Instrumental math/prog rock trio Auto!Automatic!! ā which celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2012 ā has been mostly inactive over the past several months while loop and harmonics guitar genius Brian Larson worked on material and revived his solo project, The Aloha Model, and drummer Alex Fedele joined Poetry nā Lotion, adding trombone and percs to their sound on stage and in the studio. Bassist Adam Kuhn completes the ensemble when A!AA!! hits Crowbar for their first performance of 2013. Alt hip hop group Samurai Shotgun backs their rhymes with live instrumentals, guitar-and-drums duo The Black Roses riff and rage through punchy garage-punk odes, and Julia Set rounds out the Saturday night bill with a sound that jumps between forceful metal pummel, shreddy technicality ala King Crimson, and placid post rock interludes.
— Leilani Polk