Double Play

When it comes to musical taste, the great swath of modern hipster culture often fractures into two camps: fans of the whimsical and fans of the seriously nerdy. The bands Annuals and 65daysofstatic should briefly unite the sects tonight, when they headline separate shows at Modified Arts. "[The bands are] totally different and will attract two different audiences, for sure," says Modified owner Kimber Lanning. "In fact, we will clear the room after the first show and feed in the second audience after that. We always want to encourage people to stick around to try new music, though."

Annuals seem fresh and ready for wider fame. In 2006, the North Carolina indie-pop youngsters generated Internet buzz with their first and only LP, Be He Me. Their latest release, the EP Wet Zoo, came out in April and also features songs by Sunfold, the band's alter-ego side project.

Less sweet but more math-y is 65daysofstatic. Heavy drumming, sparse vocals, and shredding guitar riffs place these guys in the math/prog/post-rock category. And here’s an added bonus: Robert Smith approves! Or, at least, tolerates, as 65days is currently touring with Smith and The Cure (the young crew opens The Cure’s Dodge Theatre show earlier in the evening before sprinting over to Modified).