FRIDAY, OCT. 31
Adrian Belew
Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist Adrian Belew has done it all. He’s released 20 solo albums and worked with acts such as Paul Simon, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Frank Zappa, Laurie Anderson and Nine Inch Nails. For 33 years, he was the frontman, singer and guitarist in the prog rock group King Crimson. Belew has recently embarked on his first tour since the Crimson ProjeKCt tour of 2011. He’ll be fronting the Adrian Belew Power Trio that includes bassist Julie Slick and drummer Tobias Ralph. He'll also debut a new app that will allow him to play snippets of several tunes during the show. Expect to hear about 30 tracks from his extensive catalog. (Jeff Niesel), 8 p.m., $20-$45. Beachland Ballroom.
Chris Carpenter
Singer-songwriter Chris Carpenter says he's "grown up" with music. He first took piano lessons and then started playing guitar, eventually drifting into a few garage rock bands that played everything from Dave Matthews to Alice in Chains. He originally didn't think he would attend college but eventually enrolled at the Belmont University music program. He's released four CDs, and VH1.com, CMT.com and MTV.com have played his music videos; his songs have been featured in The Young and the Restless, Men of a Certain Age and a Kraft Foods commercial. He's performed on 43 regional TV shows all over the U.S. and Canada. He uses the term "songwriter rock" to describe his music. "I coined that phrase not long ago," he says. "It's very pop-oriented. I know I'm a little bit of the love song guy. Pop is just so broad. Everything could be considered pop these days. Mine has a little dirt on the tires. It's the diet soda of rock." You can sample the soda tonight as Carpenter comes to town for special Halloween gig. (Niesel), 9:30 p.m., $10. The Ledger Bar.
The Jayhawks
Although the Jayhawks first emerged from the same Minneapolis scene that gave us the Replacements and Husker Du, the group played a different style of music with tunes steeped in roots/country-rock and power-pop. Now, the Jayhawks have just reissued their first five major label recordings on vinyl through American/UME. For the first time, 1992’s Hollywood Town Hall, 1995’s Tomorrow the Green Grass, 1997’s Sound of Lies, 2000’s Smile and 2003’s Rainy Day Music are all available on wax, and the Jayhawks are touring in support the reissues. The lineup includes the players who appeared on the band’s 1997 shows – Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Tim O’Reagan, Karen Grotberg and Kraig Johnson. While Louris says he’s not one to dwell on the past, he’s said he's still proud of the albums, which marked a shift away from the alt-country sound for which the band was known. They were recorded after the departure of founding member Mark Olson, who shared songwriting duties with Louris and they will make up the bulk of tonight's set. (Niesel), 8 p.m., $30. The Kent Stage.
SATURDAY, NOV. 1
Beachland Halloween VIII
Halloween at the Beachland has quickly become one of the best parties to go for music lovers. This year’s lineup features local acts covering the bands of your childhood like Duran Duran, Belly, Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, James Gang and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Dance the night away, sing your heart out to old hits and have a beer or two. Regular admission is $10, but if you come in costume you only pay $5. (Liz Trenholme). 8 p.m. Beachland Ballroom.
Don Dixon & Marti Jones
For her upcoming show at the Music Box Supper Club, singer-songwriter Marti Jones has said that she and her husband, fellow singer-songwriter Don Dixon will lean heavily on material from her new album, but Dixon also has a new record (the intriguingly titled High & Filthy & Borderline) that he’ll share a bit of material from. There’s always an interesting storyline running through his solo work and the new album is no exception, although it took Dixon himself a while to see what was developing. “I write for a long time to make these records,” he explains. “It’s not like I write lots of songs; it just takes me a long time to figure out and for things to click and come together.” (Matt Wardlaw) 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $20 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.
SUNDAY, NOV. 2
Rhett Miller/Jon Langford
Not sure if Old 97s frontman Rhett Miller plans to any tunes from the Old 97s catalog for tonight’s show, but he has a full arsenal of terrific solo material from which to draw. His latest album, last year’s The Dreamer, leans in a more of a country direction than his previous solo efforts, but Miller is such a talented singer and songwriter that he can pull it off. Similarly, Jon Langford, who keeps a day gig with the long-running punk outfit the Mekons, has an extensive solo catalog too. (Niesel) 7:30 p.m., $22 ADV, $25 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.
Granger Smith featuring Earl Dibbles Jr.
Currently traipsing across the country on his Yee Yee Nation 2014 fall tour, country singer Granger Smith has put up some impression numbers over the span of a relatively short career. He’s amassed 25 million unique YouTube views, played 200 tour dates nationwide and attained 2.6 million social media followers. Dirt Road Driveway, his ninth studio album, was the best selling independent country album in digital sales in 2013. With his "country boy" alter-ego, Earl Dibbles Jr., he makes fun of country stereotypes. Expect to see the overall-wearing Dibbles Jr. make a cameo at tonight's show too. (Niesel), 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $13 DOS. House of Blues.
© 2023 Cleveland Scene
