THURSDAY 1/17
As always, Ted Ludwig and his jazz trio hold it down at the Afterthought, 8 p.m., $5. Faulkner fans As I Lay Dying come from San Diego and play metal at the Village, with August Burns Red, Evergreen Terrace and Still Remains, 8 p.m., $14 adv./$16 d.o.s. At Cajun’s Wharf, local dance band Mr. Happy headlines at 9 p.m., $5. Local engineers, architects and construction workers display elaborate structures made out of canned food at Canstruction at the Clinton Presidential Library. The event benefits the Arkansas Foodbank Network. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., $3-$7.
FRIDAY 1/18
Local party act Tragikly White performs at the Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7. Guitar whiz Bluesboy Jag leads the pack at Bogies/Counterpoint, with Center Lane Only and Dean Agus, 11 p.m., $5. Local institution Luscious Spiller handles happy hour at Cornerstone, starting at 4 p.m. Later, DJ One Eye hosts a MLK Peace party, 9 p.m., $5. Cooper’s Orbit frontman Chris Henry plays a free show at Gusano’s, 10 p.m. Juanita’s hosts rising local talents Plu with Dear Future, So Long Forgotten and the Tide, 9:30 p.m., $6. Annual dance extravaganza Sunshine 10 features Uberzone and Vibesquad, 8 p.m. Billed as the best Led Zeppelin tribute act in the world, California-based Zoso performs “Misty Mountain Hop” and all your other favorite Zep jams at Sticky Fingerz, 9 p.m., $8. An awards reception for Canstruction happens at the Clinton Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with Arkansas First Lady Ginger Beebe presiding, $25. At 10 a.m., the 26th Annual Marine Boat Show kicks off at the Statehouse Convention Center. It runs through Sunday, $5.
SATURDAY 1/19
At Discovery, Michael Shane and Jiminy Kick It are in the disco, while Kecia holds it down in the lobby, midnight. Long-tenured local act Mr. Meaner plays Juanita’s, 9:30 p.m., $7. Atlanta-based jam band the Last Waltz Ensemble is at Revolution, 9:30 p.m., $7. Luke Johnson and the Times’ own Paul Peterson hold it down at Reno’s, 9:30 p.m., $5. Sultry torch singer Mary Kai is at the Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7. Conway’s Six Strings Down mixes blues, funk and rock at Cajun’s Wharf, 9 p.m., $5. Pellet Gun also tries to stir up blues, funk and rock at Cornerstone, 9 p.m., $5.