Steve Aoki, Gaelic Storm, Stephen Rush Trio, Scott Kelly of Neurosis: Under-the-Radar Concert Picks of the Week

Steve Aoki, Datsik
7 p.m. Sunday (doors open at 6 p.m.)
The Orbit Room
$35

When I first wrote late last year that fast-rising electro-house and electronica artist Steve Aoki was heading to Grand Rapids, a local DJ sent me a message calling this one of the most important shows of 2012. That concert, part of a massive North American tour, hits the Orbit Room on Sunday. The California-based Aoki, a producer and owner of the Dim Mak Records label who happens to have more than a half-million “likes” on Facebook, is touring behind his debut studio album and is joined on the Deadmeat Tour by Datsik in a show that’s sure to live up to its billing for being “wildly entertaining” (Aoki likes to surf on the crowd in an inflatable raft, for one thing). Ticket details here. And for all you dubstep fans, here’s a great warm-up to Sunday’s show: Colorado’s Big Gigantic, another rising electronic music act, plays The Intersection on Saturday, with Paper Diamond opening the show. Tickets are $15 advance, $17 day of show to see this duo of producer/saxophonist Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salkin. By the way, both Aoki and Big Gigantic will be playing the Electric Forest festival in Rothbury this summer.

Gaelic Storm
7 p.m. Wednesday
The Intersection
$18 advance, $20 day of show

California Celtic rock outfit Gaelic Storm returns to West Michigan this week, part of a hectic U.S. tour leading up to and through St. Patrick’s Day. The tour is spotlighting the band’s most recent album, “Cabbage,” which combines the group’s Celtic flair with rock, country and, well, drinking songs. For those that may not know the story, Gaelic Storm first earned attention as the steerage band in the movie, “Titanic.” But clearly, they DID NOT go down with the ship, instead steaming on to rollicking success as it were.

Stephen Rush Trio
8 p.m. Saturday
Mexicains Sans Frontieres (Grand Rapids)
$10 adults, $5 students

Pianist-composer Stephen Rush from the University of Michigan last year sent me a snazzy vinyl copy of his “Naked Dance!” album recorded with percussionist Jeremy Edwards and clarinet whiz Andrew Bishop, and I was immediately blown away. This is experimental jazz at its best with an infectious glow. Rush, Edwards and Bishop will perform in this intimate venue at 120 S. Division Ave. on Saturday, part of a mini-tour of sorts that will also take them to Wisconsin on Sunday. (You can also catch them on the air at 10 p.m. Friday on Blue Lake Public Radio, 90.3 FM) And if you’re still jazzed up after Saturday night’s show, slide on up to Ottawa Tavern downtown to catch Randy Marsh and the Ron Getz Trio. You can read more about the Rush/Edwards album and other Michigan CD releases here.

Scott Kelly of Neurosis
Eugene Robinson of Oxbow
8 p.m. Friday
The Intersection’s front lounge
$10 advance, $12 day of show

This may be an under-the-under-the-radar pick: Metal-meister Scott Kelly, co-founder of experimental California metal band Neurosis, will play a solo acoustic show in the front lounge of The Intersection on Friday, along with Eugene Robinson, singer from the edgy California outfit Oxbow. Could this be a metal show where you don’t have to wear earplugs? Actually, I’m not sure, but judging by the video below it sounds like a show worth bending an ear to.

Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com