The emergence of Ariel Pink as a musical cult figure, mostly thanks to the release of The Doldrums on the Animal Collective’s record imprint, Paw Tracks, has fostered debate and curious wonder from fans and foes alike. His most severe detractors bemoan the inconsistency of his releases, and the very, very primitive recording ethos that informs them - but they’d be lying to deny the catchiness and strength behind some of Pink’s best tracks. ...

Before viral marketing, writing songs for toothpaste commercials or hassling people via MySpace to check out your songs was commonplace, the best way to get the music out there was to either hand out LPs on the street or start gigging. Sometimes the old-fashioned way is still the best, and for three promising but slightly under-the-radar bands, this Thursday night could be the perfect way to get the word out. ...