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Mighty Uke Day is Michigan’s largest ukulele festival. Held at various spots around Old Town, this will be the third iteration of the quirky two-day event, which consists workshops, performances — including a show by the Lansing Area Ukulele Group — children’s activities and more. Danielle Ate the Sandwich opens the weekend on Friday, and globetrotting songwriter James Hill headlines Saturday. Hill is well known around the globe for his technical ability and his engaging stage presence. Local performers include Ryan Rodriquez, Susan Picking, The Springtails and Strangers in the Night.

May 10-11,  Old Town Lansing, all ages, mightyukeday.com

The Hoopties at Green Door

American-roots band The Hoopties plays Thursday at the Green Door. The group plays some original material while also paying homage to the members’ favorite musical heroes with a few choice covers. The Lansing-based band dabbles in blues, country, zydeco, reggae and soul. Its debut release, “It Ain’t Never Been Easy,” hit stores in September 2011. The outfit is composed of local blues veterans: vocalist Twyla Birdsong, Jason Strotheide (bass), Aaron Holland (guitar), multi-instrumentalist Andy Callis, Eric Payne (drums) and James "Mocha" Waller on saxophone and harmonica.

Thur., May 9, Green Door, 2005 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, 21 and over, 9:30 p.m.

Escape the Fate at The Loft 

Since 2004, Escape the Fate has been a large part of the post-hardcore, scream scene. The Las Vegas five-piece, known for its powerful live shows, is taking a night off from the Papa Roach tour to make its Lansing debut at The Loft, along with openers DeverauX and Glamour of the Kill. Escape the Fate has released a few EPs and three full-length albums since 2006; a fourth LP, “Ungrateful,” hits stores May 14. The band’s big break came in 2005, when it won a local radio contest and landed them an opening slot at a My Chemical Romance and Alkaline Trio show. That gig lead to a deal with Epitaph Records. The band has sold over 1 million records worldwide.

Thur., May 9, The Loft, 414 E. Michigan Ave., $19, $16.50 advance, 7:30 p.m.

Spitzer Space Telescope at (SCENE)

Folk songwriter Dan McDonald, who performs as Spitzer Space Telescope, is a Lansing area native, but over the past five years he’s moved around. He graduated from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts for painting and then moved to Chicago. Friday he plays (SCENE) Metrospace. McDonald started gigging back in 2005 and quickly became notorious for his powerful folk shows. Since moving to Chicago, McDonald started a music collective called Old Lazarus´ Harp — it’s a collaboration with Can I Get an Amen, a Chi-town band who’s opening the show at (SCENE). The collective throws hootenannies, concerts and square dances around town. 

Fri., May 10, (SCENE) Metrospace, 110 Charles St., East Lansing, all ages, $5, 8 p.m.

Elusive Parallelograms at Mac´s

A mixed bag of loud and experimental bands play Saturday at Mac’s Bar. Headlining the night is Elusive Parallelograms, an indie-psych band from Milwaukee. The band debuted in 2008 with “And Everything Changes”; since then they’ve played a blend of power pop, shoegaze, psych-prog rock — sometimes all on the same song. Elusive Parallelograms also has a knack for writing huge, catchy hooks, which can be heard on “Fragments,” the band’s latest release. Sharing the bill are Ozenza (Grand Rapids-based rock) and two Lansing bands: Jackpine Snag and Hordes. Jackpine Snag released its debut 7-inch “The Omega Stump” earlier this year on Silver Maple Kill Records.

Sat., May 11, Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, all ages. $5, 9 p.m.