WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
Pride Parade Athens, Ga., cranks out good, rocking outfits about as fast as weeds pop up in my yard. Alternating between sung and screamed vocals, the Pride Parade's rawk channels the ghosts of Nirvana and Husker Dü, where songs like "Keep it Tight" pretty much sum up their credo. Triple guitars exchange licks and riffs on the quintet's new album Dose, available for free download on their website. With Honest Engine. Snug Harbor (Samir Shukla)
Damon Fowler Mixing blues, roots rock and sacred steel, Fowler is a potent guitarist and crooner, to boot. His hard-time bluesy vocals add the extra layers requisite for authentic blues. The Florida-based Fowler sprinkles it with country and gumbo-flavored funky beats and percussion, pulled along for the ride by the guitar. Fire up this hump day with this worthy addition to bluesland. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
Alice Cooper What more can be said of Cooper? Shock-rock, over-the-top horror theater, heavy metal hard rock raw power, slasher film actor, who's influenced countless bands. There's not a hell of a lot Cooper hasn't covered in the gamut of blood and guts rock over the past four decades. School may not be quite out for the summer, but tonight's tag team ghoul rock show, also featuring Rob Zombie on the tour named Gruesome Twosome, will surely light the fires. Uptown Amphitheatre (Shukla)
Blackberry Smoke A band staunchly rooted in the Southern rock firmament, Blackberry Smoke hit upon the usual touchstones (Black Oak Arkansas, The Outlaws, Skynyrd, The Allmans), but also shoot more than a little bit o' outlaw country into the mix. On that front, their second full-length, Little Piece Of Dixie (BamaJam Records), even has a bonus track, a cover of Willie Nelson's "Yesterday's Wine," featuring original bad-ass George Jones and nu-skool protege Jamey Johnson. With Heywire. Neighborhood Theatre (Timothy C. Davis)
THURSDAY, MAY 20
The Infamous Stringdusters Yeah, bluegrass in the springtime. The Infamous Stringdusters keep the foundation of this all-American art form intact on their newly released album Things That Fly (Sugar Hill), which includes a banjo-fueled version of U2's "In God's Country." Although on this, their third disc, the band colors timeworn bluegrass with organ, touch of reverb and guest vocalists. Visulite Theatre (Shukla)
Jeff Coffin Mu'Tet Coffin's one of those hardest-working-man-in-music types – originally part of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, he is also now a member of the Dave Matthews Band. When not on the road with one of those acts, he gets his own jazz improv on with his solo band, Mu'Tet. Last time around, he left numerous jaws on the floor with his impressive saxophone work. No doubt that this one will be more of the same. Double Door Inn (Hahne)
FRIDAY, MAY 21
Sue Foley and Peter Karp This collaboration is part of the tour tagged, "He said, She said." Combining their already abundant individual talents, singer/songwriters and guitarists Foley and Karp are touring as a duo pitching songs woven from blues, folk, country and rock. There are plenty of love lost, gained, or bartered tales with playful songwriting accompanied with acoustic and electric guitars, piano, and a scrap rhythm section, when they tour as a band. The Evening Muse (Shukla)
SATURDAY, MAY 22
The Bamboozle Roadshow Oh, the kids are gonna love this one. Plenty of bands that are usually found on the Warped Tour are making up a conglomerate of rock, alt-rock, screamo and other pop-influenced styles. The line-up includes All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, LMFAO, Third Eye Blind, Hanson, Good Charlotte, Forever the Sickest Kids, HelloGoodbye, Shwayze, Simple Plan and more. Uptown Amphitheatre (Hahne)
SUNDAY, MAY 23
Railroad Earth Combining elements of bluegrass, rock and jazz into an Americana amalgam, Railroad Earth has won over the heart of many a jam band fan. The band has been touring in support of 2008's Amen Corner for a couple of years now. Late last year, bassist Johnny Grubb was replaced by Andrew Altman of the Codetalkers and Blueground Undergrass. Visulite Theatre (Hahne)
TUESDAY, MAY 25
Drake By now you know Drake. The guy who went from "Wheelchair Jimmy" on teen angst power hour (well, 22 minutes), Degrassi: The Next Generation, to owning the radio last summer behind the success of hits like "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful" but Francis and the Lights may not be on your radar ... yet. The N.Y.C.-based band formed at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and has received major co-signs from the likes of Kanye West, Ryan Leslie and others. Their pop and soulful sound make you forget they're a rock band, who's opened for groups like MGMT. The Fillmore Charlotte (Mike McCray)