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Bebel Gilberto | November 27

La Roux | October 27

Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s

TUESDAY, APRIL 7
Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s strike an odd but alluring balance between ghostly atmospherics, gritty barnyard stomp, and the kind of morose emo that evokes bleary eyes and four-day-old stubble. The Indiana-based octet’s frontman, Richard Edwards, gained notoriety for stirring up the blogosphere over artistic differences he had with Epic after the band signed with the label for its sophomore release. But in this case, that artistic temperament is ultimately the mark of a perfectionist. For evidence, set your ears on the tight orchestrations in any of the tracks on Not Animal, the band’s mainstream release, or Animal!, the digitally released version that reflects the band’s original intent for the album. Experience nuclear engineering of emotions tonight at the Paradise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800). Minneapolis’s genre-bending Cloud Cult opens. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. For tickets ($14), visit www.livenation.com or call 877.598.8689.

Blitzen Trapper at the Paradise

Los Campesinos! at the Paradise

Thursday, January 15: The Raveonettes

The Raveonettes, who are often referred to as the Danish Jack and Meg White, channel Phil Spector’s girl groups and Buddy Holly with their retro-surf-rock melodies shot through with a mighty surge of reverb. Their songs, especially tracks from their most recent album, Lust Lust Lust, sound like something that should have accompanied Vincent Vega while he cruised in his Chevy Malibu convertible in Pulp Fiction. He (Sune Rose Wagner) is a Scandinavian hipster who epitomizes lackadaisical tussledhair cool. She (Sharin Foo) has a look that could’ve been inspired by Pris from Blade Runner. The two bring their brooding cool to Paradise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800) tonight at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8. Tickets ($16.50) are general admission; get them at www.ticketmaster.com.

Wednesday, December 17: Alternative Comedy Festival

What’s so funny about Boston? We can think of a few things (and no, we’re not talking about how  early the T stops running, or out­of­towners’ sorry imitations of the local accent). But if we told you in  print, it wouldn’t be half as side­splitting as what funny folks will say tonight when they turn the Para­dise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800) into a laugh­in at the Greater Boston Al­ternative Comedy Festival. “If anybody would like to see comedians tell jokes about anything besides relationships and cubicles, this is the event,” says Robbie Roadsteamer, an organizer who’ll also per­form. He’ll be joined by Shane Mauss, winner of HBO’s Comedy Festival; Charlestown’s Walsh Broth­ers; Chris Coxen; the Anderson Comedy Group; and Bethany Van Delft. Expect everything you’ve been taught not to expect. Doors open at 7 p.m. For tickets ($15), visit www.livenation.com.  

Monday and Tuesday, December 8 and 9: Letters to Cleo

Some of you might know them from their hard-not-to-love cover of “I Want You to Want Me” from the ’90s ’tween flick 10 Things I Hate About You. But for far many others, Letters to Cleo is a band that represents a time in the Boston music scene when indie rock tiptoed closely alongside pop. LTC was one of the bands that walked that line well, and after a nearly decade-long hiatus, they’re reuniting for a four-show tour, including two nights at the Paradise (967?969 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800). So throw your hair in some Kay Hanley pigtails and get your tickets ($25) at the Paradise box office or www.livenation.com.

Saturday, November 22: Sondre Lerche

Sondre Lerche counts A-Ha, the Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, and Cole Porter as his influences. That might explain why the Norwegian troubadour became such a hit among American indie-rock devotees when he released his first album in 2002 at the tender age of 19. He’s since released three more albums, and he gained a broader recognition last year for his contributions to the soundtrack to Dan in Real Life. His live shows integrate the infectious power pop of boy-band acts (not to mention the doe-eyed look), complex jazz riffs, and a knack for finely crafted songs, which range from the beautifully sad to the toe-tappingly, clap-along snappy. Tonight he breezes into the Paradise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800) at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8; tickets ($17) are general admission.

Thursday, October 30: Ingrid Michaelson

Remember when Burke left Cristina at the altar at the end of season three of Grey’s Anatomy? Of course you do, because that’s when you first heard the sweet, sad crooning of Ingrid Michaelson. When the TV show’s music scouts found Michaelson’s MySpace page, the young Staten Island native was an unknown teacher at an afterschool theater program and living with her parents. On the execs’ request, she wrote “Keep Breathing” for the show, and in short order, another song appeared in an Old Navy commercial; she released an album on her own label and garnered comparisons to Lisa Loeb and Norah Jones. Then her second album, Boys and Girls, landed on the Billboard charts, making her the only unsigned artist with Billboardworthy record sales. Now she’s fresh back from a European tour with Jason Mraz and making the rounds in the US. She stops at the Paradise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800) tonight at 9 p.m.; doors are at 8. Get tickets ($15; $17 at the door) at www.livenation.com.

Thursday, October 2: Black Kids

Thursday, September 4: Federico Aubele

Monday June 30: Ladytron

Thursday, June 5: The Breeders

Ozomatli at the Paradise Rock Club