Bonerama, a seven-piece, funky-fresh brass ensemble from New Orleans that put on a well-received show at Riverfest in May, will be tooting at Sticky Fingerz on Saturday, Aug. 27.
In the tradition of Crescent City jazz bands such as Galactic or the Meters, Bonerama also incorporates ’60s-style acid rock and brings some funky dignity to the trombone.
The five horn players in the group are Craig Klein, Mark Mullins, Matt Perrine, Brian O’Neil and Steve Suter. Online reviews offer such descriptions as “very flatulent” and “the ultimate in brass balls.” The septet also has a guitarist, Bert Cotton, and drummer, Chad Gilmore.
Bonerama’s most recent album, “LIVE from New York,” was a big seller at the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the group won in several categories in the city’s Offbeat Magazine awards.
Start time is 9:30 p.m., and admission is $6.
Django Walker, son of the legendary Jerry Jeff Walker, will appear at Sticky Fingerz on Thursday, Aug. 25. If you’ve seen his previous visits here, obviously he’s had some great country-rock passed on from dad. His latest album is “Down the Road.”
Jimmy Davis of Memphis will open at 9 p.m. Admission is $5.
The term “Do It Yourself” (or D.I.Y.) is a catch-phrase in the music industry for unsigned bands putting together their own promotional packages. The newly formed Hitchhiker Entertainment, headed by Juanita’s music manager Erin Hurley, borrowed the term for a compilation of what Hurley says is “the best of mainstream unsigned local rock acts.”
Juanita’s will host a two-day stretch of those artists on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 26-27. The cover charge of $10 each night goes to cover the expenses of making the CD, which Hurley plans to get into the hands of record execs and others in the business.
The Friday acts, starting at 10 p.m., are Frail Division, Kingsdown and Grand Serenade.
Saturday acts, starting at 9:30 p.m., are Mourningside, Sugar and the Raw and Adam Hambrick.
Both shows are for all ages and the cover charge includes a copy of the “D.I.Y.” CD.
If anybody has any doubts about white boys being able to play the blues, go see Watermelon Slim (born Bill Homans) at Cajun’s Wharf on Friday Aug. 26. A former farmer, truck driver and Vietnam vet, Slim’s music is dug deep from the working man’s dirt. He’s not only a student of slide guitarist Son House and harpist Sonny Boy Williamson II, he’s a literate one as well, sporting a reported genius IQ.
Slim’s newest CD, “Up Close and Personal,” earned him a W.C. Handy Award nomination for best new blues artist. It has a cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightnin,” and two original, hauntingly delivered a cappella versions of “Truck Holler.” Slim recently signed with a bigger label, NorthernBlues, and picked up a permanent backup band, the Workers. A forthcoming album, titled “Watermelon Slim and the Workers,” will be released in early 2006.
For any deep blues enthusiast, this is a show not to be missed. Cover for the 8:30 p.m. show is $5.
Little Rock’s local hip-hop scene has been fueled by the “Under the Ground” coalition of b-boys for five years now, and in celebration they’ll have an anniversary party Saturday, Aug. 27, starting at 8 p.m. Deejays, rap groups, emcees and turntablists include 607, Dirtbag, Juggernaught Glitch with Poisoned Fetus, the Iron Mic Coalition, Sta-Lo, the Big Payback, D.J. Swift, G-Force, Klicka Boyz, S.J.N.D. and Shawy D. Things get spinning at 8 p.m. at Vino’s Brewpub. Admission for all ages is $5.
Acoustic Sounds Cafe will be showing its fairer side on Friday, Aug. 26, with two female singer-songwriters. Tret Fure returns as the headliner, promoting her third acoustic solo album, “Anytime Anywhere.”
Appalachian, folk and Celtic-styled artist Rachel Nelson will open. Her new Mother Earth-themed CD is titled, “Change is a Thousand Hearts.”
Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and admission is $8 for adults and $7 for students. Acoustic Sounds is at 600 Pleasant Valley Drive in the Second Presbyterian Church.
Fayetteville’s live music club lineup has changed: JR’s Lightbulb Club, one of the premier live music venues on the street, closed Aug. 20. Spokesman Wade Ogle said that “it didn’t make sense to continue live shows full-time at JR’s.” Fans also might assume that perhaps a low turnout for some shows, and the fact that the Dickson Theater (same ownership) has live music, is part of the cause.
Ogle says that JR’s, on Block Street, will be closed for approximately two weeks and re-open after a makeover to “a bit more stylish, modern, trendier” look than the currently hazy but easygoing atmosphere of the room. It will have a snazzier name, Tangerine, with no live music planned. Future plans include remodeling the vacant building adjacent to JR’s as a pizzeria.
Three blocks down the street at the Dickson Theater, some occasional live music is planned: the biggest show being “An Evening with Billy Joe Shaver” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. Tickets are $25, and only 350 will be sold. Call 479-750-7143.

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