Perhaps someone informed Jesse Malin and Sahara Hotnights that no one — but no one — stays in Boston over Labor Day weekend. They each had scheduled gigs here this week that were summarily canceled, but you still can catch them out in Northampton. Malin, the former NYC hardcore kid and glam rocker (in Heart Attack and D-Generation, respectively), hooked up with Ryan Adams for a fantastic solo debut a couple of years ago. The follow-up, The Heat (Artemis), has spawned a VH1-rotation video for "Mona Lisa," on which his sleepy-eyed tenor rests achingly on a backdrop of jangly, Byrds-like guitars. Headed for an opening slot on Tommy Stinson’s European tour later this month, he’ll play solo at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) on Friday. Meanwhile, Sahara Hotnights have been burning off steam with fellow Swedes the Hives, though Sahara Hotnights’ albums always have sounded closer in spirit to the ’70s-style garage punk of the Hellacopters. Where 2002’s Jennie Bomb (Jetset) paid tribute to the jailbait hard rock of the Runaways, their new Kiss & Tell (RCA) benefits from a new-wave sugar rush: frontwoman Maria Andersson might be the first person to make a Ric Ocasek impersonation sound sexy. They kick off a tour with Phantom Planet at Pearl Street (413-584-0610) on Wednesday.

Cajun and zydeco long have been the bread and butter of the annual Rhythm and Roots Festival, held each Labor Day weekend at Ninigret Park (888-855-6940), in Charlestown, Rhode Island. But in recent years it’s been broadening its mandate to something like "roots music you can dance to." There’ll be plenty of that on hand this weekend, with Commander Cody guitarist Bill Kirchen, the Gourds, and the Red Stick Ramblers on Friday; CJ Chenier, Leftover Salmon, and Robert Earl Keen on Saturday; and Beausoleil, NRBQ, and the Radiators on Sunday.

Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh has carved out a career as an in-demand producer and composer of film soundtracks, but this week the Space gallery (207-828-5600), in Portland, Maine, will unveil a sampling of his visual art. His exhibit, "Beautiful Mutants," is a display of digitally altered images, manipulated from antique photographs to resemble early-20th-century sideshow freaks. It’s on view at Space through October 16.

Elsewhere, B.B. King plays the FleetBoston Pavilion (617-931-2000) tonight (September 2) and the Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center (603-293-4700) in Gilford, New Hampshire, on Sunday. Taking a break from their new supergroup, Hazen Street — who’ve signed to Epic on the Good Charlotte payroll — Toby Morse and Freddy Cricien bring their respective hardcore outfits, H20 and Madball, to the Living Room (401-521-5200), in Providence, Rhode Island, on Sunday. French Toast are yet another Dischord-associated group (featuring Fugazi’s roadie and the Make Up’s guitarist) who’ve gone electrofunk. They’re at Flywheel (413-527-9800), in Easthampton, on Monday.