Satellites sighted

Before I look at the week ahead chronologically, I’d like to tug on your sleeve about three nights of shows being held back to back that are utterly mandatory. Starting off tonight, Oct. 22, do not—I repeat, do not—miss the chance to see one of underground rock’s most unsung heroes, Six Finger Satellite, who are reunited for the first time since 2001 with the Chinese Stars and Sensitive Hearts showing support at la Sala Rossa. Six Finger Satellite’s mix of frosty krautrock and piss-and-vinegar punk is probably one of the most imitated, yet never duplicated, sounds right now. Always an amazing live band, this should easily prove to be the show of the week.

On Friday, don’t miss New York City’s kings of psyched-out noise rock, Sightings, with new-romantic locals Panopticon Eyelids, Toronto’s Thrashed Genes and Induced Labor and High Rise II at Friendship Cove. If you think I’m talking nonsense here, get lubed on Sightings’ absolutely cranium-crushing 2007 release Through the Panama and thank me later.

Finally, ending this hat trick of pure awesomeness on Saturday night, you simply have to witness the heartwrenching lyrical genius of Vic Chesnutt with the musical backing of Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto and members of Thee Silver Mt. Zion and Witchies. Chesnutt’s amazing At the Cut performed live should prove to be downright chilling, guaranteed to lodge your heart straight up in your throat.

Okay, we’ve gotten the heavy hitters out of the way, but the rest of the shows happening are hardly chump change. Tonight, you can get an early start with the dark ambiance of Düsseldorf, Germany’s Hauschka and Crucial Blast’s Aun at 7 p.m. at la Sala Rossa. After that, it’s wide open with power poppers (extra emphasis on “power”) Dead Messenger, Ancestors and Ol’ Savannah at les Trois Minots, or just stick around la Sala Rossa for the Six Finger Satellite show after Hauschka.

The fine folks at Il Motore have cooked up a cover-band soirée tonight and ask that you get into the spirit early by dressing up in your finest Halloween garb. Some of the cover bands will be Shortpants Romance laying down the best of Reagan-era hardcore, Megalove paying tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Casa le Chats crooning out the Shangri-Las and Central Shaft actually attempting to emulate some Eno (!) and more.

Saturday gets a little bit more cozy when New York City’s Weirding Module, featuring Awesome Color’s Michael Troutman, Dreamcatcher and the dark drones of Metis Yeti fry some brain cells at Cagibi—this starts early so don’t be tardy. Down at O Patro Vys on Saturday night, you can check out local dandies Rome Romeo with Royaume des Morts and Amanita Bloom. On Sunday, you can catch the high-energy U.K. rock/punk of Lovvers with Sonic Avenues at Casa del Popolo and finally, don’t miss the bong-bubbling heaviness of Downtrodden with Bathed in Blood and Livcidium at Katacombes on Tuesday.

BABY’S GOT THE RABIES…
JONATHAN.CUMMINS@GMAIL.COM