Monday, Feb. 6, Behold... the Arctopus, Seabrook Power Plant, Normal Love at Death By Audio, $7
Look, technical metal music has its limits, at the very least in terms of tonality. But somehow Brooklyn’s flag bearers of totally out tech-jazz don’t even really exist in the same realm as any of the contemporaries we could throw out in comparison (some of the band’s first tours were with The Dillinger Escape Plan). Guitarist/machine person Colin Marston throttles his 12-string Warr guitar with the same virtuosity Franz Liszt might have, were electric strings available to him. For benchmark, probably the most famous player of the Warr was King Crimson, an easy touchstone but one certainly very difficult to surpass. Behold... the Arctopus is on that verge and we're happy to see the band’s name back in listings after some time of absence. -Dale W. Eisinger
Wednesday, Feb. 8, The Lymbyc Systym, Noveller, Lushlife at Knitting Factory, $10
The Lymbyc Systym takes an apropos neurological name and skews it just enough to fire on all cylinders, fusing demure post-rock with glittering ambient free jazz in a symbiotic way only two brothers could. Equally experimental, if more abstract, guitarist Sarah Lipstate (Noveller) will support the duo. We’ve championed her for quite some time as an exercise in hypnosis through minimalism, a female counterpart to Lee Ranaldo. Chopped-beat extraordinaire Lushlife opens the night. -DWE
Thursday, Feb. 9, Bob Mould at City Winery, $42-$30
Punk legend Bob Mould has been doing a series of low-key sing and talk gigs in support of his acclaimed memoir See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody. He'll play stripped-down numbers from his workbook, and read relevant passages from Light that shed light on the anger and hope that's fueled him since the days of Hüsker Dü and on through his uncompromising solo career. Simply put, few American rock songwriters can rival his workbook, and Light is a must-read for anyone who cares at all about the history of independent music. Plus, Mould has become a gregarious presence over the years, so this night will stay warm, no matter how dark the stories and songs get. -Michael Tedder
Thursday, Feb. 9, tUnE-YaRds, Lincoln Center, limited availability
The Village Voice's Pazz And Jop polling of our nation's music critics recently determined that tUnE-YaRds' sophomore album w h o k i l l was the best album of last year. Reactions to this news ranged from "yes!" to "ugh" to "who?" from the peanut gallery, as Merrill Garbus is probably the least well-known artist to ever win this award. But the people who love her, love her with a fierce devotion. Garbus earns their devotion every single show; the internet is filled with clips of her creating body-rocking clips just by looping and cutting up her voice, drum set and ukulele until they become a storm of percussive ideas, which are equally matched by Garbus' bold lyrics about human dignity and self-worth. Lincoln Center might seem like an odd match for such a chaotic sound, but at this point there's probably no room she can't win over. -MT
Sunday, Feb. 12, Guns N' Roses at Terminal 5, $79.50
