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• Caution — gratuitous rock ahead

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Well, it’s officially 2009. It probably won’t be too much different than 2008, but at least we get to see Bush go and how long our idiot Governor tries to hold on. Take pleasure where you can get it. I never made good on my threat to unleash lots of year-end lists, but I do have to say that my number one album of last year didn’t end up going to TV On The Radio or Drive By Truckers, (though they’re up there). No, I gave the slot to St. Louis band, (and seasoned CU performers,) Gentleman Auction House with Alphabet Graveyard. I couldn’t stop listening to that thing. Margot And The Nuclear So & So’s two releases combined to make number two, while Headlights hit number three with Some Racing, Some Stopping. If you don’t own any of these and you’re at least a casual music fan, you really need to check them out. I had a great time with records from Cut Copy, Gentleman Jesse And His Men, No Age, and Spiritualized, but these three got the most plays by a long shot.

Getting into shows happening this week, you can find the experimental rock stylings of Vvvvv at the Iron Post starting at 8 p.m. this Friday, January 9 — tiny Flying-V guitars optional. Cover is TBA. Also on Friday, the Delta Kings will bring their new, quieter sound to the Cowboy Monkey stage starting at 9 p.m. The band is focusing on new material based around the new three-piece lineup. Says singer/guitarist Cody Sokolski, “I am an extremely attractive man.”

On Saturday, the Canopy Club will go back to its more rocking roots by putting Verdict up on the stage along with Tuscola’s Jonesful, and Feast By Fire. Start time is 9 p.m. and look for a $6 cover charge. If you’re looking for a different kind of rock, take a look at Mike ‘n Molly’s, where St. Louis indie-rock outfit Chapters, (http://www.myspace.com/thisisconsensual for the win on Myspace page names,) will share the upstairs with local slightly-more-metal-with-a-love-of-all-things-involving-dragons-and-other-mythical-beasts band For Great Justice. I mean, who couldn’t love a band with a song called “Spinebreaker?” Check it out for a few bucks starting at 10 p.m.

Error House is back in action in some sense, and is hosting a show on Sunday evening featuring In The Face Of War, Version, World, and the Reptilian. The show is free with a hope for some donations, so drop in a few bucks. Check out http://www.myspace.com/errorhouse for more info.

On Wednesday, a really cool show will slide into the space at Caffe Paradiso in Urbana. San Diego indie act longsleeves, (http://www.myspace.com/longsleeves,) will make a stop in the middle of a nice-looking tour to play their electronic-tinged experimental folk. A quick listen to the MySpace player shows both stripped-down songs in the vein of a lo-fi William Elliott Whitmore and more up-tempo tracks with beats and digital blips all over the place. No one else is listed on the show yet and there isn’t any cover information, but the show is supposed to start at 8 p.m., so get there then and sort the rest out later. Caffe Paradiso is open to all ages.

2009 brings a whole new year of WEFT Sessions sets. For those who don’t know, 90.1 FM hosts live, local music every Monday night at 10 p.m. with Todd Hunter at the helm. Tune in via radio or stream it live at http://www.weft.org. For more information visit http://www.weft.org/sessions. Also, if you have a band or project that you think would be a good fit for the show, contact weftsessions@gmail.com.

Mike Ingram can be reached at forgottenwords@gmail.com.