Wehrmacht

Friday, Oct. 16
Portland-based beer-core metal maniacs Wehrmacht will be at Hell’s Kitchen this weekend, with a solid line-up following a series of band re-organizations. The remnants of the band’s original line up went on to form bands like Spazztic Blurr, Cryptic Slaughter, Drumattica and Tri-polar, and have played with rock luminaries such as Sweaty Nipples, Everclear, Nervous Christians and Bastard Children of the Roman Empire. Drummer Brian Lehfeldt became a criminal defense attorney. The band, named after military defense forces in pre-WWII-Germany, was formed in Portland, Ore., and is known for creating the shortest metal song ever — “Micro-E!”, which lasts all of 0.1 seconds. They have recently reformed with the original, 1985 line-up, and have taken to the road again, spreading their message of drunken horror to a new generation. Awesome. — Paul Schrag
[Hell’s Kitchen, Heaven and Hell Ball with Wehrmacht, De-Krep-It, Drown Mary, .50 Caliber Nightmare, $7, $5 with costume, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

True Margrit

Saturday, Oct. 17
I spoke recently about the dubious new subgenre “dad-rock.” Is there such a things as mom-rock? If no one has hit upon this idea yet, I’d like to nominate San Francisco’s True Margrit as the first mom-rock band ever. My proof? I am certain that, though she hasn’t heard the band, my mother would love True Margrit. It possesses all of the qualities she looks for in a night out to the bar with the girls: Punchy, blues-rock piano and a funky girl lead singer, backed up by a jammin’ band. After seeing True Margrit, my mother would no doubt inform me that they “rawk.” And then she’d try to set me up with the lead singer. So goes mom-rock. — Rev. Adam McKinney
[Bob’s Java Jive, with Motopony, The Legend of Bigfoot, 8 p.m., cover TBA, 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]

Lyle Lovett

Sunday, Oct. 18
Oh man do I love Lyle Lovett. He’ll be at the Pantages Theater this weekend with John Hiatt, who is almost as awesome as Lovett. But Hiatt has never jumped in the sack with Julia Roberts, so he loses a few points there. Lovett, one of the great singer/songwriters of our age, and Hiatt, who has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards, will play an all acoustic set as part of what should be considered by all you music fans out there as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. — PS
[Pantages Theater, two shows at 3 pm and 7:30 p.m., $59, $79, $99 and $129, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890]

The Kings of Outlaw Country

Saturday, Oct. 17
The Kings of Outlaw Country have a motto: “Livin’ Hard and Drinkin’ with Both Fists.” So, does it come as any surprise the band will be plugging in at O’Malley’s on Saturday night? Something tells me they share the motto with a number of O’Malley’s regulars. But besides an affinity for liver damage, this is a band built on all the good things country music used to be — wild, unrestrained, dangerous, sometimes drunk — and none of the things that’s corrupted the genre — like Toby Keith’s well manicured beard. Throw in a punk rock swagger, and you’ve got “music for your inner hillbilly,” as the band likes to say. Let that hillbilly loose on Saturday. — Matt Driscoll
[O’Malley’s Irish Pub, 10 p.m., 2403 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.3144]