Weekly Music Picks: Not Hungry for Music

This Sunday Project Bread's Walk for Hunger takes over the streets of Boston, Newton, Watertown…oh, you get the picture. The walk starts in the morning and thousands of people will be walking to raise money to support food banks, soup kitchens, and other initiatives across the Commonwealth. There are lots of good shows going on this week – and it's capped off with a weekend extravaganza that includes both Arts First and Harvard Square's MayFair. That's three reasons to cross the Charles this weekend. And a good reason that we won't be hungry for music this weekend.

Tuesday, 5/1
El-P
El-P and Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus Lp (1997) became a powerful influence on the nascent underground hip hop movement -- a scene El-Producto helped nurture as co-founder and CEO of Definitive Jux Records (Aesop Rock, RJD2, and (Boston represent) Mr. Lif). El-P has worked with alt hip hop greats Aceyalone, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and DJ Krush, as well as avant jazz pianist Matthew Shipp. Join him as he tours in support of his new album I'll Sleep When You're Dead, which includes guests spots by Trent Reznor and Cat Power. Def Jux label mates Hangar 18 open, along with Yak Ballz and Slow Suicide Stimulus.
Middle East Downstairs, 18+ $18 adv / $20 dos
El-P: website | myspace | wikipedia
Hanger 18: website
Slow Suicide Stimulus: website

Suburban Kids with Biblical Names
Bostonist admits that it was the band name that caught our attention - how could it not? But we're intrigued by the Swedish band's particular brand of pop. Fans who visit the band's myspace will notice that Johan Hedberg and Peter Gunnarson have posted an unfinished song, with the hopes that a creative fan might wrap up the project. As is, the sound is a bit Brian Wilson, a little James Murphy and a whole lot of sunshiney electropop. The band will play Great Scott with The Living Blue and This Car Up on Tuesday night.
Great Scott. 9 p.m., $8 18+
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names: myspace

Wednesday, 5/2
Mad Professor
Dub legend Mad Professor is known for his influential recordings (including the Dub Me Crazy and Black Liberation Dub series), collaborations with artists as diverse as Lee "Scratch" Perry, the Orb, and Beastie Boys, and his remixes, including the trippy No Protection remix of Massive Attack's classic Protection album. Bostonist agrees with John Cusack's placement of Mad Professor's "Radiation Ruling the Nation" (from No Protection) at the top of his "top five track one, side one" list in the film adaptation of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. Athens' Dubconscious opens.
Middle East Downstairs, 18+, $15
Mad Professor: website | wikipedia
Dubconscious: website | myspace

Brother Ali with Psalm One and OneBeLo (Sold Out)
Leedz Edutainment presents The Undisputed Tour featuring Brother Ali, Psalm One, DJ BK One, OneBeLo, and Vice Versah.
Middle East Upstairs, 18+ $15
Brother Ali: website
Pslam One: website
OneBeLo: website

The Everyday Visuals
The Everyday Visuals have acquired all of the pieces necessary to stand out in the Boston scene. Witty MySpace page? Check. Critical appreciation? Check (The Dig and WERS have given some love). Sharp driving pop-rock songs with hooks that refuse to let go? Check (particularly "Two Birds"). Watch out, Boston. Head to T.T. the Bear's on Wednesday night to see the band, pre-big break, with The Age Rings, Summerbirds in the Cellar and Televangelist & the Architect.
T.T. the Bear's Place, 9 p.m., $9
The Everyday Visuals: myspace | website

Friday, 5/4
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
Ted Leo is an...enthusiastic performer. Boisterous. A real "in the moment" kind of guy. Folks familiar with the self-proclaimed punk savant know the front man for the Pharmacists kicked the bejeezus out of himself at Pitchfork last summer - and if one adage about rock and roll remains as true today as ever, there comes respect for a guy who'll play through blood (see: Ben Kweller). Leo will bring the band to Avalon on Friday night for a set supporting new release "Living with the Living," which our friends at Chicagoist described last week as a work that "gets the closest to reflecting the passion of the band's live shows." We're hoping that Leo just gets a sense of how close the mic stand is for this Boston show - we respected the Pitchfork showing, but we don't want the guy fainting onstage from lack of blood.
Avalon, 9 p.m. $15.25
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists: website

Saturday, 5/5
Manga-Rosa's Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim
Brazilian composer and guitarist Sergio Brandão and his ensemble Manga-Rosa pay tribute to the godfather of the bossa nova, Tom Jobim. Brandão has been a key figure in the Boston jazz scene for more than 15 years. This weekend, his Manga-Rosa ensemble features the sensual vocals of Sofia Koutsovitis and the nimble bass playing of the phenomenal Esperanza Spalding.
Regattabar, 7:30pm & 10pm, $16

Jonatha Brooke
We have a weird response to Jonatha Brooke's music - we want to cry and grin at the same time when we listen to her alternately strong and vulnerable, sad and joyful voice and songs. In fact, she had us at "Linger," the first track off the 2001 release "Steady Pull." Brooke rolls into town on Saturday for a show at the Somerville Theatre to support her newest album, "Careful What You Wish For."
Somerville Theatre, 7:30 p.m. $25
Jonatha Brooke: website

Sunday 5/6
Draco & the Malfoys
Here at Bostonist, we like our wizard rock as evil as we can get it. When Harry & the Potters yelled Go back to your castle! during a show at the Brattle, Draco & the Malfoys won our hearts by responding, Go back to your cupboard! Get a taste of their imminent sophomore album, Party Like You're Evil!, while they're celebrating the release of the second Whomping Willows album with a handful of likeminded bands at an all-ages afternoon show.
Middle East Upstairs, 1 pm(!), $8
Draco & the Malfoys: My Dad Is Rich .mp3

Bang Camaro, et al. at Harvard Square MayFair
The big band of hair metal takes the stage as the headliner for Harvard Square's MayFair this year. If you thought about ditching Harvard Square after a couple days spent attending Arts First events, or mosey over after strolling the streets of Somerville for the Somerville Open Studios the lineup this year is soon to impress. Four stages amplify musicians from noon until six, including Bang Camaro in the 5pm slot on the stage at "The Crosswalk."
MayFair: website
Bang Camaro: website

Matt Durutti, C. Fernsebner, and Victoria Welch contributed to this week's music picks.