Clusterfuck: Pavement, High Zero, INEVERYROOM, XIU XIU, Death Set, Wavves, M.I.A., Christmas Island

Tonight the Metro Gallery welcomes back Xiu Xiu, who were supposed to play Whartscape but canceled after Sunday's storm. They'll be joined by the guitar and synth tribal glee of INEVERYROOM. This show starts at 8 PM and is 12 dollars.

High Zero is now going strong, with more performances scheduled all weekend long. I caught wind of of one of the awesome HighJinx events a few night's ago in front of the Charles, and I'd suggest looking out for those all weekend in addition to the main events each night.

Pavement is coming to Columbia, Maryland to play at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday as part of this year's Virgin Fest. They'll be joined by LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A. Yeasayer, Maximum Balloon and a lot more. This festival is dubbed "FreeFest", but those tickets are gone and you can now buy tickets here for $125 according to organizers.



Saturday night Taxlo takes over the Ottobar with Wavves, The Death Set, Christmas Island, and Popo. Afterwords they host M.I.A.'s DJ with "surprise special guests" upstairs. Conclude what you will, this one starts at 9:30 PM.

New Rye Rye Video: Bang

Rye Rye has grown up pretty quick, and is clearly poised to blow up completely. Being the first artist signed to MIA's label N.E.E.T., this eighteen year old Baltimore resident will likely be banging the world over in the coming months.

"Bang" was the first heard taste from the debut LP, and is now the first video for the upcoming album. With a beat that even your grandmother would tap her feet to, it's no surprise that the video features all kinds of folks getting down.

The neon glowing dance party takes place underneath Russel Street at Paradox. The locally flavored moves are set to a much more dimly lit setting than the daytime fountain dancing of "Shake it to the Ground", a song that is also produced by Blaqstarr.

The video is directed by MIA, and Rye Rye's debut release date is still TBA.

Diplo x Switch = Major Lazer

The creation of Major Lazer was announced back in 2008, but the project's highly anticipated debut album is tentatively expected to drop June 16th on Downtown.

Major Lazer is the culmination of two of the world's most renowned DJs, Diplo and Switch. Philly by way of Baltimore by way of everywhere club genius Diplo seems to always have 900 things up his sleeve, but this project consisting of tweaked-out dancehall grooves has garnered the most anticipation of late.

The LP was to be Guns Don't Kill People-Lazers Do, but some debate over the title has recently been shared. Regardless, the album features Diplo and Switch standards M.I.A. and Santigold, and might even be cooler than a 1993 laser tag birthday party.

New Rye Rye

Local teenage club banger Rye Rye's got a new track to shake stuff to. The new jam is called "Bang", and is freshly posted to her myspace page. Have at it here.

The song features the British/Sri Lankan phenom M.I.A., and sounds to be produced by Baltimore club extraordinaire Blaqstarr.

The track originally appeared on Blaqstarr's I'm Bangin 2 mixtape. Rye Rye bangs SXSW this week, and I'd expect more info soon on her debut LP which is currently in the works.

Shake Rye Rye's last video to the ground below, as always, complete with choreographed booty shaking set at the inner harbor's fountains . Pretty much always a crowd pleaser.

M.I.A. & Blaqstarr Got Them Yellow Tops

Unfortunately, a new season of The Wire co-starring M.I.A. and Blaqstarr is not in the works. But, the next best thing something that reluctantly attempts to hold us over until this never actually happens, has occurred.

The two have redone "Way Down in the Hole", the epic Tom Wait's jam that soundtracked the opening sequence of the series. While most would prefer the version off Frank's Wild Years, give credit to both who allegedly shot the video for only $9.95.