Why?

Why?

Why? is a folk-pop-hip-hop, sometimes-mustachioed quartet that operates out of the Bay Area under the bold banner of the Anticon collective. At the band’s helm is Yoni Wolf, who writes and sings and has also been known to dance, play any instrument (piano, keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, harmonica), sample and occasionally beat his chest like a gorilla. Opener Aqueduct can be either completely brilliant or completely annoying with its synth-laden superpop. A much better bet is Lawrence’s Superargo, which will release a three-song disc titled “The Backspace Statement” during the show at 10 p.m. Sunday at The Jackpot Saloon, 943 Mass.

Danny Pound in-store

Ex-Vitreous Humor, ex-Regrets frontman Danny Pound will be delivering a free in-store performance for the record-buying public. The Lawrence musician is unveiling acoustic interpretations of songs from his recently released solo effort “Surer Days,” which sonically affirms why he is still among the premier songwriters in the area. Pound will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday at Kief’s Downtown Music, 823 Mass.

Fear Factory

Fear Factory

Fear Factory fuses the take-no-prisoners intensity of death metal with industrial programming sensibilities and rhythmic precision. The band has been at the forefront of the major-label metal scene for more than a decade despite numerous lineup changes. Drummer Raymond Herrera is one of the most technically proficient in the business, and vocalist Burton Bell effortlessly switches from an aggressive growl to clean and operatic pipes. The band joins It Dies Today, Strapping Young Lad and Darkane at 7 p.m. today at The Granada, 1020 Mass.

Spooky stories with Priscilla Howe

Spooky stories with Priscilla Howe

Priscilla Howe made up her first story when she was 13, and she’s been telling tales ever since – only nowadays she’s a professional. She spins her yarns in Lawrence schools, libraries, nursing homes and living rooms, each appearance more of a performance than a reading. Howe has performed across the United States and Europe and has released two recordings, “Chickens!” and “The Ghost with One Black Eye.” She’ll indulge children and adults alike with tales from both CDs during a free pre-Halloween reading at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Raven Bookstore, 6 E. Seventh St.

‘Nightmare in Venice’

'Nightmare in Venice'

The Baroque quartet Red Priest borrows its name from the infamous flame-haired priest, Antonio Vivaldi, and the composer’s “Nightmare Concerto” will occupy the center of the group’s weekend performance in Lawrence. The program, dubbed “Nightmare in Venice,” will take the audience on a 150-year journey from the turn of the 17th century through the development of the extravagant Baroque music style in Europe. In addition to Vivaldi, the performance will feature music from Giovanni Paolo Cima, Henry Purcell, Diego Ortiz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jacob Van Eyck and more. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday at the Lied Center.