The synth wave stylings of The Midnight are born of the unlikely union of Atlanta’s Tyler Lyle and Denmark’s Tim McEwan. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Raph_PH

San Antonio music fans have plenty of reason to leave the house this week, ranging from the brutal powerviolence of Zulu to the considerably more laid-back sounds of soulful singer-songwriter Citizen Cope. Read on and take your pick.

Wednesday, Sept. 20

Zulu, Soul Glo

LA-based Zulu brings blast beats, death growls and a veritable buffet of extremity to its approach to hardcore punk. The group also punctuates its songs with extensive soul and funk interludes and samples of speeches — both live and in-studio — and those pauses in intensity amplify the impact of their actual tunes. When these guys hit, they hit hard. Get in the fuckin’ pit. $20, 8 p.m., Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com. — Mike McMahan

The Midnight

The synth wave stylings of The Midnight are born of the unlikely union of Atlanta’s Tyler Lyle and Denmark’s Tim McEwan. Driven by Lyle’s lyrics and McEwan’s dreamy sonic soundscapes, the duo’s songs feel simultaneously contemporary and retro. That approach is best encompassed by the band’s motto, “mono no aware,” a Japanese phrase which loosely translates into a sense of wistfulness in knowing that nothing lasts forever. $30-$99, 8 p.m., Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 812-4355, theaztectheatre.com. — Danny Cervantes

Friday, Sept. 22

Citizen Cope

Two decades after his breakthrough album The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, Clarence Greenwood is still rolling down the highway as Citizen Cope. The performer’s blending of blues, hip-hop, soul and alt-rock helped him both achieve and hang onto his cult status, and his prowess as a songwriter has allowed him to lend songs to Santana, Dido and Richie Havens, among a myriad of others. This year’s album The Victory March builds on the elemental style of Citizen Cope’s music with intimate and piercing lyrics given a gritty blues accompaniment. $49.50, 9 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com. — DC

Mr. Pidge, Shoshy

Continents collide on the latest collaborative EP from London-based Shoshy and San Antonio band Mr. Pidge — and the pair are keeping that collaborative spirit going for a Texas-heavy set of road dates dubbed The Y’allternative Tour. The artists will stop in San Antonio for two separate dates, the first of those at 502 Bar. Mr. Pidge has been making music for nearly seven years, mixing lo-fi with Latin, R&B, funk and soul, then stirring up a smooth brew of dreamy, laid-back tracks. This transatlantic collaboration, three years in the making, brings singer Shoshy’s soothing vocals and sharp inflection into the blend. $5-$10, 8 p.m., 502 Bar, 502 Embassy Oaks, (207) 257-8125, 502bar.com. — Dalia Gulca

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This article appears in Sep 20 – Oct 3, 2023.