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