Sludge, rock debuts

Local sludge/doom purveyors Coffinworm (featuring former members of Black Arrows of Filth & Impurity, Worldeater and Salvation) make their highly anticipated Indianapolis debut at Zanies Too (5914 E. 10th St.) Wednesday night, joining NYC sludgebrothers Unearthly Trance and Bloomington experimental rockers Racebannon for an 8 p.m. show. Expect to hear material from Racebannon’s upcoming release Acid or Blood, due out May 20 on Southern Records. Cover is $6.

Thursday night sees another debut, this one by the shoegazer/experimental rock trio Sisters at Local’s Only (2449 E. 56th St.). Ryan Reidy, on vocals and guitar, has joined up with two former Those Young Lions, drummer Tony Beemer and bassist Cookies, to create the new band, which will travel to SXSW after their Indianapolis debut in an accelerated bid to establish themselves. Check out Sisters’ MySpace, www.myspace.com/sisterband, for a taste of the band’s already coherent sound; Reidy brought an album-worth of solid tracks to the group, some of which are on the site, including the standout “Gonna Heal Everyone.”

Candy Licker, Kings of Tragedy

The Center Point (3336 N. Arlington Ave.) is the spot for a genuine rhythm and blues show Thursday night featuring local soul singer The Certified Lover and his band Strictly Business with special guest Tallulah, La.-based singer Marvin Sease (best-known for his late ‘80s 10-minute hit single “Candy Licker”). The show is a CD release party for The Certified Lover’s new release Just Because, an eight-track collection of hard-pumping blues, R&B and soul. Shows are at 7 and 9 p.m. and tickets are $25. Call 317-724-4289 for more information.

The Evansville-based Christian hip-hop performer MC Till and special guest Wonder Brown (of the Ohio crew The Scribbling Idiots) will make two stops this weekend in Indianapolis on their Kings of Tragedy Tour. MC Till’s lyrics deal with, as he puts it, “being hurt by the church, challenging the status quo, dealing with relationships and seeking truth.” He’ll be at the Tip-Top Tavern (1341 N. Capitol Ave.) Friday, Feb. 29 at 10 p.m. and Mo’Joe Coffeehouse (222 W. Michigan St.) Sunday, March 2 at 7 p.m. More info at www.mctill.com.

KISS Army at Holiday Inn, music collectors

Two events fuelled by compulsive nostalgia — the 2008 Indianapolis Kiss Expo and the Indianapolis Music Collectors’ Convention — are taking over Eastside hotel conference rooms March 2. The KISS event, to be held at the Holiday Inn East (6990 E. 21st St.), will feature drummer Eric Singer (who’s been with the band more or less since 1991), KISS Army co-founder Bill Starkey and tribute band Mr. Speed. More info at www.kissarmywarehouse.com. While you’re online, have a listen to Gene Simmons’ interview with Fresh Air’s Terri Gross: It’s offensive in countless ways.

The Music Collectors’ Convention, to be held at the Ramada Inn (7701 E. 42nd St.), will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and feature thousands of out-of-print and hard-to-find records, CDs, DVDs, eight-tracks and slightly-used MP3s (well, maybe not those). Door prizes at 12 p.m. and kids under 12 get in free. Call 317-882-3378 for more info.

Finally, retired local businessman Norman Cohen has donated a 55-piece collection of vintage woodwinds to the University of Indianapolis Department of Music, including some classic saxophones in the Mark VI line (one of the rarest featuring the coveted low “A” key, the holy grail for players seeking truth and innovation in lower registers). Music students at the university will have access to some of the instruments, and others will go on permanent display at the Krannert Memorial Library.