Photo by Audrey Leon

Spring has sprung. Not officially for another week, but it sure feels that way. Snow is gone, and heavy coats are no longer outdoor necessities. Yay!

Don’t have plans yet? Plenty of great shows this weekend including Pelican at the Beat Kitchen, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists at Bottom Lounge, the Hideout’s SXSW send off and more!

But first, a reminder that Loud Loop Radio will be back on the air tomorrow, Saturday, March 12, at 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Radio DePaul.

Lets get to it, shall we?

FRIDAY

KREATOR
So that Slayer/Megadeth show that was supposed to destroy you last Friday isn’t happening till August. But if you really wanted to be destroyed, fear not. Two more old school metal bands are rolling through town to do just that. And they are coming from foreign lands. Germany’s Kreator have now been making mind bending speed metal for 25 years, at times rivaling that of the mighty Slayer. And Canada’s Voivod defy explanation. Metal, space, atom smashing, it’s all there. Remarkably, they’ve pulled together a really solid record almost 5 years after the passing of original guitarist, Denis “Piggy” D’Amour, using riffs he had recorded prior to his death. Rounding out this already sweet bill is Chicago’s genre bending but pretty black metal at its core Nachtmystium. Prepare to meet your doom. (Ross Meyerson)

6:00 p.m. Friday, 3/12. The Bottom Lounge. All Ages. $28.

PELICAN
Sponsored by Chirpradio.org, Chicago’s instrumental prog rockers Pelican hit the quaint Beat Kitchen tonight for a show that will surely blow your face wide off. It’s a small room – so small, I’m not sure it can contain some of their mighty riffs. Locals Pinebender and Follows open. (Richard Giraldi)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 3/12. Beat Kitchen. 17+. $14.

SATURDAY

TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS
To support their latest effort, The Brutalist Bricks, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are bringing their signature political pop-punk sound to the Bottom Lounge this Saturday. Leo and co. debuted many of the tracks that would be on Bricks during his set at Lincoln Hall’s grand opening party back in October. New songs “Bottled in Cork” and “Even Heroes Have to Die” are sure to delight newcomers and old fans alike. Ex-Q and Not U drummer John Davis will open the show with his new group Title Tracks. (Audrey Leon)

7:00 PM. Saturday, 3/13. Bottom Lounge. All Ages. $15.

SENDING THE FOUR-STAR CITY TO THE LONE STAR STATE
Unless you’ve been literally living under a rock for the past few months, you are probably aware that South By Southwest is already under way in Austin. This year it seems like everybody under the sun will be there, and if you’re not there then you obviously aren’t cool. Well, call us sqaures because, unfortunately, none of us will be down in the Texas sun next week to bask in the musical glory. However, there are plenty of Chicago bands making the trip down south, and the Hideout is giving them a swell send off tomorrow night. The Chicago-centric 11-act bill includes Mittens On Strings, Via Tania, Love Of Everything, Hollows, Tyler Jon Tyler, The Hood Internet, Plastic Crimewave Sound, Mickey, Waco Brothers, Tom Schraeder & Life During Wartime DJs. (Richard Giraldi)

3:00 p.m. Saturday, 3/13. The Hideout.21+. $10.

SUNDAY

ORPHANED LAND
I’m desperately trying to figure out a way to tell you about Orphaned Land. An Israeli band that is self-described “Jewish Muslim Metal” who, musically, confuse the hell out of me. I want to say it’s heavy, but it’s not. It’s like what you’d hear at a Middle Eastern restaurant but with fat guitar riffs thrown in..Anyways, Chicago’s Indian are heavy. As fuck. And they are on the bill. As are pagan metalists Suidakra who play lightning fast and then throw in bagpipes and stuff. Brooklyn’s Storm of Light bring the slow sludge with a side of ambiance and opener, Scottsdale’s Via Vengeance, are another in an increasing number of one man bedroom metal bands. What I’m saying is this line-up is confusing as fuck but shows the expansiveness of the metal world despite the masses feeling that it’s all the same. (Ross Meyerson)

6:00 p.m. Sunday, 3/14. Bottom Lounge. 17+. $10.