Music: Best Bets

Future Islands is a band often hard to describe. Not because the music they make is anything particularly abstract—it’s straight-up moody indie rock-pop. But because frontman Samuel T. Herring sings like the villain with a secretly tender heart in some British period musical. The band is from Baltimore, so that’s even weirder. But the effect somehow works and makes for an added flourish of spectacle to their already great live shows. They’re on tour in support of a new LP, Singles, which comes out later this month, and they’ll be performing at Spanish Moon with Wye Oak, another excellent Maryland band with a strong-voiced and versatile singer in Jenn Wasner. The show is set for March 9. thespanishmoon.com

Tracks to get you ready for the show: “Long Flight” by Future Islands; “Civilian” by Wye Oak.

MARCH 5: The new Jazz Night series at Mud and Water features music from Cindy Scott. facebook.com/mudandwater
MARCH 8: Blues icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Buddy Guy performs at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. lbatonrouge.com
MARCH 23: Folk rockers Okkervil River perform at Spanish Moon.
MARCH 27: Leon Russell, the second musician coming through town this month who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, takes the stage at the Varsity. varsitytheatre.com

EARLY APRIL: Branford Marsalis performs April 2 at the Manship Theatre. manshiptheatre.org

IN LAFAYETTE: Rosanne Cash, touring behind a critically acclaimed album, performs at the Acadiana Center for the Arts March 9.

IN NEW ORLEANS: Juvenile performs at Republic March 3. Broken Bells with Au Revoir Simone perform at the Civic Theatre March 12. Miley Cyrus, Icona Pop and Sky Ferreira twerk at the New Orleans Arena March 18.

In its third year, BUKU Music + Art Project in New Orleans has become a festival that draws some big names in dance, hip hop and indie music. This year brings the Flaming Lips, Ellie Goulding, Pusha T, Chromeo, David Guetta and more. The event is set for March 21-22 on the grounds of Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World. thebukuproject.com