Funk Punch courtesy photo

The Walkmen courtesy photo

NOTE: Due to logistical difficulties, Blueground Undergrass will not be traveling to Roanoke for its scheduled Saturday night show at Kirk Avenue Music Hall. The show will be rescheduled, bandleader Jeff Mosier and Kirk Avenue Music’s Gary Jackson said.

FRIDAY

The Walkmen With Pocketknife

They're touring this spring with The Kings Of Leon, but indie favorites The Walkmen are headlining Hollins University's MayFest. Opening act Pocketknife includes Roanoke native Robby Sinclair on drums. How did Pocketknife get on this gig? Randomly, Sinclair writes in an e-mail. He and a bandmate were riding a train from Virginia Beach to New York City when they met the MayFest booking agent, Julia Astakhova, a Hollins alumna who booked their act for the show. The agent is smart -- the tunes on Pocketknife's MySpace.com page sound great.

Details: 9 p.m. Friday. Moody Center, Hollins University, Roanoke. Free to Hollins students. $10 with student ID, $15 without ID. www.hollins.edu, myspace.com/thewalkmen, myspace.com/pocketknifesongs.

FRIDAY

Funk Punch

With Red Weather

It's a meeting of new band union and old band reunion. Funk Punch, formed by ex-members of bands such as Early Renditions, Polarity and Groova Scape, is just getting started, but hitting it hard. Red Weather was a premier psychedelic jam band in Roanoke in the mid- and late 1990s, but the members went their separate ways. Hear podcasts at blogs.roanoke.com/cutnscratch with Funk Punch's Chris "Chili" Eanes and Redweather's John McBroom.

Details: 9 p.m. Friday. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, myspace.com/funkpunchband.

TONIGHT

Triscale

With Barefoot West

A double bill of solid local rock from two hardworking bands.

Details: 10 tonight. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, triscaleband.com, myspace.com/barefootwest.

FRIDAY

The Non-Profits

Some of Roanoke's best musicians play some of Roanoke's most interesting music. Catch this band, because it doesn't play together that much these days.

Details: 9 p.m. Friday. Blue 5 Restaurant, Roanoke. Free. 904-5338, blue5restaurant.com.

Boombox

Russ Randolph and Zion Rock Godchaux have a lot of slashes. Randolph is a producer/engineer/DJ/drummer. Godchaux (son of former Grateful Dead members) is a producer/DJ/vocalist/guitarist. Guess you need that many slashes when you're two dudes trying to stir up some electronic funk.

Details: 10 p.m. Friday. Awful Arthur's, Towers Shopping Center, Roanoke. $10. 777-0007, myspace.com/awfularthurs, thisisboombox.com.

May Day

With Adele Gleixner, Commonplace, John Pence, 12 O'Clock Knob

Young and talented musicians take over the Taubman for May Day.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday. Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke. $5. 204-4122, taubmanmuseum.org, myspace.com/johnpencemusic.

The Indobox

With Incognito Mosquito

Headliner the Indobox brings the electro-rock. The opening act goes for a punk-funk thing. It's a wide contrast, but it'll keep you grooving.

Details: 9:30 p.m. Friday. The Lantern, Blacksburg. Cover charge TBA. 951-1019, thelantern blacksburg.com, myspace.com/theindobox, myspace.com/incognitomosquito.

The Royal Greens

The Greens are getting their debut record together. Go check out their ragged but right Southern tunes.

Details: 9:30 p.m. Friday. Market Street Pub, Roanoke. $5. 982-6618, myspace.com/marketstpub, myspace.com/theroyalgreens.

Six Chasing Seven

Hear user-friendly pop-rock with funk and soul flavoring from this Lynchburg act.

Details: 9 p.m. Friday. The Blues BBQ Co., Roanoke. Free. 344-5683, bluesbbqco.com, myspace.com/ sixchasingseven.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

Frontiers

Not just a Journey tribute band -- a Journey tribute band featuring local singer Jeremey Hunsicker, who wrote and recorded with the actual band. Hunsicker sounds so much like Steve Perry, I believe he stole Perry's throat.

Details: 10 p.m. Friday at Awful Arthur's, Salem. $12. 10 p.m. Saturday at Awful Arthur's, Towers Shopping Center, Roanoke. $12. awfularthursseafood.com, journeytributeband.com.

SATURDAY

Blueground Undergrass

This is a hot-playing, forward-looking bluegrass band from Atlanta. Read more about the band and link to a podcast in Friday's Extra or roanoke.com/entertainment.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $15. myspace.com/kirkavenuemusic, bluegroundundergrass.com.

Third Stream Giants

Some hot jazz and funk from an eight-piece Fredericksburg, featuring a horn section. This is about as funky-sounding an act as you'll hear at the Pot.

Details: 9 p.m. Saturday. Coffee Pot, Roanoke. $5. 774-8256, myspace.com/coffeepotroadhouseinc, myspace.com/3sgiants.

The Gumbo Band

Keyboardist Jimmie Landry and his crew stir up a little New Orleans.

Details: 9 p.m. Saturday. The Blues BBQ Co., Roanoke. Free. 344-5683, bluesbbqco.com, jamesray7.tripod.com.

SUNDAY

In Spite Of

With Affliction Kid, Jackal Tickets, DJ Dickie

The best birthday parties involve bars and live music. Occasional show promoter Angie Mason has just taken another trip around the sun, and she's celebrating with some good rock, punk and ska.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 21 and older. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, myspace.com/inspiteofva, myspace.com/afflictionkidonline.

TUESDAY

CJ Boyd

With The Diana Situation, Midair

Illinois-based Boyd makes it happen with an electric or upright bass run through gizmos for ambience. The young Roanoke bands opening for him range from atmospheric to rocking.

Details: 6 p.m. Tuesday. Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke. $5. myspace.com/cjboyd, myspace.com/thedianasituation, myspace.com/midairva.

WEDNESDAY

Melissa Reaves

The big-voiced soul and blues rocker plays a couple of solo shows to tune up for a full band gig next Thursday at Awful's Towers.

Details: 9:30 p.m. at The Cellar, Blacksburg. Free. 953-0651, the-cellar.com, myspace.com/melissareaves.

WEDNESDAY

Odd Meters

The band name tells you what this duo is all about. Don't expect a lot of songs to which you can repeatedly count "One, two, three, four." Think in sevens or fives. Bonus: Guitarist Jon Morrow does the eight-string, bass/rhythm/lead thing.

Details: 9 p.m. Wednesday. Blue 5 Restaurant, Roanoke. Free. 904-5338, blue5restaurant.com, myspace.com/theoddmeters.