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The week ahead: Music

Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Earthly wonders

ELECTRIC EARTH CONCERTS This series, taking place in venues across the Monadnock region of New Hampshire, continues on Saturday with violist and co-artistic director Jonathan Bagg joining members of the resident Horszowski Trio (above) for a program featuring a string trio arrangement of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” alongside Stephen Hartke’s 1984 work “King of the Sun.” June 15, 7:30 p.m. First Church in Jaffrey, NH. 603-593.5245, electricearthconcerts.org Jeremy Eichler

POP & ROCK

JONATHAN RICHMAN Playing his first Boston-area show since a campaign was launched to make “Roadrunner” the official rock song of Massachusetts, Richman returns to his old stomping grounds with a hefty catalog of solo albums and work with the Modern Lovers. June 13, 8 p.m. Tickets: $19. Somerville Theatre. 617-625-5700, www.somerville
theatreonline.com

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND For last year’s “Away From the World,” its eighth studio album, DMB reunited with legendary producer Steve Lillywhite, who helmed the band’s early work, right up to 1998’s “Before These Crowded Streets.” Brandi Carlile opens both nights. June 15-16,
7 p.m. Tickets: $40.50-$75. Comcast Center, Mansfield. 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com

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ALPINE At once breathless and pulsating, the new debut from Alpine sounds like Kylie Minogue for the indie-rock crowd. Touring behind “A Is for Alpine,” the Australian band is opening for dance rockers Crystal Fighters. June 18, 9 p.m. Tickets: $17, $15 in advance. The Sinclair, Cambridge. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com

KINGS OF THE MIC Royalty indeed. This multi-artist lineup has a decidedly old-school bent, packed with hip-hop heavyweights LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and De La Soul. June 19, 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $30-$94. Bank of America Pavilion. 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com
JAMES REED

FOLK, WORLD & COUNTRY

TOAD’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Yes, the funky little hole in the wall at Porter Square has been a place to see both local and national acts for 20 years now. Its celebration marking that fact continues this week with shows from folks such as Todd Thibaud who’ve been regulars over the years, and finishes up with a return to their Sunday night origins by Session Americana. June 13-16, various start times. Tickets: no cover. Toad, Cambridge. 617-597- 4950, www.toadcambridge.com

DAR WILLIAMS WITH THE NEW PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA Veteran New England folkie Williams has likely played many a time within church confines over the course of her career, but she’s never done it with an orchestra before. The New Philharmonia will accompany her with arrangements written specifically for the concert. The event is a fund-raiser for the orchestra’s community engagement program. June 15,
8 p.m. Tickets: $35, $50. First Baptist Church, Newton. 617-527-9717, www.newphil.org

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OLD TIME MACHINE Whitehorse (Yukon) inhabitants Ryan McNally and Kyle Cashen, who together make up Old Time Machine, are traveling a long way to play this gig, which is part of their first US tour. They describe themselves with a paradox, as “a duo of one man bands,” facing each other as they play “across a sea of percussion, strings, and wood-paneled devices.” June 19,
10:30 p.m. Tickets: no cover. All Asia, Cambridge. 617-497-1544, www.allasia
bar.com

MARK WALKER Drummer and Berklee educator Mark Walker has a resume a mile long, including lengthy and continuing stints as a member of American jazz/world group Oregon and of Paquito D’Rivera’s quintet and work with his own group, the Rhythm of the Americas. Wednesday he headlines “Afro-Cuban night” at the Berklee Percussion Festival. June 19, 8:15 p.m. Tickets: $8. Berklee Performance Center. 617-747-2261, www.berkleebpc.com
STUART MUNRO

JAZZ

LITTLEWOLF This up-and-coming outfit features two Texan singer-songwriter/guitarists — veteran Steve Lott and 20-something Kristi Bess Clanton — whose bluesy musical chemistry has already seen them named “Debut Artist of the Year” in Alternate Roots Magazine’s 2013 Reader’s Poll. June 13, 9 p.m. Tickets: $10. Johnny D’s, 17 Holland St., Somerville. 617-776-2004, www.johnny
ds.com

JUSSI REIJONEN QUINTET The Finnish string master plays fretted and fretless guitars as well as oud (Arabic lute). His music draws from his wandering youth: Arab, West African, and Indian influences woven with American and Scandinavian jazz. His able quartet—Turkish pianist Utar Artun, Swedish acoustic bassist Bruno Råberg, and two percussion-ists: Palestinian Tareq Rantisi, and Spanish Sergio Martínez — bring their own wide-ranging sensibilities to the spacious sonic carpet. June 14, 10 p.m. Tickets: $10. Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St., Cambridge. www.lily-pad.net

GIACOMO GATES QUARTET The jazz vocalist with the supple, seasoned baritone only began performing professionally when he was closing in on 50! Gates is equally adept at swing, scat, and vocalese. June 18, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. Sahara Club, 34 Bates St., Methuen.
603-898-1591, www.jockosjazz.com

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EL ECO The Boston and New York-based Latin jazz ensemble, led by Argentinean drummer/composer Guillermo Nojechowicz, merges breezy Brazilian samba with passionate Argentinean tango, incorporating funk, Afro-Cuban music, and straight-ahead jazz. Featuring Cuban pianist/composer Osmany Paredes as special guest. June 19, 9 p.m. Tickets: $15. Ryles Jazz Club, 212 Hampshire St., Cambridge. 617-876-9330, www.ryles
jazz.com

KEVIN LOWENTHAL

CLASSICAL

BOSTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL The biennial BEMF marathon has reached its midpoint but the next few days are still packed with events, including (on June 13) an organ mini-festival, a dance workshop, two masterclasses, a BEMF Orchestra concert in Jordan Hall, and a late-night program in Emmanuel Church. Friday’s offerings include Handel’s “Almira,” a keyboard mini-festival, no fewer than 17 fringe concerts, and the estimable Hilliard Ensemble singing music of Perotin, Dufay, and many others. Through June 16. Multiple venues. 617-661-1812, www.bemf.org

ROCKPORT CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL This week Rockport pays tribute to both Wagner and Verdi in their bicentenary year (June 13 and 14), and presents recitals by the violinist Anne Akiko Meyers (June 15) and the Boston Trio (June 16). Shalin Liu Performance Center. 978-546-7391, www.rockportmusic.org

SICK PUPPY Pianist Stephen Drury’s annual new-music seminar at New England Conservatory draws its memorable nickname from its acronym, SICPP, or the Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice. Rand Steiger is this year’s composer-in-residence and his works will be featured on several free evening programs. The mini-festival culminates in a marathon “Iditarod” concert, with works by Steiger as well as Ives, Reich, Morton Feldman, Xenakis, Berio, Rzewski, and many others. June 16-22. New England Conservatory.
617-585-1122, www.sicpp.org

JEREMY EICHLER