On Saturday, let us all wish a very happy birthday to Elvis Presley, my brother Joey and, especially, to David Bowie. I can’t believe the Thin White Duke is 64. I have a clipping in my Bowie scrapbook with the caption “David Bowie, 36.” I guess time is waiting in the wings for all of us, so let’s not freak out in a moonage daydream.

As for live music this week, it pleases me immensely to be able to mention Sara Cox and Transylvania, Romania, in the same column, so take a gander and attend shows accordingly.

One of the live music highlights of 2010 for this kid was the Fishtank Ensemble show at One Longfellow Square. It happened one year ago, almost to the exact day. A year later, the group returns to One Longfellow with a new CD, “Woman in Sin.”

Fishtank Ensemble consists of opera-trained vocalist Ursula Knudson, Istanbul hitchhiker- violinist Fabrice Martinez, rock drummer-turned-flamenco-guitarist Doug “Douje” Smolens and Serbian upright slap bassist Djordje Stijepovic. Put them all together and it’s a multilingual international affair of originals, like “Woman in Sin” and “Pena Andaluz” and traditional songs of Kurdish, Serbian, Transylvanian and Dutch origin.

You’ll hear Knudson open up a can of opera on “Espagnolette” and then strut her jazz stuff on “After You’ve Gone.” Martinez weaves violin magic throughout “Woman in Sin,” with extra sheen on “Am Furat De La Haidouks” and “Djordje’s Rachenitza.” Fishtank even put its stamp on “Opa Opa,” making for a wild four-minute ride.

Perhaps the most striking thing about this band is how all the instruments and vocals coalesce, resulting in a sound that catapults this listener into a musical tempest where a warm rain falls sideways and you just want to run through it and let it soak you to the bone.

Fishtank Ensemble with Cinder Conk. 8 tonight. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland. All ages. $12 in advance; $15 day of show. 761-1757; onelongfellowsquare.com

Continuing on an international note, Blue’s got a fantastic show happening on Friday night. Locally based Okbari Middle Eastern Ensemble will be joined by Armenian clarinetist Mal Barsamian, a legend in the Middle Eastern music world.

Barsamian holds a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music, and performs regularly with well-known Armenian and Middle Eastern musicians. He’s classically trained in guitar, and is also a talented oud and saxophone player. Okbari is all kinds of psyched to be playing with Barsamian, and together they’ll dazzle the daylights out of those on hand with Turkish and Armenian classical and dance music.

Okbari with clarinetist Mal Barsamian. 8 p.m. Friday. Blue, 650A Congress St., Portland. All ages. $15. 774-4111; portcityblue.com

Other than a Western Prom Sunset Series performance last summer, Sara Cox has been on a two-year musical hiatus, which she’s breaking on Saturday night. She’s headlining at Space, and will be accompanied by guitarist Nate Schrock. What’s more, opening the show will be Megan Jo Wilson (www.meganjowilson.com) AND South China (www.myspace.com/southchina music).

Cox will surely play old favorites, and she’ll also be sharing new material from an upcoming album. Coolio, Julio!

Sara Cox with Megan Jo Wilson and South China. 8 p.m. Saturday. Space Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. Ages 18 and older. $7 tickets at Bull Moose locations and www.brownpapertickets.com.

Aimsel Ponti is a Portland freelance writer. Contact her at:

aimselponti@yahoo.com