Brett Dennen, Pontiak, Roomrunner, and more

By Al Shipley

Feb 26, 2014 3:00 AM

WEDNESDAY: John Rose and Ron Sexton

play jazz at Joe Squared. California folk singer

Brett Dennen

headlines the 9:30 Club in Washington.

THURSDAY:

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Virginia band of brothers

Pontiak

, previously based in Baltimore, plays the Ottobar in support of its latest Thrill Jockey album,

INNOCENCE

, with

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Dead Monks

Et Al

, and Short List friends

Soft Peaks

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. Local alt-rock quartet the

Old Line State

plays the Sidebar with

Stars and the Sea

and

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Decades

. Washington, D.C. instrumental prog-metal band

Animals as Leaders

headline Rams Head Live with

After the Burial

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and

Navene K

FRIDAY:

Baltimore's

Roomrunner

plays at Stem Graphics in Harford County.

Food Will Win the War

provides an evening of accordion, violin, and glockenspiel at Dangerously Delicious Pies in Canton. Club Orpheus presents sexy goth-gazers

Natural Velvet

and punishing digi-noise master

Jeff Carey

. Chicago's the

Damn Choir

and

Nate Van Allen

play Club K with local support from

ilyAIMY

and Short List pals

Minimus the Poet

Orchester Prazevica

and

Black Masala

throw a gypsy dance party at Metro Gallery. Indiana alt-country quintet

Murder by Death

plays the Ottobar with

Samantha Crain

Cassandra Syndrome

plays symphonic goth metal at the Sidebar. Los Angeles rapper/producer

Hopsin

headlines the Baltimore Soundstage (instead of the 8x10, where his Baltimore tour stop was originally announced). The Creative Alliance at the Patterson hosts a night of guy-gal harmonies with the

Honey Dewdrops

and

Letitia Van Sant and the Bonafides

. Virginia band

Harlen Simple

plays rock, funk, blues, and soul at Rams Head Live.

Don't miss:

American Idol

alumnus

Fantasia

belts out songs from her fantastic 2013 album,

Side Effects of You

, at the Meyerhoff.

SATURDAY:

Fuwa Hina Maid Café, a Japanese pop culture-themed event at Club K, features special performances from

Orchester Prazevica

and

Warm and Comfy

. Singer-songwriter

Ernie Halter

, also known as the "Cuboslavian," performs at Eutaw Place. Jazz singer

Teri Roiger

pays tribute to Abbey Lincoln at An die Musik. The second annual Nolafunk Mardi Gras Ball Tour with

Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers

comes to Baltimore Soundstage. Rising star

ZZ Ward

headlines Rams Head Live. Pittsburgh grindcore band

Dendritic Arbor

plays the Sidebar with

Tombs

and

Ravn

Brad Kolodner

leads a beginner banjo workshop at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson. MAGFest presents Game Over Baltimore at Metro Gallery, with performances by

Rare Candy

X-Hunters

, and

Triforce Quartet

, plus arcade games.

SUNDAY:

The

Chieftains

, still spreading traditional Irish music around the world after more than 50 years, headline the Lyric Opera House. NBC a cappella reality competition

The Sing-Off

brings its live tour to Baltimore Soundstage, with Season 4 winners

Home Free

along with the

Filharmonic

and

VoicePlay

. Disbanded local emo band

Teen Suicide

plays a reunion show at the Ottobar with

Sorority Noise

and

Special Explosion

Mobile Deathcamp

, featuring Gwar's erstwhile Todd Evans out of his "Beefcake the Mighty" costume, performs at the House of Rock in White Marsh.

Don't miss:

The Crown hosts an eclectic night including New York nu-metal priestesses

Dark Sister

and Baltimore Club/rap rebel

TT the Artist

MONDAY:

Retro-soul cornball

Mayer Hawthorne

headlines the 9:30 Club.

TUESDAY:

Evolution Contemporary Music Series at An die Musik explores music and politics with a performances of works by

Ted Hearne

and

David T. Little

and a pre-concert conversation.

Rufus Roundtree and Da B'more Brass Factory

get horn-y at Club 347. Extreme R&B band the

Idle Gossip

plays the Sidebar with

Against the Grain

and, yeesh, a band called

Copstabber

. The

Out of Your Head

collective throws a big party to celebrate the five-year anniversary of its residency at the Windup Space.

Don't miss:

Juicy J

, the Southern rap veteran who recently scored an unlikely No. 1 pop hit with Katy Perry, headlines Rams Head Live on his "Never Sober" tour, with

Travis Scott

and

Project Pat

WEDNESDAY:

Canadian experimental group

Doomsquad

stops at Club K on its current tour. The

Randy Rogers Band

plays country music, Texas-style, at Rams Head Live.

Don't miss:

Baltimore punk quartet

Ravagers

play songs from their recent debut EP,

Livin in Oblivion

, at Metro Gallery with

Dirty Fences

IN THE WINGS:

The infamous

Mobb Deep

will celebrate a new album and 20 years as a group at Baltimore Soundstage on March 30. (For more information, visit baltimoresoundstage.com or call [410] 244-0057.) Acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriter

Nora Jane Struthers

performs at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick on April 3. (For more information, visit weinbergcenter.org or call [301] 600-2828.) The Sweetlife Food and Music Festival returns to Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 10 with the incongruous lineup of

Foster the People

Lana Del Rey

, and

2 Chainz