Sarah Woolf of Follow the Woolf has your guide to Arkansas’ music scene. This week, go see The Salty Dogs, Creekfest, The Marshall Tucker Band, and more.

Around Little Rock

Friday 5/24

Fourth Friday Comedy Night/ Guillermo’s Gourmet Coffee– 10700 N Rodney Parham Rd. Ste A2 / 7:30 -9:30 / $10

Cameron Fontaine host this night as some of the Midsouth’s finest entertainers grace the stage. From Memphis – Benny Elbows, & Hayden McOlgan , from San Antonio – Shana Bryant, and from Nashville – Tracy Barkley.  The night will start with an open mic, so get there when the doors open at 7:15 to put your name on the list or to find the best seat for this night of laughs.

The Main Thing/ The Joint Theater & Coffeehouse – 301 Main St. NLR / 8-10 / $24 call 501-372-0205

Central Arkansas comedy trio The Main Thing, present their original comedy “Keep Your Chins Up,” a comedy review focusing on the agony of growing older.  “Original sketches, funny songs and bogus commercials take a look at cosmetic surgery, fad diets, exercise programs, and how to just give in and grow old gracefully.  Three actors play dozens of characters who are determined to battle Father Time.”

Rodney Block Collective/ Cajun’s Wharf – 2400 Cantrell Rd / 9

Find that white summer dress or comfy white jeans and join the Rodney Block Collective, Bijoux, DJ G Force, and a special guest as they kick off Memorial Day weekend with the live music social event, Pure *White* Smoke: All White Affair, and stick around for the post cigar party on the deck.

AFRO- Caribbean Night / South on Main – 1304 Main St./  9pm-1am / $10

Nigerian native, now residing in Fayetteville, DJ ELZ will deliver sounds from Africa and her diaspora.  This will be a night of Afrobeats/Dancehall/Soca/ and Hip-Hop, sponsored by the Caribbean International Culture Association of Arkansas.

The Salty Dogs with Trey Johnson/ White Water Tavern – 2500 W 7th St. / 9:45pm-1pm

Central Arkansas favorite Country/Western honky-tonk band The Salty Dogs is returning to the Tavern for a special show they’ll be recording for an upcoming live release. Trey Johnson will kick things off with his special feel-good rockin’ blues.

KK & The Reverend Blues Revival/ Four Quarter Bar – 415 Main St. NLR / 10 / $7

Hot Springs blues artist KK & The Reverend Blues Revival are coming to Four Quarter for a good time Friday night with all the ingredients: guitar, bass, drums, piano, hammond organ, harmonica, vocal groove originals, & covers with their own unique style.

Saturday 5/25

The Rail Yard Memorial Day Party/ 1212 E 6th St. / 11 am – 10 pm / $3

Enjoy a day of food, friends, music, and fun. Food trucks will include Count Porkula, Say Cheese, The Rock-Brick Oven Pizza, A Little Crepesy and Joyful Banking Co. The live music starts at 12 noon and goes until 7 p.m. with Michelle Levy, Sarah Hastings, Leta Joyner, Open Mic time, Dadbod, and closing it out with the Buh Jones Band.

Africa Day Fest/ South Main St. Downtown Little Rock / 11am-6pm / Free

This is a family-friendly street festival like no other. The third annual Africa Day Fest celebrates African arts, and culture through music, food, fashion, and children’s activities.  Events include: poetry from The House of Art, Music from: Twylite Jones, Mike Walker, Rodney Block, Butterfly, Tim Anthony, Bijoux, Darril Harp Edwards & the Africa Day Fest Band.  African Dance Competition, Best African Dressed, and so much more.

Bluesboy Jag/ Core of Arkansas – 1214 S. Main St. / 6-9

Rock, blues, and country favorites from Little Rock’s Bluesboy Jag.

Go For Gold *Record Release* / Revolution Music Room – 300 President Clinton Ave. / 7-11:55 / $10

DMP (Drastic Measures Productions) presents Go For Gold, a Central Arkansas pop punk band from Conway, as they celebrate the release of their first album Daydreamer.

They’re bringing their friends: My Hands to War (high energy rock & roll) Past Comfort (Emo) & Couch Jackets (Psychedelic punk/funk) for a night of great music.

DeFrance, Atlantis Aquarius, Grace Askew and The Going Jessies/ Stickyz Rock n’ Roll Chicken Shack – 107 River Market Ave. / 8-11:59 / $8

Enjoy the classic rock of DeFrance, the atmospheric psychedelia with golden era rock & roll sound of Atlantis Aquaris, the indie folk stylings of Grace Askew and the soulful country folk of The Going Jessies.

Hickoids, Frontier Circus, Harvey McLaughlin/ The White Water Tavern– 2500 W 7th St. / 9-12:30

Legendary Austin cowpunk combo, the Hickoids, are returning to the White Water, joined by their friends The Frontier Circus and Harvey McLaughlin for a one-of-a-kind Saturday night show you don’t want to miss.

