Fenster
This Berlin, WI/New York City outfit has taken my daydreams of sipping on margaritas and tanning poolside and turned them into musical form—at least that’s all I want to do when I hear the four-piece’s dreamy, sun-bleached 2015 LP Emocean. A groovy blend of psychedelic dream-pop, jazz, funk and washed-out indie rock, Fenster is the kind of band you look back on years later, one you’re still amazed you saw in such an intimate setting. Don’t miss it sharing a bill with Brooklyn’s Ex-Girlfriends and Vegas’ own Ossum Possum and Labrador. March 24, 8 p.m., free, Artisan.
Joanne Shaw Taylor
This blues-rock guitar wiz was discovered by Eurythmics man Dave Stewart when she was just 16. She hails from the U.K., but her music drips with the sound of the American South. Most recent album Wild takes some surprising turns, including a breezy cover of “Wild Is the Wind,” a song previously recorded by Nina Simone, David Bowie and others. Taylor breathes new life into rock ’n’ roll with her rich, soulful vocals and electrifying solos. In 2010 and again in 2011, she was named Best British Female Vocalist at the British Blues Awards. Check out Taylor’s 2016 performance on Later … With Jools Holland for a taste of what to expect Downtown. March 23, 8 p.m., $15-$20, Backstage Bar & Billiards.
Decent Criminal
Mashing twangy surf hooks, bratty vocals and swift percussion, these Santa Rosa, California, pop-punks sound like they were plucked straight from your favorite ’90s skate videos. Fans of Wavves, Mikal Cronin and their ilk should fall in love with DC’s sunny, melodic turbulence, full of crashing cymbals, playful harmonies and razor-sharp guitar solos. Joining Decent Criminal on this Vegas bill is Oakland punk three-piece Grumpster, which released a cassette split with Slumped in January (favorite track: “Kairos”). With their vocals reminiscent of Splendora, pummeling drums and lyrics about being a social outcast, Grumpster will leave you wanting to binge on Daria for days—and there’s nothing wrong with that. With The Quitters, Brendan Scholz. March 23, 9 p.m., free, Evel Pie.
