Fri. June 28 -- Creepy as hell, but fascinating: Dio Returns brings voice o' metal Ronnie James Dio back from beyond via hologram, also featuring fleshly Dio band members Craig Goldy, Simon Wright and Scott Warren, plus notable metal belter Tim "Ripper" Owens and Lynch Mob singer Oni Logan also vocalizing the deep Dio catalog. Former L.A. Guns singer Jizzy Pearl and '90s hairmasters Love/Hate support. At the Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90010; 7pm; $30-$60; (213) 388-1400; www.livenation.com.
Fri. June 28 -- The superb veteran avant sax-drums duo of David Murray & Kahil El'Zabar stirs it up 1970-style. The real thing. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8pm; $35; www.jazzbakery.org.
Fri. June 28 -- Wowser of an international electronic/noise abstractionist gathering with Puce Mary, Damion Romero, Kali Malone and DJ Amanda Siegel. At Zebulon, 2478 Fletcher Drive, Frogtown 90039; doors 8pm; $15; 21+; www.zebulon.la.
Fri.-Sat. June 28-29 -- "Bitches Brew" and Headhunters windman Bennie Maupin settles into a more elevated but no less involving groove with his star ensemble. At the World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park 90008; 9pm (two sets); $25; www.theworldstage.org.
Sat. June 29 -- Twist yer head with the avant supergroup Endangered Blood, combining the moody tenor of Chris Speed, the jumpy clarinets of Oscar Noriega, the rubbery bass of Trevor Dunn and the ultrasensitive drumology of Jim Black. Modern outness gets no more committed than this. At the Blue Whale on the third level of Weller Court Plaza, south of East First Street between South Los Angeles Street and South San Pedro Street, Little Tokyo 90012; 9pm-midnight; $15; 21+; parking $9 underneath off Second Street at the sign of the P in a circle; (213) 620-0908; www.bluewhalemusic.com.
Sat. June 29 -- With Chicago tenor man Eric Alexander and L.A. pianist Eric Reed, you're really hitting a warm pocket of mainstream goodness, supported by bassist Mike Gurrola and drummer Kevin Kanner. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 8pm; $35; www.jazzbakery.org.
Sat. June 29 -- Justo Almario's Afro-Colombian Band emphasizes the Latin side of the all-encompassing saxist's repertoire. At LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90036; 5-7pm; FREE; www.lacma.org.
Sat. June 29 -- Verily, it's The Original Misfits featuring Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only, crunching their heavy horrorpunk jus' like it was 1982. With Rise Against, The Distillers, Anti-Nowhere League, Cro-Mags. At Banc of California Stadium, 3939 S. Figueroa St., Exposition Park 90037; 5pm; $40 and way up; www.ticketmaster.com.
Sat. June 29 -- Mastodon and Coheed and Cambria team up for an awesome alliance of heavy modern proggitude. With Every Time I Die. At the Greek Theater, 2700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz 90027; 6:30pm; $30-$80; www.greektheatrela.com.
Sun. June 30 -- Dwight Trible & Cosmic Vibrations take you to the source of the American soul with Trible's upreaching vocals, South L.A. mainstay Derf Reklaw's flute & percussion, Christopher Garcia's exotic percussion magic, Pablo Calogero's winds-plus, and Breeze Smith's whispering traps. Read my review of Trible's current "Mothership" here, and hear Trible in top form during one of Horace Tapscott's last performances on the very vocal-oriented Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra recording "Why Don't You Listen? Live at LACMA 1998," just out on Dark Tree Records. Tonight's an early show. At Moss Theater in the Herb Alpert Educational Village of New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 90404; 5pm; $35; www.jazzbakery.org.
Tues. July 2 -- Sleepy, sexy Brazilian sax & thump from Nubya Garcia. At the Lodge Room, 104 N. Ave. 56, Highland Park 90042; 8pm; $25; all ages; full bar; (323) 509-2861; www.lodgeroomhlp.com.
Wed. July 3 -- Half of L.A.'s avant musicians muster to celebrate new recordings by The Present Quartet (flutist Ellen Burr, harpist Anne LeBaron, bassist Jeff Schwartz, windman Charles Sharp) and Dan Clucas' Boojum Quartet (the cornetist plus windman Vinny Golia, bassist Steuart Liebig and drummer Alex Cline). Super soundz & cheap too. At Art Share, 801 E. Fourth Pl., downtown 90013; 7:30pm; $10; free parking across the street at 321 S. Hewitt; (213) 687-4278; www.artsharela.org.
Wed. July 3 -- Dean Chamberlain and Code Blue revive the slashin', bashin' spirit of '70s Hollywood independent rock with veteran amigas Backstage Pass, plus Hollywood Rivieras. At Cinema Bar, 3967 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City 90036; 9pm; no cover but kick in some bux; (310) 390-1328; thecinemabar.com.
Thurs. July 4 -- MetalJazz favorites Black Nile bring their luxurious souljazz groove to a program also featuring neofunkster Benedek and beatmistress Linafornia. At Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park, 2230 W. Sixth St., Los Angeles, CA 90057; 7pm; FREE if you RSVP here.