Music Forecast 3.5–3.11: Elvis Costello, Ewan Dobson, Helmet, Title Fight, and Viet Cong

Elvis Costello
There’s something calming about Elvis Costello’s voice. It’s not exactly a beautiful instrument, but it’s a reliable and powerful one. Whether he’s warbling regretfully through “Alison” or demanding to know “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,” Costello always seems to be singing with a smirk on his face. His most recent project, 2013’s Wise Up Ghost and Other Songs, found the Englishman collaborating with the Roots for a funky, intricately layered sound that gave fans yet another side to this prodigious, affable talent.

Thursday, March 5, Uptown Theater (3700 Broadway, 816-753-8665)

Ewan Dobson
Canadian fingerstyle guitarist Ewan Dobson has no need for fog machines. His fingerpicking is enough to smoke up any stage. Stylistically, Dobson has done it all. He started out shredding metal. Then he took his craft to another level as a classical guitarist, winning awards at Canadian festivals in the 1990s for his prowess in that category. Then he moved on to bluegrass. All of those styles come out in Dobson’s incredible instrumentals, in which he is not simply a guitarist but essentially a one-man band. If you haven’t been impressed lately, don’t miss Thursday night’s show at the Riot Room.

Thursday, March 5, the Riot Room (4048 Broadway, 816-442-8179)

Helmet
Helmet’s RecordBar show probably would have sold out even if the band wasn’t going to be playing its successful 1994 album, Betty, from front to back. The California band, which for all intents and purposes is the brainchild of lead singer and guitarist Page Hamilton, has influenced countless metalheads since forming in 1989. If you have a ticket to Sunday’s show, you can find out if they’ve still got it.

Sunday, March 8, RecordBar (1020 Westport Road, 816-753-5207)

Title Fight
You can’t really call Title Fight’s latest album, Hyperview, a departure from the Pennsylvania band’s ambient washes of reverb, manic-depressive lyrics and scuzzy guitar chords. But there is something decidedly different about this album. It might be as simple as an element of confidence. After 12 years together, the four members of Title Fight seem less concerned with playing music that appeals to a certain audience and more interested in making sure their music sounds tight. In that respect, Hyperview is completely on-point. The guitars are razor-sharp, the chord progressions masterful. If this is a new Title Fight era, we welcome it.

Sunday, March 8, the Bottleneck (737 New Hampshire, Lawrence, 785-841-5483)

Viet Cong
In January, Viet Cong — featuring two former members of art-rock band Women, which came and went all too quickly in the late aughts — released its self-titled debut album. On Viet Cong, the Canadian four-piece wastes no time getting to its mission of bestowing upon the world a fast-paced, post-punk-meets-Krautrock mash-up likely to inspire dancing with abandon. Viet Cong appears to pay equal homage in its music to the Talking Heads and the 13th Floor Elevators — an ambitious undertaking that the band is entirely capable of pulling off.

Wednesday, March 11, RecordBar (1020 Westport Road, 816-753-5207)