D.

Second wind

Following its performance at The Met Friday, Shoveljerk will pack up and move to Ichabod’s North.

Shoveljerk’s debut album, released in January, is showing signs of gaining a second wind. Radio stations in Texas have been airing the album’s second single, “Summer.”

If other stations across the country pick up the song, Shoveljerk will do another national tour. Greg and Xylophone Ribcage open. Music starts at 9:30 p.m. The cover is $6.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: NIGHTWATCH PICKS Best bets at area clubs: TONIGHT: 4,000 Holes benefit at The Met - Shoveljerk, High Lonesome, Boycott, Quitters Inc. and four other bands; Shoveljerk at Ichabod’s North SATURDAY: God Lives Underwater, Failure, Distorted Silence and Cotton Mouth at the Northern Corner MONDAY: Xrays, Motards, Fumes at Ichabod’s North