Kingsley Flood finds the sweet spot between the Clash and the Beatles on To the Fire, the first of three EPs that the band plans to drop in 2015 and a convincing follow-up to 2013’s winning Battles. The Boston-bred sextet fronted by DC songsmith Naseem Khuri cranks the energy even higher onstage, a reputation that won’t change with new fiddler Eva Walsh. Yet when Kingsley Flood fires up the Sinclair on Friday, they’re also likely to switch it up with Khuri on piano for rootsy new ballad “Cavalry.” In terms of another Boston-groomed talent, soul singer Ingrid Gerdes holds court at Johnny D’s Uptown the same night, while the Indiana-bred instrumental jamtronica outfit Lotus blooms at House of Blues. And jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove leads his quintet at Scullers both Friday and Saturday.

Like Kingsley Flood, Dr. Dog has earned its stripes onstage, so the veteran Philly group’s new album Live at a Flamingo Hotel seems overdue as a live document of Dr. Dog’s adventurous rock/pop churn, on full display Saturday at House of Blues. Cape-bred “American Idol” alumnus Siobhan Magnus, who toured as a guest vocalist with classic rockers Boston last year, brings her band at Johnny D’s the same night. And platinum-coifed punk survivor Billy Idol hits the Orpheum Theatre on Saturday to animate ’80s hits like “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell” as well as material from Kings & Queens of the Underground, his first studio album in a decade – with guitar foil Steve Stevens still aboard.

Finally, for a Thursday Throwback, if you missed Israeli folk-pop singer Asaf Avidan’s astonishing local debut last year, here’s a close document of what you missed. Good reason not to miss him next Thursday at the Paradise Rock Club (this time with a band) behind his intriguing new album Gold Shadow.