Music Menu 

These Arms Are Snakes - If you took the cloying melodicism out of emo, and replaced it with the tight militaristic rhythms of Helmet, you'd have These Snakes Are Arms. The angular guitar builds and folds in on itself like a math rock act, and at its best moments there is a creepy, haunted vibe when things slow down. Singer Steve Snere's vocals are from the shouted hardcore school, but he doesn't overdo it, and it fits within the music's dark, foreboding tone. Tremont Music Hall (Parker)

THURSDAY 5.5

Copeland /Anberlin/Paramore/The Verdict - It's something of a mixed bag, which is appropriate for punk these days. Copeland is an oft-overlooked gem who's pulsing, anthemic, indie rock positively sizzles live. Anberlin's positivistic pop-punk is a bit cloying and overproduced, while the female-led modern rocker Paramore have been described as "Avril Lavigne meets Evanesence." The Verdicts are rumbling punk-psychobilly rockers with a lot of energy and a tight sound on their debut. Tremont Music Hall (Parker)

Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-Fonics - An ass-kicker of a roots bill headed by the good-humored, double-necked guitar maestro and his More Million Seller Ecco band. With a new one right around the corner : Melody drops Tuesday - Deke and Co. should be raring at the bit, and they'll get an added goose from Dave Childers and the Modern Don Juans (whose new one, Jailhouse Religion, is available at shows) and the Mayor of Killville and his posse, Angry Johnny and the Killbillies. A bill like this is probably what the Supreme Being had in mind when it invented rock & roll. Milestone (Schacht)

Edwin McCain - If there's a sadder epitaph than "Hootie got me my break," I've yet to hear it. McCain owes his livelihood to Hootie (who helped him secure a deal with Atlantic), and his success to the kind of banal but eminently hummable folk-pop produced at the time of The Blowfish's sky-darkening ascendance (Counting Crows, Sister Hazel, Shawn Mullins). Not bad enough to make you kill yourself, not interesting enough to stave off boredom for long. Amos' Southend (Parker)

FRIDAY 5.6

Hot Young Priest - This Atlanta trio is making waves based largely on their memorable live shows and a 5-song EP : Burning Hot and Free : that does a good job of capturing their raw sound. See our story in this issue. With The Talk and Fashion Brigade. The Room (Schacht)

H.R. - H.R., aka Human Rights and former frontman for the legendary Bad Brains, and ska legend Eric Monty Morris are the two headliners for the Global Rock Showcase, more affectionately known as "Punky Reggae Ska Dub Party" tour. Regional punk, ska and reggae acts will serve as openers in their respective cities. When the Bad Brains played this same stage, albeit many years ago, it was one of the most ferocious shows witnessed by this scribe. H.R., although, prefers more roots reggae and dub vibes. Also on the bill are Single Handed. Milestone (Shukla)

MG4 - Singer/guitarist Mike Garrigan found himself at a crossroads : on one hand college on the other hand a record deal from a major, after a set of solo garage demos found the right hands. His band, Collapsis, floundered under major label pressures, and folded. Garrigan put out a couple solo discs, found himself lending guitar to old chums, folkish, modern rockers (and also major label exiles) Athenaeum. When they decided to take a hiatus, Garrigan decided to keep his mates busy backing him through a similar folk/modern rock blend. With Joey Auch. Amos' Southend (Parker)

Smash the States CD Release - Charlotte's My So-Called Band have put together yet another killer punk rock compilation called Smash the States and tonight is the official release shindig. The compilation is subtitled "Redefining Punk Rock from the South," indeed, and with 35 tracks no less. Along with the aforementioned compilers, Hairball, Hungry Ghost, The Semantics, My Mind's Mind and Forgotten Youth round out the adrenaline-laden noisefest. Tremont Music Hall (Shukla)

SATURDAY 5.7

Chris Stamey - Stamey is an indie producer extraordinaire, alterna music catalyst, and an all-around great musician. Flip the pages of this issue for our story on this North Carolina music legend. The Films and Red Perspective open the early show. The Evening Muse (Shukla)

Delta Moon - The Atlanta outfit had a shuffle in band members recently as longtime vocalist Gina Leigh has apparently left and been replaced by Kristin Markiton. The replacement shouldn't change Delta Moon's affecting blues and roots groove that's built around Delta blues but with a more contemporary kick. Their Goin' Down South is one of the strongest regional releases from this past year. Double Door Inn (Shukla)

Dove/Horse Thief/Control/Facedowninshit - Did someone say volume? Dove (ex-FLOOR) from Florida brings you their brand of heavy rock to revive and unite the masses./Splicing the very molecules in the air with their signature use of SUNN amps, Horse Thief, like a nasty blizzard, blows you away./Control (ex-AltDel) has successfully assembled a zombie-making apparatus by building an enormous wall of sound, amplifiers literally lining the stage right to left and top to bottom; sheer madness./Facedowninshit (Relapse Records) will bring their Southern fried mix of metal & 90s hardcore. Milestone (Lydia Marlon)

WEDNESDAY 5.11

Starflyer 59/The Pale - For years Jason Martin, the artist behind Starflyer 59, has been working with the somnambulant drone, dragging rhythms and plush atmospherics that characterize the British shoegazer movement. His languid melodies, churning riffs and expansive sonic vocabulary wander from dream and chamber pop territory into slinky dark pop at times. (Which fits, given how his dark, romantic baritone croon has an echo of Sisters of Mercy's Andrew Eldritch.) The Pale play pretty, nearly twee pop, that twinkles in the twilight. Neighborhood Theatre (Parker)