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A A A Comments By Chris Gray Wednesday, Jul 16 2008

Something Fierce: Punk rock for modern girls, postmodern guys.

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He may not have invented it — it's actually a kind of syncopation common to the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms — but he perfected it, and that inimitable "Bo Diddley beat" still pulses through plenty of today's music. So who better to pay tribute to the rock and roll pioneer than the Offspring, not the "Come Out and Play" punk band but Diddley's actual children, Bo-Detta, Tammi and Lil' Bo? The trio joins Katy bluesman Hamilton Loomis, whose latest album Ain't Just Temporary features a collaboration with Diddley, for a concert in the Diddley daddy's honor (Friday, Last Concert Café). For a slightly more modern take on R&B — one that proved too soulful by half in the 2006 season of American Idol — Porter's favorite son Sundance Head pulls back into town, fresh off recording his debut LP for Universal Motown (Friday, Meridian).

Recent Associated Press subjects Something Fierce may not be able to afford gas money for a tour, but with the instant-classic title song of this year's Modern Girl EP foremost in its arsenal of tuneful garage blasts, the local trio should be able to defend its turf against Austin punk veterans the Ends and Manikin (Saturday, Rudyard's). Ever wondered how they get down in Zimbabwe? Find out this weekend when Austin's Rattletree Marimba brings its breezy, hypnotic Afro-pop to town for a world-music showdown with the Javanese strains of Houston's one and only Space City Gamelan (Saturday, Last Concert Café). Finally, one of the most promising new bands in town is News on the March, who could be Austin's Brothers & Sisters (read: '60s and '70s California folk-rock) without all that facial hair. NOTM promises an EP of its own soon, but for now helps Austin pals The Eastern Sea release its self-titled EP on a packed bill also crowding in locals Elaine Greer, B. and the Wild Moccasins (Sunday, Walter's on Washington).