WEDNESDAY, JULY 21
Dave Matthews Band People who enjoy the annual summer ritual of seeing DMB better soak up every moment of this one. The band will be on a hiatus after this year, so who knows when they'll be back. The band is still riding high on its latest, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. $40-$70, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, www.livenation.com (Jeff Hahne)
Cowboy Junkies Their 1988 landmark, The Trinity Session, remains an essential listen; now unshackled from major label commitments, the band has embarked on an indie 4-album series, first of which, Renmin Park, was released last month. The album is textured, moody and takes the band into world music alleys where vocalist Margo Timmins' somber voice glides over the acoustically drenched music. $32.50-$37.50, McGlohon Theatre, www.blumenthalcenter.org (Samir Shukla)
THURSDAY, JULY 22
Jubal Kane You may not have known Lizard Lick, N.C., even existed, let alone that a blues band from the Wake County town was even making noise, but when critics have compared your sound to people like Muddy Waters, Fleetwood Mac and The Allman Brothers, it doesn't matter where you're from. The quartet will be part of the ongoing 2010 River Jam Series. Free, U.S. National Whitewater Center, www.usnwc.org/riverjam (Mike McCray)
FRIDAY, JULY 23
Free Music Night featuring Col. Bruce Hampton There are lots of good people involved in the Charlotte music scene who do whatever they can to give back to the fans when they can. Tonight's one of those nights. The good people at Salvador Deli in Noda are offering a free night of music including Col. Bruce Hampton and the Quark Alliance, Chasing Edison and the Duende Mountain Duo. Free, Salvador Deli (Hahne)
Wink Keziah Sometime Charlottean/Austinite Keziah has put in his time doing stints with Rollin' Tumbleweeds, the pre-DBTs Adam's House Cat and six years with the Houdauls. Now on his own, Keziah's PBR-b-cue rural rock, country soul and honk hybrid sounds like ... well, it sounds like it came from an honest-to-god person. Instead of coming across as some sort of regrettable roots fusion, it instead is evidence of what seems like a solid cross-section of real life, and all the accompanying ups and downs that entails. Puckett's Farm Equipment, www.puckettsfarm.com (Timothy C. Davis)
SATURDAY, JULY 24
The Have Nots What starts off sounding like a Rancid wannabe band rewards the listener with ska-punk that's hummable, danceable, and stage diveable. The Boston blokes are gathered from a couple of popular but now defunct bands that toss ska, reggae and punk rock in and around challenging lyrics that gel into, well, good time music. With Biggy Stardust and His Wretched Hive and Bracing for Impact. $6-$8, The Milestone, www.themilestoneclub.com (Shukla)
Carnival of Madness Tour f/ Shinedown, Chevelle, Puddle of Mudd, Sevendust, 10 Years It's a carnival! Of madness! Shit's gonna get crazy, bro! I got that Joose on ice! If middling, oppressively iron-headed post-grunge dirge-osity is yer thing – and I don't mean like good, Melvins-esque dirge – then you'll be happy as a pig in shit here. Like the kind you might find in a little petting zoo. Right across from the funnel cake stand. Catty-corner to the whack-a-mole ... at the carnival... of madness! $20-$42.50, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, www.livenation.com (Davis)
Josh Eagle and the Harvest City This Cincinnati folk rock, soul quartet travels to Plaza Midwood for the last of their N.C. stretch of shows with a sound about as fitting of the area as any. Genuine lyrics about home, life and traveling, coupled with crisp but not overly rehearsed or mechanical musicianship, create a wonderful aesthetic. Watching all those guys fit on that tiny stage should be interesting as well. Free, Common Market, www.commonmarketisgood.com (McCray)
SUNDAY, JULY 25
Dead Confederate Athens, Ga.-based quintet's nouveau psychedelic rock unfolds as the songs rise from floating keyboards where the guitars seem to slice into the mix with razor-like precision. Subtle bass runs or drones expand into voluminously realized, dual guitars-built songs. Their new recording, Sugar, is slated for release in late August. With Deer Tick. $12, Visulite Theatre, www.visulite.com (Shukla)
TUESDAY, JULY 27
GBH Thirty-two years later, pioneers of the English street punk scene of the late '70s are still belting out their tunes of anarchy and drunken bar fights. The lifestyle of grievous bodily harm may have slowed and lead man Colin Abrahall's hair isn't spiked quite as high as in 1982, but they still pack a powerful punch with their machine-gun paced lyrics and music that charges their live show. With Outernational and Antiseen. $12-$15, Tremont Music Hall, www.tremontmusichall.com (Chris Triplett)
