The After Party: Mark Pickerel

How can you miss this show?! From the wild, wooly and weird Pacific Northwest, drummer/guitarist/singer Mark Pickerel has quite the back story. Before becoming a leading voice in the PNW's alt-country, blues and Americana music scenes, he was the drummer in seminal grunge faves The Screaming Trees, has played on albums by Mark Lanegan, Brandi Carlile, and Nirvana, toured with Neko Case and contributed to her track on the "Hard-Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson compilation."

Mark's got the goods, though. He was born to be in front. With his rakish good looks and his tendency to spend more than $3 on haircuts, he has already endeared himself to the ladies of the office. His voice—alluring and just a little bit sinister—evinces his influences ranging from Leonard Cohen, Lee Hazlewood and the Gun Club, to the Stranglers and Nick Cave.