JoJo, Art Garfunkel, and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears are this week’s concert musts
JoJo
JoJo was just 13 years old in 2004, when her debut single, “Leave (Get Out),” took over radio stations — and the Billboard chart. She became the youngest recording artist in history to score a No. 1 hit in the United States, a feat unrepeated since. And things could have continued on an upward trend for JoJo, were it not for the fact that her record label went belly-up. She spent years untangling herself from a contract that prohibited her from releasing any new music, leaving fans to wonder what might have been. But her 2016 record, Mad Love — her first in a decade — thrust her firmly back into the spotlight. A taut collection of ballads and anthems, Mad Love finds that sweet spot where a really good hook meets genuine substance. After so many years of quiet, JoJo’s powerhouse voice is back — and we’re ready to listen.
7 p.m. Friday, March 3, at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Fans of Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears will find a lot to love on this year’s Backlash, the Austin, Texas, band’s ninth album in 10 years. It has all the characteristics that put Lewis on the map in the first place: ferocious ’70s-leaning funk, gnarly garage rock, guitar riffs for days. Lewis is perhaps a touch more political on Backlash than is his usual wont, addressing violence in the African-American community with “Nature’s Natural” and mourning environmental decline on “Global.” On the whole, though, the disc is a rowdy, riotous set designed to set you dancing and pumping your fist into the air, with Lewis’ heart-piercing scream rallying you from the center. Dams of the West — the new solo project from Vampire Weekend drummer Chris Tomson — opens the night when Lewis and his band stop at Knuckleheads Wednesday.
8 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Art Garfunkel
Art Garfunkel — half of the legendary Simon and Garfunkel (and therefore half of that duo’s on-and-off feuding) — has never been quite as celebrated as his ex-partner. This is a shame. Garfunkel has undeniable gifts and a fine catalog of solo albums. This year seems pivotal for the singer: In September, his memoir, What Is It All but Luminous: Notes From an Underground Man, comes out. And Saturday at the Kauffman Center, Garfunkel continues his “In Close-Up” world tour, with guitarist Tab Laven and keyboardist Dave Mackay accompanying him on a set spanning Simon and Garfunkel classics and other well-known songs.
8 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway
THURSDAY, MARCH 2
Cross-Eyed Cat
7:30 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Never Let Go, the Dear Miss, Late Nite Cavalry
8 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main
The Cadillac Three
7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Guitar Elation
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Cartwright, Clark & Strait
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Davina and the Vagabonds
8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
The Velveteers
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
CDM Glow, Party, DOLLS, more
9 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
FRIDAY, MARCH 3
Lonesome Hank and the Heartaches
9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Various Blonde, Wheelchair Sportscamp
9 p.m., Brick, 1727 McGee
Eric Tessmer, Amanda Fish
9 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence
21 Years of Winter, Swell Boy, Uncouth
9 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main
Cartwright, Clark & Strait
2 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Tim Whitmer Quartet
5:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
DOJO
8:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Boogaloo 7
10 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Hard Habit to Break
8 p.m., Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway
Patrick Lentz Band
10 p.m., Kelly’s, 500 Westport Rd.
Phantom Blues Band featuring Mike Finnigan
8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Uncle Lucius
8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Colonel, Garrett Marsh, Chico Sierra, Wild Eye
9:30 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway
Big Gigantic, Hotel Garuda (pictured)
9 p.m., Midland, 1228 Main
Lee Fields and the Expressions
9 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand
Sugarfoot Detour, Jay Cantor, Jonah Monroe
6 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Heidi Gluck, Katlyn Conroy, Youngest Children
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
A Swanky Affair: Joey Cool & Friends
8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
Poor Bishop Hooper
7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand
SATURDAY, MARCH 4
Mama Ray’s Jam
2 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Steve Andrew band
9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Munster Moon, HMPH, the Good Ole Fashion
9 p.m., Brick, 1727 McGee
Govinda, Recycled Phunk
10 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence
Cyrus Chestnut Trio featuring Warren Wolf
8 p.m., Folly, 300 W. 12th St.
G Jones
8 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Roger Wilder Duo
2:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
OJT
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Todd Strait Quartet
9 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Matt Hopper Trio
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Flannigan’s Right Hook
10 p.m., Kelly’s, 500 Westport Rd.
Atlantic Express
8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Jason Ricci & the Bad Kind
8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Unknown Hinson
8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
The Big News, Mathias and the Pirates, Moon Bandits, Boomtown United
9:30 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway
Illenium, Said the Sky
8 p.m., Midland, 1228 Main
Jonathan Richman
9 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand
Pagiins, the Whiffs, Hush Machine
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
California Voodoo
8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
Brantley Gilbert
7 p.m., Sprint Center, 1407 Grand
Zack Mufasa, Loogey
7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand
SUNDAY, MARCH 5
The Confessors
6 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Vince Staples, Kilo Kish
8 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Rojas, DeVan, Fondren & Hopper
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Steve Lambert Quintet
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Mike Farris
8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
The People’s Liberation Big Band
8 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand
Whitechapel, Cattle Decapitation, more
6 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
MONDAY, MARCH 6
Molly Hammer Duo
12 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Matt Hopper Trio
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Crossroads Quartet
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Balto, Preston Ott & the Glass House, Shapiro Brothers
9:30 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway
Archgoat, Valkyrja, Hellfire Deathcult, more
8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
TUESDAY, MARCH 7
Nick Schnebelen
7 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
UMKC Jazz Concert
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Spaits, Perkins, Strait & Vilinger
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
The Coax
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
Pat Nichols
7 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Slumgang 777, Both, Dom Chronicles, more
9 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence
Legends of Ska, Brad Klein
7 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main
Papadosio
7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
OJT
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Ernest Melton Quartet
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Highway 65, the Uninvited, Potters Field
7:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Suicidal Tendencies
8 p.m., Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Joseph, Kelsey Kopecky
8 p.m., Madrid, 3810 Main
Bob Walkenhorst & Friends
7 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand
Both, Slumping 777, Scotty Wu, HighWesthus, Tabla Rasa
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Castle, Keef Mountain, Inner Alter, more
8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
GGOOLLDD, Jaenki
7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand
