Sac Ladyfest

Various genres

Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22

E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts

This annual two-day event (benefiting Sacramento Gender Health Center) moves to downtown’s E. Claire Raley Studios with food trucks, clothing and books sales (donations welcomed) and more than a dozen musical acts over two days. Saturday’s lineup features sets from locals Write or Die (fronted by Autumn Sky) and sultry Bay Area indie pop act Sunhaze (Phantogram fans, take note). $15-$20. www.facebook.com/sacladyfest.

First Festival Benefit Show with Sparks Across Darkness

Hip-hop/indie/rock

8 p.m. Friday, July 21

Shine Sacramento

Hyper-local music and art gathering First Festival has a bold (and may we say, fantastic) goal for its fourth year in 2018: make it free for all attendees. This eclectic benefit show featuring plucky Sacramento talent is part of the plan to get there, with methodically experimental hip-hop artist Sparks Across Darkness, rocker Vinnie Guidera (playing solo) and indie pop rock act House of Mary. $8. http://sacb.ee/anIz.

Jared & the Mill with Kolars

Rock/Americana/pop

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 25

Harlow’s

This is a screaming co-headline bill for a Tuesday night, pairing Jared & the Mill’s plank-spanking bluegrass and stompy Americana rock with a swinging circus of dancehall disco glam-pop from the enigmatic Kolars (former members of He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister). Doors 6:30 p.m. $12 adv/$15 door. www.harlows.com.

Looking ahead: Pokey LaFarge. Aug. 20 at The Center for the Arts (Grass Valley)

“Manic Revelations” is a scintillating new release from Pokey LaFarge, a swinging throwback to the earliest roots of rock ’n’ roll, blues and tin can soul. $27. www.thecenterforthearts.org.