10/4: Built to Spill at the Grog Shop

Over four relatively short years in the mid-’90s, Doug Martsch took Built to Spill from beloved underground indie-rock band to almost universally lionized overground indie-rock band. The band’s first two albums were marvels of stripped-down guitar squall — melodic, messy, passionate and powerful, a glammy pop coda to grunge. Their critical acceptance led to an amazing major-label bow, 1997’s Perfect From Now On. Martsch’s major-label deal gave him complete creative freedom, which has allowed him to explore his choice of sonic avenues, up to and including Built to Spill’s subdued but muscular new album, There Is No Enemy. Consistently diverse and brilliantly executed, there’s little doubt as to why Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock and Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard cite Built to Spill as a major influence and everyone else to declare them the best thing to come from Idaho since potatoes. Disco Doom and Beaten Awake open at 8 p.m. at the Grog Shop (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Hts., 216.321.5588). Tickets: $23.50 advance, $25 day of show. — Brian Baker