Night sounds
Flower Rangers:
This spooky bunch of fanged and bloody Ronald McDonalds revel in clever fuzz pop with punk and doo-wop affectations. It's The Damned plus 90s ennui. With Willy Mason, the reflective country crooner, and the gypsy folk songstress Nina Violet. Friday night at Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven.
Average White Band:
Get ready for a night of soul, funk, and yacht-rock stylings melded with billowy sax lines and glossy grooves. You'll recognize a few of their hits, such as the cool-tempered "Pick up the Pieces." Friday night at Nectar's by the airport.
The Firewater Band:
Cape Cod group takes a cue from Sublime, pushing the dance elements of reggae, rock, and punk. The vocals are hip-hop inspired not so much because they rhyme but because they're ideal for jumping around with a beer in your hand. Friday night at The Dive Bar in Oak Bluffs.
Method Man, Red Man, and Ghostface Killah:
Kingpins of the 90s rap game get serious and silly, grafting street strife with stoner humor. Method Man, of Wu-Tang Clan, and Red Man are still high on the release of their latest collaboration, "Blackout! 2," and Ghostface, the most relevant artist, continues to hone his potent style of breathless storytelling. If you miss this one, you'd better pretend you were there. Saturday night at Nectar's by the airport.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals:
Like the region where country music was born, they're sound is hot and holy. Potter unleashes wheeling gospel choruses that would make Mick Jagger light-headed. The band solidly employs all the tools of the genre to make moving music. Wednesday night at Nectar's by the airport.
