Sarah Woolf of Follow the Woolf has your guide to Arkansas’ music scene. This week, go see the Red Octopus Theater Company Halloween show, the Return of The Wiz and more.
Wednesday 10/24
Joshua Asante/ South on Main – 1304 Main St. / 8 / $10
Hosted by this month’s curator, Little Rock teacher and artist Phillip Rex Huddleston, this week’s Sessions at South on Main is proud to present Little Rock’s own Joshua Asante. Whether behind the camera, front man for two of Arkansas most loved bands – Velvet Kente and Amasa Hines – or as with this show, solo, Joshua has the ability to command the stage like no other and touch you through his art like few can. (Check out the latest release from Amasa Hines, Ivory Loving Glass, )
The Black Lilies with Raelyn Nelson Band/ Stickyz Rock N’ Roll Chicken Shack – 107 River Market Ave. / 8 /$15
From Knoxville Tennessee, The Black Lilies are an internationally-renowned roots rock band that use their three part harmonies and instrumental virtuosity to seamlessly blend elements of Americana, rock, blues, country and soul for a sound that is as powerful in the quiet moments as it is explosive in the jubilation. They’re making their Little Rock stop on their way to their tour of Texas, while celebrating the release of their latest album, Stranger to Me. Check out their latest video “Midnight Stranger.” The Raelyn Nelson Band, from Nashville Tenn., will open the show.
Tiko Brooks & Rick Horton/ TAE – 625 Capitol Ave (inside the Hotel Frederica) / 7 / $5
Come on out to one of the Rock’s newest hot spots for a night of smooth Jazz from two of Little Rock’s best:  Tiko Brooks on trombone and Rick Horton on keys.
Thursday 10/25
Bluesboy Jag & The Juke Joint Zombies/ Rebel Kettle Brewing Co. – 822 E 6th St. / 6
Come on out to the lawn & enjoy a delicious craft brew and some down home blues from Little Rock’s own Bluesboy Jag & the Juke Joint Zombies.
Marquis & Mood/ South on Main – 1304 Main St. / 8 / $10
Award winning jazz saxophonist and Little Rock’s own, Marquis Hunt and his band Mood bring the sounds of New York’s famed Blue Note Jazz club to South on Main for the next installment of his Blue Note Jazz series which will also feature the first live performance of his new single “Moving.”
Wade Bowen with Dawson Hollow/ Revolution Music Room – 300 President Clinton Ave /  8:30 / $15 advance, $18 at the door.
Currently on tour celebrating the release of his latest album Solid Ground, a Rev Room favorite, Red Dirt country artist  from New Braunfels Texas, Wade Bowen returns to the Rock. Opening the show is Ozark indie folk band, Dawson Hollow. Get your tickets here.
Bully with Joshua Asante/ Stickyz Rock N’ Roll Chicken Shack – 107 River Market Ave. / 9 / $15
The day after a sold out opening for Jason Isbell at the legendary Ryman Auditorium, Bully brings their one of a kind rock & roll to Stickyz.  Garage rock/punk from Nashville Tenn., fronted by the “Rock Icon in the making,” Alicia Bognanno with her signature scream, messy blond hair and skills as both a player and engineer, Bully is a rock n’ roll force not to be missed. Opening the show is Little Rock’s own musical force Joshua Asante. Get your tickets here.
Friday 10/26
Sweet Tees: Dance Party & Clothing and Blanket Drive for The Van/ Revolution Music Room – 300 President Clinton Ave / No cover with donation of clothing or blanket.
Winter weather is upon us, and our friends at The Van are there to help, but to do that, they need our help.  Come on out sporting your favorite t-shirt and dance to the music of DJs Aaron Anderson, Big Brown, Bobby Kuta and DJ Haze.  Clean out those closets of your warm weather necessities (shirts, blankets, socks, pants, gloves, scarves, anything warm) or go pick something up and bring it to the Rev Room for the Van to distribute this coming winter.
Combsy/ Four Quarter Bar – 415 Main St. NLR / $7
Chris Combs, a guitarist, composer, touring jazz artist and member of the Jacob Fried Jazz Odyssey since 2008,  brings his solo psychedelic jazz project, Combsy to Four Quarter Bar.  Combsy brings original compositions layered with horns and rhythm with influences from Charles Mingus, Madlib, George Harrison, and more blending jazz, hip-hop, electronic and rock genres for a sound all their own.
Friday 10/26 & Saturday 10/27
Red Octopus Presents: Straight Outta Coffin/ The Public Theater – 616 Center St / 7:30 / $10 adults, $8 seniors, military and students. Tickets at the door.
Central Arkansas’ favorite comedy troop for 27 years and counting, The Red Octopus Theater Company, is back from their summer break with a Halloween themed show sure to be a “ghoulish good time”  with plenty of “bloody good” laughs for all.  Come out for a spooky dose of sketch comedy for mature audiences 18 and up. BYOB.  Seating is first-come, first-served, so get there early. Doors open at 7:15. Last two shows Friday 10/27 & Sat. 10/28.
The Lighter Side of the Apocalypse/ The Joint Theater – 301 Main St. NLR / 8 / $24 or 501-372-0205
Arkansas comedy troop, The Main Thing, presents “The Lighter Side of the Apocalypse” at the Joint Theater. “An Arkansas televangelist has been making predictions and, amazingly, they’ve been coming true! So when he predicts that the world will end on a specific date, many people take him seriously. See how Little Rockers react to their impending doom in this original two-act comedy.”
Saturday 10/27
Arkansas Cornbread Festival/ South Main St. / 11 a.m.– 4 p.m.
While you’re enjoying some of the best cornbread in the South, enjoy these great Central Arkansas artists: Brick Fields, Charles Woods and the Element, John Burnette, Ten Penny Gypsy and Bonnie Montgomery.  For times and festival information, click here.
Halloween Party Roll-Call
109 & Co– 109 Main St. / 8 / $5 / 21+ / $750 in cash & prizes, DJ and drink specials – for VIP call 501-213-0494
EJ’s– 523 Center St. / 8 / Free / Halloween cover show featuring Way Away as Deerhunter, Bikini Killerz as Bikini Kill and Shoplift as Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
The Flying Saucer– 323 President Clinton Ave / Costume contest with cash prizes and music from Jason Lee Hale and The Personal Space Invaders for a little bit country and a little bit rock & roll.
South on Main– 1304 Main St. / 9 / $5 advance, $7 at the door.
Halloween does not get more festive than this.  Come see Monster Morphis at South on Main.  This horror theme freak show includes sword swallowing, fire eating and the monster’s freakish one-man band ability to play five instruments at once. Dance, laugh, and monster mash with Monster Morphis. Get your tickets here.
Revolution Music Room– 300 President Clinton Ave. / 9 / $15 or $10 before 10
$100 for best costume, hype dance music from DJ Nick Hud, live music from Kings Tower, and Dee Dee Jones. Get your tickets here. For VIP, call 501-548-5811.
Stickyz Rock N’ Roll Chicken Shack– 107 River Market Ave / 9 /  $7 with costume, $10 without.
Get ready to party like a MonStar with the one and only Randall Shreve & the Devilles.
Sunday 10/28
The Wiz Returns/ Revolution Music Room – 300 President Clinton Ave. / 7:30 / $15 adults, $10 children 12 and under, $20 VIP tables.
Drummerboy Infinity is Proud to bring back The Wiz for a evening the the whole family will enjoy. With music written by Quincey Jones, this reimagining of the L. Frank Baum Classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” features an all African American cast of some of the best vocalist and musicians in Central Arkansas as they tell the classic tale of Dorothy as she travels down the yellow brick road home.  This will be a production you won’t want to miss filled with singing, dancing, costumes, and fun for all.

