JULIAN: Easygoing singer-songwriter deserves a second look.

The maniacal Youngstown-based dance/indie-rock outfit Gil Mantera's Party Dream must be seen to be believed. Perhaps that's why the band finally issued a DVD. Featuring two live performances in their entirety, Live Performances (Volume 1) shows the band in all its theatrical glory. Given that the guys are in the midst of recording a new album, expect to hear some new tunes when they play with the Shakedown and Sammy Slims opening at 9 p.m. at the Grog Shop (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., 216.321.5588). Tickets: $10. - Jeff Niesel

Thursday, March 20

Purim Masquerade with Soulico

Purim's the festive holiday on the Jewish calendar, marked by costumes, masks, dancing and consumption of pastry treats called hamantasen, washed down by plenty of alcohol. Soulico, a Tel Aviv-based four-man DJ crew that mixes American hip-hop with Middle Eastern and traditional Jewish sounds, will be getting the party started at the second annual Purim Masquerade Extravaganza at the B-Side Liquor Lounge (2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd., 216.932.1966). The fun starts at 8 p.m.; come in costume! Tickets: $5. Go to jdubrecords.com for more info. - Anastasia Pantsios

Friday, March 21

Paik

A dozen years into their interstellar travels, Detroit-via-Toledo's atmospheric instrumental art-rockers Paik still pack a punch. Their performances are all-consuming, dense, swirling A/V affairs, which their albums, like 2006's excellent Monster of the Absolute, can only hint at. They'll be inundating MOCA (8501 Carnegie, 216.421.8671) with sound at 8 tonight, on an impressive bill with noise kings Parts and Labor, Pterodactyl and local sludge-ists National Suicide Day. I'm not going to suggest getting baked, as that would be illegal. Admission: $6, members free. - Ron Kretsch

Boombox

How to classify Boombox, the Muscle Shoals-based duo that repackages classic grooves for the rock 'n' roll set? The group's DJ Russ Randolph and singer-songwriter-guitarist Zion Rock Godchaux fuse rock with dance and funk rhythms; at least that much is apparent from the tunes posted on their MySpace site. Taken from their only album, 2005's Visions of Backbeat, songs such as "Stereo" and "Mr. Boogie Man" have kitsch appeal as they pair sampled horns and bass-heavy beats with Godchaux's falsetto vocals. The show starts at 10 p.m. at the Jigsaw Saloon (5324 State Rd., 216.374.1666). Tickets: $12 advance, $15 day of show. - JN

Saturday, March 22

Earth Crisis

If you went to punk or hardcore shows in the late '90s you may recall a short-lived trend of straight-edge kids beating the shit outta drinkers for no apparent reason. I won't attempt to blame that on Earth Crisis, but probably most of those aggro anti-drinkers owned at least one disc from these pissed-off vegans. Having their polemic screed unleashed by Victory Records helped further their enlightened cause. That is, until calling it a day in 2001. Earth Crisis is back though, even if Victory is pretty much a joke now. Along for the ride are as many reputable hardcore acts as can be wrangled. Shai Hulud, Terror and a host of others start things off at 6:30 p.m. at Peabody's (2083 E. 21st St., 216.776.9999). Tickets: $17 advance, $20 day of show. - Dave Cantor

Monday, March 24

Child Bite

It's a relief that Detroit is starting to produce some worthy rock bands that pay no obeisance to the garaged-out R&B sound that's dominated that city's scene for almost 15 years, and few are worthier than the spastic young men of Child Bite. Emerging in 2005 from the suburb of Ferndale, the band quickly codified its sound - an exciting yet disturbingly anxiety-ridden amalgam of Chicago noise and British post-punk that smokes major ass in concert - and released its debut album, Wild Feast; a few EPs have been released since. The band's current tour brings it to the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd., 216.383.1124) at 9 tonight, with Peelander-Z and Thunder Thighs. As an added bonus/head-scratcher for locals, the band recently added ex-Clevelander Christian Doble of the decidedly non-Child Bite-like Kiddo as saxophonist and vocalist. Tickets: $8. - RK

Tuesday, March 25

Richard Julian, Pete Nischt

Singer-songwriter Jack Johnson gets press for being the mellow man of the hour these days. But laid-back singer-songwriter Richard Julian deserves a second look. The easygoing melodies on his new platter, Sunday Morning in Saturday's Shoes, are perfectly suited to his dry-as-a-martini voice. (Check out the liner notes, by the way, for a list of alcoholic beverages suited to the songs on the album). And these songs are smart, complex affairs, punctuated by references to wars gone bad ("Can't Go Back") and treasure maps to the soul ("Man in the Hole"). Clevelanders will appreciate "Spring Is Just Around the Corner," a tune that makes reference to a "frozen lake" and captures the feeling of optimism that resides in Northeast Ohio as spring approaches after a long cold winter. Pete Nischt opens at 8:30 p.m. at the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd., 216.383.1124). Tickets: $10. - JN

Wednesday, March 26

Avril Lavigne

You wouldn't think an Avril Lavigne tour would be so, well, complicated. But controversy has followed the Canadian singer ever since she started auditioning dancers for her current tour and offering to pay them atypically low wages. Protests ensued and she's had to renegotiate their contracts. And then there's the claims of plagiarism that continue to dog her: she was sued by the Rubinoos who claimed she stole the chorus of "Girlfriend" from their tune "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." Lavigne is finally hitting the road in support of last year's poppy The Best Damn Thing. And while it's seen diminishing returns in terms of US sales, Lavigne, who once fashioned herself as the antithesis to pretty pop divas like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, isn't fazed by the challenges of maintaining her popularity at a time when people don't buy records at the rate they used to. "It's kind of one of those things I don't think about. I'm not really in control of that," she says during a recent conference call. "The music industry has kind of taken a hit right now, but I just focus on singing and writing, and I'm just going to keep doing it as long as I can and have fun with it. And I get to tour, and that really hasn't been affected, so I know that I can always do that. I'm fortunate to have a fan base worldwide, and so I think I can do that for a while." She promises the show is going to be "very upbeat" and "really fun," so check it out for yourself when Boys Like Girls opens at 7 p.m. at the Wolstein Center (2000 Prospect Ave., 216.241.5555). Tickets: $20-$47.50. - JN

British Sea Power

Though the band itself has shrunk a bit, British Sea Power is enlarging its sound. In just the few years since its debut, The Decline of British Sea Power, its sound has evolved from an irascible punk take on Echo and the Bunnymen (though with far more mirth in its sneer than Mac could ever manage) to an arena-sized melange of the Jam and the Wedding Present. The Weddoes comparison, by the way, is anything but fatuous; vocalist Yan seems at times to be practically channeling Dave Gedge on BSP's new album, Do You Like Rock Music? But whoever they're nicking from, their reputation as a superb live band is entirely justified, as you can see for yourself tonight at the Grog Shop (2785 Euclid Hts Blvd., 215.321.5588). Tickets: $12 advance, $14 at the door. - RK