Tonight, DIY UMass is hosting its first concert of the semester. Since its first event in Fall 2008, DIY UMass has helped provide the Five College community a space to have student-run shows. Friday’s lineup features local acts The Deceivers, El Spectre, Legendary Headaches, Adam Goldstein, and Cramp Class.

Hailing from Northampton, The Deceivers combine the urgency of American hardcore with the spacey solitude of shoe gaze. Fuzzed-out guitars and reverb-laden vocals characterize these introspective jams. There are obvious comparisons to be made with Mission of Burma and Husker Du, but these guys have their own unique sound that has generated a buzz in the Western Mass. underground. Jason Vachula supplies the group’s vocals and guitar, while Girshwin Chapdelaineon plays bass, and Eric Outhuse plays drums.

Pittsfield’s El Spectre, as described by That’s Punk, “vary between beautiful instrumentals parts with perfect twinkling guitars, and jangly upbeat parts with screams, soaring guitars and crashing cymbals.” Their sophisticated sound evokes Sunny Day Real Estate and Lizards Have Personalities.

The Legendary Headaches are a punk band from Palmer that addresses socio-political themes with the progressive musical leanings of Fugazi and Jawbox.

Adam Goldstein (a.k.a. Tweak) is a UMass student who lists the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus under “sounds like” on his Myspace.com profile, but in the most endearing way possible. Goldstein is known for earnest, folksy songs offset by doses of self-deprecating humor. Most of his recorded tracks are stripped down solo performances but it is anticipated that he may include other musicians in Friday’s set, which could offer some surprises.

Cramp Class is a new band from Holyoke, with ex-members of Dangur & the McFeelys. Judging from their old bands, they could very well be fast and confrontational.

Friday will be the latest in a series of roughly two dozen shows that DIY UMass has put on over the years. The group has two other events confirmed for this semester; a Halloween show on Oct. 30 and a show with a (loose) Twister theme on Dec. 4. This year the RSO is looking to expand its boundaries by hosting other events such as film screenings and workshops, and has expressed interest in partnering with UPC and WMUA.

The group meets a few times a month. Interested students can visit their website with a calendar of events at www.diyumass.org, and can contact the group at [email protected].

Dean Curran can be reached at [email protected].