Los Straitjackets

The Mexican wrestling masks this surf rock quartet dons for every performance make them look menacing, but these guys are pretty friendly. This summer, they ran a series of twist contests, encouraging fans to get onstage and dance. No one got pummeled by the band, not even the lousy dancers. The blistering pace at which they peel off their songs is their only act of aggression, and we’ll take any gimmicks they throw our way, since a couple of hours of instrumental surf–even really good surf–can wear a body right out. They’ll be here with Big Sandy as a special guest vocalist, which doesn’t sound like a natural pairing, but we think Sandy’s smart-ass twang should break up the waves in just the right way. 612-332-1775; www.first-avenue.com