critics’ picks Erykah Badu

Clan of Xymox, Curse Mackey, A Cloud of Ravens, DJ Kill

Born in the Netherlands circa 1981 from a trio of singers, Clan of Xymox went on to define the currently hot darkwave genre. Tellingly, its first records were released on 4AD, the most ethereal label of them all. Despite numerous lineup changes over its four decades of existence, the band frequently releases new music. Curse Mackey — former frontman of San Antonio industrial legends Evil Mothers — is among the show’s opening acts. $25$100, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx. com. — Mike McMahan

Thursday, June 1

Nina Diaz, Polly Anna, Misogyn Bluu

When hometown heroes Girl in a Coma hit the skids a few years back, guitarist-vocalist Nina Diaz scooped up the indie-rock half of its sound and birthed a solo career. Since then, she’s put out both original material and an extensive series of covers focused on the ’90s, the decade that most obviously influenced her. Expect to hear songs from Diaz’s most recent release, I Could Be You, You Could Be Me. Also expect her to be flying solo for this gig, accompanied only by her guitar and her trusty loop pedals. $10-$60, 8 p.m., Brick at Blue Star, 108 Blue Star, (210) 262-8653, brickatbluestar.com. — MM

Jay Wheeler

Reggaeton and trap sensation Jay Wheeler grew up in Puerto Rico, where he built a following on social media and earned the nickname “La Voz Favorita.” From there, he never looked back. Wheeler broke into the Billboard Latin Top 5 with “La Curiosidad” in 2020 and has racked up critical praise for his emotional honesty, particularly his openness about being bullied in school. The performer made big waves at this year’s SXSW and even earning big praise from the Boomer bible itself, Rolling Stone $52-$152, 8 p.m., Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St., (210) 226-1177, freemancoliseum.com. — MM

Friday, June 2

IAMX

The enigmatic Chris Corner, a founder of ’90s electronica outfit Sneaker Pimps, has moved on to a unique genre mashup with his solo project IAMX. Dark electronica and haunting lyrics blend with burlesque-style theatrics, making Corner’s new schtick a feast for the senses. IAMX is touring in support of its latest release Fault Lines¹ which delves into BDSM with tracks including “In Bondage” and “Radical Self-Love.” $30-$200, 8:30 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com.— Danny Cervantes

Sunday, June 4 starsdontmeananything, Blood Skid, Shirley Temple, just fine Albuquerque, N.M.-based starsdontmeananything is bringing its headbanging brand of screamo to town with assistance from San Antonio bands Blood Skid, Shirley Temple and just fine — the last of which also appears averse to capitalization. Shirley Temple and Blood Skid make hardcore their own. Shirley Temple adopts a sinister, almost possessed sound, while Blood Skid leans toward the kind of heavy metal that begs for a mosh pit. Meanwhile, just fine boasts a Midwest emo sound with twinkling guitars and vocals that toe the line between speaking and screaming. $10, 8 p.m., Snake Hill Social Club, 1522 E. Grayson St., (210) 446-7596, www.instagram.com/snakehill.satx. — Dalia Gulca

Thursday, June 8

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

Ryan Adams will bring his heartfelt lyrics and heartbreaking sound to newish Alamo City venue The Espee. The reunion of Ryan Adams with The Cardinals comes after they disbanded in 2010 so he could pursue his solo work. The newly constituted band features founding drummer Brad Pemberton and funk legend Don Was of Was (Not Was) on bass. In March, Adams and the group released a new single “Dreams of the Working Class,” a bittersweet ode to the everyman. $59.50 and up*, 8 p.m., The Espee, 1174 E. Commerce St., (210) 226-5700, majesticempire. com. — DC

Castle Club, Sex Mex, Gult

Austin-based headliner Castle Club claims to be inspired by everything from psych-pop to heavy metal, but the amalgam sounds surprisingly like crusty punk. San Antonio-based acts Sex Mex and Gult draw upon post-punk inspirations, with the former adding bright synths to create a distinctive heaviness layered over with a poppy feel. Free ($10 minors), 8 p.m., Vice Versa, 123 Heiman St., (210) 977-0566, instagram.com/viceversa.sanantonio. — DG

Saturday, June 10

Rolo Tomassi, The Callous Daoboys, Pound, Postal With a name derived from the gritty crime novel and later film LA Confidential, you’d be forgiven for thinking the band Rolo To- massi boasts a noir vibe. It assuredly does not. Instead, prepare yourself for a highly experimental mathcore outfit. The band is fronted by the charismatic Eva Korman, whose harsh vocals somehow maintain a feminine edge — unusual for the genre. Recommended for metal listeners seeking something brutal but still off the beaten path. $20-$25, 7:30 p.m., Vibes Underground, 1223 E. Houston St., (210) 255-3833, vibeseventcenter.com. — MM

BONES, Xavier Wulf, Eddy Baker

Underground hip-hop artists BONES, Xavier Wulf and Eddy Baker are united on tour after frequently collaborating as the collective Seshollowaterboyz. BONES, hitting the road for the first time in four years, is known for his experimental take on hip-hop, which has been called everything from emo to cloud rap. Xavier Wulf incorporates similar elements with dark trap. Meanwhile, Eddy Baker was a member of the Raider Klan with Wulf and popularized the Memphis phonk sound. $178 and up*, 7:30 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s, (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — DC

Sunday, June 11

Erykah Badu, Yasiin Bey

Known as the “Queen of Neo Soul,” Texas native Erykah Badu has emerged as a music icon since bursting onto the scene in the ’90s with an intoxicating blend of jazz, funk and R&B. Expect Badu to have the arena grooving to her profound and soul-stirring lyrics. Yasiin Bey, more commonly known as Mos Def, opens with his extensive catalog of solo hits and Black Star, the acclaimed hip-hop duo he formed with Talib Kweli. $43.95$454, 7:30 p.m., AT&T Center, One AT&T Center, (210) 444-5000, attcenter.com. — DC