The Top 10 Live is a collaborative effort between Indy.com and Indianapolismusic.net

1. Detholz, Thunders, Red Light Driver, Beta Male

9 p.m. Aug. 16, Birdy's, 2131 E. 71st St., (317) 254-8971.

A chance to see three of Indy's most buzzworthy acts and an avant pop act from Chicago tops this week's list. Thunders quickly went from unknown to musical darlings thanks to its indie garage sound and all-star lineup. Beta Male brings sex appeal to its dance-pop sound, while Red Light Driver updates classic Britpop from the '80s & '90s. Detholz visits from Chicago with a sound compared to Devo's.

2. Faun Fables

8 p.m. Aug. 16, $10, Harrison Center for the Arts, 1505 N. Delaware St., (317) 396-3886.

Faun Fables brings folk, art rock and experimental sounds, and mixes them with performance art. The group brings to life the artistic vision of musician/artist Dawn McCarthy and features members of fellow musical experimentalists Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.

3. New Orleans Groove featuring Hot 8 Brass Band

8 p.m. Aug. 15 and Aug. 16, $19, Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road, (317) 776-6000.

The summertime tradition of Symphony on the Prairie takes on a funky bayou beat this week, when the Hot 8 Brass Band brings the sounds of the Crescent City to Central Indiana. Started as a street band in New Orleans, the group has won critical acclaim for mixing traditional brass band jazz with modern hip-hop and R&B.

4. Video Games Live

8 p.m. Aug. 15 and Aug. 16, $22-$58, Hilbert Circle Theater, 45 Monument Circle, www.indianapolissymphony.org

More than 25,000 gaming enthusiasts will descend on Indy this weekend for Gen Con. To lure that crowd to the Hilbert Circle Theatre, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is bringing Video Games Live to town. The show is described as offering "the power of a symphony orchestra mixed with the technology of a video game."

5. Oneida

8 p.m. Aug. 17, $8, Bluebird, 216 N. Walnut St., Bloomington, (812) 336-3984.

Brooklyn rock act Oneida is one of the most prolific bands on Bloomington indie record label Jagjaguwar. The quartet stops by in support of its latest release, "Preteen Weaponry." The album carries on the group's tradition of extended, repetitive musical pieces that compare more to classical or operatic music than traditional rock.

6. Projekt Revolution

2 p.m. Aug. 17, $13.50-$70.25, Verizon Wireless Music Center, 12800 E. 146th St., Noblesville, (317) 776-8181.

The summer touring festival season draws to a close this week as Projekt Revolution makes its annual stop at Verizon. As usual, festival organizer Linkin Park headlines. The two-stage show also features ex-Soundgarden and Audioslave singer Chris Cornell as well as the Bravery, Atreyu, Hawthorne Heights and four other bands spanning the spectrum of modern rock.

7. Poison with Dokken & Sebastian Bach

8 p.m. Aug. 15, $16-$134.50, Verizon Wireless Music Center, 12880 E. 146th St., Noblesville, (317) 776-8181.

Poison, the band that invited the world to "Talk Dirty To Me," brings its party rock tour to Central Indiana to kick off the weekend. The group earned renewed popularity thanks to singer Bret Michaels' and guitarist CC DeVille's appearances on celeb reality shows. Fellow hair metal-era survivors Dokken and Sebastian Bach share opening duties.

8. O.A.R. with Ozomatli

7 p.m. Aug. 15, $30, WhiteLies.tv Lawn at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St., www.in.gov/whiteriver/lawn

O.A.R. (or, Of A Revolution if you want to be formal) is the model for do-it-yourself success in music. The roots/jam group started as popular party band at Ohio State University, and is now selling out arenas, thanks to word-of-mouth and Internet buzz. O.A.R.'s latest album, the more pop-oriented "All Sides," hit stores in July.

9. Bottoms Up Burlesque, featuring Black Cat Rebellion and The Lusties

9 p.m. Aug. 15, $6, Sam's Saloon, 1640 E. Prospect St.

An unusual art/music event hosted by the Bottoms Up Burlesque troupe of Indianapolis hits Fountain Square. The early part of the evening is a "Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School" event, in which the burlesque girls pose for artists. Once the pads and pencils are put away, the rock begins with garage-billy band Black Cat Rebellion and rockers The Lusties.

10. Adam Marsland

8 p.m. Aug. 20, Birdy's, 2131 E. 71st St., (317) 254-8971.

After taking time off from touring, the California-based singer/songwriter 8returned to the road in 2008. Marsland's music updates the classic sounds of radio pop back when the playlist included Elton John and the Beach Boys.