CL previews upcoming concerts (June 15-20) 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15

BO WHITE'S BLACK MASS It's no stretch declaring Mr. White a crucial pillar of Charlotte's music scene, from his booking/hosting house show duties and running the Kinnikinnik Records empire to various production credits and his integral roles in outfits like Yardwork, Black Congo NC, Area Man with Ax, Calabi Yau, etcetera. But that impressive portfolio can obscure the fact that White crafts wonderfully idiosyncratic song-fare blending voracious eclecticism with upper management guitar chops, as he did a couple years back on his seductive collection of late-night noir, Bo White Duo Select. For this gig, he'll be joined by his friends in Great Architect, making for what White calls a template of "Randy Newman backed by a free-punk-soul-calypso band." With Great Architect, Procession and Balloon Animal Farm. $7. The Milestone. www.milestoneclub.com. (John Schacht)

LOS STRAITJACKETS The Mexican wrestling masks are a dead giveaway. And as soon as the twang of surf guitar rolls out of the amps, well, the Los Straitjackets are in the house. For over two decades their rollicking instrumentals have channeled the legendary Dick Dale (who incidentally is also in town this week) along with the tinny guitar sounds of the likes of the Ventures. But Los Straightjackets are wholly original in their own wackiness. They'll open for the fabulous Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men. $18-$22, Visulite Theatre. www.visulite.com. (Samir Shukla)

DAVID CHILDERS The Off the Record series was started in the shadow of Storytellers, giving music fans a look behind the scenes of the people creating music. This month, the focus is on the semi-retired David Childers, who plans on playing a variety of older songs mixed in with a few new ones, along with a Q&A session in-between. Be there. With Andy the Doorbum. $8-$10. 8 p.m. The Evening Muse. www.theeveningmuse.com. (Jeff Hahne)

THURSDAY, JUNE 16

OVER THE RHINE On tour in support of its latest effort, The Long Surrender, this Ohio-based, multi-instrumentalist couple has been making music together for two decades. The duo brings emotion and plenty of heart into its soulful folk style driven by a sultry vocal style. They've released 10 studio albums over the years, so there's plenty to choose from for a show like this. $18-$22. 8 p.m. Visulite Theatre. www.visulite.com. (Hahne)

FRIDAY, JUNE 17

THE HEAVY PETS Loose, loud and likable, this Fort Lauderdale, Fla., band has plenty of hooks but enough drawl and swing to keep them from sounding "too" poppy. Like the Low Life, they've gotten their sound by being a jam band with a tighter belt around guitar solos, giving them a diverse range without boring anyone. There'll be some stretches of instrumental breaks with organ flourishes and the quintessential wah-wah pedal, but expect more "songs" than just noodling around. $10. The Evening Muse. www.theeveningmuse.com. (Tommy Werner)

SATURDAY, JUNE 18

FRONTIER RUCKUS Exploring the outer edges of country-folk & Western the quintet coaxes roots music out of mostly acoustic instrumentation. Their ragged sound takes a bit of getting used to, but once the flow is steady, and the lyrics clear, their brand of folk-rock is downright evocative. They are another fine band signed to the regional indie Ramseur Records. Opening for Chatham County Line. $12-$15. Neighborhood Theatre. www.neighborhoodtheatre.com. (Shukla)

THE SAMMIES Anson County, N.C.'s own have serious Charlotte ties. It was on older brother Frank's weekends back from UNCC that the band actually got a chance to jam, and it was Charlotte's MoRisen Records that quickly swooped them up and released their critically acclaimed debut. Now they have a slightly different lineup, slightly different sound from the post-punk, garage rock they once did — but the Charlotte part? Not going anywhere. Fire For Effect, Free Electric State and Public Relations are also on the bill. $8. Visulite Theatre. www.visulite.com. (Mike McCray)

THE GRENADINES Like a potion, this Alabama band's brew of whispered vocals, heavy percussion and tangled guitars wind the listener along on a trip out of the South's gospel and blues and deep into the "nuggets" of pure '60s psychedelia. Leading lady Lauren Shackelford's vocals are enough to avoid sounding like a tribute to getting stoned and overdubbing tracks. Channeling the shimmer of the Byrds and the levity of Camera Obscura, the sounds fit the sweet name, and the lyrics fondly polish the classic love song. With Little Bull Lee and Veda Woolf. $5. Snug Harbor. www.snugrock.com. (Werner)

SUNDAY, JUNE 19

SWINGIN' UTTERS Long-running San Francisco outfit lays down a combo of Oi and old-school street punk cred with Irish drinking music tossed in for good measure. The gravelly lead howler spars with the rousing guitars for a snappy time in any given pub. They are touring after eight years in between records in support of the newly released stack o' tunes called Here, Under Protest. Also on the bill are Have Nots and Continental. $12-$14. Tremont Music Hall. www.tremontmusichall.com. (Shukla)

MONDAY, JUNE 20

DICK DALE An honest-to-goodness guitar hero for whom the title "legendary" actually means something. Dale is an innovator whose red-lined, reverb-loaded staccato attack colored everything from '60s surf (duh, he invented it) and psychedelia (Hendrix was a big fan) to Spaghetti Western and heavy metal. He's also a 73-year-old rectal cancer-survivor who can still tear it up like somebody half his age. Dale's always been an iconoclast, from the left-handed guitar strung right-handed (heavy gauge on the bottom, baby) to his martial arts skills and environmental activism. Above all, though, he's just bad-ass. With The Aqualads, Belmont Playboys, and Laramie Dean. $15. Tremont Music Hall. www.tremontmusichall.com. (Schacht)

NICOLE ATKINS AND THE SEA This New Jersey-born artist, and former Charlotte resident, says her latest album is the record she's been waiting to make since she was 12. Thus far, her sophomore release has been a solid step in the right direction. With the late-night shows buying in, more than just her core fans are listening now and being introduced to the passion and emotion of her music others have loved. Stephen Warwick is also on the bill. $10-$12. The Milestone. www.themilestoneclub.com. (McCray)