I know next to nothing about Half Kingdom, beyond what I can hear in their two available songs online. What I can tell, just by listening to them, is that they embrace a moody post-punk that teems with energy even as it confounds expectations. Clattering drums and choppy guitars give way to swelling synths. By the end of the first song, everything has become engulfed in insistent tones wrestling for sonic supremacy. The second song, appropriately titled "Tempest," begins slow, but continues on, building to a clamorous climax as trilling synthesizers leak in from the sides. It seems clear to me that they have a firm grasp on mood and design, but seeing them live is the only way to find out just what else they can do.

HALF KINGDOM, w/ J. Martin and Zebra Mirrors, 9 p.m., Harmon Tap Room, 204 St. Helens, Tacoma, $5, 253.212.2725

See More

Calendar: Arts and Entertainment

Calendar: Music and Nightlife