Thurs. July 1

When I say "experimental percussion duo" do you think of a coupla guys banging on cans in fron of Fenway Park? Or maybe Mickey Hart and Bill Kruetzmann of the Dead during "Space Jam?" Although maybe even more ethereal in space. That might describe  Brooklyn duo Loop 2.4.3., Thomas Kozumplik and Lorne Watson, playing the Lily Pad on Thursday July 1st. What have they up there?  Drums, cymbals, marimba, acoustic/electric steel drum, Chinese opera gongs, prayer bowls, crotales, sleigh bells, and temple blocks. Their new album, "Zodiac Dust", introduces two new instruments, the eLog and Rose Echo, and utilizes cello, violin, piano and voice, along with their standard percussion arsenal to create what Audiophile Audition describes as the "fusing of mainstream perceptiveness and a post-modern philosophy" that "makes 'Zodiac Dust' something that can be listened to over and over."

Wed. June 30

Jazz-rock fusion has a negative connotation in a lot of people's minds because they invariably think each genre is compromised, not enhanced. They have a point. The Boston quintet Esthema makes a very good counter-argument. (It's not exactly jazz-rock fusion, either.) After listening to their second disc, "The Hereness and Nowness of Things," I'd agree with Gerald Van Waes of Phyyche Music, who says, the band creates "a new new form of chamber folk (rock) music with a total world music fundament." Violinist Onur Dilisen was raised in Turkey and graduated from the Boston Conservatory; oud and bouzouki player Tery Lemanis is a Berklee grad; drummer Bruno Esrubilsky hails from Rio and is currently at Berklee; bassist Ignacio Long was born in Argentina and is another Berklee grad; guitarist Andy Milas has been performing traditional and contemporary Greek music for two decades and has written and arranged for various prog-rock, metal, jazz and new age projects. So, you might expect this seamless blend of Eastern and Western music, a sinuous, flowing work that snakes its way through the brain and hits a variety of pleasure receptors. They're playing at Ryles in Inman Square Wednesday June 30 at 9. Tix: $10.

212 Hampshire St., Cambridge, 617-876-9330  www.esthema.com

Tues. June 29 

Remember when Paul Shaffer's CBS Orchestra was named the Most Dangerous Band in the World, or, in my book, The Most Misnamed Band Name in the World? In all truth, probably GG Allin and whoever had the guts (or stupidity) to play with him would be the most dangerous band in the world. We won't get into the scatological GG here, but Google him if you want to see a more extreme Marilyn Manson, way before MM's time. We expect Boston's Dangerous Brothers took their name because, well, perhaps that they're mixing groove rock and electric bluegrass, not what you'd think would by the most syncronous of genres. But it features Christian McNeill, Jimmy Ryan, Billy Beard and Mike Miksis. Orchestra Morhpine's McNeill brings the groove rock to the party and Ryan (Blood Oranges, thousands of other bands) brings the electric bluegrass. They're at the Lizard Lounge every Tuesday in June. The final date is this Tuesday June 29. (The Lizard is booked by Beard. So he booked his own band. He's done that before. He has very good bands.) Special guests open each show. with  Dietrich Strause June 8. Others: TBA.

Shows start at 9. Tickets: $5 advance/$7 day-of.

1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge 617-549-0759 www.lizardloungeclub.com or www.brownpapertickets.com/event/114854

Sat. June 26

Chris Cote, singer for Rockbottom, throws these notions at you. "Do you like your rock with wigs? Do you long for a time when fancy men placed their high heeled boots on the monitor? Do you remember laughter? Then you will willingly submit as Rockbottom pummels you with a set of classic rock covers at Johnny D’s Saturday June 26. What is the occasion? Why it’s five days after the solstice, when the unicorns dance fleetingly in the meadow. But you knew that." Cote - who also plays in the bewigged Upper Crust and the non-bewigged Giant Kings - is liberally taking lyrics from some classic - some would venture overwrought lyrics - of '70s rock bands. The kind of flowery symbolism that got blown out of the water when punk kicked in the door. But time has a way of turning things upside down and making what was uncool cool again or finding irony in yesterday's profundities or, hey, just plain old rocking out in the way the mainstream did it 35 years ago.

Sat. June 26

 Suicide. It's a lot of things, including the moniker taken by one of my favorite avant-rock bands, a duo consisting of Alan Vega and Martin Rev. I asked Vega about the name choice once and he said it was anything but negative - by raising the spectre of suicide and choosing to carry on day after day you're making a positive choice. But suicide has touched us all. In March, there was Randy Kwasniewski, the CEO of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casion in Las Vegas. Shot himself in the head. In February, there was internationally known fashion designer Alexander McQueen. COD, undetermined. Same mont, there was Marie Osmond's son, Michael Blosil, who jumped.There was the brilliant writer David Foster Wallace who hanged himself, at 46. And his name goes up on the grim wall with Hemingway, Plath and Hunter S. Thompson. In my rock world, the biggest loss was Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, the subject of last year's biopic "Control." Curtis, not yet 23, took his life in 1980. Joy Division's music - sad, gorgeous, gnashing - has stood the test of time. The Killers are the latest band to cover Joy Division. A lot of the latest new wave bands, like Interpol, owe a debt. Bono was proud to call Curtis a friend and called him the best front man in rock 'n' roll. U2 wrote "A Day Without Me" about him.