FRIDAY 9/3
Goof-rockers Pop Tart Monkeys begin their three-night, Labor Day weekend stint at West End Smokehouse and Tavern, 10 p.m., $5.
Twangy, country-singing workhorse Ryan Couron plays Fox and Hound, 10 p.m., $5.
Soul-man/ladykiller William Staggers brings his funk-laced R&B to The Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7.
Eric Somner, the folk-blues vagrant, comes to Midtown Billiards, 12:30 a.m., $8 non-members.
The Village hosts a battle of the bands in which the winner gets an opening spot for hard-emo act As I Lay Dying; Shadowvein, Trail of Sin, Poisonwood, The Last Shade, In the Fade, Once Exiled, Fear the Aftermath and Siege the City face off, 7 p.m., $8 adv., $10 d.o.s.
SATURDAY 9/4
The Frontier Circus, wild-out country deconstructionists born from The Rockin’ Guys, take to the Juanita’s stage with bluegrass outfit The Crumbs and local staples Pope County Bootleggers providing support, 9 p.m., $5.
Bill St. Bar and Grill hosts an after party following the Keith Sweat show, 9 p.m.
Cover band Penguin Dilemma reimagines Bowie, Dylan, Paul Simon and more with its acoustic guitars at Markham Street Grill and Pub, 8:30 p.m.
At Discovery, Justin Sane mans the disco, g-force spins in the lobby and Jenna Sky, Roxy Starlight and Leah Alize strut in the theater, 10 p.m.
Khalil’s Pub on Shackleford hosts a karaoke night, 7 p.m.
At Revolution, jam-band heroes Tea Leaf Green play a boogalooed brand of rock music; Mississippi blues act Hill Country Revue opens the night, 8:30 p.m., $12 adv., $15 d.o.s.