Friday and Saturday

Steppin’ Out

With Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, the Afromotive, Missy Raines and the New Hip, The Fat Daddy Band, The Emily Brass Band, Melissa Reaves, Barrel House Mamas and more

Last Thursday night at FloydFest’s Hill Holler stage, folks got a taste of some hot funk from a great singer — Laura Reed, from Asheville, N.C., by way of South Africa. This woman packs huge soul in a tiny frame. Her band, including Botetourt County’s Debrissa McKinney, has more than enough chops and taste to support her. Reed and her cohorts headline Saturday night’s doings at Blacksburg’s annual fun fest. Go to roanoke.com/community/botetourt/neighbors/wb/167126 to read an interview with McKinney.

Details: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Free. Downtown Blacksburg. dlpconcerts.com, laurareedanddeeppocket.com.

Saturday

Downtown Rocks!

With Carolina Rain, Matt Ramsey and Lisa Dames

The second in Downtown Roanoke Inc.’s inaugural summer music series features country artists. This is turning out to be a Botetourt-centric Top Tickets — Ramsey, like Deep Pocket’s McKinney, is a former Botetourt County resident. Now he’s a Nashville cat who writes songs with Phil Vassar and was featured working with the former Marcia Brady, aka Maureen McCormick, on the CMT reality show "Gone Country." Both Dames and headliner Carolina Rain bring pop-country music featuring traditional country instruments. Carolina Rain even name checks Prince’s "Purple Rain" in its song, "American Radio." Read more about Ramsey at roanoke.com/extra/wb/158548.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. Market Square, downtown Roanoke. downtownroanoke.org, carolinarain.musiccitynetworks.com, myspace.com/mattramseymusic, lisadames.com.

Friday and Saturday

Col. Bruce Hampton and the Quark Alliance

With Tony Hume

It’s a valleys twofer for a freak-music master and his latest band of genre-defying monster sidemen. Hampton, who has been confounding critics and delighting true believers for decades, stops first at Blacksburg’s newest spot for great music, The Lantern. The next night, the act hits 202 Market, his regular Roanoke stop. New guitarist Perry Osborn brings phenomenal talent and credentials that include a teaching gig at Florida State University. Both nights, Hampton’s manager, Tony Hume, opens the show. Hume is a fine guitarist/singer his own self.

Details: 10 p.m. Friday. The Lantern, 211-B Draper Road, Blacksburg. $10 in advance; $12 day of show. 951-1019, etix.com, myspace.com/thelanternblacksburg, myspace.com/thequarkalliance, myspace.com/tonyhumecollaboration. 10 p.m. Saturday. 202 Market, downtown Roanoke. $12. 202market.net.

Tonight

Leah Randazzo

Put this show in the "happy, last-minute surprises" category. Randazzo has a soul/jazz/funk style and an excellent set of pipes. She and her group are passing through on their way to the deep South. This will be about the third Roanoke appearance for Randazzo, who e-mailed us to say that she and the band "absolutely love coming to Roanoke." Do yourself a favor and catch her act.

Details: 9 tonight. Blues BBQ Co., downtown Roanoke. $5. 344-5683, myspace.com/leahrandazzogroup.

Friday

Geoff Achison

Australian Achison is a freakishly good guitar player. He’ll perform this show without a backing band. Based on what we heard from him the last time he was at 202 Market, he won’t need one.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday. 202 Market, downtown Roanoke. $10. 202market.net, geoffachison.com.

Saturday

Blues in the Bowl: Scott Ainslie, Buddy Parker Band

Ainslie, a wonderful acoustic blues performer and teacher, is a Washington and Lee grad who hasn’t headlined a Lexington show in more than a decade. He’s touring to support his newest recording, "Thunder’s Mouth." Opener the Buddy Parker Band has a history of hardships and breakdowns, but it’s come out on the other side.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Theater at Lime Kiln, Lexington. $15 adults; $12 senior citizens; $10 students. theateratlimekiln.com, cattailmusic.com, myspace.com/buddyparkerband.

Space Monkey Odyssey

With The Bastards of Fate

Traveling from points across our great nation, the Evil Monkey Circus will gather at Jefferson Center. Their friend and public access cable personality Charles E. Cullen will join them for a night of glitz, glitter and glam rock that band leader Johnny Hollywood says will evoke the memories of Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie and Queen. Opening the show is Roanoke’s The Bastards of Fate, led by Doug Cheatwood, and worth the price of admission on its own merit.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday. Jefferson Center, Roanoke. $12. jeffcenter.org, spacemonkeyodyssey.com, myspace.com/thebastardsoffate.

Melissa Reaves

If this woman’s vocal prowess is even close to what she exhibits on the MP3 files on her Web site, this could be the show of the month — and the month has barely started. She’s a blues-rocker who’s not afraid to improvise.

Details: 9 p.m. Saturday. Blue 5 Restaurant, downtown Roanoke. 904-5338, blue5restaurant.com, melissareaves.com.

Tuesday

The BOE Showcase

Catch this hip-hop and R&B collective, part of the Roanoke Library’s Emerging Artists series. Break dancing and 8-bit manipulation included.

Details: 6 p.m. Tuesday. Roanoke Library’s Brody Room Patio, downtown Roanoke. Free; all ages welcome. 853-2473, myspace.com/emergingartistsroanoke.