We're mere hours away from starting the weekend, and with the season finale of football over, we'll actually have to go outside. Luckily, there are tons of great shows, and many fundraising for a good cause, over the next few days. Let's get to it.

FRIDAY

SOFT SPEAKER The Brit pop-inspired Chicago outfit come out swinging with plenty of lingering guitar licks, hazy psychedelic rhythms and even some sexy sax. It’s enough to get your blood pumping. Also on deck are hard charging, alt-rockers Sissy Mena. The Chicago group, who just released a full-length album entitled Record Machineback in November, are sure to bring plenty of roaring riffs and moody rhythms. Opening the show are Chicago shoegazers Soft Candy. (Audrey Leon) 9:00 p.m. Friday, 2/10. Beat Kitchen. 21+ $8. THE RUNNIES Rock for a good cause tonight at Cole’s. Money raised at tonight’s show will go toward Ag47, a creative arts mentorship collective in Logan Square for girls in grades 4th-12th. The group pairs mentees with women artists from disciplines such as creative writing, music, dance, and filmmaking. Appearing tonight are sultry jangle-rockers The Runnies (one of LLP’s 12 Bands to Watch), riot punkers The Cathy Santonies, aggressive garage poppers Squish, and surf punks Blizzard Babies will open. Admission is free so buy a beer or two to support young women’s artistic development. (Audrey Leon) 10:00 p.m. Friday, 2/10. Cole’s Bar. 21+ Free. NETHERFRIENDS He did it! Shawn Rosenblatt, brainchild behind local outfit Netherfriends, successfully travelled to and recorded a song in all 50 states over the past two years. Now, he's officially releasing the first set of songs in the form of Middle America, which offers up 12 tracks featuring cleverly crafted psych-pop influenced by Amercia's midsection that include names like "St. Louis, MO," "Rapid City, SD" and, of course, "Chicago, IL." So, it seems wholly appropriate that the record release show is in his home base of Chicago tonight. Supporting are throwback psychers Secret Colours and rambunctious rockers Vamos! (Richard Giraldi) 10:00 p.m. Friday, 2/10. Empty Bottle. 21+. $8. T'BONE The mighty T'Bone bring their capricious riffy and mathy antics to Treasure Town tonight. But they've got plenty of hard rocking back-up with them including prehistoric cave bangers White Mystery, Philadelphia garage poppers Univox and alt-rockers Lionlimb. Spend your Friday night in the underground with some of Chicago's best. (Richard Giraldi) 9:00 p.m. Friday, 2/10. Treasure Town. $5.

SATURDAY

CHICAGO MIXTAPE ANNIVERSARY PARTY Celebrate the majesty and variety of music jams that is Chicago Mixtape with this special shindig at Subterranean. Headliners The Shams Band will get everyone moving with its groovy take on blues rock. Also appearing at this eclectic smorgasbord are Americana psych rockers (yes, you heard that right) Elephant Gun, Lush folkers The Damn Choir, and dreamy electro poppers Architecture will open. (Audrey Leon) 8:00 p.m. Saturday, 2/11. Subterranean. 21+ $10.

SUNDAY

DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB II Psych pop sextet A Lull had a pretty exciting 2011. The Chicago band released its long-awaited album Confetti, dropped a remix EP and even found time to put its own digital psychedelic spin on Bruce Springstein’s “I’m on Fire.” A Lull just finished up a winter tour with Deleted Scenes, so welcome them home in style at this show comprised entirely of bands with members who work at either Schubas or Lincoln Hall. Also appearing tonight are soothing Chicago post-rockers The Gorilla Press, bass-heavy funk rockers Laz, and local punks Panzer. If you need a bonus reason to go, proceeds from the show will go toward local charity Rock for Kids. (Audrey Leon) 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 2/12. Schubas. 21+ $5. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

