Your week in Seattle music: Sam Smith, Elton John and more

Also featuring a British synth-pop group on the rise, a country superstar at the Gorge and two very different guitar-and-drums duos.

6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at The Paramount, 911 Pine St., Seattle; $28.75 (360-467-5520 or http://www.stgpresents.org). With Broods

For Americans, there have been two main entry points into British singer Sam Smiths music thus far, and they could hardly sound more different. Syrupy adult-contemporary ballad Stay With Me and garage-house banger Latch (a Disclosure song he sings on) were both top-10 hits this summer, and all they have in common is his silky-smooth voice.

9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., Seattle; $25 (206-709-9442 or http://www.neumos.com). With Kim Ann Foxman, Little Daylight, Kevin Kauer

Expectations are high for electronic-pop quartet Clean Bandit on the heels of Rather Be, a No. 1 hit in the bands native United Kingdom. With its folksy violin motif and vaguely populist uplift, the song plays into EDM trends these days. Fortunately, the groups debut album New Eyes has plenty of more-interesting moments indebted to house and UK garage.

6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., Seattle; $29.50 (360-652-0444 or http://www.showboxpresents.com).

Taking Back Sunday and The Used, who co-headline this show, reached the apex of their popularity and saw the majority of their Warped Tour appearances in the mid-2000s. Both bands have put out albums this year, maintaining a rock sound inspired by post-hardcore punk but with a prominent pop backbone.

9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at The Showbox, 1426 First Ave., Seattle; $26.50 (206-628-3151 or http://www.showboxpresents.com). With Yppah, Blue Hawaii, Vox Mod

El Ten Elevenis a guitar-and-drums two-piece, but unlike many bands with that configuration, its music is highly technical. The rare rock act booked for Decibel Festival, Kristian Dunn loops a double-necked guitar/bass through a litany of effects pedals while drummer Tim Fogarty metronomically keepspace.

9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., Seattle; $10 (206-784-4880 or http://www.sunsettavern.com). With Gazebos, Legendary Oaks

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Your week in Seattle music: Sam Smith, Elton John and more