Mucca Pazza/Ritual Howls

Sousaphone player Mark Messing leads Mucca Pazza (an Italian word that translates roughly to “Crazy Cow”), a 30-piece circus punk marching band. It’s hard to describe the instrumental doo-wop sound of Mucca Pazza as the group marches around the stage with dedicated cheerleaders sporting oversized pom-poms dressed. The group performs playful songs using sounds rarely ever heard in other genres. The circus feel comes out most prominently on the song “Touch the Police,” which forces you to imagine the chaos of a traveling band of misfits. With appearances at Lollapalooza and Nelsonville Music Festival last year, this odd eclectic group of people has obviously picked up some equally strange fans. (William Hoffman)