It wasn’t all that long ago (2007 to be exact) that the Avett Brothers were playing to a distracted crowd out east at the Delta Fair.

Between then and now, the fellas from North Carolina have gained a following large enough to snag them a stage at Bonnaroo as well as the spotlight on a smattering of late-night shows and the 2011 Grammys.

In other words, the boys are big time now. Their last album, I and Love and You, was produced by Rick Rubin, for God’s sake. And despite my desire to keep the band all to myself (and share them a bit with my friend Amanda, who introduced their music to me several years ago), I cannot be happier for their success, because it means more people are listening and loving them too.

The Avett Brothers’ live shows are not to be missed. Scott and Seth Avett — the namesake brothers with the banjo and guitar, respectively — are backed by Joe Kwon on cello and Bob Crawford on stand-up bass. The four create a sound and an energy that is part bluegrass revival, part punk rock show.

The Avetts make music that begs you to sing along and belt your heart out. Their harmonies soar and their string pickin’ makes the Southerner in me puff up with pride.

— Lindsey Turner

The New Pornographers have been on my concert “bucket list” for some time now. Established in 1997, the power-pop super-group comprises such indie heavyweights as Dan Bejar (Destroyer, Swan Lake), Carl (A.C.) Newman, and Neko Case, who put on a fantastic show at Minglewood Hall last year. Their most recent album Together came out last year, but Twin Cinema is my favorite in the Pornographer oeuvre, barely edging Mass Romantic.

Performance: 5:40 p.m. Saturday, MATCU Stage (Memphis Area Teachers’ Credit Union).

— Jen Simmons

The first time I saw The Flaming Lips live was at the Sasquatch Festival at The Gorge, in a river valley about 2 hours outside Seattle. After a freak hailstorm and a 30-degree drop in temperature (for which I was woefully under-dressed), the show was delayed. The Lips had to swap lineup spots so Ben Harper and company could make their flight home, so they ended up not playing until about 11 p.m. Despite this, they still provided the full Flaming Lips experience — replete with lights, confetti, lead singer Wayne Coyne crowd surfing in what’s essentially a giant hamster ball, and of course, their signature psychedelic indie rock freak-out. This is the quintessential festival band.

Performance: 10:50 p.m. Friday, Horseshoe Casino Stage

— Jen Simmons

Out of the 1,000-plus songs about this city, 8Ball & M.J.G.’s “Memphis” (featuring fellow BSMF performer Al Kapone) is my favorite. For one thing, very few (if any) rap songs actually shout out East Memphis, and I appreciate my neighborhood getting a little love for once. Actually, though, 8Ball & MJG have been doing their thing for a long time — they first made their mark on the southern rap scene in 1993, with “Comin’ Out Hard.” I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know at least a dozen people who know all the words to “Mr. Big” (and not because of my size). These guys are Memphis rap legends.

Performance: 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Horseshoe Casino Stage

— Jen Simmons

Lucero has come a long way since the days of whiskey-soaked raucous nights at the Young Avenue Deli, but there’s a reason the alt-country outfit is one of Memphis’ most successful bands. Though their sound is much more polished than on my favorite, their self-titled album — what do you expect, after a decade? — their live show is where they truly shine. Playing close to 200 live shows a year helps singer Ben Nichols maintain that unmistakable rasp, conditioned by Tennessee bourbon and cigarettes.

Performance: 3:35 p.m. Sunday, Horseshoe Casino Stage

— Jen Simmons