Around Arkansas

Greenbrier

Friday 10/26- Sunday 10/28
Phantom Flux 6: A Central Arkansas Music and Arts Festival/ Cadron Creek Outfitters 54 Cargile Lane / pre-sale tickets $88.80 until midnight 10/24, $120 at the gate for the weekend, $100 for Saturday / Camping is free, but RV passes must be purchased.
The Flux family is at it again with a weekend full of music, performance arts, workshops, visual art, vendors, and more. Music artists include: Cosmocean, Chinese Connection Dub Embassy, Sublingual Soundsystem, Griffen Buckley, Fried Pies, Rogue Planet, DeFrance, Deep Sequence, and many more.  For full line-up, festival info and rules visit www.fluxfamily.com.

Conway

Friday 10/26
Arkansauce / Kings Live Music  –1020 Front St / 8:30 / $5
Folkin’ bluegrass from Fayetteville Arkansas’ own Arkansauce. Opening the show is hometown folk rock artist Jacob Pledger.

Fort Smith

Saturday 10/27
Author Randi Romo & Open Mic / Bookish – 115 N. 10th St. Suite H-119C
Come on out for a night of open mic poetry with Central Arkansas poet Randi Romo as she shares from her first book, Othered, from Sibling Rivalry Press.
Jonesboro
Saturday 10/27
Dwight Yoakam/ First National Bank Arena – 217 Olympic Drive / 8 / $35.75-$75.75
The one and only country music singer-songwriter Dwight Yoakam brings that Bakersfield sound to Jonesboro for this special one-night-only show. Get your tickets here.

Camden

Saturday 10/27
Trey Johnson and Jason Wilmon / PostMasters Grill – 133 W. Washington St. / 7
Grab a brew and some delicious food, and get ready to tap those toes to the feel good blues of Trey Johnson and Jason Wilmon as they sing some of your favorites and some of Trey’s originals.  Come Rain or Shine.

El Dorado

Thursday 10/25
Eclectic Avenue/ Griffin Restaurant – 101East Locust St.
Thursday Night Live is proud to welcome one of DFW’s finest party bands, Eclectic Avenue, for an electrifying blend of some of your favorite tunes: from the latest top 40, old school funk & soul, classic rock, and some good old Rock & Roll.
Fayetteville
Saturday 10/2
Groovement & Linear Symmetry/ George’s Majestic / 7 / $10 advance, $12 at the door.
NWA Halloween festivities begin at George’s. Kicking the night off with the live-electronica duo from Omaha, Nebraska, Linear Symmetry. Fayetteville’s hometown funk rock troubadours, Groovement, will take the stage afterwards.  Throw on that costume, and don’t forget your boogie shoes, and get ready to Monster Mash at the spookiest dance party in town. Get your tickets here.
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