Pioneering Bands to Perform in North Baltimore

Two bands that are known as pioneers in their respective genres are coming through Baltimore this weekend, along with some Scandinavian metal at Golden West and some indie acoustic rock at Joe Squared.

Friday night at Ottobar is going to be a long one for the security staff. Two bands that came to define street punk and Oi are playing, so plan on seeing lots of boots, shaved heads and Cocksparrer T-shirts. Not only are The Business (not to be confused with local favorites J Roddy and the Business) playing, but Iron Cross as well.

Personally, I’m not big into either of these bands a whole, but they definitely have some great songs and initiated entire movements, never mind beginning and characterizing a then-unidentified a style of music.

You might not have heard of Iron Cross, but you should’ve. The drummer, Dante, is the owner of the Black Cat in Washington, D.C., and later formed Dischord’s Gray Matter. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Iron Cross penned the subculture defining and oft-covered “Crucified."

Their British counterparts The Business formed in 1979 and became the go-to Oi band, featuring rasping vocals over repetitive riffs pleading the case for the common, hardworking, blue-collar man.

The show starts at 9 p.m. and the cover is $12.

Hitting the stage on Saturday for the fifth anniversary of Celebrated Summer Records located in Hampden are Samiam, the band that made indie rock what it is today, and paved the way for the emo craze of the mid 2000s, though I don’t think that was their original intention when they formed in 1988 in Berkeley, CA. Samiam owned the mid to late '90s, releasing their album Clumsy on Atlantic records, both a big label and a big deal at the time.

Expect the show to be full or sold out, but with a bit of a different crowd than the Fred Perry-wearing set from Friday night. Samiam play with Walter Schreifels, composed of ex members of Gorilla Biscuits and Quicksand, so I’m gonna guess East Coast style fast-paced hardcore is their forte.

Also joining them are Mean Jeans, Hollywood, and The Shirks. Show starts at 8 p.m. and is followed by a set upstairs by Deep Sleep (fronted by the owner and operator of Celebrated Summer) and Murder. Cover is $13, upstairs show at 11:30 p.m.

• Friday at Golden West: Urfaust (Netherlands), Black Anvil, Krallis. 10 p.m., $10. One of only a handful of U.S. dates.
• Saturday at The Wind Up Space: The Jennifers (I love them already), Sal Bando, and Other Colors. 10 p.m., $5.
• Wednesday, at Golden West: Dead Confederate, et al, perform their take on “Tonight’s the Night” at 10 p.m., $10.
• Thursday, September 22 at Joe Squared: The Guitar Brothers and Manly Deeds. 9:30 p.m.