Wednesday, Sept. 25

Peter Hook & the Light

This performance by the original Joy Division and New Order bassist will serve two functions. First will be a history lesson. Hook and his band will perform Movement and Power, Corruption & Lies, the two albums that New Order recorded in the wake of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis’ suicide. Movement is the sound of the band still anchored to Joy Division’s darker post-punk sound, while Power, Corruption & Lies is the sound of that band finding its footing, with a little help from Italo Disco, and turning into a full-fledged dance-pop band. Which brings us to the second function of this performance: dancing. Lots and lots of dancing. With ADULT., Slaves of Venus. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 9 p.m. $25 adv./free with Decibel pass. MARK BAUMGARTEN

Phosphorescent The songs that Matthew Houck writes as the primary member of Phosphorescent come from his broken, battered heart. From there they go to his brain, where words are formed, first heated by the Alabama native’s Southern-rock heritage, then cooled by the indie-rock awareness granted by his current Brooklyn home, and finally baited with a casual knowledge of pop culture. This lyrical processing can be heard in “Song for Zula,” his biggest hit yet from the recent full-length Muchacho. “Some say love is a burning thing, that it makes a fiery ring,” he sings, teasing Johnny Cash over a pulsing electronic thrum. “Oh but I know love as a fading thing, just as fickle as a feather in a stream.” From the brain, his songs travel back to his lungs and then over his vocal cords, where they are imbued with a Southern twang; past the nasal cavity where a touch of pathos is applied; and then into your ear. From there they go to your brain and then straight to your heart, which they will subsequently break. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St. 682-1414, stgpresents.org. 8 p.m. $16 adv. MB

Billy Cobham He may be 69, but he still plays drums like a young man, and he’s arguably one of the greatest the instrument has ever seen, having played with Miles Davis, James Brown, and scores of others. You won’t be disappointed. The Triple Door, 216 Union St., 838-4333, thetripledoor.net. 7 & 9:30 p.m. $25 adv./$30 DOS/$35 front row. DAVE LAKE

Thursday, Sept. 26

Hauschka doesn’t like playing regular piano. Being German and fond of all things motorik, he puts all sorts of weird junk in his piano to make his music more interesting: ping-pong balls, washers, screws, rubber bands, pretty much anything. Having dutifully prepared his piano with all sorts of odds and ends, he plays brilliant, whimsical tunes that plink and buzz under the effect of all the doodads he’s tossed in. The result ranges from the wistful, soothing songs on Ferndorf to the “acoustic electronica” of Salon des Amateurs. At Decibel, Hauschka will be displaying his mad piano genius in a special project called “OPTICAL 1: KOLLABORATIONS” that will pair him with a visual artist. Hauschka’s music videos have always been incredible because his music is so evocative—adding a visual-art element to his live performance will likely result in all sorts of magic as well. With Oliveray. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 215-4747, dbfestival.com. 5:30 p.m. $35 adv/free with Decibel pass. All ages. KELTON SEARS

Inspired by the likes of Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and Nick Drake, English singer/songwriter Jake Bugg makes the kind of music that makes you want to feel. While the structures are simple, Bugg finds strength in his bouncy presentation, spunky storytelling, and that charmingly floppy mop. His twangy, boy-next-door vocals are pretty swell too. With honeyhoney. The Neptune. 8 p.m. SOLD OUT. KEEGAN PROSSER

You don’t get mentioned by name in a Daft Punk track, as Chicago-based DJ Green Velvet is, in “Teachers,” without having seriously schooled those Frenchies. The artist, also known as Cajmere, never achieved the height of fame of his “students,” but there’s a sense that his playful house music (like “Answering Machine” and “Preacher Man”) inspired the quirky voices the duo often wields, not to mention their use of sampling. Q Nightclub, 1426 Broadway, 432-9306. Doors at 2 a.m. $25/free with Decibel pass. 18 and over. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

Friday, Sept. 27

Ghostly International Showcase Born of Detroit techno and raised into international consciousness by the success of innovator Matthew Dear, the Ghostly International label has in its 15 years become a driving force in contemporary electronic music, and, as tonight’s headliner proves, is beginning to reap what it has sown. Headliner Shigeto grew up a fan of the label, which helped shape his complex sound, which incorporates dubstep, jazz, and ambient sounds. Seattle’s own Lusine will represent with his ambient, serpentine pop. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-4618, thecrocodile.com. 9 p.m. $17 adv. /free with Decibel pass. MB

Capitalizing on the success of their previous collaboration, blues/gospel legend Mavis Staples has re-teamed with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy on a new record, One True Vine. At 74, Staples doesn’t have much left to prove, yet she’s still retained that iconic voice, and, even more impressive, the will to push the boundaries of her craft. The Moore, 1932 Second Ave., 682-1414, stg
presents.org/moore. 8 p.m. $37.50. CORBIN REIFF

Released in May, Nocturnes, the sophomore release by English singer/DJ Victoria Hesketh, aka Little Boots, follows the same atmospheric synth-pop path she went down on her 2009 debut album. There’s a darker vibe to this batch of songs, though, and each one still manages to make you want to shimmy like there’s no tomorrow. With Light Asylum, Young Galaxy, MNDR. Neumos. 9 p.m. $25 adv. /free with Decibel pass. 21 and over. AZARIA PODPLESKY

