Eight Gigs: Mars and the Massacre

Mars and the Massacre’s 2014 brutal album Blackout is actually kind of tame compared to their wild, psychedelic live shows. LA Weekly named them the best live band of 2014 for good reason. They take moody, tripped-out garage rock and turn it into an explosive performance. What’s more, they have a lot of range and even know how to dazzle with their use of samplers and looping stations, giving their rock ‘n’ roll lineup an extra layer of awesomeness. They say they have “traveled from Mars to fuck your eardrums.” It’s probably a joke, but the sentiment’s for real. 1517 21st Street, www.marsandthemassacre.com.