Bela Fleck. Effervescent, ever-present banjoist Bela Fleck has never been one to content himself with simply continuing to perpetuate his virtuosity by releasing album after album of repetitive, hot-shit picking. (Pause.) Well, perhaps he does, but dude does like to play with a lot of different people, and probably takes his newgrass style into more directions than anyone not named Peter Rowan. This time around, he's playing with the Malian kora player Toumani Diabate, himself a performer who's not averse to a little collab work to pay the bills and stretch the skills (Diabate, in the last few years alone, has worked with artists as diverse as Taj Mahal, Bjork, and skronk trombonist Roswell Rudd.) Expect a little bluegrass, blues and jazz, and plenty of percussive, pulse-like picking that would sound at home in any burgh. Neighborhood Theatre (Timothy C. Davis)
Milhouse. Charleston seems to be popping out folk band babies like crazy these days, and one of those screaming tots is the band Milhouse. Experimental instruments and an eclectic mix of rock, country, and a down home jam band flavors their sound, helping to craft an entirely new genre of music. If you're up for feeling like you're sitting at a bonfire with friends, beating on bongos and strumming guitars, head over to NoDa to check out their unique live show. The Evening Muse late show (Sam Webster)
Ryan Montbleau Band. It's hard to argue against guitarist/vocalist Montbleau's songwriting chops. He leads the Boston-based quintet in a jazzy rock lounge where brushed percussion coaxes the senses into a twilight mood. Montbleau's soulful vocals, think early Van Morrison, and the band's taught arrangements of folk, R&B, soul and blues are rock solid. Call it lovers' rock. With Mac & Juice. Double Door Inn (Samir Shukla)