Friday Feb 22, 2008 (7pm)
Iconic indie-rockers Built to Spill play the first of two shows tonight at Echoplex, kicking off a monthlong tour with influential alt-punk band Meat Puppets. Built to Spill's Doug Martsch formed his band in Boise, Idaho, in 1992, delivering endearing, lo-fi pop songs in his unassuming, nasal croon. The band's latest, You in Reverse, marks a return to the sprawling, multi-layered prog-pop of Perfect from Now On. Meat Puppets came along much earlier — they were one of Kurt Cobain's favorites, reaching the peak of their popularity after Nirvana covered their eerie classic "Lake of Fire" on MTV's Unplugged in 1993. They recently reunited, to the delight of long-haired flannel-wearers everywhere.
– Joe Blankholm