Friday, July 27

COUNTRY ronnie milsap

Some artists, whether you love them or not, you just can’t find anything bad to say about them, and Ronnie Milsap definitely falls into this group. I first discovered the country crooner in the late ’80s at the height of the “Urban Cowboy” craze; yes I once wore the wranglers, boots and hat but never rode a mechanical bull. My earliest memory of Milsap was as a guest on a variety show. He was wearing a baby blue tuxedo and while I can’t recall which tune he sang, I dug his threads. Milsap first got a taste of the spotlight with the R&B hit, “Never Had it So Good” in 1965, after which he became one of the most sought after session musicians in Memphis. He briefly flirted with the pop market and released the Top 40 hit “Loving You Is a Natural Thing” in 1970, but it would be country music where he would strike gold. In 1973 Milsap had three consecutive number ones. Like Kenny Rogers, Milsap tapped into the pop market with a hybrid of down-home country, soul and easy listening that had vast cross-over appeal. From 1976 to 1989 he racked up 35 number one singles. Try and top that Taylor Hicks. — Tony Engelhart

[Emerald Queen Casino, 8:30 p.m., $20-$45, 2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma, 888.831.7655]

Friday, July 27

METAL utterance

Pretty boys can’t rock as hard as normal dudes. They have had it just way too easy and haven’t experienced the rejection or the isolation of their unattractive counterparts. While I mean no disrespect, the members in Utterance probably can kick the shit out of Bon Jovi with one hand tied behind their backs. Playing a brand of thrash/death metal that takes no prisoners, these Tacoma bad boys are unruly delicious. Formed out of the ashes of another home town favorite, SIB, in the summer of 2002 when vocalist Zach Pearson joined Tracey Beardsley (guitar), James Duterrow (bass), and Jerod Wallace (drums). With diverse influences such as Slayer, Faith No More and Deftones, the quartet puts a new spin on metal that would make their heroes stand up and shake their fists. Not so much technically inclined but rather relying on crunch chords and freestyle riffing, Utterance’s music is like a sucker punch to the face. The group’s first release, Everything You Thought You Knew, in 2005 put them on the metal map with its raw power and disregard for authority. They continued down their path of destruction when they issued the EP, Your Blood is Our Steak Sauce the next year.

They freakin’ rock. — TE

[Hell’s Kitchen, with Severus, Only Human and Undead Eulogy, 9 p.m., $5, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

Saturday, July 28

BLUES barrelhouse

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t discover the likes of Mississippi Fred McDowell; Blind Willie Johnson; or even Robert Johnson for that matter, until I was well into my 30’s while writing for the Blues To Do in Seattle. My editor asked me to review McDowell’s 2003 compilation, Heritage of the Blues. At the time I wasn’t a fan, nor did I care about acoustic Delta blues, but after hearing that disc I was instantly hooked. The music was raw and exposed, while the energy was relaxed yet powerful. Taking their cue from the late bluesman is the Olympia-based duo Barrelhouse. Jesse and Tim have been gigging as a pair since 1999, but it was only after discovering the music of Robert Johnson that they officially became Barrelhouse in 2003. Tim mastered the slide guitar licks of McDowell and Johnson quickly. Rather then relying on obscure and not-so-obscure covers, Jesse pens the material they perform but interjects lines from classic blues tunes for a familiar feel. While the vocals are definitely white sounding, the dual acoustic guitar attack sounds as authentic as anything Watermelon Slim ever laid to wax. No disc to speak of but you can take them for a spin via MySpace, www.myspace.com/barrelhousemusica. — TE

[Jazzbones, with Sideways Reign and Robert O’Loxley, 4 p.m., all ages, $5, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]