For those of you now gearing up for that Los Lobos show on the 25th, why not get the party started a week early and shake your rumps to the Blasters? Both bands emerged from the same early ’80s scene. After X blended punk, twang and rockabilly, Los Angeles soon became the breeding ground for post-new wave roots rock in the United States. In addition to Los Lobos and the Blasters, there were the Flesh Eaters, Gun Club, Lazy Cowgirls, Long Ryders, Lone Justice and so on. Some of these bands were more punk, others more traditional, and The Blasters have always been the latter, which is a good thing. Trad musicians tend to make far better music in their middle years than do punks. Hell, half of them are dead anyway. With the Dirty Birds and the Memphis Radio Kings.

Fri., July 18, 9 p.m., 2008