This week's Milk Run picks the highlights for the week ahead, including Brass Bed, Cayucas, Jon Cleary, and the Essence Music Festival.

This week's Milk Run picks the highlights for the week ahead, including Brass Bed, Cayucas, Jon Cleary and the Essence Music Festival.

Friday: Brass Bed, Cardinal Sons, De Lune Deluge, 10 p.m., Gasa Gasa: The Lafayette-based indie band, known for their complex lyrics and layered melodies, are touring their third album, The Secret Will Keep You. Also on Friday: Gravity A, Khris Royal and Dark Matter, 10 p.m., Tipitina's (free); The NOLA Soul Review feat. Tanya Boyd Cannon and DJ Hanbrah, 12 a.m., The Howlin' Wolf (tickets); Guitar Slim Jr., Guitar Lightnin' Lee and the Thunder Band, 10 p.m., Siberia (tickets); R. Scully and the Rough 7, Norco Lapalco, 10 p.m., d.b.a.

Saturday: High, The Sound of the Mountain, Sirens, 10 p.m., Gasa Gasa: Instrumental, post-rock up-and-comers The Sound of the Mountain hit New Orleans after winning the Arkansas Times Musicians' Showcase earlier this year. Also on Saturday: Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter "Wolfman" Washington and Russell Batiste, Kipori Woods, 10 p.m., Tipitina’s; Official Hood Rich/YMCMB Party Hosted by Mack Maine, 11 p.m., House of Blues (tickets)

Sunday: Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, 10 p.m., d.b.a.: Jazz crooner, Meschiya Lake, has come a long way since playing for tips on Royal Street. This week, she performs with the Little Big Horns at d.b.a. Also on Sunday: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue, 7 p.m., Siberia (free)

Monday: Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, 10 p.m., Maple Leaf Bar:Jon Cleary and his Monster Gentlemen took a performing hiatus for a few years, so it's great to see them playing together again.

Tuesday: Tin Men, Isidro, Zigtebra, 10 p.m., Saturn Bar: The ever eclectic sousaphone, washboard, guitar trio celebrate their third album, Avocado Woo Woo. Also on Tuesday: We the Kings, Breathe Carolina, T. Mills, The Ready Set, Keep it Cute, 5:30 p.m., House of Blues (tickets)

Thursday: Cayucas, Brazos, Eugene, 10 p.m., Circle Bar:Bigfoot has earned the Santa Monica-based indie band a lot of love for the consistent excellence of the songwriting. (tickets) Also on Thursday: Bounce Three Year Anniversary with Big Freedia, DJ Jubilee, 10th Ward Buck and more, 11 p.m., The Republic (tickets)

Other Stuff:

“The party with a purpose” returns to New Orleans this holiday weekend as the Essence Music Festival celebrates its 19th year with headliners including Beyoncé, LL Cool J, Maxwell, , Charlie Wilson and Janelle Monáe.

Known for his appearances on VH-1's Best Week Ever and his podcast You Made It Weird, comedian Pete Holmes performs stand-up Thursday, 8 p.m. at Tipitina’s (tickets).