Bijoux/ South on Main – 1304 Main St. / 9:30-11. / $10 advance $15 at the door www.centralarkansastickets.com

Africa Day Fest afterparty with her Royal Dopeness, Central Arkansas Soul/R&B diva Bijoux.

Sunday 5/26

N2Blues (Mudhead & Grant Vaughan)/ The Rail Yard – 1212 East 6th St. / 4:00-7:00

One of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday evening is grabbing my fur kid Delta and heading to The Rail Yard for their Sunday evening music series.  Grab a tasty beverage, some delicious BBQ from Count Porkula, and head to the yard for an evening of music and fun. Kids & fur kids welcome.

LaChaz Holloway CD Release Concert/ Revolution Music Room – 300 President Clinton Ave. / 8:00-12:00 / $15 GA, $20 VIP, $25 tables www.arkansaslivemusic.com

Drummerboy Infinity presents the CD Release concert of Little Rock Soul/R&B artist LaChaz Holloway’s debut CD “Space.”  Pine Bluff’s The On Call Band will get the party started then the man of the night will take the stage.

Around Arkansas

Dover

Friday 5/24 – Sunday 5/26

10th Annual Big Piney Creekfest/ 53 Old Highway 7 / $100 weekend, $40 day. (includes camping)

Creekfest is a three-day music and camping festival on the banks of the Big Piney Creek.  A weekend of swimming, canoeing, kayaking, food and craft vendors.

Artist include: Moonshine Mafia, Mudhawk, Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass, some guy named Robb, The 1oz Jig, Vintage Pistol, The Ben Miller Band, Serrano Torres, Poor ol Uncle Fatty, Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo, The Flipoff Pirates, Deep Sequence and more.  For full line-up, rules, guidelines, tickets, and info www.bigpineycreekfest.com

Hot Springs

Saturday 5/25

The Marshall Tucker Band & the Kentucky Headhunters/ Magic Springs Theme & Water Park _ 1701 E Grand Ave. / 6:00-10:00 www.magicsprings.com/ $39.99 day pass or $64.99 season pass

70’s Southern Rockers the Marshall Tucker Band and Southern country rockers The Kentucky Headhunters are coming Magic Springs Timberwood Ampitheater. Gates at 6, Kentucky Headhunters 7 and The Marshall Tucker Band at 8.  Concert is Free with park admission or season pass.

The Canvas People/Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo/Cosmic Farmer/ Tiny Towns/ Maxine’s Live –  700 Central Ave. / 9:00

The Canvas People – melodic indie & harmony driven alt-rock – Austin, TX

Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo – Folk/Rock/Soul – Northwest Arkansas

Cosmic Farmer – Soul/Funk/Cosmic Americana – Conway, AR

Tiny Towns – indie fusion – Jonesboro, AR

Hope

Friday 5/24

Dave Almond/ The Rowdy Moose – 2504 N Hazel St. / 9 / $5

Rock & blues from a one of a kind guitar player Dave Almond.

Dyess

Saturday 5/25

Ring of Fire musical / Dyess Community Center / 6:00-8:00 / $15

The Red Curtain Theater presents the musical Ring of Fire.

Fayetteville

Saturday 5/25

A Tribute to Elton John / George’s Majestic Lounge – 519 Dickson St. / 9 / $12

Jon Shorter and his band bring you the music of the one and only Elton John.

Rogers

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert/ Arkansas Music Pavilion – 5079 W. Northgate Rd. / 8:00 / $22  www.waltonartscenter.org

Come enjoy this classic film with a live orchestra featuring members of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. Costumes allowed, but no lightsabers.

Conway

Saturday 5/25

Deep Sequence / Kings Live Music – 1020 Front St. / 10 / $5

Psychedelic prog/fusion/ power funk from Little Rock.

Mountain View

Sunday 5/26

Lee Street Lyrical/ Mountain View Meeting Place – 106 E. Washington / 7:00-9:00 / $15

Harmony-rich roots duo of Buddy Case & Casey Penn.  Nominated for 2019 Arkansas Country Music Awards Acoustic Act of the year.

Fort Smith

Thursday 5/23

Cocktails and Classics/ Temple Live – 200 N 11th St. / 7 / $5

Grab a drink and kick back and relax with the Howard Hawks, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell classic, Gentlemen Prefer Blonds.

Arkansas Song of the Week:

Brae Leni “Planet Earth” (featuring Isaac Helgestad & Andrew Tripplett) (produced by T.U.D.A.) the first single/video from his recently released album “The Drift”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWfVpzDyYq8

Old School vibe, socially conscious soul.  Inspired by Marvin Gaye & the events around him today. “In a world full of cruel and hurtful things humanity still has the power to unite.  Remember that no one is perfect, and love can heal pain. What is the world telling you? What are you telling the world?” Check out the whole album https://linktr.ee/braeleni

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