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COURTESY UMASS FAC

Frank Lacy

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Rangda

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PHOTO BY Jessie Frechette

Eric Alan

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COURTESY OF IHEG

Anais Mitchell

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COURTESY MAGIC TRIANGLE JAZZ SERIES

Ray Anderson

Trombonists Frank Lacy and Ray Anderson bring their trios to town to kick off this year's Magic Triangle Jazz Series at Bezanson Recital Hall at UMass tonight at 8 p.m.

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The Sometimes (last year's Happy Valley Showdown winners), The Days Weight (Somerville indie-folk band) and Merchant Bankers (Northampton's own) play the Sierra Grille tonight at 10 p.m.

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Amherst's Mystery Train Records holds an in-store concert featuring Ruth Garbus, Lil Dark Star (Pete Nolan) and The Fribbles (Sam Gas Can and Dan Cashman) Friday at 6 p.m.

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Erik Alan and The Haystack Needles play the Basement in Northampton on Saturday at 8 p.m.

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Yucky Octopus, Goat Boy, Fallen Starlets, Darling Boys and Douglas Black appear at Pearl Street downstairs on Saturday at 8 p.m.

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Local multi-instrumentalist and Monkees maniac Brian Marchese hosts a screening of the band's non-linear cinematic oddity "Head." Co-written by Jack Nicholson (who makes a split-second cameo with director Bob Rafelson), one need not be a Monkees nut to enjoy the 1968 cult classic - it's bizarre and fascinating on its own.

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The Happy Valley Showdown battle of the local bands holds its finale for this year, where the previous weeks' winners go head to head for the big grand prize. See Crescent Hill, Homebody, The Mary Jane Jones, The Conjure Beat, Smith & Weeden and more in the ultimate battle at the Basement on Sunday at 8 p.m.

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One of the best concerts this writer saw last year was singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell presenting the music of her folk opera "Hadestown." Mitchell will release a new album Tuesday called "Young Man In America" (it's already out in the U.K. and receiving heaps of critical acclaim, with one reviewer calling Mitchell "a true American original"). She will perform at the Iron Horse Monday at 7 p.m. Joshua Meltzer starts off the night.

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Drag City recording artist Rangda, a supergroup of experimental musicians Sir Richard Bishop (Sun City Girls), Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance) and Chris Corsano, headlines a bill that also includes Bunwinkies and Flaming Dragons of Middle Earth at Flywheel in Easthampton Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

-KEN MAIURI