Picked By: Cervante Pope

Who: The Books

Where: Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Ca

When: Tuesday, November 30 at 8 p.m.

Cost: $25

Age Restrictions: All Ages

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Picked By: Sherene Hilal

Who: The Radio Dept.

Where: The Bowery Ballroom in New York, NY

When: Wednesday, December 1 at 8 p.m.

Cost: $15

Age Restrictions: 18+

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Picked By: Liz Livengood

Who: Passion Pit

Where: The Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Or

When: Wednesday, December 1. Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.

Cost: $29.50

Age Restrictions: All Ages

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Picked By: Jesse Diener-Bennett

Who: Broken Bells

Where: Irving Plaza in New York, NY

When: Wednesday, December 1 at 7 p.m.

Cost: $55

Age Restrictions: All Ages

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Picked By: Laurel Johnston

This Thursday, December 2nd, promises to be an eclectic and ambitious bill for The Boiler Room in Denton, Texas. The Boiler Room has been home to a number of unique and incredible artists, including Grammy-award winning Jamaican reggae artist Sister Carol, Los Angeles-based experimental noise rock band Health, and from New Orleans, Ian Neville’s DumpstaPhunk. On December 2nd, three of my favorite Dallas-area bands are playing, and they could not be more different from one another. The first band is Boxcar Bandits, a group that effortlessly blends old school country western with bluegrass, folk, and gospel. With a dynamic instrumentation consisting  of mandolin, guitar, violin, percussion, upright bass, and the more than occasional guest appearances by the accordion, washboard, dobro, and bano. They released their first album Smells Like Grass in 2008, and since then Boxcar Bandits has been touring around the south and southwestern parts of the country in addition to their Monday night residency at Dan’s Silverleaf in Denton. Country and bluegrass were never really my thing, but after watching one live set of Boxcar Bandits, I was hooked for life.

Foe Destroyer is the reincarnation of piano rock band Oso Closo, a group that’s been playing the Dallas area for the last few years to much critical acclaim. Their newer, sleeker line up and arrangement makes them more of an indie rock band, but there’s absolutely nothing generic about the band other than their genre’s title. With an extremely talented group of college-trained musicians that have been playing together for some time, Foe Destroyer makes anything seem possible. They’re one of the tightest live acts I’ve ever seen, they rock every stage regardless of location, and they’ve written some of the catchiest choruses in recent memory. Come see them do what they do best in their hometown next Thursday.

Fatty Lumpkin is a three-piece jam band that more than dabbles in the experimental and psychedelic. The trio is more than adept at creating certain mood onstage and off, usually employing a fantastic light show to enhance the viewers’ experience. In the past, they’ve had everything from live artists painting onstage to large white backlit screens for dancers to undulate behind. Then there’s the smoke and bubble machines, hula dancers, and glowstick parties that Fatty Lumpkin only occasionally employs; you know, to spice it up. Don’t miss one of the Dallas area’s most charismatic and explosive trios as they headline one of the best shows the town of Denton has seen in recent memory. The show starts at 10:00pm, but doors open at 7:00pm. You must be 18 and older to enter, and the cost is $9 for under 21 and $6 for 21 and older. The Boiler Room is located at 101 West Hickory in Denton, Texas 76201.

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Picked By: Claire Gallagher

Who: John Butler Trio with The Beautiful Girls

Where: The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Ca

When: Thursday, December 2 at 7 p.m.

Cost: $22.50

Age Restrictions: All Ages

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Picked By: Lauren Novik

Every so often you need to just head to a show where you know about 90 percent of the songs, the musicians are insane- and the musical guests far exceed your wildest fantasies.  Enter Camp Freddy‘s December residency at the Roxy!  Starting this Friday, December 3, you can head to the Roxy to have your mind blown by both down right rock and roll and NO shortage of surprises and onstage antics.  (I can vouch for this- I went to all three nights of their residency last year and it was an experience…a great one- to say the very least!)  Tickets run about $26.50 and can be purchased here.