Metroland, Albany, NY

A band who claim as influences both Gang of Four and the Go-Gos should, at the very least, tempt you to abandon the living room for the bar-room, based on that stylistic disparity alone. A band who describe their modus operandi as “splicing punk-rock mutant genes with art-school sensibilities, and rapidly combining them into a core of innovative electric bass and vocals,” ought to be a lock.

The New Jersey-based Suran Song in Stag make just those claims, and descriptions of the band’s live performances- which include slide shows, video and film loops- promise the thrill and challenge of performance art jammed into traditional three-minute rock-song structures. Vocalist Suran Song has drawn comparisons to Patti Smith and Kim Gordon, and on the outfit’s release Pure Agitator, she and her male cohorts (hence, the “stag”) include covers of both David Bowie and Fugazi.

Fortunately, you’ve got not one, but two chances to catch the eclectic group this week: First, at the Mother Earth’s Café on Saturday, then, at the Lionheart on Tuesday.