Chicago musicians Bob Nanna and Lauren LoPiccolo have united to create simple, but dreamy, acoustic pop ditties under the moniker Jack and Ace. "I'm Sorry That You are the Black Death" pairs delicately plucked guitar melodies with earnest lyrics about, what else, love. Jack and Ace prove that melancholy doesn't need to be so complicated to be effective. Nanna is better known for his work with influential post-hardcore (or emo, if you like) outfit Braid and Hey Mercedes. LoPiccolo previously teamed up with Nanna in the City on Film. Jack and Ace will appear tonight at Township (formerly Panchos), 2200 N. California Ave., along with Exit Ghost and Lost Lander. Tickets are $5. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_25256" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="michael lux and the bad sons"][/caption]Three reasons to leave the bros to their Thirsty Thursday rituals and head on over to Empty Bottle tonight... 1. Chicago's own Michael Lux and the Bad Sons are human time machines. Listening to a few simple chords, the alt-rockers conjure up the ghosts of alternative legends like The Replacements and Husker Du without coming off like desperate fan boys. Lux's low, scratchy howls are effortless and well-supported by distressed guitar and snappy backbeats. The set is sure to be a party. WATCH: "Salt and Pepper" 2. Perfectly complimenting tonight's headliners is Chicago's own Geoff Dolce Band. The grungy throwback rockers ramp up its big sound with plenty of chugging riffs and plenty of loud, crashing beats. LISTEN: "Never Automatic Anymore" 3. Chicago, by way of Portland, openers Mooner are strictly a family affair. Siblings Lee and David Ketch play twangy power pop that is heavily influenced by folk rockers, such as Wilco and Tom Petty, and flavored by the brothers' stint in the Pacific Northwest. The group's 2011 EP features plenty of crunchy guitar and peppy melody to elevate the band well above simple folk singers. LISTEN: "Jarvis" 9:30 p.m. Thursday, 2/9. Empty Bottle. 21+ $8. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_25198" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Veronica Falls"][/caption]Ukrainian Village venue the Empty Bottle and WBEZ announced that they will team up again with 312 to present a new live series called “High Fidelity Music Series.” The Bottle and partners will produce five events under the High Fidelity banner to be held at WBEZ’s studios at Navy Pier this year. The first one takes place on Thursday, February 16, with London indie poppers Veronica Falls. The group will also appear later that night at The Empty Bottle. Tickets for the series are free with RSVP (RSVP@EmptyBottle.com) to the Empty Bottle by midnight February 12. Each RSVP is good for one entry (Update: admission not guaranteed - see below). Attendees will receive an e-mail on February 13 with show information. An RSVP does not guarantee admission since space is limited. So get there early. This isn’t the first time The Empty Bottle has presented a show with WBEZ. My Brightest Diamond performed at WBEZ studios as a part of The Empty Bottle’s “Music.Friendly.Dancing” series last August. Update from The Empty Bottle: Just to clarify: An RSVP does not guarantee admission - names get entered into a drawing and winners will be randomly chosen and notified on February 13th, along with show information. Only those who are picked will be allowed into the show so getting their early won't get you in. It's double-secret exclusive... Update #2 from WBEZ: "To clarify- the concert series is primarily for High Fidelity members of WBEZ. Empty Bottle is giving away a few additional tickets." By Audrey Leon  \  1 comment

[caption id="attachment_25169" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="ellusive parallelograms"][/caption]Three reasons why you should break your Groundhog Day cycle and rock out at Panchos tonight... 1. Milwaukee pop rockers Elusive Parallelograms are fairly impressive in the way they can combine alt-rock epic-ness with sparkling psychedelics and infectious pop structure without it overwhelming the listener with its differences. LISTEN: "Intelligent Design" 2. I've got a fever for more spooky garage pop. And Chicago's Rabbit Children are happy to oblige with their jams that are heavy on guitar and packed full of grooving, moody rhythms and sweet, haunting harmonies. LISTEN: "Friend" 3. Get your dancing shoes on because opening act, Brother George shall get you on your feet with swinging garage rock that is a little bit Rolling Stones and a little bit Eagles of Death Metal with its tracks named after ladies like "Caroline, Again" and "Olivia." LISTEN: "Keep U Mine." 9:00 p.m. Thursday, 2/2. Panchos. 21+ $5. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

Three "Wednesday is the new Friday" reasons to mosey on down to Schubas tonight... 1. Having a (slight) bit of down time can be a marvelous thing, especially when members of bands such as Disappears, Heavy Times and Verma decide to join forces. E+ specialize in doling out rhythms so fuzzy, creating atmosphere so dark and moody that they ultimately entrance the listener with swirling fits of minimalist psychedelics. LISTEN: "{Mithra} Sunn 88 (Live at Beat Kitchen)" 2. Tasked with whipping the audience into a small frenzy are local quartet Coffin Pricks. The decidedly "unchill wave" post-punks rumble with the same brewing intensity of bands like Mission of Burma and Husker Dü. LISTEN: "Group Home Haircut" 3. Getting the night off to the oh-so-right start are Chicago trio Wimps. The band waft by on a hazy cloud of bouncy, thick basslines and slick mellow grooves that transport us back to those sweet 60s surf rock days. LISTEN: "Every Night" 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, 2/1. Schubas. 21+ $8. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_25027" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Bombbone"][/caption]Three reasons to get reacquainted with your old friend, fun, tonight at Subterranean... 1. It's impossible to resist a musical group that describes itself as band of "gypsy punks and Balkan pimps." The description is not entirely inaccurate. BomBBone's lead singer Roni Bombboni is a native of Sarajevo who truly becomes the Bosian Elvis, with suit to match, when he jumps on stage. BomBBone can play hard and fast punk with funny lyrics about not wanting to kill Fabio now that the author bought a Casio, and traditional eastern European gypsy music with plenty of rock flare. WATCH: "bombbone." 2. Chicago's Radiant Devices are celebrating the release of their new single "Something Stronger" at tonight's show. The single starts where Radiant Devices left off on the group's 2011 Infectious Substance EP. The quartet continue to utilize found metal objects for percussion purposes along with synths and bass to create intriguing industrial rock compositions with thought-provoking poetry by singer Mojdeh. LISTEN: "Something Stronger." 3. The family that rocks together, stays together. Appearing tonight are a quartet of Chicago brothers, The Avantist. The group couples Spanish flavor with aggressive hard rock. Opening the show are political hip-hop outfit Agents of Change. LISTEN: Agents of Change - "I Just Wanna Riot feat. Phillip Morris." 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, 1/25. Subterranean. 21+ $8. By Audrey Leon  \  comments