Since 2000, the fraternal duo of Seth and Scott Avett have lead their folk-rock group with the earnest delivery of a classic Southern rock band with an eye for pretty girls, except these guys have softer hearts and a collective ear for both down-home roots and unhinged punk energy. After several years of extensive touring and putting out nearly a dozen well-received studio albums (and several live releases), the brothers caught the attention of legendary sonic guru Rick Rubin, who not only signed them to his Columbia Records imprint label, American Recordings, but got behind the boards for their latest release, I and Love and You, which drops later this month. Tonight they are perfectly paired with openers Heartless Bastards, an Ohio-based, guitar-driven trio that consistently deliver engrossing, impassioned live performances.

Fri., Aug. 28, 8 p.m., 2009