Friday night's Whore Moans show at The Saddle Creek Bar was probably the loudest thing I've heard on that bar's stage. I'm not sure why I'm leading with that, especially considering that the Seattle act was one of the better touring punk bands I've seen in a while -- hard, heavy, with a pop sheen that kind of reminded me of The Towers of London but without the accents. The crowd of around 50 seemed properly perplexed and mesmerized -- i.e., they mostly sat and stared, despite the fact that their clothes were rippling from the sonic waves rolling off the amps. Very loud, very good. Opener The Upsets did their usual snarling, grimy set of more traditional punk. The evening ended with The Shidiots, joined at times by members of The Upsets and a Whore Moaner or two -- it was like a brotherhood of punk. See photo.

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Though it hasn't been announced, tickets to the Dec. 22 Conor Oberst show at The Waiting Room went on sale over the weekend at the One Percent website (here). The $12 show also features Simon Joyner and Renee Ledesma Hoover, and I'm told the door money will go to a good cause. Get your tickets before this one sells out.

By the way, the same "cause" that is receiving money from the Oberst show also will be the recipient of money taken in for the Dec. 23 Mousetrap reunion show at The Waiting Room. It has been brought to my attention that Chris Hughes, one of the original vocalists for Beep Beep (whose performance as an opener for this show will be their last ever) will not be joining the band on stage as previously announced. To be honest with you, I had my doubts that something like that was going to happen, but I got the info from one of the horses' mouths, so to speak.

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Tonight at The Waiting Room it's Wu Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah with Fashawn, Skyzoo, Gaiden Gadema, & Maxilla Blue. $20, 9 p.m.

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