KEN MODE
8:30 p.m. Vino’s $6.

You’ve got to figure that a band from frozen-ass Winnipeg is just gonna be way gnarlier and tougher than a band from some sun-kissed tropical clime where people wear tank tops and flip-flops year-round. And it probably doesn’t even matter which genre you’re talking about. A zydeco band from Anchorage is gonna be tougher than one from San Diego. This is doubly true for noisy metal bands, thus the Canadian maulers in KEN Mode are already two steps ahead of the competition. Lots of bands have been grinding out hybrids of hardcore and metal for years now (Rorschach’s “Remain Sedate” and Citizens Arrest’s “Colossus” came out 23 years ago!) But KEN Mode brings a particularly deranged intensity to the hardcore/metal table. There’s a real misanthropic Unsane/AmRep Records vibe, particularly on the band’s new record, “Entrench.” The following song names might shed some light on this band’s worldview. “Your Heartwarming Story Makes Me Sick,” “Secret Vasectomy,” “The Terror Pulse,” “No; I’m in Control” and “Why Don’t You Just Quit?” are just some of the choice titles. Also performing: Virginian blackened doom horde Inter Arma and local heavy post-rock cosmonauts Mainland Divide.

Arkansas Times: Your voice in the fight

Are you tired of watered-down news and biased reporting? The Arkansas Times has been fighting for truth and justice for 50 years. As an alternative newspaper in Little Rock, we are tough, determined, and unafraid to take on powerful forces. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, we are making a difference. But we can't do it without you. Join the 3,400 paid subscribers who support our great journalism and help us hire more writers. Sign up for a subscription today or make a donation of as little as $1 and help keep the Arkansas Times feisty for years to come.

Previous article More Friday art: Gaines and Coven at Stephano’s Next article An early open line: Outlet mall, Razorback basketball, more