Here's where I'd be

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17

PLAN A: Two Gallants, Blitzen Trapper @ The Casbah. San Francisco’s Two Gallants perfectly fit the mold created by Omaha’s Saddle Creek Records (Bright Eyes, Cursive)—raspy, rambling vocalist over lo-fi rock, but not nearly as cry-on-your-sleeve confessional as their label mates. Blitzen Trapper could steal the show—the Portland band sounds like a strange mix of The Flaming Lips and The Grateful Dead. MS/twogallants, MS/blitzentrapper.

THURSDAY, OCT. 18

PLAN A: The Black Lips, The Spits, The Heartaches, The Sess @ The Casbah. If The Black Lips did back in the ’80s the kind of shit they do now, and wore makeup and teased their hair, they’d be called Motley Crüe. The music’s not the same (it’s more like The Sonics), but the live debauchery is. The whole bill is good with two garage-rock standouts (The Spits, The Heartaches) and need-to-see locals The Sess. MS/theblacklips, MS/thespits, MS/theheartaches, MS/thesess. PLAN B: Expansion Team Soundsystem @ Martini Ranch. Arguably the best part of Black Eyed Peas—DJ Babu and MC Rakaa—formed this minimalist offshoot in 2004. MS/expansionteamsoundsystem. PLAN C: Sandpeople, Apoc @ Brick by Brick. Good underground hip-hop show featuring the 10-member Portland crew Sandpeople and Chicago’s fresh-voiced political MC, Apoc. MS/sandpeople, MS/apocmusic. BACKUP PLAN: Pontiak, Chaz, Vaginals @ Scolari’s Office (MS/pontiak, MS/maninlimbo, MS/vagisillier).

FRIDAY, OCT. 19

PLAN A: 2Mex @ The Static Lounge. Huge show for this up-and-coming venue. 2Mex is sort of the Bright Eyes of hip-hop—emo to the core. His slow, mush-mouthed delivery at times sounds like he’s been over-prescribed. The Visionaries crewmember’s been working with mash-ups a lot, so expect some alt-rock gems spliced into the rhymes. MS/2mex. PLAN B: Matt Pond PA, Jesca Hoop @ The Casbah. Matt Pond PA is much in the vein of Rogue Wave—sturdy, awfully pretty songs that will never top the charts, but you’ll love them anyway. For Hoop, see our feature on this page. MS/mattpondpa, MS/jescahoopmusic. PLAN C: West Indian Girl @ Winston’s. All these years, it’s seemed odd that no one really tried to emulate the cosmic Novocain style that Pink Floyd laid down. West Indian Girl does—and does it well. MS/westindiangirl. BACKUP PLAN: The Vision of a Dying World, Red Pony Clock @ The Whistle Stop (MS/thevisionofadyingworld, MS/redponyclock).

SATURDAY, OCT. 20

PLAN A: DJ Vadim @ Kava Lounge. Yet another big show for a small venue. Like Gogol Bordello before him, Vadim is a transplant from that large, cold, formerly communist slab of land called Russia. He’s a left-field soundscaper (with releases on well-respected Ninja Tune Records), and his newest album mixes Eastern melodies with Jamaica’s downbeat. MS/djvadim. PLAN B: Electric Six, Gore Gore Girls @ The Casbah. Somehow they’ve gone from No. 1 single in the U.K. to low-middle touring band, but the highly intelligent, wry dance-rock titans of Electric Six kick ass. They’re touring with fellow Motor City garage-rock foursome (all gals) Gore Gore Girls. MS/electricsixmusic, MS/goregoregirls. PLAN C: The Viewmasters @ Bar Pink Elephant. The San Diego band is built on Stax soul music (as played by white people) and the sultry, room-filling chops of Lady Buckeye. MS/theviewmasters. BACKUP PLAN: Diablo Dimes @ The Tower Bar (MS/diablodimes).

SUNDAY, OCT. 21

PLAN A: The Fiery Furnaces @ The Casbah. Together, siblings Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger are one of the most dynamic, inventive, playful duos in music right now. They’ll go from electronic twiddlings to sweet, summery pop music to Captain Beefheart freakouts to reading grandmother’s poetry over stately toy organ. Usually, bands this daring should be approached with caution. Not this one. MS/thefieryfurnaces. PLAN B: Junior Brown, Hot Rod Lincoln @ Belly Up. Junior Brown is a legend among country fans—playing his double-necked guitar like Eddie Van Halen in a bolo tie and singing with that deep, almost cartoonish country-western croon. San Diego’s Hot Rod Lincoln are pretty much tops when it comes to trad rockabilly. MS/juniorbrown, MS/buzzcampbellhotrodlincoln.  PLAN C: Lucero, Bobby Bare Jr. @ Brick by Brick. Easily Plan A on other nights. For Lucero, see our feature on this page. Bobby Bare Jr. (son of country icon of the same name) got sidetracked trying his hand at rock—but he does country nearly as good as his pops. MS/lucero, MS/bobbybarejr. BACKUP PLAN: Converge, 108 @ Soma (MS/converge, MS/108music).

MONDAY, OCT. 22

PLAN A: Black Mountain, Cave Singers @ The Casbah. On a surprise bill last year, Coldplay fans were exposed to the psychedelic drone of Black Mountain. If they were paying attention, they should have a new band to love. The Cave Singers is the new indie-folk project by former Pretty Girls Make Graves guitarist Derek Fudesco, who recruited fantastic high-whinny vocalist Pete Quirk. Think Bonnie Prince Billy in raw harmony. MS/blackmountain, MS/thecavesingers. PLAN B. Sia @ Belly Up. Sia made her name as the pure-sleepy-sex vocalist on Zero 7’s albums. Now she’s released two solo albums, and the polite, amiable Brit is both charming and a powerful vocalist to witness live. MS/sia music.

TUESDAY, OCT. 23

PLAN A: Múm, Tom Brosseau @ Belly Up. Simply put, if you like Sigur Rós, then Iceland’s Múm—which is sort of a less bombastic, more electronica-based equivalent—will do you right. Former San Diegan Tom Brosseau has done well for himself, with an old-timey voice that imagines Bessie Smith (yeah, he sounds a little woman-like) playing folk music. MS/mumtheband, MS/tombrosseau. PLAN B: Earlimart, Office, First Wave Hello @ The Casbah. A solid trio of bands featuring the pride and joy of Fresno—the soft, lopsided pop nerds of Earlimart. Office is the big “buzz” band here, a little 1980s, mid-tempo synth-rock. San Diego’s First Wave Hello are an underrated electro-pop project, having worked closely with Ken Andrews (ex-Failure). MS/earlimart, MS/officemusic, MS/first wavehello. PLAN C: Giante Panda Geurilla Dub Squad @ Winston’s. If you’ve got the weed, they’ve got the dub. MS/giantpandadub.