The Devil went down to Fiji?

Good gimmicks are hard to come by in rock 'n' roll these days, especially ones having to do with Satan or surf-rock.

Four joe-blow local musicians you wouldn't bat an eye at passing on the street have ingeniously combined those two bastions of rock gimmickry and created a new band called Lusurfer, playing -- you've probably guessed it -- Satanic surf-rock. Their shtick includes pseudonyms such as Moloch the Manipulator, Asmoday the Tormentor and (scariest of all!) Gary the Insurance Salesman, plus they get all dressed up in ghoulishly painted faces that bleed onto their Hawaiian shirts. Underneath it all, though, they also throw down some pretty devilish guitar licks and tidal-wave rhythms.

Lusurfer performs tonight at the Uptown Bar to promote its debut album, "Vulgar Display of Reverb" (10 p.m., free). The disc includes such titles as "Welcome to Surfer's Hell," "Surf Bloody Surf" and "Summer's Over ... for You." There's also a guitar-bleeding rendition of Bach's "Little Fugue in G Minor." Alas, the cover of Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" they've been playing at shows didn't make the cut.

I actually thought about calling the guys in the band to learn their real story and get them to talk about how they brainstormed the band, but I figured that'd only spoil the fun.

Squaring off One of the many unusually cool things about the Square Lake Festival, which happens again Saturday near Square Lake County Park north of Stillwater: The eighth annual mixer for music, movies and camping sold more tickets this year (about 400 total), but it will require fewer parking spaces. That's because exactly 51 percent of those tickets are bike-in only, which were sold at a discounted price based on the distance of your ride. The two-wheeled tickets all sold out, too. So have the gas-guzzler passes.

"We might keep going down the rabbit hole next year and make it 75 percent for bicyclists," boasted fest founder Paul Creager, who is always careful to cap the fest's size "so it's a core audience of movers and shakers from the Twin Cities who appreciate independent film and music."

This year's musical headliner is the Bad Plus, who will play two sets broken up by screenings. The International Novelty Gamelan will debut a film score to go along with 1926's "The Adventures of Prince Achmed," one of the first animated features. Other performers include Roma di Luna, Zebulon Pike, Charlie Parr, the Orange Mighty Trio and Aby Wolf. Check SquareLakeFestival.com for updates and other info.

Wilson, Tapes save on gas Dan Wilson and Tapes 'N Tapes have issued their fall tour plans, and in both cases their "tours" won't take them outside the Twin Cities metro area.

Wilson has booked five straight nights of shows in intimate rooms starting Sept. 22 with the Bryant-Lake Bowl, followed by the 318 Cafe in Excelsior (Sept. 23), the Acadia Cafe (Sept. 24) and the Dakota (Sept. 25-26). Look for ticket info at DanWilsonMusic.com. As he explained it to me recently, the shows are meant to be a break from -- and tryout for -- the work he has been putting in on his next solo album.

It's a similar between-albums scenario for Tapes 'N Tapes, who will also play smaller-than-usual rooms starting Oct. 1 at 7th Street Entry, followed by the newly reopened Music Box Theater Oct. 2 and the Turf Club on Oct. 3. Tickets to all three shows ($10) can be bought at First Ave outlets.

Random mix If you think you're hearing a Jerry Garcia guitar solo on a quiet spot of the Mississippi River tonight, it's not a flashback to your wilder younger days: The second annual Rock the Boat cruise, a benefit for Maxfield Magnet School, departs Harriet Island at 9 p.m. today with performers including Bernie Worrell, the Big Wu, White Iron Band and Godtronic. More info at VegaProductions.org. ...

Rochester's hip Americana Showcase series -- co-produced by members of Six Mile Grove at the Civic Theatre -- kicks off its fall run Wednesday with a set by cult-revered Nashville tunesmith Chris Knight, the Porchlights and 6MG's Brandon Sampson. Future performances include Romantica, Trailer Trash and a couple of songwriters-in-the-round gigs with the likes of Adam Levy, Darren Jackson, Molly Maher and Jeremy Messersmith. More info at RochesterCivicTheatre.org. ...

Sort of an all-meat-gatherers variation on the Gastro Non Grata shows, the Nomad Pub is hosting Live Music, Dead Meat 2 on Saturday with performances by Guystorm, 10W40 and Communist Daughter, whose frontman/chef John Solomon is preparing catfish as part of the meat samples (9 p.m., $6). Vegetarians, beware. ... By the way, the next Gastro Non Grata is Aug. 23 at the Triple Rock with the Dynamiters, Rope Trick and dishes by Sea Change and La Belle Vie. ...

Atmosphere snuck in a pair of homecoming dates at First Avenue Sept. 8-9, with Eyedea & Abilities as the opener. That led to the cancellation of E&A's own show Sept. 4 at the Varsity Theater, but tickets for it will be honored at the Sept. 8 gig. ... G.B. Leighton and Grayson are the openers and beer is the headliner at tonight's Brew at the Zoo gig, a variation on Sue McLean's Music at the Zoo series that benefits zoo conservation (7-10 p.m., $55 at gate). ...

Finally! Low is returning to town, and not only that, but somebody is finally making a cool use of the Lake Harriet Bandshell. The Duluth trio will kick off Vita.mn's Autumn Music & Movies series at the bandshell Sept. 12, also featuring a screening of "Jaws" (the band's choice). Other pairings include One for the Team with "Bottle Rocket" (Sept. 19) and Dosh with "Time Bandits" (Sept. 26). ...

Mint Condition recently recorded a version of "Back in Stride" for an upcoming Maze/Frankie Beverly tribute album that will also feature Jamie Foxx, Jodeci and many more. Mint was also featured on a recent Earth, Wind & Fire tribute CD. ... Some of the Mint guys, plus members of New Congress, the Steeles and more, have lined up to pay tribute to Michael Jackson's music next Friday at the Cabooze. ... Did you notice I slipped in "music" there?

chrisr@startribune.com • 612-673-4658