■ inbrief
Casey McPherson) that bites, tastefully, from a “Bends”-era Thom Yorke. Formed in 2005 after the breakup of McPherson’s previous, modern rock band, Endochine, Alpha Rev soon found a footing in its fiercely competitive home town, was named the best indie band from Texas by Myspace, signed to the Disney-owned Hollywood Records and became a regular fixture on VH1 with their biggest single, “New Morning.” Along the way, the band also provided the soundtrack to MTV’s “True Life: I Hate My Plastic Surgery” and contributed music to “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” and “The OCD Project.” It may be a ham-handed soundtrack for your next pity party, but at least the band’s aiming for grandeur.
THURSDAY 1/27
n Eric Sommer, one of the most mindblowing acoustic guitarists in recent memory, comes to Vino’s alongside Fort Smith blues rockers Cloud 9 and anthemic indie rockers Ellison’s Cage, 8 p.m., $6. Dreadlocked Hendrix alum Graham Wilkinson and his band, the Undergound Township, play taut, groovy Americana for the crowd at White Water Tavern, 10 p.m. In Hot Springs, Maxine’s Pub brings the hooka-minute throwback dance sounds of Sugar & Gold and electroboogie from the Of Montreal-remixing Yip Deceiver, 8 p.m., $3. Dr. Rex Bell rallies his lineup of local musicians for a night of jazz at The Afterthought, 8 p.m., $5. The jazz keeps rolling downtown, as well, with the guitar sounds of the Ted Ludwig Trio at Capitol Bar and Grill, 5 p.m., and pianist Jim Dickerson holding down Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. “A Raisin in the Sun” returns for another weekend at The Rep, 7 p.m., $25-$40. And at Hendrix College, Matthew Pitt, whose new collection of short stories has been garnering praise as of late, speaks in the Murphy Seminar Room, 1:15 p.m.
KNUCKFEST 2011
Downtown Music Hall. $10-$35.
n This weekend, Little Rock is set to play home to hardcore, metal, screamo fans from around the area with Knuckfest 2011, a three-day festival of all things heavy, fast and, God knows, angry. What started in 2005 as a night of hardcore acts from Memphis soon turned into a multi-day showcase by 2007 and since has attracted hordes of carpooling out-of-towners to what must be one of the toughest mosh pits in the country. Expect more than 30 bands including Crankbait, Ashes of Augustine, Zucura, Fallen Empire, A Darkend Era, The Kill Crazies, Wraith, Before There Was Rosalyn, and many, many more. Doors open 6 p.m. Friday, $10; 1 p.m. Saturday, $15; 1 p.m. Sunday, $10. Three-day passes available for $35.
SATURDAY 1/29
ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: ‘REFORMATION’ 8 p.m., Robinson Center Music Hall. $14-$48.
n The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra returns to Robinson Center Music Hall under the direction of Philip Mann for another installment of its “Masterworks” series, this time with cellist Julie Albers as featured soloist. The orchestra will feature the overture from “The School for Scandal,” a classic composition from the 1930s and composer Samuel Barber’s first piece written for a full orchestra; Sir Edward Elgar’s “Cello Concerto,” a reserved, aural threnody written in response to World War I, and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5, “Reformation,” a piece originally panned after its 1830 debut but rediscovered and celebrated after the composer’s death. The ASO reprises the performance on Sunday at 3 p.m.; same place and price, though students, grades K-12, can go for free if accompanied by a paid adult as part of the Entergy ticket program on Sunday.
ALBERS: The visiting soloist joins the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra for ‘Reformation,’ the latest in its ‘Masterworks’ series.
MONDAY 1/31
NACHTMYSTIUM
8 p.m., Downtown Music Hall. $10 adv., $12 d.o.s.
n It means “Encompassing Darkness” in a cobbled-together mix of German and Latin. Now that we’ve got the whole name thing out of the way, we can say that Nachtmystium is one of the best metal bands in the world. Heck, they’re probably the biggest black metal band in America. At least that seems to be the consensus, according to pages upon pages of interviews, profiles and articles about Chicago’s flagship psychedelic black metal exports. In the last 10 years, front man Blake Judd and a revolving cast of band mates have proven to be as prolific as they are dark, issuing a relentless stream of LPs, EPs, live recordings and the like. Last summer saw the release of “Addicts: Black Meddle, Part II,” a sinister nod to Pink Floyd acclaimed by tastemakers of the metal domain. It’s no shock that they’ll play with Rwake, Arkansas’s greatest contribution to the metal-loving world. But it’s not just that: Nachtmystium keyboardist Sanford Parker just wrapped up recording Rwake’s latest, tentatively titled “I’ve Given My Hands to the Devil.” Our hometown heroes may be hard, but Nachtmystium isn’t for beginners.
PETER WOLF CRIER/ RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR
8:30p.m., Stickyz. $8 adv., $10 d.o.s.
n Over the last handful of years, Little Rock has become a tour hub for buzzy folk revivalists. We’ve seen Dawes, Vetiver, Bon Iver and Band of Horses plug in on local stages and, with the locals of The Natives carving out a reputation for themselves by backing both Chris Denny and Luke MacMaster of The Romany Rye, we’ve seen Little Rock contribute to that in-demand, woodsy sound. Now, Peter Wolf Crier is set to return to town, bringing a little more notoriety since its last visit in October thanks to the success of “InterBe,” a full-length debut written overnight that earned warm, if not loud, praise and caught the ears of NPR and AOL as well as taste-making music blogs like Stereogum. PWC is joined by Retribution Gospel Choir, a guitar-whipping, anthemic rock trio fronted by Alan Sparhawk of slowcore great Low. The two bands find a sonic middle ground in rural melodics, but are dozens of decibels apart in energy. Retribution Gospel Choir’s three veterans of the Duluth music scene make heavy musical epics as rib-rattlingly loud as their tour mates are deliberate. And, to these ears, the elders who open the night are more interesting by a Minnesota mile.
FRIDAY 1/28
n No strangers to River Market stages, Cowboy Mouth and Dash Rip Rock bring no-frills rock sounds from the Crescent City to Revolution, 9 p.m., $10. Local Chris Henry does acoustic rock ’n’ soul at Flying Saucer, 9 p.m., $3. Town Pump offers up the melodic indie rock of Whale Fire and sax-infused instrumental bangers from Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase semi-finalists Echo Canyon, 10 p.m., $5. Rockabilly mainstays Josh the Devil and the Sinners land in Midtown Billiards, 12:30 a.m., $8 non-members. Teen sex farce “Speech and Debate” returns to the Weekend Theater, 7:30 p.m., $14.
SATURDAY 1/29
n Red Dirt country icon Stoney LaRue retuns to Revolution alongside Charliehorse, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $12 d.o.s. Cajun music revivalists Ryan Brunet and the Malfecteurs bring bayou honkytonk rhythm to White Water Tavern, 10 p.m. Locals Rip van Shizzle hit Thirst n’ Howl, 9 p.m., free. Party band Boom Kinetic takes its high-energy covers set to Stickyz, 9 p.m., $5 early admission. The Big Cats continue storming the town with a string of live shows with another gig at The Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7. Never Shout Never brings one-man teen rock to Juanita’s, 8:30 p.m., $15 adv., $18 d.o.s. Conway rockers Mayday by Midnight play Flying Saucer, 9 p.m., $3. www.arktimes.com • JANUARY 26, 2011 23