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Published: May 20, 2008

It's late spring and Liberty Lands is looking lush. Try not to trample when you head to this NoLibs park for Ed Farnsworth's annual (rather biannual — there's another one booked for Sept. 9) outdoor local rock showcase. As always there will be food, beer, music and this blissful, beachy feeling, like you don't have a care in the world.

—Patrick Rapa

Sat., May 31, 4:30-10 p.m., free, Blivit, Mike Simons, Naked Omaha, 56 Men, I Yahn I Arkestra, The Donuts and Trained Attack Dogs, Liberty Lands, Third and Poplar sts.

Melissa Trottier

There are two sides to Nick Thorburn. As the leader of Unicorns, Thorburn could express himself in humbly theatrical ways. Their sound was cluttered, stuttering, small, and lo-fi — something where every clang stood out because there were too many to ignore. Upon forming Islands in 2005 with co-Unicorn Jaime Thompson, Thorburn was able to stretch his sonic canvas into a more sprawling pop symphony while keeping his sense of humor and drama intact. So Return to the Sea was lush and straightforward. Few clangs. But you can't help but think Thorburn yearned for the chunky bits of Unicorns. So with Thompson (amicably) gone from Islands, Thorburn turned the new Arm's Way into an equally massive-sounding record with sad yawning choruses and a greater rhythmic thrust. And he's still warmly funny. Arm's Way is prog rock for Man Man fans like a nice nap.

—A.D. Amorosi

Fri., May 23, 8 p.m., $12, all ages, with Street Carnage and The Magic, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

Nan Na Hvass

Put that Nic Cage/Neil LaBute travesty out of your mind — imagine if The Wicker Man had been remade with Bjork as high priestess and the supporting cast made up of an Arvo Pärt orchestra commingling with young Brooklyn jazzheads. The Danish group (which for this tour is a 10-piece) sound like just such a pomo pagan ritual on its dense, majestic sophomore CD, Parades (Leaf), an effusive chorus of orch-pop raised to the heavens.

—Shaun Brady

Mon., May 26, 8 p.m., $12, all ages, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

Experimental musicians are nothing if not prolific, so in that context the four years since Austrian collective Radian's last album is something of a minor eternity. Co-founder Stefan Németh has kept himself busy in the meantime, running his Mosz Records imprint and composing for films. Much of that work has been retooled to exist autonomously on his aptly titled Film (Thrill Jockey), a miasmic blend of electronics and acoustics that conjure grainy black-and-white industrial landscapes without the need of redundant visuals.

—Shaun Brady

Thu., May 22, 8 p.m., $10, all ages, First Unitarian Church Chapel, 2125 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

Let's be blunt. If you're in a groovebox psychedelia band, you're wanky. It's only natural; self-indulgence is embedded in the code. To make the excess less of a handicap, make us laugh. Amid their vocoder vocals, theremins, gongs and whirring machine-noises, Pittsburgh's Black Moth Super Rainbow does just that. They rock the ludicrous, absurdist titles ("Neon Syrup for the Cemetery Sisters," "Spinning Cotton Candy in a Shack Made of Shingles"), silly samples and danceable beats, as if they were Air with steel-belt accents and a sense of humor.

—John Vettese

Thu., May 22, 9 p.m., $10, with Subtle and Ghastly City Sleep, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, johnnybrendas.com.

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