Friday

[Pick] Pokey LaFarge

There’s something freewheeling and fancy-free about the music of Pokey LaFarge—the sort of feel-good Americana you can’t help but warm to. Maybe it’s the seamless way mandolin and harmonica complement LaFarge’s Southern-gentleman swag. Or maybe it’s the charming way his twangy vocals tell stories about whiskey and weed-wackers and women. Whichever, it’s a special formula that transports a listener to a specific point in history—a time when sitting on the porch, sipping sweet tea, and hiding from those sweltering Southern summers was key. On the surface, it’s not something Pacific Northwesterners can easily relate to. But the gritty, saloon-ready vibe that comes with LaFarge’s bouncy, old-timey blues helps us relate. With JD Hobson and Gus Clark (God’s Favorite Beefcake). Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599. 9:30 p.m. $12.

KEEGAN PROSSER

The Sheds This Southern California band’s sugary pop-punk tunes earned it a slot on this summer’s Warped Tour. With Lo’ There Do I See My Brother, Burn Burn Burn. Vera Project, 305 Harrison St., 956-8372, theveraproject.org. 7:30 p.m. $8 adv./$10 DOS. All ages.

Toys That Kill Formed in the late ’90s in the wake of F.Y.P., frontman Tom Congelliere’s previous band, Toys That Kill are a hard-touring bunch with a knack for punk songwriting. With Big Eyes, Big Truck, Ubu Roi. Highline, 210 Broadway Ave E., 328-7837, highlineseattle.com. 9 p.m. $7.

Turquoise Jeep A record label, hip-hop collective, and meme come to life, Turquoise Jeep has leveraged its immense YouTube popularity into national tours like this one. Whether the group is self-aware remains to be seen, though songs like the unabashedly goofy “Lemme Smang It” (with nearly 11 million views at the time of this writing) suggest it probably is. With Kosha Dillz, Slow Dance. The Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-7416, thecrocodile.com. 8 p.m. $15 adv. All ages.

Saturday

[Pick] RVIVR

With its dueling male/female vocals, Olympia’s RVIVR has an infectious pop-punk energy, a hybrid of ’90s-era Lookout! Records bands like Screeching Weasel and more modern fare like the Menzingers and Japandroids. Also, the band’s sophomore LP, The Beauty Between, is one of the year’s best punk records. RVIVR is celebrating its release with a trio of shows in Portland, Olympia, and Seattle. But fair warning: The live show is likely to loudly espouse the virtues of gender equality. Anybody who thinks women can’t rock as hard as men may want to stay home tonight (and any other night too, thank you very much). With Agatha. Vera Project, 305 Warren Ave. N., 956-8372. 7:30 p.m. $8. All ages.

DAVE LAKE

The Beets Signed to Hardly Art, this New York trio is as good a representation as there is of the smart, melodically friendly art-punk its label is so fond of. With CMRTYZ. Barboza, 925 E. Pike, 709-9951, thebarboza.com. 8 p.m. $8 adv.

Marianas Trench This band might be Canada’s answer to My Chemical Romance: It’s crafted an emo rock opera (2011’s Ever After), its songs are requisitely syrupy, and the photo at the top of its website show the four members in marching-band uniforms. The difference is that MCR just broke up and Marianas Trench is hitting its stride, releasing the Face the Music EP this month. With Air Dubai, DJ Protector. Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151, showboxonline.com. 7 p.m. $18 adv./$20 DOS.

Music Lessons Matter! Now in its fourth year, this concert pairs the Synergia Northwest Orchestra with local musicians to provide free after-school music programs for elementary students in the Central District. With Walking Papers, Michael Shrieve, Tess Henley, Mycle Wastman, Massive Monkees, DJ Katz. Moore Theatre, 1931 Second Ave., 467-5510, stgpresents.com. 7 p.m. $15–$40. All ages.

Sunday

[Pick] The Decibel Magazine Tour

It’s hard to imagine a more face-pummeling package tour than this one, which features a trio of the heaviest and longest-running bands in metal. Co-headliners Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, and Immolation helped to define the death-metal and grindcore movements, and all three are still going strong—the first two issued new records in 2012 (their 12th and 15th, respectively), and Immolation released its ninth LP earlier this month. Seeing all three on a single stage should be a rare treat for hardcore headbangers. With Cretin. El Corazon, 109 Eastlake Ave. E., 262-0482. 6:20 p.m. $25 adv./$28 DOS. All ages.

DAVE LAKE

Friendly Gomez This musician, playing his first headlining show, writes stately folk songs that feature his smooth tenor vocals and lush instrumentation. With Ghost of Kyle Bradford, Locomotives. Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-4880, sunsettavern.com. 7:30 p.m. $6.

TRIMTAB This local guitar/bass/drums combo plays an amalgam of dub and free jazz, though the simple instrumentation occasionally results in some post-rock-sounding moments. With Ronin, Lil Coop Sextet. Comet Tavern, 922 E. Pike St., 322-9272, comettavern.com. 9 p.m. $7.