Hailing from D.C., The Dismemberment Plan is as loud and crazy as their name implies. Their high-energy shows feature all kinds of music from soul to funk to punk. 18+. Upstairs at the Middle East, 472 Mass Ave. 931-2000. 9 p.m. $7.

Nixon was president when Max Creek first toured New England, but their blues roots can still rock the house. Or the club, as the case may be. 18+. Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave. 8 p.m. $10.

A vibraphone is not a sex toy. Check out its proper use at a Fromm Contemporary Music Series concert showcasing Campion's Losing Touch (for the saxophone and, oh yes, the vibraphone) and other modern pieces. Paine Hall. 8 p.m. FREE.

You may not have heard of him, but Tom Paxton wrote "I'm Changing My Name to Chrysler," an early '80s folk classic popularized by Arlo Guthrie. (If you haven't heard of that one, get out some time.) Tonight, he comes to Cambridge. Club Passim, Harvard Square. 492-7679. 8 p.m. $20.

Don some artsy duds and head to a screening of "Phantom Lady" and "Film Noir" on Dudley House's oversized TV. A preceding lecture will explain everything that's going on. Dudley House, Lehman Hall, Harvard Yard. 6 p.m. FREE.

Did you like banging on pots and pans when you were little? We did. Let Gary Burton, jazz musician and three-time Grammy Award-winner, take you back. In teaching you the Art of Improvisation, he'll reveal the tricks of the percussion trade. Good stuff to know. Longfellow Hall, Graduate School of Education. 6 p.m. FREE.

Triple-XXX. (Almost.) Not for the innocent or easily offended, Impotent Sea Snakes perform a sort of pornographic glam rock. And, in fact, the band does its performance over its music. No need to believe everything you read, though--check it out for yourself. NC-17, Axis, 73 Lansdowne St. 423-6398. 8 p.m. $7.