The temperature heats up a little this week. There will be a bit more humidity in the air. But unlike last week we're not going to be engaged in the same mad-dash around the city every night to catch all the good music. This week we can take our pick, settle in with a pint, and catch the good tunes at a single venue. Fantastic line-ups mark this weeks picks. From the opening band to the headliners these shows are more than worth the price.

Tuesday 8/15
Snow Patrol
After they were forced to cancel their show back in the beginning of summer Snow Patrol has tacked on a Boston appearance to the end of their tour. They perform Tuesday at the Bank of America Pavilion with voices that are worth paying for. The tour hasn't been without an unusual amount of issues – the terror threat coming out of London has forced cancellation of some of their European shows before Tuesday's domestic date.
Bank of America Pavilion
$22.50, 7 pm
Snow Patrol: website | myspace

Method Man
A myspace "secret show" featuring Method Man rocks the mic at Avalon. If you're going to the Sox game don't expect that you'll be able to duck out of Fenway with an out left in the ninth and be able to get into this show. It's not all that secret…c'mon, we found out about it. The Wu-Tang Clan member performs to a first come first serve audience. A secret number of guaranteed entry wristbands are available at the Harvard Square Tower Records starting when the store opens Tuesday morning. Everyone else will have to line up at Avalon and try to get in. The show is co-sponsored by MySpace, Tower, and Chili's (Chili's which no longer has a home in Harvard Square).
Free!, Avalon
Method Man: website | myspace | myspace secret shows

The Cassavettes, Okay Thursday, Frank Smith, and The Shills
Locals the Cassavettes take the stage late, after the August residents at Abbey – Okay Thursday (who play every Tuesday this month, if you can figure that logic). Frank Smith and the Shills round out the spectacular grouping of local music on Beacon in Somerville
Cassavettes: myspace
Okay Thursday: website
Frank Smith: myspace

Wednesday 8/16
Naftule's Dream and Beat Circus
What to do when members of a traditional klezmer group (the Shirim Klezmer Orchestra) want to stretch out? Well, you form Naftule's Dream, a Boston-based group that plays klezmer and traditional Eastern and Southern European Jewish folk music with the wild abandon of avant jazz, the frantic punch of punk, and honkin' glee of no-wave. Jazz Times calls Naftule's Dream "the most remarkably flexible band of musical renegades to come along since John Zorn’s Naked City," and notes that they sound like "Ivo Papasov, Jimi Hendrix, and Ran Blake jamming with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at a Hassidic wedding." They are joined by "fiery local upstarts" Beat Circus, who, not unlike their local friends the Dresden Dolls, explore Weimar-style cabaret, gypsy stomp, tin-pan alley romp, and Eastern European circus side show in their music and performance. And their forthcoming album is produced by Martin Bisi, who's not only worked with the Dresden Dolls, but Sonic Youth, Foetus, and Zorn's Naked City. The new disc will feature guest appearances by cellist Julia Kent (Antony & The Johnsons) and trombonist Curtis Hasselbring (Golem).
Museum of Fine Arts' Courtyard
$26 / $21 (MFA members/students) 7:30pm
Naftule's Dream: website | myspace | purchase
Beat Circus: website | myspace | big top suite part 2: clowns.mp3 | mandalay song.mp3 | purchase

Buffalino
Peter King, a multi- instrumentalist and member of the Impossible Shapes who recently opened for Wilco and who have toured the country extensively over the past 4 years with all sorts of great acts. Buffalino is not side project fluff—they are a loud psychedelic folk four-piece that serves as King’s major musical outlet. Their sound is truly thunderous— always teetering between bright and dark. The Half Nelsons headline the show with rock music. Yeah, it's that simple – sweet, sweet rock music.
PA's Lounge
$7, 21+ 8:30 doors
Buffalino: website | myspace
The Half Nelsons: myspace | Inside Out.mp3

Thursday 8/17
Los Changos
Los Changos' music mixes jazz and contemporary classical composition with Argentine folk rhythms, particularly the African influenced chacarera. Led by composer/guitarist and Berklee grad Julio A. Santillán, the group also features Fernando Huergo (bass) and Franco Pinna (drums). Check out "The Guys" Thursday at Ryles.
Ryles Jazz Club
$10, 8:30pm
website | purchase

Madama Butterfly
Puccini's tragedia giapponese is a glorious mishmash: doomed interracial romance, a humming chorus, sort-of Japanese-ish music and plenty of grand, heartbreaking gestures. Thursday evening will be the first of several performances of the opera, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Koussevitzky Arts Center, Pittsfield
Pre-performance lecture at 7 p.m., performance at 8 p.m., $35, $50, $68, $85
Berkshire Opera Company: website

Friday 8/18
Anushka Pop, The Bleedin Bleedins, The Blizzard of 78
Cambridge trio Anushka Pop play their energetic indie pop in
bite-sized chunks on the eve of the
revolution.
Bill's Bar
21+, 9 pm, $5
Anushka Pop: web site | myspace | Bostonist
interview | purchase
Bleedin Bleedins: web site
Blizzard of 78: web site

Tania Maria (also Saturday, 8/19)
Brazilian-born, NYC-based Tania Maria is a gifted pianist and singer with a "strong, lusty" voice who is "well known for her ebullient scat singing" and her highly percussive piano style. For years, she's been a mater of blending contemporary jazz, pop, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban music. Legendary jazz bassist Eddie Gomez and percussionist Mestre Carneiro are featured on her new album Intimdade.
Regattabar
$25, 7:30pm & 10pm
website | purchase

Saturday 8/19
Boston Chamber Music Society
Their summer series of French music continues, "in air conditioned splendor" as ever. This week's offerings include Debussy's gentle solo flute piece Syrinx and Maurice Duruflé's ferocious Prélude, récitatif et variations.
Longy School of Music, Cambridge
8 p.m., $25
Boston Chamber Music Society: website | Syrinx.mp3

Sunday 8/20
B for Brontosaurus
We've only known B for Brontosaurus as a small group of three. If the Lily pad overcomes the city of Cambridge's recently imposed cease and desist order due to noise complaints they might just close the place down again. They plan to take the stage with a 12 piece ensemble to rock it out before they take some time off. B for Brontosaurus takes the stage for the early set at 7pm, there's a good chance the cops won't show up to close it down until the end of their set. Take
them in while you can at a venue that is struggling in its infancy.
Lily pad
7pm, $3
b for brontosaurus: myspace
Info on the Lily Pad temporary closure from Exploit Boston

311, Dropkick Murphys, G. Love & Special Sauce, Jurassic 5, The Wailers, Pepper, State Radio, Black 47, State Radio, Parker House & Theory
With a lineup like that, what more do we need to say. You've got a little bit of everything. A few outdoor, day-long, shows will keep you feeling that this summer is still alive. LiveNation's Download Festival hops up to the plate this weekend.
Tweeter Center
Four pack of tix for $75, various other prices, 1 pm show

With a little help from our friends C. Fernsebner, Matt Durutti, and Christina Linklater this week's picks were compiled.