Coheed & Cambria specializes in metallic hard rock with prog flourishes and enough sci-fi imagery to fuel a comic book series. Credit: Shutterstock / ChrisJamesRyanPhotography

Friday’s reunion of Watchtower, a San Antonio-tied prog metal outfit with a rabid cult following, is sold out, but if you didn’t land tickets, don’t hang your head and cry.

This week offers a wealth of other options for Alamo City music fans, from the sci-fi prog of Coheed & Cambria to the artsy vibes of High Heavens to the “anti-pop” of Drugstore Cowboy.

Friday, Sept. 8

Watchtower

Influential Texas prog metal group Watchtower has reunited. And it appears intent on blowing up a venue too small for a group of its stature — especially since this gig had landed national coverage in the metal music press. Formed in 1982, Watchtower featured both eventual Dangerous Toys frontman Jason McMaster and San Antonio guitar prodigy Ron Jarzombek (Blotted Science, Spastik Ink). Its legendary 1989 album Control and Resistance won an international audience thanks to its tricky time signatures and off-kilter-but-smart riffs. The reunion features all of Watchtower’s original members. Sold Out, 7 p.m., Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music Venue, 437 McCarty Road, Suite 101, (210) 607-7007, fitzrockssa .— Mike McMahan

Drugstore Cowboy

Carter Davis and Grant Thompson formed the Dallas-based “anti-pop” act Drugstore Cowboy in 2019. The group’s fusion of hip-hop, folk and pop is anchored by Davis’ storytelling and Post Malone-with-a-twang vibe. Thompson provides capable support as drummer and engineer with his skills at the mixing desk on full display for the 2022 release Maverick. Free, 9:30 p.m., The Rustic, 17619 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 204, (210) 245-7500, therustic.com/san-antonio. — Danny Cervantes

Saturday, Sept. 9

High Heavens, Yoshimoto

Guitarist Ernest Salaz may be best known as a guiding member of Austin post-hardcore outfit Glorium, but High Heavens has him toning down the angst while remaining compelling. Salaz’s cascading guitar lines contrast with the vocals of John Matthew Walker, whose style bears a certain resemblance to David Bowie. The band’s artsy, almost loungey sound has drawn comparisons to luminaries such as Leonard Cohen and Julee Cruise. $7, 10 p.m., Lighthouse Lounge, 1016 Cincinnati Ave., www.facebook.com/thelighthouselounge. — MM

The Wizard, D.R.O., 777s

This eclectic local show is being billed as “Cacophony,” but if the three acts incorporate a little discord into their music, it’s far from a defect. Psychedelic rock trio The Wizard released its latest album, Window Seat, this summer — and it’s one nearly 20-minute piece broken into multiple tracks with names like “Turbulence,” “Over the Ocean” and “Cabin Pressure.” The overall experience is like a long plane flight — a mostly lyric-free, trancelike affair with samples of overhead announcements and other ambient sounds one might hear on a passenger plane. Producer D.R.O. makes explorative music in his own right, while 777s do the same. $10, 8 p.m., The Starlighter, 1910 Fredericksburg Road, thestarlighter.com. — Dalia Gulca

Cold Cave, Riki

The solo project of musician and writer Wesley Eisold, Cold Cave draws from a lineage that goes from The Velvet Underground to Joy Division. While the act’s darkwave credentials have led to touring with luminaries such as Nine Inch Nails, Sonic Youth and Gary Numan, the music isn’t hopelessly one-note: slivers of hope emanate from the gloom. Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based Riki specializes in new wave-inspired sounds. $25, 7 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — DC

Monday, Sept. 11

Coheed & Cambria, Deafheaven

Fronted by the copiously coiffed and helium-voiced Claudio Sanchez, Coheed & Cambria specializes in metallic hard rock with prog flourishes and enough sci-fi imagery to fuel a comic book series. We’re not just speaking metaphorically on the last point: Sanchez actually produced just such a series. On this tour, the band is revisiting 2007’s No World For Tomorrow for a full performance. Don’t sleep on this chance to hear “Feathers,” an underplayed gem that somehow takes a tip from ’80s glam-metal band Poison’s “Fallen Angel” and makes it the greatest thing you’ve ever heard. $55-$200, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — MM

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This article appears in Sep 6-19, 2023.