Agent Orange, Friday, February 20: Thirty years ago, singer-guitarist Mike Palm and the rest of his Southern California trio, Agent Orange, got the good idea to mix first-wave punk-rock and hardcore with aE™60s and aE™70s surf music, holding onto the loud/fast/snotty approach while delivering melody and clarity, too. And with that, they all but invented skate-punk and pop-punk and directly influenced countless bands in their wake, many of whom (Green Day, Blink-182, the Offspring) achieved multi-platinum success. As with most musical founding fathers, that kind of fame and fortune eluded Agent Orange, and IaE™m sure theyaE™d trade a little bit of their scene credibility and respect for some cold hard cash. But theyaE™re still plugging away and drawing crowds, even though Palm is the only original member left. DoesnaE™t matter much aE“ he wrote nearly all the songs, and when they play aEœBloodstainsaE these days, it still rips and spits as fiercely as always. With the Jager Bombs, the Crills, the Blanx, Board Youth, Come Live The Riot. Studio Seven, 110 S. Horton St., 286-1312. 7:30 p.m., $11 adv., $14 dos. All ages. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Pierced Arrows, Friday, February 20: It’s nearly impossible to say anything about Pierced Arrows without mentioning Dead Moon, the band’s previous incarnation. For 20 years, Dead Moon was Portland’s greatest punk export. Fred and Toody Cole, along with drummer Andrew Loomis, recorded stripped-down, country-tinged instrumentals layered with Fred Cole’s warbly and growling vocals. The band split in 2006, and the Coles debuted Pierced Arrows a year later aE” another three-piece outfit with the same garage sensibility. But make no mistake, these are two separate bands. Pierced Arrows might share Dead Moon’s angst, but the new songs are little more rock and a little less garage. The rhythms are slower and steadier, and Toody Cole’s vocals on songs like aEœCarolineaE reveal the band’s folk side. The resulting music lacks the hard edges that turn people off to punk music, while retaining the raw emotion that appeals to the most ardent Dead Moon fans. And for those punk rockers nostalgic for songs like Over the Edge, you’re in luck: Pierced Arrows has been known, on occasion, to play their old hits live.A With Thee Manipulators, the Paper Dolls, the Zack Static Sect. Funhouse, 206 Fifth Ave. N., 374-8400. 9:30 p.m., $8. Note by PAIGE RICHMOND

Kool Keith, Friday, February 20: Whether the enigmatic Kool Keith actually spent some time in a psychiatric hospital back in the day or if that storyaE™s just an urban legend, thereaE™s little doubt the guy is fucking batshit-crazy. Crazier than Tracy Morgan in 30 Rock. But mostly in a crazy good way. His wholly unique flow and non-sequitur raps are breathtaking, hilarious, and baffling, and heaE™s created a slew of imaginative, memorable hip-hop personas, from the creepy, pornographic Dr. Octagon to the supergalactic Black Elvis to the menacing Dr. Dooom. And even when itaE™s crazy bad, like coming out in a cape and tin-foil dog-cone-around-the-head thing, hawking his own aEœrareaE albums from the stage, and offering bizarre dating advice until he clears half the room (as the Village Voice reported from one of his shows a couple years ago), itaE™s still pretty great in that random spectacle sort of way. KeithaE™s coming to town to perform as established aEœrivalsaE Dr. Octagon and Dr. Dooom, which should make for a confusing, schizophrenic, and hopefully exhilarating night where just about anything can, and probably will, happen.A With the Let Go, Murder Dyce. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m., $15 adv. All ages. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Thousands, Saturday, February 21: Kristian Garrard is one of SeattleaE™s unsung guitarists. His music demonstrates the breadth of styles in the folk guitar tradition, alternating between bare-bones minimalism and frenetic finger picking. Occasional John Fahey covers show his jaw-dropping dexterity, while his sparser arrangements stack notes like a contrapuntal Jenga game, the songaE™s structure held up by fragile harmony. Keeping Garrard from delving too far into the Dick Dale side of things is Luke Bergman, the other half of Thousands. Bergman, who necessitated the recent name change from K. Garrard to Thousands, is an equally accomplished multi-instrumentalist. His additions of vocals, pedal steel and upright bass add a relative foundation for GarrardaE™s melodies to rest upon. If you havenaE™t heard Thousands before, itaE™s probably because they rarely play clubs, opting instead for house shows, cafAcs and other venues where they can perform un-miked and un-amplified, preserving the sound of wooden instruments and flesh and blood vocals. With the Scheme, Bicycats. CafAc Venus/Mars Bar, 609 Eastlake Ave. E., 624-4516. 9 p.m., $6. Note by ERIK NEUMANN

