It's hard to keep track of every show that's coming up, so let local musician-in-the-know Mark Earnest help you pick your playlist for this week. This page is updated with new concerts every Monday, so bookmark away.
You'll have to travel to Carson to see the pop-folk mixing Duhks on Saturday, but they're just one of the varied bands playing that night.
If you want to support some Mo bros participating in Movember, Eric Foreman plays Saturday and Big Remote plays Sunday.
Frontside Five, Anti-Panti
Thursday’s pick: Frontside Five is a band from Denver that should be much better known. They mix speedy punk with speed/thrash metal accents, but then add catchy vocal and guitar bits for a nice hybrid. Local hardcore band Anti-Panti opens up this show as this uber-cool Tahoe venue that really should host more shows. Far $5, 9 p.m., Rojo’s, 21+
LMFAO, Shwayze, Far East Movement, Paradiso Girls, DJ Space Cowboy
Also on Thursday: Honestly, I like dance music – but it’s a genre that demands superior craft and a genuine sense of abandon to make it work. None of the bands on this bill have that elusive combination, especially the overhyped first three L.A.-hipster, near-parody acts on this bill. That goes double for the Black Eyed Peas endorsed prefab pop crap that is Paradiso Girls. Oh, and you have one of Lady Gaga’s DJs on the bill as well. Sure you’ll have fun at this show, but will you respect these artists in the cold morning light (and do you give a crap?). $16.50, 8 p.m., Grand Sierra Theater, all ages
First Thursday with Brother Dan Palmer
Also on Thursday: Here’s a chance to see this venerable Reno singer/songwriter and his band, and support the Nevada Museum of Art as well. $10 general, $8 for seniors and students, free to NMA members, 5 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art, all ages
The Calmer
Also on Thursday: This local prog-influenced rock band plays at this favorite haunt tonight. Free, 7 p.m., Pizza Reno, all ages
Knobody, Cloaked Characters, DJ Ellis, L Dubble
Friday’s pick: This’ll be a tough night for fans of either hip-hop or dance music, but I’m gonna give this show the nod because the two headliners are very strong. Knobody is part of the Heiroglyphics crew and as such has that great mix of avant-hip-hop flow and well-put-together beats. Cloaked Characters are a duo from Bend, Oregon, in that same vein: a bit more humor in the mix but just to the left of silly and with some intelligent music to back it up. A pair of local artists make up the rest of this bill. $5, 9 p.m., Se7en at West Street, 21+
Nardy By Nature
Also on Friday: Nope, it’s not the OPP band – instead this Sacramento hip-hop crew has a parody name that points to its humorous but still skilled take on that style. Also on the bill are a gaggle of local and regional rap artists: Tampa Riggins, Emic, Scarz of Marz, Ree_Set One, Morgue, Sold To Winston and Savage. Free, 8 p.m., Vixens, 21+
Kate Voegele, Kevin Hammond
Also on Friday: One of the dozens of pop-rock singer/songwriters treading the boards nowadays, Kate Voegele first gained fame from being an artist on the fledgling MySpace Records. Her music is tuneful but run-of-the-mill, but she likely has enough Reno fans to make this a big show. Similar singer/songwriter Kevin Hammond starts it off. $17.50, 8 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort Theater, all ages
DJ Jeno
Also on Friday: A pioneer of the West Coast variant of house music, electronica artist/DJ Jeno will make his first Reno appearance tonight. He’s joined by a big cast of local DJs as well: DJ Sulli, Bing Bong Twins, Nasty Nate, Jek, The Rhino, Miss Cooper and Chris English. $10, 9 p.m., 210 North, 21+
Guns For San Sebastian, 2me
Also on Friday: Two groups from Northern California are on this bill, both sharing a love of straight-ahead pop and indie-rock. Free, 9 p.m., Siena Hotel Casino, 21+
Reptet
Also on Friday: This six-piece jazz-rock group from Seattle got quite a bit of buzz from their last appearance in town, so consider this a great place to be if you like musical adventures. $5, 10 p.m., Zephyr Lounge, 21+
Cranium, The Swamp Donkey, Dirt Communion
Also on Friday: A trio of hard rock bands play tonight in South Reno. Cranium mixes in prog-rock and jazz, while both The Swamp Donkey and Dirt Communion add classic rock and slow-grinding doom influences. $5, 9 p.m., Black Tangerine, 21+
The Shames, Calling Cadence, The Fire Bombing
Also on Friday: Three bands with heavy punk roots – but different takes on it – play tonight at this downtown bar. The Shames are like the gleefully loose ‘90s wing of melodic punk. Calling Cadence are closer to the earliest hardcore, while the Fire Bombing go back even farther to the best of the pop-focused British punks. Free, 10 p.m., Amendment 21, 21+
Don't Panic, Luck Won't Save You, Hopscotch Whiskey
Also on Friday: On a night of several local triple bills, here’s another one. This is quite diverse, either: Don’t Panic plays ska/punk, Luck Won’t Save You do thrash/death hardcore metal, and Hopscotch Whiskey play acoustic-based indie-rock. $5, 7 p.m., Studio at 4th, all ages
Gusano, Drunk'n Assumption
