Weekend Ideas: May 9, 2014

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Spring pops with way too many shows to pick from, starting with a crazy Friday. It’s hard to live up to a monster hit like Foster the People’s 2011 earworm “Pumped Up Kicks,” but former jingle writer Mark Foster’s giving it a good shot behind new album Supermodel as his group plays a smart mainstream pairing with St. Lucia at House of Blues. But there’s also the crowd-stirring Mediterranean world beat of the Israeli outfit Balkan Beat Box at Royale while subtly riveting indie-rocker Angel Olsen casts her terse spell at the Sinclair behind her excellent latest album, Burn Your Fire For No Witness.

On the jazz front, vibist Brian O’Neill leads Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica through its exotic, global chamber music at the Regattabar on Friday, while veteran pianist Ramsey Lewis entertains the in crowd on both Friday and Saturday at Scullers. World Music/CRASHarts also keeps busy with rejuvenated old-timers as Detroit folksinger Sixto Rodriquez (subject of the documentary “Searching for Sugar Man”) steps up to the Orpheum Theatre on Friday and the legendary French rocker Johnny Hallyday makes his Boston debut at the Berklee Performance Center on Saturday as part of his first bonafide U.S. tour.

Saturday’s a crowded rock field as well with Scottish post-punk pioneers Mogwai finally making it stick at House of Blues, English alt-rock upstarts the 1975 hitting Royale and the ever-intriguing EMA (aka Erika M. Anderson) at Great Scott, behind her stark, somewhat more electronic new album The Future’s Void. Then the Mavericks, led by the golden voice of Miami-born Raul Malo, ride into town on Sunday to twang and charm the Wilbur Theatre with their eclectic, individual brand of country.

Finally, for my Thursday throwback, in anticipation of Television’s return to the Paradise Rock Club on Monday, here’s a vintage clip of Tom Verlaine and the CBGBs-bred boys doing their 1977 classic “Marquee Moon.”


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