New England noise rock paradise this summer is as close as Central Square in Cambridge with Boston Fuzzfest's lineup sporting a lineup of Ghost Box Orchestra, The New Highway Hymnal, Nice Guys, CreaturoS, Guillermo Sexo, The Fagettes, DOZE, and Moniker. For only ten bucks at the Middle East Downstairs, Fuzzfest is a solid stand-in for Somerville's Deep Heaven Now Festival (not taking place this year), and this year's show will potentially dictate whether the fest will expand in 2014. From garage to indie to punk and all things fuzz, there's something for everyone, and it'll be interesting to see how Fuzzfest paces eight bands in one night. You'll never know unless you're there, right?

-- Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

Blackened Hands - the New Highway Hymnal from Tim Oxton on Vimeo.

The New Highway Hymnal have been at it for around a year now and they’re a great group of musicians. Comparisons to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are called for, but unjustified. The throbbing garagey rifts are there, but lead singer Hadden Stemp is channeling some Mick Jagger-cool here in its primordial phase. Last year, I wrote something along the lines of “Good job guys, but spend a little time playing shows and getting confident,” (I would look this up but it’s not that important) but hot damn if they haven’t gone above and beyond that.

Bassist Amelia Gormley has progressed nicely and totally plays the shy babe. I chatted briefly outside PA's Lounge with guitarist Lukas Goudreault on Friday night at Deep Heaven Now 5. It’s so awesome to talk to someone who is so passionate and enthusiastic about playing, as opposed to the too-hip disaffected musician. Drummer Travis Hagan does a damn good job of tapping out solid, sometimes poppy, most times firmly danceable-yet-dirty a la smokey lousiana blues club. Smoosh this whole sound through some reverb and it makes for some solid whiskey drinking tunes.

They join national garage giant Mark Sultan, and local giants Bent Shapes (née Girlfriends), Banditas and the BFs this Saturday, May 12, at PA's Lounge in Somerville.--Chris Saenz

Next weekend brings the Spring 2012 edition of Deep Heaven Now. Continuing the bi/semi-annual tradition of the original Deep Heaven festivals of the 90s in Boston and featuring the best of the local and national ambient,experimental, psychedelic and shoegaze scenes.

The fifth installment of Deep Heaven Now is a two day event on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5 at Precinct and PA's Lounge in Somerville's Union Square. One $10 admission fee gets you access to both venues for that day.

Highlights from night one include east coast psych/shoegaze veterans from DC Screen Vinyl Image performing the first of two different sets that weekend as well as psych rockers Lead Stones from NYC. The New Highway Hymnal (pictured), the deli's Best Emerging Band of 2011, will also be performing.

Night two brings Thrushes (Baltimore), Nights (Cleveland), Is/Is (MN featuring Sarah Nienaber of Gospel Gossip), as well as local favorites Night Fruit and Velah (featuring two former members of Static of the Gods).

This event is sponsored by Narragansett beer and WZBC 90.3 Flyweight.

For more information, including set times and complete line-ups, check out the festival's facebook page.--Chrissy Prisco