ROOTS MUSIC IN BALLARD!?: Yeah, we know this happens pretty much every night, but there's a good batch of bands at the Tractor tonight. Local singer-songwriter outfits Husbands Love Your Wives and Jack Wilson & The Wife Stealers open a bill for the wonderful and interesting anti-folk fabulousness of Elliot Brood from north of the border (and east a bit). 9 p.m. // Tractor Tavern // $8 HIPPIE WOO-WOO TALK: (We can call it that......

Last week, we headed out to Smith to catch up with local singer/songwriter Molly Rose, to chat about her work, learn about her purpose in life, and come back here to tell you people all about it so that you'd feel inspired to head to Columbia City Theater for her show this Thursday night. It was happy hour. We took a booth in the back of the room because, despite the spectacular noise discrimination on......

TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT: Thursday night at R Place = Amateur Strip Show. Head out, show us what you've got, and maybe you'll walk away $200 richer. Second and third place prizes are $100 and $50, respectively. Then, once you've won, buy everyone in the room a round of drinks, and then stick around for a dance party courtesy of DJ Flo'w. After all, no work tomorrow, right? 9 p.m. // R Place // Free......

Not only has Tim O'Brien worked with everyone under the sun, anything associated with him is bound to be not only good but highly praised by fans and critics alike. He doesn't just play roots music, he lives it. He understands why it's there and, when he plays it, it's more to honor the artform than it is to draw attention to his mad skills (which, by the way, he has). No doubt when he......

The Starlings—a band that started with Joy Mills and her husband Tomm but has since grown into a solid foursome—have spent the last couple of years forging their way through the local music scene, touring now and then. This Saturday, they'll celebrate the release of their second independent release, Marvelling the While—a wonderful collection of country-pop-and-blues-infused Americana that further solidifies their rootsy sound. The party's at the Tractor, where all rootsy CD releases tend......

This is going to be a damn good weekend, snow or no. And, it all starts tonight with Jack Wilson and the Wifestealers at the Sunset. Tomorrow, we've got Sera Cahoone's CD release party at the Tractor, celebrating the release of her awesome new disc Only As the Day is Long (SubPop). And then, the whole weekend will round off with Bob Schneider at Chop Suey. We're happy about all this because we love all......

Okay, to be fair, Seattlest has never actually been to the Tractor Tavern monthly square dance, but we love that it exists. We love the Tallboys, and we particularly love their trail-blazing in the local old timey/roots music scene. In case you're unfamiliar with the band, here's a peek: Now throw on some overalls and get thee to the square dance. 7 PM // Tractor Tavern // $5 singles, $8 partners......