Also on Friday: It’s Gusano’s return to the rock en espanol band’s popular haunt, along with local hardcore punkers Drunkn Assumption. $5, 9 p.m., Tonic Lounge, 21+
March Fourth Marching Band
Also on Friday: A night before they play in Reno (see below), this one-of-a-kind Portland band brings their jam-meets-brass-band music to Tahoe. Electronica artists SaQi and Bim Tim do the after-party. $15 adv., $17 door, Crystal Bay Club, 21+
Pine Box Boys
Also on Friday: This left-of-center bluegrass/Americana band from the Bay return to Tahoe for a show. $5, 9 p.m., Whiskey Dick’s, 21+
Serena Ryder
Also on Friday: Huge in Canada but just starting to get an above-ground buzz in the States, singer/songwriter Serena Ryder plays rootsy indie-pop. Free, 9 p.m., Hard Rock Café in Tahoe, 21+
March Fourth Marching Band
Saturday’s pick: Finding a distinctive slant for a new band must be daunting, what with rock pushing 60 years old. Here’s a new idea, though: this Portland band features several bakers’ dozens of brass and percussionists, playing multi-genre music that’s hard to pin down, but you won’t care because it’s so exuberant and fun. Gaining a name for itself in the jam-band circuit, M4 certainly deserves those accolades – odds are you’ve never heard anything quite like them. $8, 9 p.m., Broken Spoke, 21+
Queensryche with Lita Ford
Also on Saturday: A lot of one-of-a-kind twists for this visit from the Seattle hard rock band. They will be performing songs only from three albums: their early one, “Rage For Order,” their commercial breakthrough “Empire,” and new album “American Solider.” Plus, Lita Ford (she of both ‘70s Runaways fame as well as hits in the hair-metal ‘90s) will not only join the band for a few songs, she will also have all of Queensryche for her backing band during her opening set. $39, 7:30 p.m., Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, all ages
Mims, Skatterman, Snug Brim, Mobifornia
Also on Saturday: The Tonic hosts four national hip-hop artists tonight, headlined by popular returning artist Mims. $15, 10 p.m., Tonic Lounge, 21+
La Circa, Mozart Season, The Airplane Game, She Has A Fashion Vice, Anthrophphagus
Also on Saturday: This show is headlined by two Cali bands – La Circa from Stockton, Mozart Season from Sacramento – playing scream-vs-sing modern hardcore metal. Similarly styled locals The Airplane Game and She Has A Fashion Vice are also on the bill, as is new Reno death/hardcore metal band Anthropophagus. $10 adv., $12 door, 7 p.m., The Underground, all ages
Eric Foreman and Nick Ramirez
Also on Saturday: It’s always a fun time when these two longtime Reno singer/songwriters share a show. Expect acoustic pop and rock, but with an indie edge. $5, 10 p.m., Zephyr Lounge, 21+
Whatitdo, Frendo
Also on Saturday: Two of the more popular emerging bands team up for this show, as both Whatitdo and Frendo mash up rock and funk/soul influences. Free, 9 p.m., Se7en at West Street, 21+
Twelve Gauge Facelift, Lay Waste The Facade, Methadone Messiah
Also on Saturday: This is the place to be if you are a metal fan tonight, as these three local acts tear up this Reno bar. $5, 8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 21+
Slow Djinn Fez
Also on Saturday: This Reno group have been around for awhile, playing trad Middle Eastern music that also blends in Latin folk influences. $5, 7 p.m., Studio at 4th, all ages
The Duhks
Also on Saturday: The Duhks are a Canadian acoustic American band, merging straight bluegrass with trad county and even some pop-rock touches. $23; $20 BAC members, seniors and students; Brewery Arts Center; all ages
Inner Circle, The Holdup
Also on Saturday: They provided the theme for the “Cops” reality show, but Inner Circle should be known for more than that. This UK band is one of the few reggae groups that successfully added pop and soul influences into their mix. Opening this show is The Holdup, a San Jose band that is a bit hit-and-miss in its melding of hip hop, reggae and rock. $20, 10 p.m., Tahoe Biltmore, 21+
New American Mob, Disciples, Pigfarmers
Also on Saturday: Although they have roots in hardcore punkers U.S. Bombs, the band New American Mob are closer to the pre-hair golden age of ‘70s/’80s hard rock. They are paired with Bay area punks Disciples and Tahoe punk band Pigfarmers. $8, 9 p.m., Whiskey Dick’s, 21+
Shane Dwight
Also on Saturday: Nashville-based blues picker Shane Dwight returns to Tahoe for this show. Free, 10 p.m., Crystal Bay Club, 21+
Chali 2na, Gift of Gab, Mr. Lif
Sunday’s pick: There were quite a few good hip-hop shows this week, and this week-ender is one of the best. Three excellent artists known for some great past work will team up to swap rhymes at this show, which is also listed as being hosted by Lyrics Born, yet another great MC. $10, 8 p.m., Vixens, 21+
Holy Rolling Empire, Big Remote
Also on Sunday: It’s a return visit for Holy Rolling Empire, the indie-rock group from Arizona with a heavy dose of psychedelic pop in their music. The openers are new Reno band Big Remote, who meld rootsy indie-pop to rougher rock. $5, 9 p.m., Biggest Little City Club, 21+
The biggest names touring near Reno, like Rob Thomas at the Events Center on Oct. 17.
Metromix stories about the local music scene.
Hit one of the year's biggest rock shows—on us!
