Local is the word of the week at Empyrean Coffee House.

While weekend shows feature some of Spokane's buzziest indie bands, Empyrean is sure to draw hipsters on Tuesday for one of the buzziest bands in the country, Local Natives.

A little more than a year ago California quintet Local Natives were still unsigned and playing to 10-20 people in dive bar after dive bar. But after hustling through nine shows at hipster hotbed SXSW 2009, Local Natives have quickly become one of the most hyped indie bands to surface on the radar recently.

Before the February stateside release of Local Natives' full-length debut, "Gorilla Manor," the band had completed it's first tour in UK, where the album had already been released for months and was already getting rave reviews.

Drawing comparisons to several other lauded Pitchfork-friendly indie bands like Fleet Foxes, Midlake and Arcade Fire, Local Natives are known for gently sung multi-part harmonies, world groove guitar work and driving drums. With a style that transcends genre, Local Natives have been described as Afro-beat inflected folk music influenced by 1970s FM radio rock.

There is no true lead singer in the band, instead it's fronted by complex-yet-inviting vocal melodies carried by guitarists Ryan Hahn and Taylor Rice and keyboardist Kelcey Ayer, meanwhile the hyper percussion and pulsating bass are provided by drumer Matt Frazier and Andy Hamm.

"Gorilla Manor" was a self-funded record that was created while the members were living together in a chaotically messy house of the same name were friends were constantly coming in and out, tinkering on random instruments.

The songs transform from voluminous climaxes like "Sun Hands" to the chilling moments of intimacy of "Wide Eyes." There is also a barely recognizable cover of Talking Heads' "Warning Signs."

The album was truly collaborative, with song ideas flipped on their heads a dozen times before seeing completion. The band even produced its own album artwork.

After the album's European release, and being courted by various big indies and bigger majors, Local Natives signed with Les Savy Fav's label, Frenchkiss Records (The Antlers, The Hold Steady, The Dodos, Passion Pit) because of the label's artist-friendly reputation.

While "Gorilla Manor" is getting mad props from critics, Local Natives are also receiving praise for their intense live show that ranges from swells of tribal chants to quiet, tender tunes.

Also coming soon to Empyrean is a couple of themed party concerts starring favorites from Spokane's indie scene.

Tonight is a fairies and goblins dance party framed by experimental rock and laptop music by Cyrus Fell Down, Please Draw in Me, Olaf Olaf Olaf and Pegasus Dream's new side project, Salt Water Magic. The show starts at 7 p.m., cover is $7, or $5 with a fairy or goblin costume.

Then Empyrean goes from hipster to hippy for Spostock, a concert featuring Spokane bands Bodhi Drip, Olive Green, Stephen Cash and Sky paying tribute to Woodstock legends The Grateful Dead, Joan Baez, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Same deal, cover is $7, $5 if you dress up.

The is weekend's concerts is a sort of summer kick-off party for the summer music season at Empyrean.

Local Natives appears with Suckers and The Sassmatrons on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Empyrean Coffee House, 171 S. Washington St.

A version of this story appeared in today's Spokesman-Review Newspaper.