Pick a Side, any Side

When you check out the band listings this week, take note that Suzie Anderson’s band, The Side Project, isn’t playing two nights in a row at The B-Side.

There are actually two bands called The Side Project playing there this weekend.

Tonight’s Side Project is a Bozeman hip-hop band with live instruments.

Or, in emcee Natural’s words, “it’s underground hip-hop.”

“We do easily enjoyed groove plus intelligent lyrics and a flair for improv,” said Natural (born Nate Dreiseszun) during a telephone interview. “Eight players give us a unique edge in the hip-hop realm. That enables us to get into jazz, rock, reggae and Latin music.”

Bozeman’s Side Project appears tonight at 9:30 p.m. at The B-Side, 230 W. Riverside. Locke and The Chris Wilson Five opens the show. There is a $5 cover.

The Other Side

Spokane’s Side Project is well known for sweeping acoustic guitar and piano melodies melded with Suzie Anderson’s show-stealing vocals.

This Side Project plays multiple shows this week, including a gig on Thursday at Moon Time in Coeur d’Alene at 8 p.m. and on Saturday at The B-Side with Tri Cities quintet Mu Meson.

Mu Meson returns to Spokane after taking the summer off to finish recording its anticipated album.

The Mu crew is further embellishing its formula of catchy synth-pop indie rock with darker tones and expectedly hokey melodies on the new album.

“With other recordings, we played it all live. On this one, we weren’t thinking like that. We were trying to make them more interesting with more instruments,” keyboardist Brian Perez said during a telephone interview.

Catch Mu Meson and Spokane’s Side Project at The B-Side on Saturday night. Showtime is 9:30 p.m. There is a $5 cover.

Girls’ night out

Women musicians are featured Saturday night at 8 p.m. at FemALE Fest at Northern Lights Brewery, 1003 E. Trent.

The lineup includes Tabitha, Meridian, Melody Moore, Annie O’Neill, Jennifer Vigil and The Side Project (yes, Spokane’s Side Project).

Showtime is 5 p.m. The $8 cover comes with a beverage.

Ear this

In its 31st year, Ear Fest returns to The Long Ear in Coeur d’Alene with one of its most eclectic lineups yet, with styles touching on punk, jazz, folk, funk, blues, rap and straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll.

This year’s Ear Fest includes 14 musical acts on indoor and outdoor stages, a barbecue and a beer garden.

The inside stage will feature less electric music. Outside, on the Purple Stage, the volume will be up way past 11.

Here’s a rundown of the schedule:

Inside

Noon – Ava Mae

1:15 p.m. – Beth Pederson

2:30 p.m. – Berry Aiken Trio

3:45 p.m. – Kristin Allen-Zito

5 p.m. – Ray Roberson

6 p.m. – Gary George

Outside

11:30 a.m. – Uptime

12:30 p.m. – Nate Schierman Band

1:45 p.m. – Scatterbox (see Spin Cycle on page 5)

3 p.m. – Kathy Colton Trio

4:15 p.m. – Melefluent

5:30 p.m. – Thin City

6:45 p.m. – Lindell Reason

8:15 p.m. – Locke

Ear Fest is Saturday at The Long Ear record shop, 2405 N. Fourth St. Bring a lawn chair.