Seattle is a city rich with live entertainment. Almost nightly, Seattle’s stages offer a roster of regional indie-folk artists, do-it-yourself punk bands and homegrown comedians, as well as nationally touring pop stars. To that end, choosing something for your night out can be a daunting task. This weekly guide can help by filtering for recommended shows, select dates and your favorite genres.
This week’s highlights
Allen Stone, 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 16, and Monday, Dec. 17, at Neptune Theatre. Stone, born near Spokane, started singing soul and gospel in church. The son of a minister, he had planned to enter the ministry himself, until he saw a friend pursue music as a career. A gifted singer, Stone is known for range-y, inflected vocals reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye. Stone’s music is also socially-conscious, addressing spiritual, environmental, race and power issues. Though he hasn’t released a full-length since 2015’s “Radius,” he recently dropped a sultry new single, “Taste of You,” suggesting that a new album is coming soon.
“Maldoggies Family Christmas” ft. The Maldives and The Moondoggies, Friday, Dec. 14, and Saturday, Dec. 15, at Tractor Tavern. This fun holiday show from two of Seattle’s longest-standing Americana bands has turned into an annual tradition at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard. The Moondoggies, part of the Seattle indie-folk/alt-country craze that emerged in the area in the early 2000s, has set themselves apart with a grunge-y, hard-rock edge. The Maldives have also established their own sound from within Seattle’s alt-country world, modernizing folk instruments with digital effects and recording techniques and featuring Jason Dodson out-front, who’s voice is a dead ringer for Neil Young’s.