Monday

>> Hear the man behind the sound. Don Zientara runs Arlington’s legendary Inner Ear Studio, and has been behind the board for more of this town’s seminal punk records than we can count. But it turns out after all these years that Zientara is also an excellent songwriter in his own right. His 2003 collection of stripped down solo tunes garnered solid reviews, and he is joined by Sentai and Shift tonight at the Black Cat backstage. 9 p.m., $8.

>> The Galaxy Hut is putting on free shows every Monday, and tonight it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers (Michael Kentoff from The Caribbean) and Sad Crocodile. No, we haven’t heard of them either, but that’s the point of free shows, now isn’t it? So show your appreciation to the ‘Hut for giving everyone an inexpensive option for discovering new music and take a chance on the unfamiliar.

Tuesday

>> Tuesdays aren’t exactly prime show slots, but at the Black Cat this week, Tuesday night holds one of those bills where every band promises to make you glad you stayed out on a school night. First up is the punchy, punky pop of the Oxford Collapse, the best performance by a previously unknown band this reviewer has seen this year. They’re followed by energetic Aussie rockers The Grates, who get as much props from us for posing in photos with a huge My Little Pony as they do for their catchy sound, and headlining the whole affair are DCist favorites We Are Scientists. 8 p.m., $15.

>> If rootsy, straight ahead rock is what you like, you’ll want to find yourself at Iota for Matt Mays and El Torpedo. Fresh from a set of opening dates for nouveau classic-rock veterans Marah, Mays & company are headlining this time around with help from locals The Bourbon Dynasty. 8:30p.m., $10.