Mike Watt & Il Sogno del Marinaio is at the Bottleneck on Friday

Since 2009, bassist Mike Watt — legendary founder of Minutemen, Firehose and Dos; fill-in bassist for the reformed Stooges; veteran of Ciccone Youth — has devoted himself to a project that at first sounds odd. With Italian guitarist Stefano Pilia and drummer Andrea Belfi, he has designed what he calls a “power trio” in Il Sogno del Marinaio (Italian for “Song of the Sailor”).

On the band’s latest album, August’s Canto Secondo, the three artists do indeed explore a particular power. Songs wind along like spider veins, one apocalyptic prog jam intertwined with the next, with Pilia sometimes manipulating his guitar strings with a violin bow. Yet Canto Secondo also pays homage to elements of Watt’s starry past — in particular, his Minutemen days — so if you needed another excuse to see this show, that’s it. Get there early: Lawrence act Gnarly Davidson opens.

Details here.