Of Montreal

Of Montreal

Of Montreal has the goods to be one of the great lost pop bands: a prolific songwriter (Kevin Barnes) who plays nearly everything on the band’s records; abstract psychedelic imagery to accompany ridiculously catchy arrangements; intriguing recordings thick with bells and whistles and all sorts of kitchen-top percussion; and, most importantly, album sales on par with XFL tickets. After a disastrous stint with the struggling Kindercore Records, the band is hoping to make a new start with Polyvinyl Records (also home to Lawrence expatriates Mates of State), which released the group’s latest, “The Sunlandic Twins.” Of Montreal joins Tilly and the Wall and Kelpie 9 p.m. Saturday at The Bottleneck, 737 N.H.

The Wilders

With the verve of old-time radio storytellers and the energy of a thrash metal band, Kansas City’s The Wilders rip the chain off 1920s string band music, ’30s country and ’40s honky-tonk. Likewise, the audience’s good times are in good hands with Lawrence’s Midday Ramblers, pickin’ and a singin’ with a good helping of reverent left turns, as they say. The bands perform an early show 5:30 p.m. Sunday at The Replay Lounge, 946 Mass.

Darediablo

Darediablo

What does a band do if it has everything in place – great musicians, cool riffs, original sound – but just can’t find a lead singer that fits? Apparently it follows the path set by Darediablo. The New York City trio employs only guitar, drums and keyboards to generate what The Village Voice dubs: “rock with more power and finesse than most bands twice their size and wattage.” Darediablo joins Ethan Azarian and 400 Blows 10 p.m. Saturday at The Replay Lounge, 946 Mass.

J. Alex Stamos

J. Alex Stamos

If the image on the postcard for “Strangers” is any indication, patrons at Kansas City’s Cup&Saucer will be sipping cocktails with some pretty trippy guests for the next month. Lawrence artist John Stamos – who recently adopted the name J. Alex Stamos – is giving life to some of the strange creatures he’s been sketching in the margins of his notebook. In these digital paintings by Stamos, whose artistic style vibes on the comics and horror movies he grew up with, the line between the grotesque and the beautiful blurs. “Strangers” opens with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Cup&Saucer, 412B Delaware St., in Kansas City, Mo., and remains on view through June 20.

Frederick Sommer

Frederick Sommer

Although photographer Frederick Sommer worked in all the leading artistic modes – still life, landscape, portraiture and abstraction – he remains impossible to categorize – or to forget. One of the most influential figures in 20th century photography, Sommers printed his photos in highly unconventional ways. He explored the potential of out-of-focus images, made prints from superimposed negatives and experimented with synthetic “negatives” produced by applying candle smoke to sheets of glass or cellophane. “Frederick Sommer: Photography, Drawing, Collage – A Centennial Celebration” will be on view through July 31 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo. A free symposium, “Making Sense of Sommer,” will be from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Mo.