Atmosphere, Isaiah Rashad and the Nude Party lead your concert week

Natalie Gallagher,

Atmosphere

Sean “Slug” Daley has never been in the position of having nothing to say, and on Fishing Blues — the latest record from Atmosphere, the Minneapolis hip-hop group he founded with DJ Anthony “Ant” Davis more than 20 years ago — the rapper is as eloquent as ever. These days, Slug’s verses trend ever so slightly toward domestic themes, but that’s not to say middle age has dulled his weapons. Fishing Blues is a record that showcases some of Slug’s hard-won maturity, including some self-actualized lyrics that could come only with age: I’ll never be the best at this/I write songs that I’m living in, welcome to my sweatshirt, he raps on album closer “The Long Hello.” These lyrics are humble statements from an artist who has always worn his ego like a crown.

7 p.m. Sunday, January 15, at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence


The Nude Party

Here’s a pro tip for anyone looking to learn more about North Carolina rockabilly-grunge outfit the Nude Party: Make sure you Google very, very carefully. Once you manage to locate the band’s music, you can abandon all caution — which one gathers is what the Nude Party is getting at anyway. On the band’s recent Hot Tub, debauchery and earworm-y hooks run amok. The entire experience is a smirking, grenade-lobbing homage to 1960s garage rock — and with just seven tracks, it implodes all too quickly. Portland folk-rock outfit Small Joys is also on deck, and Kansas City’s Lovergurl opens the night.

8 p.m. Wednesday, January 18, at the Riot Room, 4048 Broadway


Isaiah Rashad

It’s so easy to listen to The Sun’s Tirade that, the first time through, you might miss the message behind Isaiah Rashad’s second studio album. The Tennessee rapper released Tirade last year, following a dark period that found him struggling with addictions to alcohol and Xanax — a battle that Rashad recounts in his lyrics. Over bedroom jazz beats, in his soothing, throaty rasp, Rashad is unabashedly transparent about the inner turmoil that influences his art. Rap culture tends to emphasize bravado and swagger, yet Rashad eschews that in favor of refreshing honesty.. Show your support on Wednesday at the Granada.

7 p.m. Wednesday, January 18, at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Casey Donahew Band, with Mike Ryan and Stoney LaRue

Influenced by Casey Donahew’s Texan roots, All Night Party embodies modern Southwestern country music. His sixth studio album debuted at No. 3 on the U.S. country chart, a new benchmark. Differing from Donahew’s previous releases, All Night Party is the only one of his albums to use an outside producer — Donahew collaborated with Kansas City native Josh Leo. The resulting 10 songs are infused with a new sound from the banjo. Aiming to stay true to his Burleson, Texas, roots, Donahew usually performs only in the Lone Star state. So take this rare opportunity to see the man Thursday at the Uptown. — Shera Bhala

8 p.m. Thursday January 12, at the Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

John Paul’s Flying Circus

7:30 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

Matt Hopper

7 p.m., The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Midnight Marauders

8 p.m., The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Be/Non, Van Allen Belt, El Condor

9 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Guitar Elation

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Joe Cartwright Trio

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Acoustic Guitar Carousel with Carl Butler, Tim Braun and more

8 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

Hillary Scott with Brandon Estelle

8 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

CS Luxem, High Westus, MetaWatt

10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Entombed A.D., Full of Hell, Turbid North, more

7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Casey Donahew Band with Mike Ryan and Stoney LaRue

8 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

Millage Gilbert

9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

Delynia Jannell

5 p.m., The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Rich Hill and Charles Perkins Quartet

8:30 p.m., The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Yung Grandpa

8 p.m., The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Forgotten Souls, Counterfeit, Junkhead

8 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main 

Fondren & Cartwright

2 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Tim Whitmer Quartet

5:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Molly Hammer Quartet

8:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Steve Lambert Quintet

10 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

KKFI Boogie Bridge Benefit: Danny Cox

8 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

Atlantic Express

8:30 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

Bobcat Attack, Shadow Rabbits, the Shameless Pursuit, more

9 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway

Rock the Ribbon II featuring Barenaked Ladies

8:30 p.m., Midland, 1228 Main

Caprice Classic

7 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

Tornado Rose, Grassfed

6 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Domineko, Ebony Tusks, Lincoln Marshall, Vivid Zebra

10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

77 Jefferson

7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Sam Burchfield with Barnaby Bright

7:45 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway

The Sextet, the Fritz Hutchison Band

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14

Mama Ray’s Jazz Meets Blues Jam

2 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

Mike Bourne & KC Boogie

9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

Live Music in the Blue Room

8:30 p.m., The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Cave Girls, Cantankerous

9 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main 

Ramsey Lewis

8 p.m., Gem Theater, 1615 E. 18th St.

OJT

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Natalie Bates Quartet

9 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Ernest Melton Quartet

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Frank Werth

7:30 p.m., Harrah’s Voodoo Lounge, 1 Riverboat Dr.

Four Fried Chickens and a Coke

8:30 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

Brandon Miller 

9 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

Phase II, Chad Rex, Mark Vick

9 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway

Abnorm, Illphonics, more

7 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

David Dondero

6 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Night Pits, Laissez-Faire

10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

PRXZM

8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Lisa Lampanelli

8 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway

Liza Anna

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

The Confessors 

6 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

Sons of Brasil Sextet

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Steve Lambert Quintet

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Katy Guillen & the Girls

7:30 p.m., Knucklehead’s, 2517 Rochester

Kxng Dose, Gerald Walker, Scotty Wu, more

7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Johnny Love, Babylon Escape Plan, Zack Mufasa

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

Tyree Johnson

7 p.m., The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Kane Brown

7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Matt Hopper Trio

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Soul Sessions

7 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

Jim Beisman

7 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

That 1 Guy

8 p.m., The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Chris Hazelton Trio

7 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Perkins, Spaits & Strait

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 

Shinetop Jr.

7 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.

OJT

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Ernest Melton Quartet

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Bob Walkenhorst & Friends

6 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

Nude Party, Small Joys, Lovergurl

8 p.m. Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

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