[ANTHEMIC ROCK] + FRI, NOV. 28

Still Caves, out of Portland, shine with a kind of lo-fi exuberance that could only come from a bunch of friends goofing off and hitting a bunch of different effects pedals just to see what they can make. There's a ragged charm in their noise, which does little to hinder the giddy songwriting that goes on. Even with their ramshackle vibes, they make every effort to hit the nosebleed section. Triumphant guitars and cacophonous drums propel everything forward, with dreamy vocals awash in the sea of fuzz. It's anthemic rock in a microcosm, mixing elements of punk, garage psych and winningly goofy indie rock. Still Caves will be joining some of the finest bands at work in the Pacific Northwest right now: the delirious bubblegum psych of Fruit Juice, and the swirling synth-rock of People Under the Sun. {REV. ADAM MCKINNEY}

STILL CAVES, w/ Fruit Juice, People Under the Sun, Mr. Melanin, 8 p.m., The New Frontier Lounge, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, $5, 253.572.4020

[POP-PUNK] + SAT, NOV. 29

The Deleted are a band that freely say that they're hillbillies, but something tells me there's a healthy amount of sarcasm in that statement. The pop-punk band hails from Port Orchard, and it's true that there's a bit of rowdiness in their music that could recall a messy punk party in a honky tonk. Still, their song "Drunk'n Cowboy" has a good amount of loathsome venom in their lyrics describing the kind of awful white trash dude who molests his wife, beats his kids and has a "two-inch dick." Whether or not they're being satirical with their music, you can always count on The Deleted to thrash like a bunch of shit-kicking motherfuckers. The divey confines of Bob's Java Jive are a perfect place for them to puncture your eardrums while you slam as hard as you can into your fellow revelers. {REV. AM}

THE DELETED, w/ Klondike Kate, Godfish, Rain City Rebels, 8 p.m., Bob's Java Jive, 2102 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, cover tba, 253.475.4943

[CHOIR] + WED, DEC. 3

I have a confession to make. Yes, I am a cynical, skeptical agnostic who doesn't believe in any abdominally-insulated arctic elf. That's not my confession. The confession is I adore Christmas music. It isn't a holiday season without Handel's Messiah or Nat King Cole's rendition, the only proper rendition, of the greatest carol ever composed. (You may disagree, but if so you're empirically wrong.) So when college choristers unite to sing medleys of traditional Christmas favorites, I'm right there in the front row with cornball reindeer sweater in full effect. The South Puget Sound Community College Choir will join voices with the Puget Sound Community Choir and St. Martin's University Chorale, all to the festive strains of the Department of Washington American Legion Band. Among tunes performed will be "Ding Dong Merrily on High," "A Virgin Unspotted," "A Visit from St. Nicholas" with poetic narration, and a "Christmas on Broadway" medley featuring the songs of Irving Berlin. This heartwarming concert will be followed by a sing-along of carols with the audience. O night divine! {CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL}

SOUNDS OF THE SEASON, 7 p.m. South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Rd. SW, Olympia, free admission, 360.596.5507