THURSDAY 12/4
Our favorite local honky-tonk stalwarts the Salty Dogs return to White Water after a month’s (or so) hiatus for a night of country classics and originals, 9 p.m., $5. As usual, jazz whiz Ted Ludwig leads his trio with shows at the Capital Bar, 5 p.m., free, and the Afterthought, 8:30 p.m. At Vino’s, local hard rockers San Antokyo share a bill with Arkadelphia’s Frown Pow’r, who play a jubilant brand of lo-fi garage pop, 9 p.m., $6. Northwest Arkansas’s blues brothers, the Eoff Brothers Band, mix covers with originals at Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $5. The show is open to ages 18 and older. At Cajun’s, local party band Tragikly White headlines, 9 p.m., $5. For something more sophisticated, the Little Rock Wind Symphony offers a “Christmas Jubilee” at the Second Presbyterian Church, 7:30 p.m., $5-$10.
FRIDAY 12/5
Local musicians Happenstance, the Boomers, Kat Hood and Chuck Gilbert perform at the Advent Lutheran Church, 7 p.m., $4-$12, to benefit the Bethlehem House, a homeless transitional center. At White Water, local bluegrass standout Runaway Planet picks and grins, quickly, 9 p.m., $5. The Dave Matthews Tribute returns to Sticky Fingerz, where they’re celebrating the 75th anniversary of the end of prohibition, 10 p.m., $7. The Ted Ludwig Jazz Trio returns to the Capital Bar for a nighttime gig, 8 p.m., free. Bluesman Scott Holt, a veteran of Buddy Guy’s band, headlines at Cajun’s Wharf, 9 p.m., $5.
SATURDAY 12/6
At Robinson, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra teams with dancers from Ballet Arkansas and the Minnesota Ballet for two productions of “The Nutcracker,” 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., $18-$58 (a Sunday performance at 3 p.m. concludes the run). Folk-rock wunderkind Chris Denny shares a bill at Juanita’s with his former band mates, who’ve long played together as Parachute Woman, 9:30 p.m., $6 (the show’s open to ages 18 and older). At Sticky Fingerz, Vallejo offers funky hard rock, 9:30 p.m., $10. Long time jam band Mojo Depot gets down at White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. Cajun’s hosts Conway-based cover act Six Strings Down, who play a mix of blues and rock originals and covers, 9 p.m., $5. Piano man William Staggers headlines at the Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7. And Justin Sane and Jiminy Kick It DJ in the club at Discovery, while Balance works the lobby, midnight, $10.