At your own risk

Instrumental music is not for everyone. In fact, upon hearing it, certain people have been known to break out in severe rashes followed by bouts of nausea, delirium and finally … death. For those who can endure music that requires a great deal of forethought and patience, one band in the Sacramento Valley delivers the goods and then some. Strike Him Centurion is an underground phenomenon in these parts. The band recently opened for Team Sleep without an album or any merchandise to speak of. Fans of the Kranky or Temporary Residence Ltd. record labels will enjoy Strike Him Centurion’s song selection as well as its insistence on keeping shows word-of-mouth rather than press-driven affairs. (Sorry, guys.) If you’re looking for the perfect elixir for the pre-New Year’s Eve blues, the band’s upcoming show at the Red Square, located at 1121 Alhambra Boulevard, should do the trick. It starts Friday at 9 p.m. with Scene Index and Times of Desperation. Admission is free for all ages, as are the music samples at www.myspace.com/strikehimcenturion.