Get Out Tonight: Fionn Regan @ the Sunset

Hey, whaddya know? There's another show worth your attention at the Sunset this week. Tonight it's Irish singer-songwriter Fionn Regan. Yeah yeah, we know what you're thinking: "Another singer-songwriter? Just look at him, all broody with messed-up hair strumming a guitar in an alley." Truth be told, we usually avoid the genre as a whole, since most singer-songwriters run the gamut from boring hippie to boring douchebag. But in this case, don't be so easy to dismiss.

First off, Regan's made the shortlist for the Mercury Prize, which is a big deal, as it marks the year's dozen best albums recorded by musicians in the UK. Sure, the award will probably go to Amy Winehouse (since the winner is often the artist with the biggest hype), but we're sure it's an honor just to be nominated.

He's also made a funny, understated video for the first single off his Lost Highway debut The End of History, "Be Good or Be Gone," which was performed live in a variety of locales, from church to train station to casino to pet store. The seamlessness of the video's editing complements the simplicity of this gentle and charming song.

His nuanced folk music is minimal (little more than voice, acoustic guitar, and piano) and reminiscent of early Dylan or Nick Drake, so it's no wonder that the accolades have come pouring in. Tonight's your chance to catch him before he pulls an upset this fall at the Mercury Prize awards ceremony.

9pm // Sunset Tavern // 5433 Ballard Ave // $8