WEDNESDAY: Fang Island makes heavy, metal-grazing indie-rock at the Metro Gallery with the Big Sleep and Tremors II. Alt-world big name Augustana plays Rams Head Live. MC and spoken-word artist Ursula Rucker guests at this month’s Boom Bap Society future-hip-hop event/collider at the Windup Space with Wendel Patrick, Max Beats, DJ Dubble 8, Jake Leckie, and Ben Beirs. Terry Malts brings their bounce-along lo-fi to the Golden West Café with Foul Swoops and Tender Thrill. Don’t miss: Folk-punk duo the Andrew Jackson Jihad knows all about your rotten soul at the Ottobar.

THURSDAY: DJs Cliffstarr and Anchor provide the beats for another round of the Welcome to the Court MC battles at Sonar. Baltimore quirk-pop unit Squaaks play the Metro Gallery with Jaabs and Surgeons in Heat. Biggish-name indie band Portugal. The Man plays Rams Head Live. Azerbaijanian composer Rahilia Hasanova showcases her modern classical synthesis of Azerbaijanian sounds and more familiar European musical styles at An die Musik. Colin Hay, whom you might remember from a little band called Men at Work, plays Baltimore Soundstage with Chris Trapper. Foghound, Blackbirds, Old Indian, and Pillager. Oof soundtrack a benefit at the Golden West for the long-in-progess Skatepark of Baltimore. Bassdrop moves outside to the Power Plant Live plaza with guest Laidback Luke. Don’t miss: Quite buzzy singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten performs at the Ottobar with Flock of Dimes, the solo project of Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner.

FRIDAY: Greasy Hands, celebrating an album release tonight, bring their “blend of classic rock, soul and funk” to the Ottobar with Shook; upstairs at the club, DJs James Nasty and Antonio Harper’s Physical Education party returns. Kansan technical-death-metal band Origin plays Sonar’s main room with Cattle Decapitation; Diamond Dustin’s yearly birthday bash takes over the club room with another cast of heavy-music cover bands doing Kiss, Slayer, the Dead Milkmen, and plenty more. Dance-punk big name-of-yore the Electric Six plays the Metro Gallery with Thee The The. Telesma naturally heads up the Visionary Gathering v 4.20 at Rams Head Live with an assortment of visionary things. Jazz pianist Alon Nechushtan performs with his trio at An die Musik. Philly garage-rockers Thee Shut Downs take on thee Sidebar with Thee Lexington Arrows. Jesters of Kindness bring their rock/blues/jam to the 8X10 with Samadhi Sound and the John Mancini Band. Franco De Leon guests at this month’s Four Hours of Funk sweat lodge at the Windup Space with resident DJs Exclaime and Fleg. Singer/songwriter Kina Grannis, something of a web-based/Doritos-based pop phenomenon, performs at Baltimore Soundstage with Imaginary Friend. Ninja Tune producer Shuttle trawls the lower frequencies for a TaxLo party at the Golden West with Phil Real, DJ Safe Sex, and Simon Phoenix. Zach Herchen and his Contour Lines program push the outer limits of post-saxophone saxophone playing for contemporary classical composition purposes at the Red Room at Normal’s Books and Records. Jack Everly conducts the BSO SuperPops and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society tonight and tomorrow. Country trio Edens Edge finds a bit less than heaven at Towson’s Recher Theatre. Don’t miss: Most-excellent Canadian darkwave/goth-punk unit Hand Cream moisturizes the fuck out of Charm City Art Space with Baklavaa.

SATURDAY: Deep Breath: An Intimate Interactive Experience takes over the Talking Head and Sonar’s club room with drum circles, meditation, and suitable music from Bluetech, Random Rab, and more; in the main room, GWAR provides the precise opposite experience with Kylesa, Ghoul, and Legacy of Disorder. The Manhattan Transfer heads up Sheppard Pratt’s 20th annual Care for Kids benefit at Rams Head Live. The Baltimore Composers Forum returns to An die Musik with pieces from 10 area composers done by Trio Giocoso and pianist Ruth Rose. The Unabombers come out of hiding at the Sidebar with the Screws and Disturbing the Peace, all making some or another punk/hardcore variant. Damn Right soundtracks the fourth annual Charm City Fashion Show at the 8X10. A whole bunch of classic-era Baltimore indie-rock takes over the Windup Space, including the Jennifers, Slow Jets, and Snowmen descendent Balkan Falcon. Cool Breezy hosts another bash at the Golden West with various dance musics from Uncle Jesse, Dirty South Joe, and Nadus. Synthpop unit Chairlift plays Washington, D.C.’s Black Cat. Charm City Devils celebrate a record release at the Recher Theatre. Don’t miss: Deep Sleep, the hardcore band of Celebrated Summer’s Tony Pence, does its first and likely only 2012 Baltimore show at Charm City Art Space with Scum Again, the Infected, and Widow’s Watch.

SUNDAY: Aer makes “acoustic reggae with hip-hop influence” at Baltimore Soundstage. Lord Grunge, of Grand Buffet fame, takes the mic at the Golden West with Gavin Riley Smoke Machine, and DJ Secret Weapon Dave. Don’t miss: Ex-local drum/composition force Devin Gray leads a most impressive ensemble, including Ellery Eskelin, Dave Ballou, and Michael Formanek, for a new installment of the Creative Differences series at the Windup Space.

MONDAY: Argonauts, a not-too-shabby underground metal supergroup with folks from Dillinger Escape Plan, Burnt by the Sun, and Municipal Waste, take on the Ottobar with Graven and Radical Discharge. I Set My Friends on Fire is. . . I don’t even know at the Talking Head. Koffin Kats bring their psychobilly freakout to the Sidebar with Buzzchopper.

TUESDAY: Folk-punk songwriter Matt Pless plays the Sidebar with Wise Eyes. The Out of Your Head collective births new music at the Windup Space. DJ Napspace and Landis Expandis’ Dig party makes beats for feets at Joe Squared Station North. Emo singer/songwriter Into It. Over It. plays Charm City Art Space.

WEDNESDAY: Hotel Lights, the North Carolinian indie-rock band sporting Ben Folds Five’s ex-drummer, performs at the Ottobar. Juggalo lesser deity Twiztid performs at Sonar with the Kottonmouth Kings. Rammstein makes 1st Mariner Arena go “Wait, what?” Baltimore bar-rock heavies J Roddy Walston and the Business open up for Lucero at D.C.’s 9:30 Club. Shinedown fronts the Avalanche Tour at Rams Head Live. Jazz piano notable George Colligan duets with vocalist Debbie Deane at An die Musik. Superchrist brings its “storm of shit” to the Sidebar. Oakland producer/DJ the Polish Ambassador performs at Baltimore Soundstage. DJ Woman and Beth Varden helm a ladies’ night party at the Golden West.

IN THE WINGS: The giant songwriting brain of Andrew Bird comes to Rams Head Live May 9. (For more information visit ramsheadlive.com or call [410] 244-1131.) Alt-metal pioneer Fear Factory comes to Sonar May 12. (For more information visit sonarbaltimore.com or call [410] 783-7888.) Southern rap heavy Yo Gotti comes to Baltimore Soundstage May 13. (For more information visit baltimoresoundstage.com or call [410] 244-0057.)

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