Tired of dour, pretentious bands that go on and on without ever getting to the point? You need a blast of Death Set, the Baltimore duo that is the last word in hit-and-run slashing and bashing. "Worldwide" (Counter Records/Ninja Tune) races through 18 songs in about 25 minutes, with pep-rally-chant vocals over jackhammer beats and buzz-saw guitars -- like the Beastie Boys if they'd never discovered Run-DMC. It's just about the most fun this side of a sugar overdose. Death Set is on the bill Saturday at Chapel Hill's Local 506 with Bonde Do Role and Diamond Studs.

Hillsborough's Killer Filler ain't the most photogenic bunch, yet the band's new album "Filler Up!" is still highly visual music. You just can't listen to these 17 sleek instrumentals without being put in mind of a really cool heist caper starring George Clooney dressed to the nines and masterminding a convoluted plot to get the money and the girl. Which is not to say it's just background music, so pay attention because it's worth your while. Dig it live Saturday at Sadlack's in Raleigh. The band is also scheduled to play Artsplosure on May 17, at Raleigh's Ruckus Pizza on May 24 and at Capital City Grocery on May 30.

Tonight: Kanye West headlines the biggest show so far this year at Raleigh's Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek, with Lupe Fiasco, N*E*R*D and Rhianna (see page 16); The Old Ceremony will preview some songs from its upcoming album at Carrboro's Cat's Cradle; and Everybodyfields plays Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre.

Saturday: If you didn't get tickets for Polvo's sold-out show at the Cradle, a fine consolation prize is George Clinton's "Band Together" benefit show at Lincoln Theatre (see page 3); and the Coal Men roll on into Raleigh's Berkeley Cafe.

Furthermore: The great Charlie Louvin holds forth at the Berkeley on Sunday (see page 19), the same night Greensboro's atmospheric Glissade plays The Cave in Chapel Hill; Drive-By Truckers open a two-night stand with the Dexateens at the Cradle on Tuesday (see page 18); John Darnielle (better-known as leader of Mountain Goats) reads from his new book "Master of Reality" Wednesday at Durham's Regulator bookshop; and Thursday brings Helmet to Raleigh's Volume 11 Tavern.

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