Weekend Picks: BITBY showcase at Little Bar, Andrew Bird at The Grand Opera House, Dum Dum Girls at Union Transfer

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21
Tonight at Little Bar, the folks from Bands In The Backyard will premiere the series’ third episode, featuring Arc In Round. (Previous episodes have featured Faux Slang and Streetwalkers.) The screening will include live performances by Ages, Renderers, Sore Eros, and Not Fur Longs. Ages and Not Fur Longs—along with Psychic Teens (who opened for Zola Jesus last night at First Unitarian Church—have each been highlighted in BITBY’s bkstg sessions, which features one-camera shoots of bands performing stripped-down versions of their songs at local venues prior to playing on stage. Ages performs with Renderers, Sore Eros, and Not Fur Longs (with DJ sets by members of Faux Slang and Arc In Round) at 8 p.m. at Little Bar; tickets to the show are $6.

Also playing: CSS + MEN, EMA at Union Transfer (8 p.m., all ages, $15);

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22
Writing the score for a darkly humorous indie film is no easy task; the composer must detail every strained emotion and hint of action through a series of scales and cadences. For Andrew Bird, however, this style of writing seems as simple as blinking. Norman (out in select theaters Oct. 21st) is a coming-of-age film about a boy, a love interest, and routine family issues—and Bird’s soundtrack depicts just that. The classically trained violinist abandoned his experimental and sometimes ostentatious arranging for a more minimalistic instrumental approach. Bird’s orchestral roots are exposed in pieces like “3:36” and “Medicine Chest,” which incorporate somber violin solos over longing instrumental backdrops. He paints a musical tale that is as comprehensive and aesthetic as its visual representation. Andrew Bird performs with Martin Dosh at 8 p.m. at The Grand Opera House; tickets for the all ages event are $29.50. —Caitlyn Grabenstein

Also Playing: Odd Future at Union Transfer (8 p.m., SOLD OUT); The Wombats + The Postelles, The Static Jacks at Johnny Brenda’s (9 p.m., 21+, $15); Buried Beds + Dignan, Geology at Kung Fu Necktie (7:30 p.m., 21+, $8); XPN Welcomes The Jayhawks at Keswick Theatre (8 p.m., $34.50–$45); Small Houses + Hezekiah Jones, Chris Bathgate at Studio 34 (7:30 p.m., all ages, $10); Suzie Brown + Carsie Blanton at Tin Angel (7:30 p.m., 21+, $12); The Smashing Pumpkins + Fancy Space People, Light FM at Tower Theatre (7 p.m., $52–$79.75)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23
The members of Dum Dum Girls have always dressed to impress. Since hitting the scene with its debut album, I Will Be, last year, the ’60s-inspired quartet is almost always found clad in matching black nylons, red lipstick, and heavy eye makeup, hiding behind a veil of thick, glossy bangs. Though the ladies have always looked quite mature, their second album, Only In Dreams, carries a sound that has finally caught up with the group’s aesthetic. Though still creating a nice balance between beachy grooves and low-fi subtleties, the group’s latest batch of songs sounds less like adolescent heart doodles and more like someone who’s mastered the complexities of The Bell Jar. Born in the wake of lead singer Dee Dee’s mother’s lost battle to cancer, Only In Dreams strays from the typical boy-crazy narratives and instead acts as a cathartic confession of insomnia, restlessness, and change. Dum Dum Girls performs with Crocodiles and Royal Baths at 8:00 p.m. at Union Transfer; tickets to the all-ages show are $15. —Marielle Mondon

Also Playing: Rumer + Bill Ricchini (of Summer Fiction) at World Cafe Live (8 p.m., $18); Fierce Bad Rabbit + Oh! Pears, Dad Rocks, Attia Taylor at The M Room (8 p.m., 21+, $7); Portugal. The Man + Alberta Cross at Theatre Of Living Arts (7 p.m., $25)