Nicolas Jaar

Space Is Only Noise, Jaar’s 2011 debut, is a good summation of his modern, minimalist approach to house and techno; the most interesting moments occur, he says in a 2009 Resident Advisor interview, “between the beats.” At just 23, Jaar conveys more personality and emotion through his productions than most veteran electronic musicians. With Mount Kimbie, Phaeleh, Tarik Barri. Showbox SoDo, 1700 First Ave. S., 652-0444, showboxonline.com. 
9 p.m. $35 adv. /free with Decibel pass. 
All ages. ANDREW GOSPE

XXYYXX Teenage producer Marcel Everett hails from Orlando—not exactly a bastion of cool electronic music, but his slow-mo, R&B-sampling beats bear the hallmarks of cutting-edge UK garage, dubstep, and instrumental hip-hop. His star is rising, too, judging by his recent opening slot for of-the-moment electro-pop band Chvrches on their U.S. tour. With Machinedrum, Giraffage, Timeboy. Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151, showboxonline.com. 9 p.m. $30 adv. /free with Decibel pass. All ages. AG

When the Evens started a decade back, it was with a one-off kiddie song called “Vowel Movement.” It was charming and all, but the collaboration between Washington, D.C., punk demigod Ian MacKaye and journeywoman drummer Amy Farina was bound for something much more serious and intensely powerful. The duo appears to have reached that zenith with its third, perfectly titled full-length, The Odds. A diverse collection of songs considering it’s all done with guitar and drums, the album is the work of two deeply talented artists expert at creating art as tense as it is poetic as it is political. “What if every single person was a deputy?” MacKaye sings over his trademark machine-steady guitar strum on the excellent “Wanted Criminals,” a song that ends with the duo chanting, in harmony, “Jails in search of prisoners.” MacKaye is in fine form and Farina is right beside him, nearly dominating the album with instrumental and vocal performances that are deep and resonant. But in the end, it is a perfect balance. Even, you could say. Vera Project, 305 Warren Ave. N., 956-8372, theveraproject.org. 8 p.m. $8 adv./$10 DOS. All ages. MB

Saturday, Sept. 28

Kid Simpl’s music is huge in a quiet way. Like the landscapes of Iceland or an ancient forest at dawn, the Seattle producer’s atmospheric, bass-driven tunes evoke a sort of hushed reverence. Watch the swirling video for “Pulse” and try not to succumb to the majesty. With Cyril Hahn, Ryan Hemsworth, Henry Krinkle, DJAO, Domokos. Crocodile. 9 p.m. $20 adv/free with Decibel pass. All ages. KS

Slow Magic is some guy in a mysterious Technicolor fox mask who makes kaleidoscopic electronica fit for dancing underneath the moon. No, seriously—two of his songs are about moons in different waning stages. The music is called “glo-fi,” which isn’t really far off. If fireflies could DJ, they would make this kind of music. With Gold Panda, Odesza, Luke Abbott. Neumos. 9 p.m. $20 adv./free with Decibel pass. 
21 and over. KS

The Orb No question “Little Fluffy Clouds” is this British ambient house group’s biggest hit, and it stands for all that’s great about electronic music: intuitive beats, trancey synths, and great samples seemingly plucked out of the sky—in this case, it’s Rickie Lee Jones discussing the Arizona sunsets when she was a child. Showbox at the Market. 12:15 a.m. $30/free with Decibel pass. GE

Joan of Arc is a band that’s never let melody or other supposed prerequisites for listenable music get in the way of a cool concept. For its latest exercise in this, this year’s Testimonium Songs, the band has produced an “interpretation” of a poet’s collage of courtroom testimony in workplace-negligence trials. Confused? That’s probably the point. With Arrington de Dionyso’s Song of Psychic Fire. Barboza, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, thebarboza.com. 7 p.m. $12 adv. 
21 and over. DAN PERSON

Sunday, Sept. 29

Jarboe It makes sense that when Michael Gira reunited his post-punk group Swans a few years back, Jarboe wasn’t on board. The band’s former keyboardist and female vocalist has since the band’s dissolution in 1997 blazed her own path as a experimental vocalist, achieving new ways of bringing in her audience with her intoxicating voice and then shredding them. The plight of the siren is a lonely one. With Helen Money, Eye of Nix. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 324-8005, chopsuey.com. 8 p.m. $12 adv. MB

Is it just me or is Kansas City’s Tech N9ne always on tour? Seems like the quick-lipped rapper comes through town every other month, which makes it all the more impressive that his July release Something Else (his 13th studio album) features cameos from hip-hop heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar and Wiz Khalifa. With Krizz Kaliko, Mayday, Stevie Stone, Ces Cru. Paramount, 911 Pine St., 682-1414. stgpresents.org/paramount. 7 p.m. $35. All ages. AP

Electronic DJ ZEDD (real name, Anton Zaslavski) made heads turn and bodies shake with his breakout single “Clarity” (feat. Foxes), and with performances at every major electronic concert under his belt, he’s looking to take the mainstream EDM crown from Skrillex. But what sets ZEDD apart is his classical training—something you’ll hear in the tightness of his arrangements and the soaring melodies that take you to the drop. With OLIVER, Alex Metric. Showbox SoDo. 8 p.m. 
SOLD OUT. KP

Monday, Sept. 30

Hanson Fifteen or so years later, all but one of the Hanson brothers have cut their hair. Like Samson, it’s very likely the brothers’ powers lay in that hair, since Hanson’s new songs are nowhere near the soaring prepubescent glory of “MMMBop.” Instead, they skirt closer to the cheese of Bruno Mars, with music videos that also look like Target ads. I guess this is growing up. With Paul McDonald. Neumos. 8 p.m. All ages. SOLD OUT. KS