Son Ambulance may have ditched the comma from its name, but the Saddle Creek band, led by Joe Knapp, is still up to its ambitious indie-pop tricks. Fortunately it avoids the irritating, overwrought pose of many of its label’s ilk. Tonight at the Marquis Theater. $8.
Alkaline Trio creates few wafflers, the Chicago pop-punk act’s strident anthems instantly separating fans from detractors. The veteran band’s lengthy tour, which takes it through Thanksgiving, stops at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom on Saturday. Sold out.
Puddle of Mudd raises several questions, few of which have to do with its music: Has a name ever been more appropriate? How can we have less respect for Fred Durst, who initially signed them? Is spellchecking that difficult? Saturday at the Ogden Theatre. $25-$30.
Chris Isaak will, of course, never escape the hauntingly gorgeous “Wicked Game,” but like many of his mellow brethren who play Denver Botanic Gardens, he needn’t in order to sell out his Thursday show there.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
