VALERIE JUNE
Heights Theater, March 1
Valerie June's latest release, The Order of Time, is an understated, masterful melange of Southern music. The singer blends together country, blues and classic Americana to create an album that is mournful, reflective and somber, yet ultimately bright. The single "Astral Plane," the product of a failed effort at writing a song for Massive Attack, is particularly moving, with a slow swing of chords coupled with the wistful twang of June's voice. June has something to offer just about every Houston music fan, and her striking and powerful singing is sure to reverberate through the intimate halls of the Heights Theater tonight. Add on the delightful Australian indie-pop duo Oh Pep! as an opener, and you've got a show that's going to set the bar for the month of March high. KATIE SULLIVAN

THE INVERTERS, THE SUSPECTS
Satellite Bar, March 4
A two-tone-style ska outfit out of Austin, the Inverters boast oodles of breezy horn work and hearts of gold: Founded on spreading a message of “unity + tolerance,” according to their website, the band also proudly supports the “Hoodies For the Homeless” campaign. The five-piece's songs call for plenty of dancing as they strike just the right balance between swaying and skanking underneath singer Al Shire’s convincing crooning, be he attempting to weasel his way out of jail (“Hey Mr. Officer”) or saluting a fallen comrade, “Kevin.” We hear a lot of English Beat in the jaunty tunes on the Inverters’ eponymous 2016 LP, as will other fans of a certain Houston band that starts with “Su”: the Suspects, now reunited with original singer Chris Kendrick and closing out what should easily be Houston's Saturday-night ska party of the month. CHRIS GRAY

BRING ME THE HORIZON
Revention Music Center, March 10
Bring Me the Horizon was first characterized as a "deathcore" band, fusing elements of death metal and metalcore on its debut album, Count Your Blessings. But that changed as the group began incorporating more melodies to hone in on their new sound on 2015's That's the Spirit. Their fifth studio album was both the most accessible and the most polarizing in their discography since it marked a departure from their early sound in favor of big choruses and anthemic verses. Many longtime fans have since abandoned the group, but even more have bought into what BMTH is selling, which blends their screamo background with the kind of synth-rock popularized by Linkin Park. It's not for everyone, but it was the closest the band has ever come to a No. 1 record so far in their career. MATTHEW KEEVER

DOWNTOWN BOYS
Walters Downtown, March 10
In these parts for SXSW doings, the Rhode Island political punk band makes what is fast becoming an annual pilgrimage to Walters. Downtown Boys were already being lauded as "the most relevant band in America" last year, before "Twitler" actually somehow won the presidency. "The whole time this band has existed, it's been a very dire political moment," the band's co-founder, Joey De Francesco, told the Houston Press last year. "With everything we do, we try to make it very anti-nostalgic and very much about what's happening right now." There's a hell of a lot happening right now, so expect fresh takes on this surreal American life, told with a depth of insight and punchy songs. JESSE SENDEJAS JR.

POTTY MOUTH
White Oak Music Hall, March 13
Potty Mouth exemplifies just how good punk music can be when we stop letting men (Julie) ruin it. Heavily inspired by '90s riot-grrrl acts like Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney, the Massachusetts-based band made a splash with critics on their 2013 album Hell Bent. Potty Mouth's music bursts with grit and attitude, drifting through throaty bass lines and wistful, rage-y lyrics in tight, three-minute punches. While other groups in this genre fall victim to redundancy, Potty Mouth keep their music fresh with unrivaled authenticity. Their upcoming White Oak show is the right place to go if you need to dance out some aggression, or if you just love C, G and F chords. It doesn't matter if it's on a Monday — any day is a good day to rock. KATIE SULLIVAN

PRONOUN
Super Happy Fun Land, March 13
In a year that had plenty of standout shorter releases (Nine Inch Nails, Cappa and Fjord among them), there wasn't an EP that I enjoyed more than pronoun's There's No One New Around You. Alyse Velluro crafted four songs that are catchy and emotional, songs that really belong on every breakup mix you make moving forward. By keeping them simple (but never boring), these songs of frustration and hurt just get stuck in your brain; “just cuz you can't” is arguably the best pop song you didn't heart last year. pronoun hits Houston on the way to SXSW, thus saving you a drive to Austin to see one of the most exciting bands to come out of last year. CORY GARCIA

METAL BLADE RECORDS 35th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
House of Blues, March 14
With a variety of death-streaked metal flavorings (deathgrind, blackened death, technical death), the venerable metal label’s traveling showcase offers an excellent sampling of fan favorites. With nothing but heavy hitters on the lineup — Cattle Decapitation, Goatwhore, Necromancing the Stone and Allegaeon, all opening for reigning metalcore kings Whitechapel — this is easily the hottest metal show of the month. KRISTY LOYE