Neutral Milk Hotel plays its first show since 1999 Friday night (in Baltimore). Photo by Will Westbrook.
TUESDAY
The New Zealand rock trio Unknown Mortal Orchestra comes back to the Rock And Roll Hotel to show off their latest offering II, which was released this past February. Scrappy, Asheville, North Carolina singer-songwriter Jackson Scott will open the night with his Elephant 6 influenced indie-pop. $15, 7 p.m.
>> 9:30 Club: A.F.I., Touche Amore, Coming. Sold Out, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
After releasing their critically acclaimed Crooks & Lovers in 2010, English electronic duo Mount Kimbie is back with its sophomore follow-up this year titled Cold Spring Fault Less Youth. The group will be headlining an eclectic bill at the Black Cat. Stone’s Throw MC Jonwayne and Djvan Santos, who performs as electronic producer D33J, open the show. $15-20, 8 p.m.
>> Rock And Roll Hotel: Meat Puppets, Enemy Planes. $16, 7 p.m.
>> 9:30 Club: Soul Asylum, Fountains Of Wayne, Evan Dando. $35, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
This might be the most bang for your buck option on Thursday. Obits, who put out their third full length earlier this year on Sub Pop, will headline the Rock And Roll Hotel. But get their early to see Three Stars alum Title Tracks, Mary Timony‘s (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag, Helium…she really doesn’t need an introduction) latest project Ex Hex as well as D.C.’s Cane & the Sticks. $12, 7 p.m.
>> Living Social’s 918 F Street: Deap Vally. $12, 7 p.m.
>> The Howard Theatre: Deltron 3030, Itch, Kid Koala (DJ set). $25-30, 7 p.m.
>> Black Cat: Quasi, Jeffrey Lewis. $13-15, 8 p.m.
>> DC9: Typefighter, Golden Looks, Johnny Fantastic. $8, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY
Yeah, yeah it’s not in D.C., but Baltimore is close enough to deserve a blurb. This is the reunion show that wasn’t supposed to happen but felt inevitable after Jeff Mangum started making appearances on the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour and making a solo jaunt around the country. Yes, Neutral Milk Hotel is back and playing live at the 2640 Space in Baltimore. It can only lead to disappointment, right? Let’s hope not. Naturally, this show is sold out, but there are a few tickets floating around Craigslist for absurd amounts of money. If you miss this show, they’re playing D.A.R. Constitution Hall in January. Elf Power opens. Sold Out, 7 p.m.
>> Black Cat: The 1975, Linus Young. Sold Out, 9 p.m.
>> 9:30 Club: Ra Ra Riot, Caveman, Cayucas. $22, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY
The reclusive English electronic producer Gold Panda will headline a beat heavy Saturday night at the Black Cat. Gold Panda released its most substantial piece of new music in a few years this past June, which found him diversifying his musical palette while still highlighting his strengths as a prominent electronic artist. Slow Magic and Voices Of Black open the night. $15-17, 9 p.m.
>> 9:30 Club: They Might Be Giants, Moon Hooch. $32, 8 p.m.
>> The Dougout: Two Inch Astronaut, Hive Bent, Scott Russell. $3-5 donations, 8 p.m.
SUNDAY
After having to start from scratch after a flood trashed the group’s practice space in Oregon back in 2009, The Helio Sequence put out its fifth full length record Negotiations last fall with its widescreen aspirations and sweeping rock movements. Fellow Oregonian’s Menomena open the show at the Black Cat, in what could be considered a double headliner. The Portland group is on the road pushing last year’s underrated Moms. $15-17, 8 p.m.
>> 9:30 Club: Bonobo, Paul Basic. $25, 7 p.m.
>> Jiffy Lube Live: Zac Brown Band, The Wood Brothers, Dugas. $34.50-83, 6:30 p.m.
