(Paramount) Writing about New Order at this point in musical history feels a bit superfluous: "Blue Monday" remains the biggest-selling 12-inch of all time, its inescapable melody familiar to everyone from the black eyeliner crowd to businessmen dozing off on their 11-hour flight to Hong Kong. Formed in the wake of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis's suicide, New Order traded in that group's morose post-punk for a keyboard-and-drum-machine-based synth-pop sound, in the process inventing a whole new vocabulary for both dance music and pop. Suddenly you could be goth, romantic, mod, or glow-stick-wielding rave kid, and all get down to the same thing. Throughout it all, New Order have stuck to their guns, refusing to become a casino-gigging legacy act and remaining vital performers. Their importance to modern music can't be overstated, and if I need to tell you that, then you have some catching up to do. Consider this show remedial homework. KYLE FLECK
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(Neptune) For 35 years, original black weirdos Fishbone have swirled together punk, funk, ska, metal, and soul into something that's pura vida, and pure LA. Check 2010's stunning band doc Everyday Sunshine (narrated by Larry Fishburne) and hear the likes of Flea, Gwen Stefani, and Perry Farrell all bowing to the OG skeleton crew—and all bemoaning the fact that Fishbone (much like the Bad Brains), for all the influence they gave to a generation of freaks and radio stars, never saw the breakout success that each of their bands did. Despite plentiful setbacks and much drama—including, most recently, the $1.4 million lawsuit from a victim of lightning-bolt frontman Angelo Moore's stage diving—Fishbone's legendary live experience rarely disappoints; it’s a shambolic, ecstatic church of funky exultation. LARRY MIZELL JR.
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Check out Underage's coverage here
(Neumos) Reigning Sound—the project of garage king Greg Cartwright of Memphis punk band the Oblivians—make solidly built rock ’n’ roll with gritty, love-worn vocals (Cartwright’s voice sounds like sweet tea and whiskey and… tumbleweeds?), warm organ, and heaps of all-American guitar shred. Shattered, Reigning Sound's new album, is out on Merge next month (their first since 2009’s Love and Curses) and it’s full of retro toe-tappers, soulful hip-shakers, and a couple dusty ballads that may or may not make you want to call your ex just to say hello. Also on the bill to help you dance this mess around are the Intelligence (still one of the catchiest, saltiest, danciest around—have you even heard Males lately?? Come ON.) and Seattle’s power-pop bosses the Tripwires. EMILY NOKES
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And here's all our recommended music events—tonight, tomorrow, and beyond!
