Of Montreal, with Yip Deceiver and Haute Tension. Anyone who's ever seen Of Montreal singer songwriter Kevin Barnes perform onstage — decked out in full drag or denim short-shorts or even in the nude — would likely think he's the kind of person who's eliminated "normal" from his lexicon. Yet over the course of a 17-minute conversation with Barnes, the word comes up a handful of times in various iterations. The artist speaks of a "normal, day-to-day experience," a "normal day," and what he "would normally wear." Read the full interview with Barnes here before the band hits the Ground this weekend. 7 p.m. Friday, April 5, at the Ground, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 305-375-0001. Tickets cost $20 to $25 via ticketfly.com.
Dracula. The duo Dracula's name doesn’t just reference a bloodthirsty Transylvanian vampire. It's more like a nod to the subtler Bram Stoker depiction of the lonely and lovesick count. The only instruments Eli Oviedo and Dorys Bello use are a nylon-stringed acoustic guitar and two distinctively gorgeous voices. Songs in Spanish and English are tightly woven into a tapestry of quiet intensity. The duo was the first act to be signed to Sweat Records Records, which released Dracula's album Dorys & Eli,and celebrated a big success when it was named NPR's favorite Latin songs of the week. Catch Dracula live this weekend at the Little Havana location of Life House Hotels. 8 p.m. Friday, April 5, at Life House Hotels, 528 SW Ninth Ave., Miami. Admission is free.
Angel X at POP. Look out, y'all. It's time for the tenth edition of the POP Ball ("POP" stands for "Power of the Pussy"). This year's ball carries the theme "Power of Pride," so get decked out in your rainbow attire. The best-dressed individuals and groups will be awarded prizes, so no holding back! Cash Mizrahi, Oso Milan, Angel Yamamoto, and Danny Ebony will host the evening, and Angel X will provide the musical goodness. Read all of the best things to do this week, including other Miami Beach Pride events, here. 9 p.m. Friday, April 5, at Renaissance Ballroom at the Gables, 5910 SW Eighth St., West Miami; popballmiami.com. Admission costs $20 before 10 p.m. and $30 after.
Less Than Jake. Like other ska-punk bands of its era, Less Than Jake owes much of its success to recurring performances on the Vans Warped Tour. Beginning in 1997, the group traversed North America with the pop-up city for punks for 12 summers, playing a total of 441 shows — the most in the festival's history — including a handful of concerts during the Warped Tour's final cross-country run last year. "The tour opened us up to new audiences, a new batch of 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds every year," cofrontman Chris DeMakes says. "Up until last year, kids who had never heard of our band before would walk up to our merchandise booth and want an autograph. We were like a new band to them." Read the full interview with DeMakes here before the band's show at Culture Room. 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; 954-564-1074; cultureroom.net. Tickets cost $19.50.
Big Eyes, with Flores Robadas and Palomino Blond. Streets of the Lost is the name of Big Eyes’ fourth studio album, which is set to drop this Friday, April 5. The Brooklyn-based band — which consists of Kait Eldridge on lead vocals and guitar; brothers Paul and Jeff Ridenour on guitar/backup vocals and bass, respectively; and Shane Kerton on drums — embarked on a southern U.S. tour this week that includes a spot at Las Rosas. Eldridge is used to being likened to hard-rocking women such as Joan Jett and Suzi Quatro — serious, take-no-prisoners musicians with shag haircuts and rebellious spirits, taking the lead in a man’s world. Jett even lives in Long Beach, New York, Eldridge’s hometown. But ask Eldridge about her musical influences and you’ll also get a crash course in the world of hard rock, punk, and '70s and '80s power pop, tracing back to the Beach Boys. Read the full interview with Eldridge here. 9 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at Las Rosas, 2898 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; 786-780-2700; lasrosasbar.com. Admission is free.
Liz Tracy has written for publications such as the New York Times, the Atlantic, Refinery29, W, Glamour, and, of course, Miami New Times. She was New Times Broward-Palm Beach's music editor for three years. Now she plays one mean monster with her 2-year-old son and obsessively watches British mysteries.
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