In title, The Lion the Beast the Beat reads like a C.S. Lewis series starter, but its titular kickoff goes from Sinead O’Connor and Heart to the Runaways in the time it takes to spell a-n-t-h-e-m. Vermont’s populist rock favorites, born locally at an ACL 2010 set, already sold out their Thursday night at Stubb’s (with Heartless Bastards), but Friday also packs the quartet’s fourth LP, a blockbuster for fans. – Raoul Hernandez
Stubb's, 801 Red River