It's time to celebrate the wearing of the green in Milwaukee and no one does that better -- from a musical standpoint -- than Celtic rockers Reilly.

The band – something of a Cream City supergroup, with members of Misses Murphy, Beatallica and other bands -- released its second CD, "Saints of the Ocean," last year and plays two gigs on Saturday to help Brew City salute St. Patrick.

"'Saints of the Ocean' is a tale of my own writing, though it does include many classic Irish themes such as seafaring, dealing with hardship, finding solace after said hardship, and a bit of imbibing," says the band's Michael "Tinker" Tierney.

"We aimed for the music to mimic the rough waves of an angry Atlantic Ocean. It's a rollicking title track that pushes and pulls with tempo and instrumental runs. We think it's a fun song and definitely not the only foot-stomper on the record."

The local success of the record has helped the band ink a deal with Los Angeles-based Oglio Entertainment, which also signed Tinker's other band, Beatallica. The band will record a Christmas CD for the label.

"We begin recording in late May and plan for something like a late October release," says Tierney. "It will be great to have a worldwide-distributed product, as it will be through Universal. And rest assured, the material will be Christmas classics deranged by Reilly."

Tierney says that Reilly, unlike a lot of straightforward Irish bands, has a unique approach.

"Reilly is an opinionated band, one that tries to push the envelope, share in tradition as well as alter it, and we do a good job with speaking our minds, I'd say," notes Tierney. "We're a creative band and we all write so there's never a loss for good ideas and direction."

Reilly plays two gigs on Saturday, March 15; one from 3 to 6 in the afternoon at The Monkey Bar on the South Side and one at 8 p.m. at O'Donoghue's in Elm Grove. The band also plays at Turner Hall Ballroom with The Tossers on St. Patrick's Day.

Some other gigs on tap this week:

North Carolina rockers ASG -- who just released their fourth disc, "Win Us Over" -- come to Vnuk's on Packard Avenue in Cudahy on Tuesday, March 11, along with Fu Manchu and Saviours. Tickets for the 8:30 p.m. show are $13.

Some folks are buzzing about Grace Potter and the Nocturnals show at Turner Hall Ballroom on Friday, March 14 at 8 p.m. We're interested, too, but more so in the opener the Benevento/Russo Duo. The pair's new disc, "Play Pause Stop," is an instrumental rock and roll record worthy of attention. It's not shoe-gazey and introspective; instead it's outgoing, vibey, sweeping and even fun. Tickets are $13, get there early to see Benevento and Russo rock out on the drums and organ and drink $3 Pabst tall boys.

If you're more into some advance St. Patrick's Day celebration, head over to the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center, 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave., at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 14, to see Cathie Ryan. In addition to being a former member of the beloved Cherish the Ladies, Ryan was named "Irish Female Singer of the Decade" by the Irish American News. Tickets are $21.

Portland, Ore., musical melangists Pink Martini -- aka singer China Forbes and pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale -- perform at the Pabst Theater on Monday, March 17 - St. Patrick's Day - at 8 p.m. The group will certainly showcase its latest disc, "Hey Eugene!," released in May 2007. Tickets are $32.50 for reserved seats.

If we were fans of reunion tours, one featuring The Slits would be at the top of our to-do list, because Ari Up and company -- who mixed punk spirit with dub bass - were one of the best bands of the era. The latest incarnation of the group plays at the Cactus Club on Tuesday, March 18. Also on the bill is Shellshag, a punky drum and guitar duo that released its latest, "Destroy Me I'm Yours" digitally last week, and The Jetty Boys. Showtime is 9 p.m.