THURS 02/13
Abydos Records Artist Showcase with iJam Reggae featuring Ras Khalifa/The Blue Drivers/Shane Safko: $6. Beachland Tavern.
Bad Boys Jam: 9 p.m. Brothers Lounge.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr./Chad Valley: Eccentric indie pop artists Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. make strangely likable songs out of chaotic elements. Bouncy synths and vocal lines reminiscent of early '90s R&B feature hip-hop-styled samples and heavily affected drums. Overall, there's a lot going on. The band recently released a new mixtape, Produce, and it essentially comes off as an indie pop band co-opting hip-hop mixtape culture. With a host of samples and basement-recording wonkiness, Produce is one of their best recording efforts to date. The slightly unpolished edges and eclectic collection of sounds make for an interesting backing to their smooth and melodic singing. Known for lively and energetic live shows, the guys deliver a bit of glitz and glamor to enhance the super-excitable vibes. 9 p.m., $15. Grog Shop. (Patrick Stoops)
Mark Freeman/Ruairi Hurley: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.
Chris Hatton (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.
Hed PE: 7 p.m., $12. The Foundry.
Jam Night with Tower City Blues: 8:30 p.m. Grillers Pub.
Angelique Kidjo: 8 p.m., $20. Finney Chapel.
Jane Monheit: On her latest album, The Heart of the Matter, Jane Monheit once again displays her vocal prowess. The Grammy-nominated singer beautifully works within a variety of jazz genres. Bossa nova takes, on tracks like "A Gente Merece Ser Feliz" and the Carpenter's classic "Sing," delicately groove the album, giving it some much needed momentum from slower numbers like the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road." Her voice smoothly glides along on gentle melodies like "Little Man You've Had a Busy Day," lending itself to a little bluesier, smokier style of jazz. While a full orchestration of strings and winds accompany her on the album, tonight she performs as a duo with her pianist for a more intimate performance. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $30. Nighttown. (Stoops)
New Soft Shoe: 8 p.m., free. Happy Dog.
Tim Reynolds/TR3 The Burning River Ramblers: Tim Reynolds might be most readily known for his Live at Luther College acoustic outing with comrade Dave Matthews. That double album was and always will be the staple of any good dorm room music collection. Hell, we prize our copy here at Scene's global headquarters. Reynolds still tours with DMB, and his chops are finely honed from that trip. But TR3, the beast Reynolds brings to Cleveland tonight, is a whole different vibe. Cue up 2011's From Space and Beyond to get the feel for what these guys are dropping. Like Satriani knee-deep in a margarita, the Tim Reynolds Trio is good enough to get you on the dance floor, swaying mindlessly to the tune of your younger days. Songs like "The Wind Just Blew the Door Wide Open" give TR3 shows that sort of summertime vibe we so desperately need right now. Hometown favorites the Burning River Ramblers open the show, making tonight doubly awesome. 8:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $17 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. (Sandy)
Valentine Jam'n Time: 7 p.m., $6-$8. The Kent Stage.
FRI 02/14
Sean Benjamin (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.
Eric Burdon and the Animals: 8 p.m., $49-$64. The Kent Stage.
Jason Michael Carroll/Zach Lockwood: 9:30 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. Thirsty Cowboy.
Commander Cody and Band: 9 p.m., $20. The Winchester.
Dionne Farris & Russell Gunn Quartet: 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., $25. Nighttown.
Teddy Geiger/Katianne Timko/The Silence: 8 p.m., $14. Musica.
Gotham City: 9:30 p.m. Brothers Lounge.
Miss Alexandra Huntingdon/Joshua Stauffer: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog.
New Wave Rave: With DJs Himiko Go Go, Party Sweat, Castle Spööktacular, D-Rock: 9 p.m., $4. Beachland Tavern.
Red Wanting Blue/Swear and Shake/Welshly Arms: 8 p.m., $17 ADV, $20 DOS. House of Blues.
Reggie & the Full Effect/Dads/Pentimento: If you are at least 25 and were into that whole "emo" trend as a teenager, the name Reggie and the Full Effect will at least ring a bell. Now, they're back again, bringing their fast-paced, ironic pop-punk sound. After living in relative obscurity for a while, they reappeared with a Kickstarter project in March of last year in order to raise the money to record another album. Well, that album was released this past November and brings back their same old witty nostalgia. Songs like "37" touch on the subject of an aging musician who must battle monsters from an alternate universe that have come to abduct him. Catchy, sing-along "ra-ras" and boyish vocals make this song feel very 2001, while "Kanji Tattoos... Still in Style?" focuses on dance-y electronics and sappy lyrics straight from a high schooler's journal. Cheesy? You bet, but that's the point. 9 p.m., $13.50 ADV, $16 DOS. Grog Shop. (Liz Trenholme)
Stoned and Beautiful/The Trunks: 9 p.m., $8. Mahall's 20 Lanes.
Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line (on the Patio): Harmony vocals, bluegrass instrumentation and some really solid fiddling distinguish Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line. The Party Line, Struthers' backing band, are a group of solid bluegrass players. Claw-hammer banjo, upright bass and even a washboard accentuate the singing. As musicians, the entire group really nails it. As songwriters, occasionally there's a bit left to be desired. While the precise playing is intact, occasionally the milquetoast and Pollyanna lyrical stories can leave you wishing Struthers would get her heart broken a little more often. Her newest album, Carnival, a clean-cut piece of Americana, is a strong offering of folksy songs. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., $15. Nighttown. (Stoops)
Take This Hammer/Anita Keys & Friends/George Foley & Friends: 5:30 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.
Twiztid/Blaze Ya Dead Homie/Wolfpac/Smokehouse Junkiez: 7 p.m., $20.80. Agora Ballroom.
Valentine's Day Skate Jam with Plain Dealers/Mexican Coke/Windsor Greys: 9 p.m., free. Now That's Class.
SAT 02/15
Greg Banaszak Quintet (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.
Wesley Bright and the Hi-Lites: Akron's Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lights played their first gig a little more than two years ago and the band has been going strong ever since. Because of its terrific live show — sharp-dressed Brent "Wesley Bright" Wesley is a real dynamo on stage — the soul/old-school R&B band is suddenly in high demand. The band has been touring regionally too and teamed up with the like-minded, Northern soul-obsessed Vallures to play a gig in Indiana recently. Their terrific new single, "Tell Me," is a retro-sounding number with a soulful vibe. All their unhinged energy should make for a fun show. 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. (Niesel)
Capgun Cowboys Reunion/Church of the Lazy Bastards/Blackgrass Baptism: 8:30 p.m., $6. Beachland Tavern.
The Clarks/Gomez Addams: For nearly 25 years, the Clarks have sustained a career as a better-than-average alt-rock act that's innocuous enough for a first date. At their peak a few years back, the group could pack mid-sized venues throughout the region (and they regularly played here in town to capacity crowds at the now-shuttered Odeon). Their popularity has declined some, but the guys are still at it, as well they should be. Singer-guitarist Scott Blasey has a raspy voice that's equally suited to country and rock, and the band often successfully mixes the two genres. 9 p.m., $15. Grog Shop. (Niesel)
