This Weekend’s Concert Picks: Thurston Moore at First Unitarian Church, TV Casualty as Minor Threat at Kung Fu Necktie

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17
Job For A Cowboy + Skeletonwitch, A Life Once Lost, Misery Index, Trap Them at First Unitarian Church (6:30 p.m., all-ages, $15); Cabinet + Nick Krill, Mike Quinn at The M Room ( 7:30 p.m., 21+, $8)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18
What do you get when you put Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, experimental noise guitarist Bill Nace, NYC-based musician Samara Lubelski, and local harpist Mary Lattimore together on the stage at First Unitarian Church for an hour so? Your guess is as good as ours—the night’s set will be completely improvised. Which means you could end up with a set’s worth of shifting dynamics, unexpected musical exchanges, and evolving melodies. Or you could bear witness to some of the most painful guitar wankery to grace the Church since who knows when. Given who’s involved, though—and the four musicians’ previous collaborations with one another (including Lubelski and Lattimore contributing to Moore’s upcoming solo album, Benediction), we’re going to guess it will be the former. Thurston Moore, Bill Nace, Samara Lubelski, and Mary Lattimore perform at 6 p.m. at First Unitarian Church; tickets to the all-ages show are SOLD OUT.

Also playing: Ross Bellenoit + Birdie Busch, Zach Djanikian at Johnny Brenda’s (9 p.m., 21+, $10); Citizens Arrest at Kung Fu Necktie (2 & 7 p.m., $10); 7 Walkers at World Cafe Live (8 p.m., $32.50-$50.50)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19
There’s a collaboration featuring some other notable names going on Sunday afternoon at Kung Fu Necktie, but it’s of a completely different sort. Former Kill The Man Who Questions frontman (and all-around Philly personality) Mike McKee joins Chris Wilson (from Ted Leo And The Pharmacists), Andy Nelson (Paint It Black), Atom Goren (Atom And His Package), and Brian Sokel (Franklin)—collectively known as TV Casualty—in performing as none other than seminal ’80s hardcore-punk band Minor Threat. Four members of quintet performed as The Misfits at Johnny Brenda’s earlier this year (with Ted Leo doing his best Glenn Danzig impersonation; we’re looking forward to seeing McKee’s Ian MacKaye), so you can rest assured that they know what they’re doing. TV Casualty as Minor Threat + Lighten Up as Gorilla Biscuits perform at 3 p.m. at Kung Fu Necktie; tickets to the all-ages show are $8.

Also playing: Bane + Breakdown, Cold World, Down To Nothing, Suburban Scum at First Unitarian Church (5 p.m., all ages, $15)