This week includes a Big Sun reunion, Off!'s punk purism, The Walkmen, Lewis Black and the Rising Tide conference.

What should be on your radar this week in New Orleans' nightlife.

Friday: Big Sun Reunion Show, 10 p.m. at The Howlin' Wolf: New Orleans' rock band Big Sun formed in 1990 and played through the first half of the '90s. I'm told that singer Joe Tullos sounds great these days and that the band has sounded great in rehearsals for this reunion. (tickets)

Also on Friday, Off! with Negative Approach and Double Negative at Tipitina's (tickets); Crooks and My Graveyard Jaw at the Howlin' Wolf (tickets)

Saturday: Guided by Voices, 10 p.m. at One Eyed Jacks: Guided by Voices are great value in concert, playing long shows with a lot of songs. Robert Pollard is one of us onstage - a little too excited, a little too energetic, but he's so in love with the whole rock 'n' roll thing that you can't hold it against him. (tickets)

Also on Saturday: The Walkmen, 10 p.m. at Tipitina's (tickets); Stevie Nicks, Gladys Knight and Melissa Etheridge, 7 p.m. at New Orleans Arena (tickets)

Sunday: Lewis Black, 8 p.m., Mahalia Jackson Theater: Comedian Lewis Black is known for his explosive rage at the failures of our culture and our politics, but it's easy to forget the slow build he uses so that when he explodes, it's for full impact. With an election less than two months away, expect a healthy dose of political out rage. When we spoke recently, he was already test-driving Paul Ryan and Todd Akin riffs. (tickets)

Monday: Fiona Apple and Blake Mills, 8 p.m., House of Blues: The release of the critically acclaimed album The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do put Fiona Apple back on the map. Her arrest Wednesday in Texas for possession of hashish put her back in the news. I assume someone will go her bail in time for Monday's show, but check with the House of Blues to be sure. (tickets)

Also on Monday: Grayson Capps and the Stumpknockers' benefit for Earl Maddox, 9 p.m., d.b.a.

Tuesday: Supersuckers and Terranova, 9 p.m., The Howlin' Wolf: It seems like we've always had the Supersuckers with us playing some variation of country/punk/rock, and they remain reliably hard, fast and entertaining. (tickets)

Also on Tuesday: The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, 8 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets)

Wednesday: Hoodie Allen and G-Eazy, 7 p.m., House of Blues: Hoodie Allen gave up a career at Google to become an indie hip-hop artist, sharing the bill this time with local G-Eazy. (tickets)

Also on Wednesday: Duane Trucks and Flannel Church, 7 p.m, Maple Leaf Bar

Thursday: The Soft Pack, 7 p.m., One Eyed Jacks: The melodic Los Angeles-based indie rock band will release its second album, Strapped, on Tuesday. (tickets)

Also on Thursday: Horace Trahan, 8:30 p.m., Rock 'n' Bowl

OTHER STUFF

For My Spilt Milk and other members of the New Orleans Digital News Alliance, this is a busy weekend. Friday night, The Lens will sponsor Rising Tide's Friday Night Launch Party at The Big Top with music by the To Be Continued Brass Band. On Saturday, Rising Tide returns to Xavier University for a lively discussion of the state of the city with some of its leading bloggers and new media thinkers. Uptown Messenger's Robert Morris will be part of a media panel with Nola.com's James O'Byrne among others, and I'll be part of the "Community or Commodity?" panel with Brian Boyles, Deborah Cotton, Mari Kornhauser, Meg Lousteau, John McCusker and moderator Kalen Wright. Lawrence Powell and Lolis Eric Elie are the keynote speakers. For maps, a schedule and more information, visit the Rising Tide website. 

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