Thursday, March 8

What: Black Pearl Sings!

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Clarence Brown Theatre

How much: $5 — $25

What: Arpetrio with UV Hippo

When: 9 p.m.

Where: The Ciderhouse

How much: $ 8 advance / $10 door

Our take: What do you call that awkward hand gesture ubiquitous to dancefloors worldwide, the one with your hand extended flat and then sort of just brought down rapidly, over and over, as if to crush an invisible fly for the duration of a song or a DJ’s set? Whatever that is, is the visual representation of the Arpetrio crowd — making a lot of movement with not a lot of significance behind it.

What: Chevelle with Middle Class Rut and Janus — SOLD OUT

When: 8 p.m.

Where: The Valarium

How much: $26

Our take: This is baffling, if not surprising. Mix one part early 2000s angst-alternarawkers with two parts younger, whinier whippersnappers and you get a sold out house. Music is dead.

Friday, March 9

What: Neon Indian with Promise Ring — SOLD OUT

When: 10 p.m.

Where: The Square Room

How much: $12

Our take: Denton, Texas, songwriter and artist Alan Palomo has ridden the blogospheric wave since his debut EP, “Psychic Chasms,” and last year’s “Era Extraña” ended up on many year-end lists. On the road Neon Indian has morphed into a quartet who add a raw edge to Palomo’s often dreamy, wistful compositions.

What: Bedroom Farce

When: 8 p.m.

Where: Theatre Knoxville Downtown

How much: $15

Our take: Alan Ayckbourn’s hit play documents the effect one couple’s marital strife has on those closest to them. A dramedy of domestic dysfunction.

Saturday, March 10

What: Natti Love Joys with Fat Penguin

When: 9 p.m.

Where: The Ciderhouse

How much: $8 door

Our take: It’s a local reggae show. If that’s your bag, groove with it. Otherwise, avoid like the plague.

What: Bad Dudes vs. Warband! with Comedy Set from Jeff Blank

When: 10 p.m. Pilot Light Time

Where: Pilot Light

How much: $5

Our take: Knoxville’s answer to the Stones versus Sabbath. Expect a sea of sweat and body odor. Maybe leather pants, it’s hard to predict these things.

Sunday, March 11

What: A View from the Mountaintop: An Evening with Barbara Kingsolver & Kathy Mattea — SOLD OUT

When: 5 p.m.

Where: Bijou Theatre

How much: $25 — good luck finding a scalper.

Our take: A best-selling author and award-winning country musician team up to celebrate their Appalachian roots and to highlight the travesty of mountaintop removal which destroys both the mountains and the communities around them.

What: Bedroom Farce

When: 3 p.m.

Where: Theatre Knoxville Downtown

How much: $10

Our take: Alan Ayckbourn’s hit play documents the effect one couple’s marital strife has on those closest to them. A dramedy of domestic dysfunction.

What: Black Pearl Sings! (Closing Performance)

When: 2 p.m.

Where: Clarence Brown Theatre

How much: $5 — $30

What: Whitechapel with Miss May I and others

When: 6 p.m.

Where: The Valarium

How much: $17.50 advance / $20 door

Our take: An odd reunion of venue and band, local deathcore boys and international stars Whitechapel got their start back in 2006 on the stage of the Electric Ballroom, now known as the Valarium. They headline an all-ages five band bill which resembles the scene metal days of yore, so expect 13-year-olds with jagged purple hair and gauges. It’s essentially a walking MySpace page.