The Short List: May 21-28

WEDNESDAY:

Maryland Deathfest week kicks off with a pre-festival party at the Ottobar that includes a screening of the

Welcome to Deathfest

documentary and sets by

Immolation

and

Misery Index

. Kentucky's

Sleeper Agent

headlines HFS' Cheap Date show at Rams Head Live.

Don't miss:

Critically acclaimed New Jersey punk band

Titus Andronicus

plays an intimate show at the Charm City Art Space with

Baked

and

Pure Junk

.

THURSDAY:

The Windup Space hosts a radical audio-visual experience called WTF-IS-THAT? with performances by

Radasfuxxx

,

TSK

,

Thunder Stache

, and more. Maryland Deathfest 2014 officially begins with

Coffins

and

Crowbar

at Rams Head Live, and

Dopecopper

and

Bastard Sapling

at the Sidebar. British indie-rock quintet

Morning Parade

headlines the Ottobar with

Brick and Mortar

. If you still have a thirst for metal that Deathfest cannot quench,

Horrendous

and

Locusta

are at Metro Gallery for an early-afternoon matinee show; Scotland's

Paws

play another show at Metro Gallery later in the evening. Philly punk band

Count to Four

plays the Charm City Art Space in support of its debut album,

Between Two Cities

, with

Highest Honor

and

Something More

opening. Ohio "jamtronica" band

Broccoli Samurai

plays the 8x10 with

Mister F

.

Don't miss:

Baltimore Soundstage hosts the third annual Spring Jam Music Festival, headlined by rising Baltimore hip-hop artists

StarrZ

and

J. Oliver

.

FRIDAY:

Highlights of Maryland Deathfest tonight include

Aeternus

and

Enthroned

at Rams Head Live,

Antisect

and

Capitalist Casualties

at Baltimore Soundstage,

Nightbitch

and

Tombstalker

at the Sidebar, and

Agalloch

and

Cancer

in the Edison parking lots on High Street. Local shoegazer quartet

Thrushes

play Metro Gallery with

Monster Museum

,

Channels

, and

28 degrees taurus

. SideOneDummy Records punk band

Title Fight

plays the Charm City Art Space with

Mindset

,

Nuclear Age

, and

Mindglow

. Baltimore-based writer (and

CP

contributor)

Rafael Alvarez

gives a reading from his latest fiction collection,

Tales from the Holy Land

, accompanied by gypsy-jazz guitarist

Michael Joseph Harris

at the Cabaret at Germano's. Local folk duo

Super City

plays the Ottobar with

Slow Lights

and

Lush Life

.

Don't miss:

The Gold Bar is reportedly closing at the end of May, so tonight may be one of your last chances to catch a show at the venue, with Philadelphia's

Ex Friends

and locals

Second Best Westerns

.

SATURDAY:

Maryland Deathfest continues with

Axphyx

and

Bölzer

at Rams Head Live,

Archagathus

and

Birdflesh

at Baltimore Soundstage,

Dark Angel

and

Unleashed

in the Edison parking lots, and the

Pilgrim

and

Ashencult

at the Sidebar.

Véronneau

plays world jazz at the Cabaret at Germano's. Southpaw Records holds a fifth-anniversary party at the Ottobar with the

Reigning Sound

, the

Hussy

,

Advlts

, and more. Local band

Driven to Clarity

draws on funk, rock, and pop at Joe Squared.

Don't miss:

The Windup Space hosts the ninth annual David Lynchfest, celebrating the offbeat auteur with burlesque, costumes, trivia, and art; the

Badalamenti Project

plays the music of longtime Lynch collaborator Angelo Badalamenti.

SUNDAY:

Maryland Deathfest 2014 winds down with

Immolation

and

Mutilation Rites

at Rams Head Live,

Enabler

and

Left for Dead

at Baltimore Soundstage,

My Dying Bride

and

Candlemass

in the Edison parking lots, and

Pneumatic Slaughter

and

Visceral Disgorge

at the Sidebar.

MONDAY:

98 Rock host the local-band showcase Noise in the Basement at the Ottobar. Minneapolis punks

Banner Pilot

plays Metro Gallery with local feminist-hardcore band

War on Women

.

TUESDAY:

Pick It Up Booking presents a bill at the Sidebar with former Dance Gavin Dance frontman

Kurt Travis

and

So Much Light

. British punk band the

Adicts

, still together after nearly 40 years, play the Ottobar with

Lisa Doll and the Rock N' Roll Romance

. Chicago screamo band

Itto

plays Charm City Art Space.

WEDNESDAY:

North Carolina alt-rockers

BIG Something

continues its weekly residency at the 8x10.

John and Ron

perform at Joe Squared.

IN THE WINGS:

Two great Baltimore bands,

Dope Body

and

Horse Lords

, will tear up Metro Gallery on June 26. (For more information, visit themetrogallery.net or call [410] 244-0899.)

Queen

is hitting the road once again sans the irreplaceable Freddie Mercury-this time with

American Idol

's Adam Lambert doing his best to fill Freddie's shoes, and the tour will come to Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 20. (For more information, visit merriweathermusic.com or call [410] 715-5550.) The

Black Keys

will lower the bar for arena rock when they headline the Baltimore Arena on Dec. 4, with the far better

St. Vincent

opening. (For more information, visit baltimorearena.com or call [410] 347-2020.)