It’s the last Saturday of 2007. Get crazy.

Mahmoud Ahmed is playing the Showbox at the Market. From this week’s feature:

Ahmed became one of the country’s first pop stars, imitating the dress of Little Richard and the stage presence of Elvis. Motown-like, his specialty became the love song, dripping with poetic melodrama. He sang in Amharic, racy/sacred sentiments like, “Your body is a love trap/there is no way I can’t adore it” and “What words can I choose to describe you/You are utterly sublime/God created you perfect, without blemish.” The music charged behind him in a pulsing, danceable wave.

From U&Cs:

The Pop Machine, Wallpaper, Luminous Craft, Husbands Love Your Wives
(Comet) Add another entry to the bad name/good band list: Wallpaper is supposed to fade into the scenery, something Wallpaper the band absolutely does not do. It’s hard to discern what makes this Auburn trio the most interesting discovery of late 2007. Maybe it’s the unspecific but overwhelming air of smarts emanating from their MySpace offerings, a sense of controlled experimentation with a pop-rock formula that calls to mind both Sonic Youth and the Beach Boys. Maybe it boils down to really fucking catchy, clever songs. “New California” is half Williamsburg highbrow, half Radio Shack lo-fi; “Public Students” bops with hand claps, punky 1-2-3-4 count-outs, and a cheeseburgerly-catchy chorus (you know what I mean). High expectations for their live set. JONATHAN ZWICKEL

From Get Out:

*The Maldives at the Sunset Tavern
*The Lonely H at Tractor Tavern
*Hot Mess featuring Team Gina, LA Kendall, and DJ Colby B at Neumo’s
*Yo Son! with B-Mello, Soul On, DJ DV-One at the War Room
*1-2-1-2 at Cafe Venus/Mars Bar
*Siberian with the Kindness Kind, Colonies, and Ghosts & Liars at El Corazon (early all-ages show)
*Mos Generator later at El Corazon
*The Fucking Eagles with the Earaches at High Dive
*Sunday Night Blackout at Jules Maes