GIANT SQUID Leave it to a band that's resided in forward-thinking havens like Sacramento and Austin to come up with "progressive, doomy, aquatic metal" and actually make it sound good. Favoring cello, trumpet and ethereal female vocals alongside metal's traditional chugging guitar and demon roars, Giant Squid's often marine-themed compositions have won the band enthusiastic critical acclaim and fans both in and outside the metal community worldwide. $6. Evening Muse.

KENNY ROBY The Triangle veteran is shopping around his new one, tentatively titled The Fault, and shouldn't have trouble finding a taker even in this shitty music-seller's market - it's a stunner. Not so much a transformation as an impressive recalibration, Roby subdues the twang that's trailed him around since his 6 String Drag days in the late-'90s, and cloaks his songs in judicious orchestral strings, horns, flutes and the like. But the music loses not an iota of its rough-hewn, minor-key charm - if anything, these Southern Gothic vignettes stand out even more by reaching higher. He's playing solo this night, but you'll hear - the man can pen a great song. With Leadville Social Club. $8. Double Door Inn.

TREASURE FEST With 64 bands spread across eight venues in two days, Treasure Fest's $25 weekend pass is a wicked good deal. And because we music writers love making lists, here are five standout acts among the huge spread of wicked, fringe-leaning music to hit town this weekend. The Emotron, a Milestone favorite, is a one-man spectacle of gross-out catharsis from McDonough, Ga. On the hardcore front, Asheville's Just Die! bring the basement with them, blasting through shout-along moshers in quick sets. Durham rambunctious politico-rockers Red Collar play Treasure Fest with a new record hot off the presses, and Museum Mouth does that thing pop-punk is supposed to do - the Southport band bases rollicking, short-form anthems squarely in teen-esque, small-town boredom. It wouldn't be a proper lineup without Charlotte mainstay Andy the Doorbum's shuffling troubadour punk. And the award for both best band name and best song name go to Wymyms Prysyn, reckless Atlanta garage punks with a track called "I Love Myself and Want to Live Forever." Wait, that's six. Oh, well. $25 weekend pass. Plaza Midwood.

MONOPHONICS The reason '70s urban crime movies like Across 110th Street stick to the synapses is because genuine gravitas and street grit underlie the surface chintz of flares and awesome 'fros. Similarly, while San Francisco's Monophonics bring dynamic arrangements and precision chops to their retrofitted soul, the shiny new sleekness reinforces the raw power of their material instead of undercutting it. Unlike the Staxx/Volt stylings of Daptone bands, the Monophonics veer toward the fuzz and rumble of late-'60s/early-'70s psych soul, dipping in the baptismal font of Reverends Sly Stone and George Clinton. It would all fall apart if these cats didn't funk like a mother and tear the roof off this sucker. But make no mistake. This update is the real deal and not a Grande Royale with cheese. $10. Double Door Inn.

TED NUGENT Ted Nugent made a name for himself rocking power ballads about bagging chicks with such nuanced lyrics as "she's so sweet when she yanks on my meat," but he's better known now as a court jester for the 24-hour news networks. In recent years, he's done everything from implying that he'd like to kill the president to condoning the use of violent force against peaceful protesters. It's been so long since he had a hit, we can't really remember if his music is any good, but we're pretty sure his ridiculous persona, raging ego and inability to think before speaking will make for good entertainment. Opening for Styx and REO Speedwagon. $20-$90. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre.

OFF THE RECORD Natalie Royal returns to Charlotte with a new album, Savor, in tow. The singer-songwriter has matured by miles in recent years, and a music education at Belmont University is serving her folk-driven songwriting well, giving her even more substance within the sweet tone of her vocals. Off the Record, hosted by yours truly, will dive into the stories behind the new songs. With Side By Side. $8 advance. The Evening Muse.

NELLIE MCKAY Since she took a stab at stand-up before following her idiosyncratic muse, Nellie McKay might appreciate this joke: Q: "How may feminists does it take to screw in a light bulb?" A: "That's not funny!" McKay is a devoted feminist, as well as a committed environmentalist and animal rights activist, but she sees the world through a sarcastic, slyly acidic lens. Stylistically, she's all over the map of our obligatory global village. Contemporary pop jostles with torch songs, Brill building throwbacks and Doris Day covers, while her sophisticated jazz-pop vocals serve as stealth bomber for wicked parody and dark satire. Harkening back to an old fashioned all-around entertainer, McKay also beams us cabaret from the future. With Madeline Peyroux. $34.50-$39.50. McGlohon Theatre.

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS Frontman Alex Ebert leads a free floating band of troubadours who reveal a love for '60s folk and psychedelia-touched, happily acoustic and patchouli-scented sounds that converge somewhere in the Summer of Love while taking a Magical Mystery Tour via the eclectic sing-alongs of the Flaming Lips. The songs bloom into jams that, well, damn if they don't get inside your head and linger. Ebert and the multi-hued ensemble, numbering as many as 10 members, infuse enough funkiness and indie sentiments to float the incense swirls into the digital age. With Fool's Gold. $33. The Fillmore.

FOOL'S GOLD This L.A.-by-way-of-Israel outfit led by guitar wiz (and Beach House producer) Lewis Pesacov and singer/lyricist Luke Top began life as one of those mega-member open-ended collectives with its eponymous '09 debut. The band has since trimmed down to a quintet, and the increased focus resulted in one of last year's best summer listens, Leave No Trace. Blending Afro-beats, island vibes and the occasional new wave synth (and unlike the Hebrew of the debut, lyrics in English - except for the best track, "Tel Aviv"), Fool's Gold trods similar territory to Vampire Weekend's exotica and the pulsing dance beats of El Guincho - only Fool's Gold remembers that hooks matter. Opening for hipster hippies Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. $33 The Fillmore.

MADELEINE PEYROUX Vocalist Madeleine Peyroux brings her Billie Holiday-esque style to the McGlohon Theatre while touring in support of 2011's Standing on the Rooftop. Her vocals, often set against sparse backdrops, are the centerpiece of her recordings. She hesitates to break out of her comfort zone in favor of keeping to traditional jazz avenues on reimagined blues and jazz covers, though Rooftop finds her taking in hints of folk and roots music. With Nellie McKay opening. $34.50-$39.50. A $1 fee will be added to every ticket purchased as a donation to the United Family Services Shelter for Battered Women. McGlohon Theatre.