Yelawolf

After wild sets at First Ave, Soundset and Summer Set over the past two years, Alabama's tattooed and mohawked rapper Yelawolf has found another new venue where he can park his pickup-brand redneck rap. Last year's debut for Eminem's label, "Radioactive," garnered him ample attention via the Kid Rock- and Lil' Wayne-accompanied singles, "Let's Roll" and "Hard White," but it actually felt a bit tame compared with his rowdy live shows. For his Slumerican Tour, he's bringing along a fellow good-ol'-boy rapper, Georgia's woolly bearded Rittz -- who had Yela guest on his new album. Trouble Andrew and DJ Vajara also perform.CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

The XX had no trouble selling out First Ave, but it will have its work cut out playing to a packed crowd in a room that size. Despite its low-volume minimal sound, the icy British electro-throb trio captivated a sold-out audience at the Triple Rock in 2010 behind its eponymous debut album, which landed the smash "Crystalised" and went on to win the Mercury Prize. The follow-up record, "Coexist," nicely builds on the icy tension between coed vocalists Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, but otherwise leaves the band's naked sound untouched. Spanish labelmates John Talbot Live and sisterly British duo 2:54 open.C.R.

Despite a zillion similarities -- tattoos, quick-hit flows, Caucasian-ness, second-guessing their Interscope management -- MGK and Yelawolf have mad beef, yo! Even by rap-squabble standards theirs seems arbitrary, but MGK (short for Machine Gun Kelly) doesn't need another industry friend. The Diddy-backed rapper, 22, has been surging this year ahead of his first big-league LP, out this month, thanks to his testosterone-tapping single "Wild Boy," featuring Waka Flocka Flame (who plays First Avenue on Tuesday). "Lace Up," the DMX-worshipping white boy's rookie record, follows a star-birthing recipe of bangers and hooky radio jams. Push Muzic and DJ Kid Fresh host, with Nizzy Nate Millyunz, P-Nut the Artist, Timezup! and more. MICHAEL RIETMULDER

WIDOWSPEAK

For having only six gigs under its belt before recording its eponymous debut, the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Tacoma, Wash., then-trio crafted a fantastically fluid sound it calls "cowboy grunge." Frontlady Molly Hamilton's drowsy vocals rest on shoegazey, desert-twang chords like a tattered sweater on an alley-found armchair (man, apathy is so cool). Now with a full-time bassist, the wispy, zone-out band's forthcoming follow-up should have a bit more muscle, should they care enough to flex. Local bedtime psych-rockers Magic Castles and Bollywood open. M.R.