One more week, and we can give March the boot. I still don’t trust that we’re not in for one more winter walloping, but I do know one thing: Jon Lester will be taking the mound at a certain ballpark on April 8 vs. the Yankees, and it will launch the annual battle of wills between me and my editor. The one where he says, “Um yeah, Aimsel, it’s a music column,” and I say “Well, technically, that’s true.”

Speaking of music, I had best get to it or I’ll be in the doghouse before the first pitch is even thrown. This week, I’ve got shows for you at Space, One Longfellow Square and Port City Music Hall. Slide — head first — into one of these.

New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus headlines at Space on Tuesday night. From what I’ve surmised (and listened to), last year’s record, “Monitor,” is a big deal, and after 26 minutes spent at www.myspace.com/titusandronicus, I can appreciate why.

“A More Perfect Union” starts off with excerpts from Abraham Lincoln’s “Lyceum” speech before giving way to the fuzz of an electric guitar. Lyrics like “Tramps like us, baby we were born to die” are sung with the kind of raspy vocals that will make you think happy thoughts about The Replacements.

“Four Score and Seven” is a lonesome song, complete with harmonica: “When they see the kind of person that you really are, you won’t be laughing so hard” is repeated enough times to drive the point home, and it makes for a fantastic song. Horns bellow in halfway through and with an almost carnival-like feel, but they soon depart. The pounding of drums and guitar take over, and you can almost see the spit coming out of singer Patrick Sickle’s mouth as he amps up the angst. Amy Klein’s guitar is 12 shades of awesome, as are Eric Harm’s drums.

Long story short: killer band. Opening the evening are Portland’s indie-rockers Brenda, and sandwiched in between is Dinowalrus, a psychedelic synth-punk band from Brooklyn.

Titus Andronicus with Brenda and Dinowalrus. 8 p.m. Tuesday. Space Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. Ages 18 and older. Tickets at Bull Moose locations and www.space538.org.

So this dude named Ray Mason emails me a few weeks ago and says he’s a friend of Jose Ayerve, and Jose said he should get in touch with me. To which I replied, “Any friend of Jose’s is a friend of mine.” And it’s true, because he’s never steered me wrong.

Mason will be performing solo with his trusty 1965 Sears Silvertone electric guitar as the opening act for his friend Steve Forbert at One Longfellow Square. His latest CD is “Like Bugs Chewing on Paper.” Give a listen at www.myspace.com/theraymasonband. Mason’s been touring since 1982, and started his first band in 1966 (when his guitar was a year old!). After a string of cassette-only releases, his first “official” CD was released in 1994, and there have been several subsequent ones from this tireless rock ‘n’ roll, pop-smart, vintage-guitar-slinging singer-songwriter. Oh, and Steve Forbert ain’t too shabby, either.

Steve Forbert with Ray Mason. 8 p.m. Friday. One Longfellow Square, Portland. $18 in advance; $20 at the door. www.onelongfellowsquare.com

Maybe you’re bummin’ ’cause the Jeff Tweedy show’s all sold out and you aren’t clutching a ticket in your hand. Fear not, my friends — help is on the way just a few blocks down Congress Street. (Or you can zip on down after Tweedy lets out.) Although Dangermuffin sounds like something you’d say upon arriving at a bakery on the first day of your diet, it’s actually the name of a roots-rock trio from Folly Beach (real place), S.C. I love their 10-word bio: “Organic, sand-blasted roots rock, with a sweet jam spread.” The group’s latest record is called “Moonscapes,” and the tour schedule has stretched from coast to coast. Dig in at www.myspace.com/dangermuffin.

Dangermuffin with Twiddle. 8 p.m. Saturday. Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland. Ages 21 and older. $7 in advance; $10 at the door. www.portcitymusichall.com

Now here’s a Clash of the Titans to be reckoned with: The Cure vs. Joy Division. Both bands formed in England in 1976. However, Joy Division only released two records, the second after singer Ian Curtis’ suicide in 1980. That record, “Closer,” is home to one of the most quintessential early alternative music songs ever to come out of England, “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” “She’s Lost Control” is another gem.

The Cure, well, where do I begin? Although I haven’t kept close tabs on them in, well, at least 15 years, I still adore them and think that “The Head On the Door” is one of life’s finest albums. The good news is that both collectives of local luminaries who will become these two bands for Wednesday night’s clash will do right by them. Of that you can be sure, even if you’re not sure that the head on the door was a dream. Oh, oh, oh.

Clash of the Titans: The Cure vs. Joy Division. 9 p.m. Wednesday. Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland. Ages 18 and older. $5. www.portcitymusichall.com 

Aimsel Ponti is a Portland freelance writer. Contact her at:

aimselponti@yahoo.com