Out-of-town music talent reaches Bloomington

As the temperature rises, an array of musical talent from around the country -- and across the Atlantic -- promises to heat up Bloomington even more this week. Music lovers of all ages should find something to strike their fancy, whatever their taste might be.\nTonight brings Of Montreal from Athens, Ga., to the Second Story nightclub. In the last 20 years, the southern college town has produced pop favorites like R.E.M., the Indigo Girls and The B-52s, but in recent years it's become known for a new wave of retro-pop acts that borrow equally from the eclectic psychedelia of The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The band is touring in support of its newest release, the lengthily titled Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse. They will be joined by fellow Athens up-and-comers Summer Hymns and local favorites Marmoset.\nTuesday, Bloomington concertgoers will have a choice between rambunctious Texas rockabilly and moody British folk. The Reverend Horton Heat will be calling at the Bluebird, bringing his perennially popular Southern-punk-psychobilly to Indiana, joined by Florida punkers The Gotohells. The Reverend has released a half dozen albums since 1992's debut Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em, including the 1999 best-of compilation Holy Roller and his most recent record, 2000's Spend a Night in the Box.\nFor those in the mood for slightly quieter fare, Tuesday also brings the legendary Richard Thompson to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for a special performance as part of the Lotus Concert Series. Thompson, who first made his name in the late 1960s with British folk-rock band Fairport Convention, has released a steady stream of critically acclaimed albums since then, including the 1982 classic "Shoot Out the Lights" (recorded with his then-wife Linda). He's known for his dark wit and cynical, literate tales of lost love. He is touring in support of Action Packed: The Best of the Capitol Years, a new CD compiling hits and misses from the last dozen years, including the favorite "1952 Vincent Black Lightning."\nOf Montreal perform at Second Story Nightclub, 201 S. College Ave., at 9:30 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $5.\nThe Reverend Horton Heat performs at the Bluebird, 216 N. Walnut Ave., at 9 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $12.\nRichard Thompson performs at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $20 at the door, or $16 in advance at Borders, TD's, Athena's or the Lotus Office.