Ought + Blizzard Babies + Split Feet
Beat Kitchen, October 27
You know those people who always threaten to move to Canada? The expatriates who make up punkish indie rock band Ought actually pulled the trigger, transplanting to the far north and becoming part of Montreal's burgeoning independent music scene. The band's new record, Sun Coming Down, is filled with frantic melodies and urgent rhythms, overseen by the charismatic cadence of Tim Beeler—the kind of singer who can turn a line like "Fancy seeing you here?" into a sneering critique of gentrification. Local acts Blizzard Babies and Split Feet open. ($12, all ages)
Old 97's + Banditos
Thalia Hall, October 28
After a few records that tried to recast the Old 97's as a glossy, Southern rock act, the alt-country veterans have returned to their boisterous ways on Most Messed Up. Need proof? Look no further than "Let's Get Drunk & Get It On," one of the most rollicking, straightforward tracks that Rhett Miller has penned in years. After more than two decades, the band may be living up to the "old" half of its name, but it hasn't forgotten how to have a good time. Twangy Nashville rockers Banditos open the show, playing tunes from its self-titled Bloodshot Records debut. ($26–$36, all ages)
Deafheaven + Envy + Tribulation
Metro, October 30
Combining elements of black metal and shoegaze, Deafheaven's palette of screamed vocals, blast beats and dreamy guitar soundscapes have established the group as hipster-approved "heavy" music. On New Bermuda, the San Francisco band continues to contrast triumphant, blissed-out melodies with distorted, power chord refrains that placate headbangers and foot-tappers alike. The rest of the bill for the pre-Halloween show is equally foreboding, including Japanese hardcore band Envy and Swedish death metal act Tribulation. ($20, 18+)