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FRIDAY, FEB. 23:
Whether you find Squid enlightening or infuriating comes down to your tolerance for Ollie Judge’s voice (which sounds like Fred Schneider of B-52′s fame having a drunken tantrum) and their desire to capture the worryingly totalitarian milieu of the U.K. post-Brexit. Their new album, O Monolith, is a little more laid back, which is what happens when you work in Peter Gabriel’s luxurious studio. But with a band like this, you inevitably find yourself waiting for the other tentacle to drop. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St. 8 pm. $22. 21+.
SUNDAY, FEB. 25:
The 2010s emo revival burst into a complacent, emotionally constipated indie-rock scene like a thunderbolt of catharsis. The Hotelier and Foxing represent the cream of the crop of this movement, and the combination might prove too intense for those not ready for a scouring emotional experience: These are two bands that dial up both the melodrama and the musical fireworks to such passionate extremes that you might wonder why anyone ever bothered listening to WeWork-ass festival-indie bands like Grouplove. Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St. 7:30 pm. $50. All ages.
SUNDAY, FEB. 25:
Joanna Sternberg songs have the same plot as Peanuts comics: A lovable sad sack tries and fails, but at least they tried, and that’s virtuous. Sternberg didn’t ask to be the patron saint of the millennial shlimazel, but they know that their listeners aren’t alone, and the least they can do is hope errant strangers can relate to their troubles. It helps that Sternberg is armed with earthy wit and a knack for story-songs, not least the tale of the eponymous tiny penguin in “Pimba” (which becomes a funnier name for a penguin the more you think about it). Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Court. 7 pm. $20. 21+.