The mighty Mission of Burma

Here is a look at the most interesting shows in and around Chicago this weekend.

It’s a bit of a haul out to Coveleski Ballpark in South Bend, Indiana, but making the road trip there to see Wilco on a cool double bill with enduring indie-rock favorites Yo La Tengo could console the faithful unable to make the greater trek out to Massachusetts for the Solid Sound Festival in mid-August. The show starts at 7 p.m. tonight, and tickets are $45 via jamusa.com.

Closer to home, Metro/Smartbar has teamed up with the Art Institute of Chicago to present a series called Sound and Vision. Tonight’s installment starts at 9 p.m. in the Pritzker Garden at Millennium Park; dubbed “Gard(en)counter,” it involves a a multi-media presentation with‚  Smartbar DJs spinning cutting-edge sounds new and old from the underground Chicago dance scene. playing‚  the music that has helped shape the club within the Chicago scene from the 80s through today. Tickets are $10 for members of the Art Institute, $12 for non-members, available here.

Playing a late show at Schubas tonight are two bands celebrating recent releases on the cool local label Addenda Records: Reds and Blue, a strong art-punk/psychedelic-pop group whose members include Ellen Bunch (formerly of ZZZZ) and Pete Croke (also of Tight Phantomz), and Hollows. Royce opens at 10 p.m., and tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

Back on the endless summer festival tip, the Wavelength Music & Arts Festival proudly boasts that it’s “like the Hideout Block Party, but in Michigan.” Sponsored by WRHC-LP (106.7 FM) in Three Oaks, a cool community radio station whose hosts include Bloodshot Records co-owner Rob Miller, indie-rock tour manager Joe Puleo, and Rob Michaels of Motorbooty fanzine, the music starts at 10:30 tomorrow morning and the lineup includes Archer Prewitt, Freakwater, Robbie Fulks, Bottomless Pit, the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, and JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, among others. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

Another festival closer to home (or at least to my home, anyway) is Wicker Park Fest, which takes place tomorrow and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. on Milwaukee Avenue between North and Wood Street. A $5 donation is the suggested admission, and the musical lineup packs some undeniable bargains for that price, including Mission of Burma and Cap’n Jazz on Saturday and Baroness, Torche, Local H, the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, and Yakuza Arkestra on Sunday. (The latter finds Chicago’s rampaging art-metal band Yakuza playing tracks from its recent album “Of Seismic Consequence” with an expanded lineup featuring saxophonists Ken Vandermark, Mars Williams, and Dave Rempis along with cellist Alison Chesley and vocalist Kelly Lamont, and Sun Ra himself would no doubt dig the noise.)

Finally, for those who’d rather see the band indoors — or who want to catch the magic twice — Mission of Burma also will be playing Subterranean at 10 tonight after opening sets by the Poison Arrows and D. Rider (tickets are $15), while Torche and Baroness will be coming inside at the same venue after opening sets by Earthride and Valkyrie at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow (tickets are $15 here as well).