Don Carlos, Saturday, February 21: When it comes to roots-rock-reggae music, few old school legends that are still touring have the pedigree for great songwriting that Don Carlos possesses. Although heaE™s often overshadowed by more popular Jamaican reggae singers like Burning Spear and Toots Hibbert, Carlos started out in the same era (early aE™70s) and arguably has better chops than both of them. His crooning on the classic song, aEœSattamasagana,aE helped create a whole new style called one-drop reggae music and his early work with the group Black Uhuru, of which he was a member, is unfortunately over-looked as well. Having grown up in the legendary Waterhouse section of Kingston, Carlos was raised musically among veterans like King Tubby, Prince Jammy, Desmond Dekker, and other leading reggae/dub pioneers. His releases during the early aE™80s such as Never Run Away, and Them Never Know a Natty Dread, are some of the finer records of that period aE“ when reggae was at a standstill due to the passing of Bob MarleyaE”and although his late aE™80s and early aE™90s material sounded dated, his music maintains, in my opinion, the essence of reggaeaE™s golden years. Since itaE™s a shame that more people donaE™t know Carlos, check him out this weekend as he comes to town to share his message of love, sound, and power. With Pablo Moses. CafAc Ibex, 3219 M.L.K Jr. Way S., 721-7537. 9 p.m. Note by JONATHAN CUNNINGHAM MP3: You Are My Sunshine (Acapella)

Sonny Landreth, Saturday, February 21: The music business is chock full of lightning-hot talents that never got their due. Usually, this results in the artist either becoming jaded and bitchy or gracious and humble. Sonny Landreth, the slide guitarist and producer from Louisiana, belongs in the latter category. From Eric Clapton to Vince Gill to Mark Knopfler, musicians of all stripes cite Landreth as one of their favorite players, yet he’s never hit the chart success of his highly visible peer group. He is (here comes the kiss of death) a musician’s musician. But like a lot of Louisiana country boys, Landreth is an easygoing personality, which, combined with his swamp-slick guitar work, makes him one of the more desirable session men around. In addition to Clapton, Gill, and Knopfler, Landreth has recorded with Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Bobby Charles, John Mayall, and N’awlins accordionist Clifton Cheinier. Landreth also has a Southern writer’s gift for visual, no-nonsense lyrics. On his latest album, From the Reach, Landreth sings of Bush’s post-Katrina flyover and the effect is homespun and scathing. Air Force One had a heck of a view/ Looking down on the patchwork of the blue tarp blues. Triple Door Mainstage, 216 Union St., 838-4333. 8 p.m., $26 adv., $29 dos. All ages. Note by BRIAN J. BARR

A.C. Newman, Saturday, February 21: Unlike Superman, who needs only don a pair of glasses and nerdy demeanor to cloak his identity, Carl Newman wonaE™t fool most music fans by simply changing his handle to A.C. Newman. ThataE™s because just a minute or so into his second solo album, Get Guilty, that yearning, exuberant voice; the majestic, brightly colored melodies; and the strings, horns, woodwinds, and other baroque-pop flourishes wrapping around stately guitar crunch all make it clear this is none other than the New PornographersaE™ frontman. Newman doesnaE™t necessarily need his famously oblique NP cohort Dan Bejar to concoct heady, elusive lyrics, nor does he necessarily need Neko Case around aE“ at least not in the studio aE“ when he has Nicole Atkins and Mates of StateaE™s Kori Gardner to provide stellar vocal harmonies on the album. Sure, itaE™s nice when NewmanaE™s joined by his old New Pornographers pals, but by any other name he sounds just as sweet, especially live.A With Dent May and His Magnificent Ukelele, Cataldo. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m., $13 adv. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Tyvek, Sunday, February 22: Like our very own Visqueen, Tyvek is a band that named itself after a synthetic wrap often found on construction sites. But there isn’t much construction underway where this band hails from; Inner-city Detroit, an area that, in the words of comedian Eugene Mirman, looks like it’s been attacked. But urban neglect and decay also produces great punk rock, which is why the dirty D and Cleve-O, Ohio, have been such hotbeds for the rawest of the raw (MC5! Dead Boys!). There is a buzzy, deconstructionist, slightly out-of-tune quality to Tyvek’s recordings, but what’s more key is the way Tyvek overlay thick-headed snare-and-cymbal pounding with rather upbeat 60s garage melodies. Not only is this raw-and-pop blend essential when you traffic in populist noise-punk, its also makes Tyvek a perfect complement to local openers Coconut Coolouts, who play party-punk so fuzzed it sounds like your shitty speakers are about to burst. With Little Claw, Unnatural Helpers. Funhouse, 206 Fifth Ave. N., 374-8400. 9:30 p.m., $7. Note by BRIAN J. BARRA

Andrew Bird, Monday, February 23: Andrew Bird is the quintessential postmodern musician. He combines strings, vocals, glockenspiel, and proficient whistling in an intuitive, delicate hodgepodge. On the New York TimesaE™ aEœMeasure for MeasureaE blog, Bird narrates the creative progression of his music. At live shows, he uses a sampling pedal to create new versions of his songs like a revisionist poet, baffling and exciting the audience. The majority of his latest album, Noble Beast, was recorded at his farm in Western Illinois. A track for the Useless Creatures bonus disc called aEœThe Barn TapesaE lends its listeners the acoustics of, you guessed it, the manaE™s own barn. His unusual penchant for combining elements of the antiquated and the futuristic can be difficult to comprehend, but however Andrew Bird chooses to shape his songs, the music always speaks loudly for itself.A With Loney, Dear. Moore Theatre, 1932 2nd Ave.8 p.m., 467-5510. $23 adv., $25 dos. All ages. Note by DEVAN SCHWARTZ