THURSDAY 9/1
From Chapel Hill comes The Moaners, a well-traveled female duo who specialize in moody, punked-up Delta blues. The band gets compared to the White Stripes a lot, but that’s a useful analogue only if you chopped and screwed the Stripes and gave Jack White a little more bass in his voice. Potluck opens the show at White Water, 10 p.m., $5. It’s a night of energetic local rock as Free Micah, Don’t Stop Please and Catskill Kids share the bill at Sticky Fingerz, 9 p.m., $5. For the club crowd, “BLISS” returns to Deep, 10 p.m., while “ONE” continues at Sway, 9 p.m., $1 cover before 11 p.m. It’s Shop & Sip in Hillcrest, too, starting at 5 p.m.
FRIDAY 9/2
Florida-based reggae act Rising Lion brings almost two decades of touring experience to Stickyz; according to the group’s official bio, it has “a reputation for bringing good vibes to every show,” 9 p.m., $5. At the Afterthought, Josh the Devil plays good-time rockabilly with the latest incarnation of The Sinners, 9 p.m., $7. In Hot Springs at Maxine’s, John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives similarly mine from the past, though their sound is more in the vein of Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, 8 p.m., $5. If you’re in the mood for songs you know and know how to dance to, The Gettys return to Denton’s Trotline, 9:30 p.m. and Big Stack is at West End, 9 p.m., $5. If you’ve never seen Two Cow Garage perform and you’re a fan of Lucero-style barroom rock, remember the band’s name for next time. The group sold-out a two-night stand celebrating its 10th anniversary at White Water Tavern this weekend. Football fans, catch your first taste of pigskin at the 2011 Salt Bowl, where Benton and Bryant square off at War Memorial, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY 9/3
Local standout indie rockers Year of the Tiger headline at Stickyz with Mainland Divide and War Chief opening, 9 p.m., $5. Little Rock soul diva Nikki Parish belts it out with her backing band at Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7. Local rockers NeverTrain perform at West End, which is also showing the Razorback game; music starts at 9 p.m., $10. At War Memorial, UAPB takes on Langston University in the Delta Classic, 5 p.m., $20-$35. The UAPB drumline kills.