Matchbook Romance

Wednesday · Bogart's

What's in a name? Plenty, if there are lawyers involved. Just ask the boys from Matchbook Romance. The energetic Punk/Screamo band from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., began life in 1997 with the ill-conceived name Fizzlewink; at that point they were a trio including vocalist/guitarist Andrew Jordan and bassist Ryan Kienle. In 2001, the duo reconfigured with the addition of drummer Aaron Stern and second guitarist

Ryan "Judas" DePaolo wisely decided to change their name with the expansion in personnel. The newly christened Getaway launched an unprecedented (at the time) Internet campaign to garner a broader listenership by posting their work on grass roots sites like mp3.com and punknews.org, which led to an avid and exponentially expanding fan base in the band's native Northeast. In the meantime, Epitaph founder/Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz discovered Getaway's demo on punknews.org and contacted Jordan to discuss the possibility of signing the band. A visit to California sealed the deal, and Getaway joined the storied Punk label's illustrious roster, with Gurewitz agreeing to produce the band's initial EP. But before they hit the studio, a band with a similar name threatened legal nastiness and Getaway became the even cooler sounding Matchbook Romance. The band's debut EP, West for Wishing, and their Joe Barresi-produced full-length follow-up, Stories and Alibis, were both hailed as breaths of fresh air in the Punk/Pop genre in 2003, and they quickly became live favorites around the country, mirroring their regional success back home. Last fall saw the release of a split acoustic EP with Motion City Soundtrack, with each band contributing a new song and an unplugged reinvention of an old song. 2005 looks to be another banner year for the Romance; they've just finished recording a new song for this year's Punk-O-Rama compilation and they're one of the anchor bands on the current and first ever Epitaph Tour. Can an acclaimed new album be far behind? (Brian Baker)

The Moaners with The Immortal Lee County Killers

Friday · The Comet

For anyone who believes that testosterone is the secret ingredient in the White Stripes' skronky Blues twosome success, Melissa Swingle stands ready with a guitar and a pair of X chromosomes to clean up that sloppy theory with a greasy bar towel. Former Trailer Bride frontwoman Swingle and drummer Laura King fashion their own version of a swampy Blues duo with the Moaners and their debut album, Dark Snack (Yep Roc Records), a work as quirky and muscular as anything Jack White has fevered out lately. Under the appropriately questionable guidance of Southern Culture on the Skids guitarist/producer Rick Miller, Swingle and King motor through a moody set of twisted and stripped-down Blues workouts, from the slide-drenched opener, "Heart Attack," and the propulsive dog roll call of "Terrier" to the dark fuzz-scorched rhythms of "Flannery Said" and the Led Zep demo of "Water." Miller's input notwithstanding, Swingle and King don't need no stinkin' man to play the living shit out of the sweating, breathing, drinking, screaming Blues. Like-minded, Southern-fried Blues reconstructionists The Immortal Lee County Killers (who also began as a duo, before adding an organist/keyboardists last year) open up this free show. (BB)

Lume with Existaria, Sleepybird and Formerly Known As Nothing

Saturday · Southgate House

Nashville's Lume boats into town on moody waters that glitter with shimmering guitars. The quintet recently released its second EP, simply titled EP2, with the gorgeous "The Ghost of John Wayne," which sounds a little like Jeff Buckley if he would have just loosened up a bit and maybe had a puppy to play with in between bouts of soul torturing. Lume has been described as "dark Euro Rock," and that's a fair enough description, as there's some Radiohead in their sound (though everyone that sounds vaguely "moody" is compared to Radiohead). Not that there's anything intrinsically wrong with that, but it's time for another band to step up to the soaring vocals/dark subject matter plate, just so Radiohead can get on with being Radiohead, if nothing else. Lume is suited up and on deck, just in case anyone wants to start using Lume as a comparison instead of Radiohead. And people should start using this band as one of those "it puts you in mind of" bands, because Lume crafts songs filled with lovely, aching vocals ably backed by alternately delicate and crunching Rock. Their sound is indeed very "moody," as in it suggests and provokes feelings of a nobly sad nature, which is when you can feel sorry for yourself, but in such a way that no one wants to slap you and tell you to cheer up already. Lume is head and shoulders above that kind of "sad bastard" Rock. Morrissey, take note. (Dale Johnson)

Interpol

Interpol with Blonde Redhead

Monday · Bogart's

When Interpol formed seven years ago, there were no grand illusions of becoming a world-class band. The New York City quartet was simply looking to work out some youthful angst and pay homage to early post-Punk innovators like Joy Division and Gang of Four. The band began in 1998 as an association between two NYU students, guitarist/vocalist Daniel Kessler and drummer Greg Drudy. Kessler enlisted NYU acquaintance Carlos Dengler to play bass and keyboards (his early guitar experience gave him a unique perspective on his new instruments), followed by the addition of vocalist/guitarist Paul Banks, a friend who Kessler met in France years before. The quartet practiced in the dingiest, most rundown rehearsal spots in the city, their angular sound mirroring their dark and oppressive surroundings. In 2000, Drudy left the band and was supplanted by Sam Fogarino, whom Kessler knew as an employee at a record store he frequented. Fogarino's aggressive Punk style was an immediate catalyst and Interpol began an intense period of gigging around New York and gaining a favorable reputation with opening slots for Arab Strap, the Delgados and ... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. The following spring, Interpol toured the UK to great acclaim, winding up their visit with a BBC session for famed British DJ John Peel. That fall, the band signed to Matador and recorded the material that would comprise their full-length debut, 2002's Turn On the Bright Lights, an album that was featured on many critics' Top 10 lists for the year. Two years of touring gave Interpol new insights into their inherent strengths, resulting in the deeper, more expansive sound on Antics, the band's well-received 2004 sophomore album. The same process forced the band to find new life in their old songs, making Interpol's latest live circuit one of the must-see shows of the year. Late night revelers take note: Dengler (better known as, simply, Carlos D, will DJ at alchemize following the concert for one of his notorious wee-wee hours after-parties, which will also feature the wax-work of members of VHS or Beta. (BB)