Thursday, January 31, 2008
Top tickets: Illbotz, Poe Mack at the Jeff Center
IO Jukebox
Courtesy photo
Eric Lindell
The Roanoke Times | File
Poe Mack
myspace.com/illbotz
Illbotz
bonniebishop.com
Bonnie Bishop
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Mardi Gras weekend at 202 Market
With Eric Lindell on Friday and the Sway Katz on Saturday
Eric Lindell, an Alligator Records artist, delivers sweet soul, dirty funk, tasty guitar playing and gritty vocals. Since moving to New Orleans in 1999, the California-born soul man has been jamming with the likes of Ivan Neville, Big Easy drum god Johnny Vidacovich and Galactic's rhythm section -- Stanton Moore and Rob Mercurio.
Roanoke horn band Sway Katz will parade through the market area before marching into 202 to get on with the gig.
Details: Eric Lindell starts at 9 p.m. Friday. Cover is $10. Sway Katz start at 9 p.m. Saturday. Cover is $8. 202 Market, 202 Market Square, downtown Roanoke. 343-6644, 202market.net, ericlindellband.com, swaykatz.com.
THURSDAY
The Kind's 22nd Anniversary
This Blacksburg-based band has been laying down the Grateful Dead jams for a mighty long time, and it looks like the group is as strong as ever.
Details: 9 tonight. Champs Sports Bar and Cafe, 111 N. Main St., Blacksburg. $3. 951-2233, thekind.org.
Free! Wrenn Mangum
Here is a representation of young Elvis -- a hillbilly cat with a swagger that prefigured punk rock and a musical style that continues to influence great musicians. Bonus: comedy included.
Details: 10 tonight. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, 413 First St., Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, wrennmangum.com.
Free! Toni Blackman
Check out the first-ever hip-hop ambassador, appointed by the State Department. She's challenging the male-dominated industry.
Details: 7:30 tonight. Jefferson Center. Free, but you need a ticket. 345-2550, jeffcenter.org, toniblackman.com.
Free! The Pop Rivets
Hear one of Roanoke's longest lasting and most interesting bar bands. You can't help but have a good time at a Pop Rivets show, whether the band is rocking the covers or its originals.
Details: 9:30 tonight. Awful Arthur's, 1302 West Main St., Salem. Free. 387-1004, myspace.com/awfularthurssalem, thepoprivets.com.
Bonnie Bishop and Corey Hunley
Roots rocker Bonnie Bishop, from Austin, Texas, by way of Houston, has a remarkable, blues-soaked voice. Corey Hunley is a great entertainer and a fine singer/songwriter with a ton of guitar chops.
Details: 8 tonight. 202 Market, 202 Market Square, downtown Roanoke. $5. 343-6644, 202market.net, myspace.com/bonniebishopband, coreyhunley.com.
FRIDAY
Li'l Ronnie and the Southsiders
This is Richmond's all-star blues band. Harmonica player Li'l Ronnie has been playing the blues since he was a youngun', catching onto the 1960s folk/blues revival.
Details: 9 p.m. Friday. Blue 5 Restaurant, 312 Second St., downtown Roanoke. $5. 904-5338, blue5restaurant.com, lilronnie.citymax.com.
Nii Tettey Tetteh and the Kusun Ensemble
It's always good when the Kusun Ensemble comes to town. Check out the act on the MusicCast -- blogs.roanoke.com/musiccast/k/kusun_ensemble.html.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday. Jefferson Center. $16, $12; tickets half price for children and students. 345-2550 or jeffcenter.org, kusunensemble.com.
SATURDAY
Free! Roadhouse
This is guitarist Billie Sutton's band, but the prize at a Roadhouse show is hearing Brittany Sparks sing. If there's a better blues singer in Roanoke, no one has clued us in.
Details: 9 p.m. Saturday. 460 Roadhouse, 1020 Orange Ave. N.E., Roanoke. Free. 343-0090, roadhousemusic.net.
Free! New Roanoke Jug Band
Some of the best musicians in town are carrying on the traditions of Jimmie Strothers, Hobart Smith and, of course, the original Roanoke Jug Band.
Details: 9 p.m. Saturday. Fork in the Alley, alley behind 2123 Crystal Spring Ave., Roanoke. Free. 982-3675, forkinthealley.com, nrjb.com.
WEDNESDAY
Roanoke Live! Illbotz and Poe Mack
The last Roanoke Live! show turned out to be a fundraiser in the wake of the Jan. 3 warehouse fire that destroyed some musicians' musical gear, and it was pretty packed up in Jefferson Center's rehearsal hall. That's not always the case, according to the Jeff's artistic director, Dylan Locke. News coverage of the fire and the fundraising that followed helped get a nice crowd on that night. Keep the good crowds going and support your local music scene, with Roanoke's top-dog rappers taking the stage. Illbotz brings the rap with a heavy dose of funny. Poe Mack continues to deliver great beats and rhymes with a great flow. The tickets are cheap and booze is available, so why not make a Wednesday night out of it?
Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday. Jefferson Center. $5. 345-2550, jeffcenter.org, myspace.com/poemack, illbotz.net.
Free! Scott Perry
How does Perry make his fingers work the way they do? He's one of a number of players doing blues and other roots music these days, but his fingerstyle work is a cut above.
Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday. Nico's Ristorante 'e Cafe, 125 Campbell Ave., downtown Roanoke. Free. 342-4444, ohpapa.com.
