• Dash Rip Rock plays Stickyz Friday night.

DASH RIP ROCK
9:30 p.m. Stickyz. $6.

Of all the bands that have had the “cow-punk” label pinned to them over the years, none of them lived up to that description more than South Louisiana’s Dash Rip Rock. For a good primer on the band’s overall sound, check out “Hits and Giggles” from back in 2000. It’s got 23 compact little ditties perfect for getting hopped up on cheap hooch and going out to raise some hell.

“Let’s Go Smoke Some Pot” is a Gen-X update of “Let’s Go to the Hop” that name-checks every Lollapalooza-bound band of the day, with just a hint of punk-rock disdain. The band has progressed from those early roots-rock ragers, though. Take, for example, 2007’s “Hee Haw Hell,” a concept record about a hillbilly who dies while partying and makes purgatorial layovers in the various circles of Hell, including a world where “Punk Rock Never Happened,” which bears an unsettlingly resemblance to our own.

Despite some lineup changes, Dash Rip Rock has been at it forever, so if you like hanging out at that amphetamine-addled intersection where punk rock and country meet, get into a dustup and then make nice and become best friends, don’t miss this chance to see one of the genre’s originators.

• The Cool Shoes End of the Year Party is Friday at Downtown Music Hall.

COOL SHOES END OF THE YEAR PARTY
9 p.m. Downtown Music Hall. $5 before 10 p.m., $7 after.

This is the last Cool Shoes dance party this year, and it’s an all-ages affair, with DJs Wolf-e-Wolf, Kichen, Rysk and Cam Holifield pumping out the music, as well as a free party photo booth and promises of special surprises all night.

I’ll go ahead and cop to not totally “getting” contemporary electronic dance music. A lot of it sounds like squeaky, squiggly bad-trip ADD nightmare videogame music to my delicate old-man ears, which nowadays can’t handle anything more raucous than early Wilco. Just kidding.

But in all seriousness, last week, Rock Candy reader “furobertbell” reminded me of something via the comments section: “Robert, you have for the umpteenth time made it abundantly clear that you like only what YOU like and are truly no real fan of music.” Presumably it’s bad to only like the music you like. You should also like the music you don’t like. Furthermore, my “write ups are either bitter, closed minded reflections of something you have NO business covering or a very sad attempt at humor.” Wow. Harsh, but completely, 100 percent true.

So it was with that withering indictment in mind that I endeavored to check out some of this electro/dubstep/moombahton/what-have-you. I certainly don’t like it, and probably have NO business covering it, so it would be a natural fit for my column. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Soundcloud. I found a lot of stuff that didn’t seem that far off from Black Dice or Excepter or Wolf Eyes or various other noise and experimental acts I’ve enjoyed over the years.

I listened to some mixes by Wolf-e-Wolf and Kichen and I’ll be damned if I didn’t end up liking several of them quite a bit. In particular, I thought Kichen’s track “HORRORS” was rad — it was jarring and brutal and felt like your brain was being jackhammered. Plus I’m told that the Cool Shoes folks have a colossal sound system and that it’s all about getting your innards jostled by the massive bass.

So props to commenter furobertbell. Thanks to him or her, I finally like some music that I don’t like. But wait — if I didn’t like it, but now I like it, then that means I’m back to only liking the music that I like. Dagnabbit!

• Mojo Depot plays The Afterthought Friday night.

Mojo Depot rocks The Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7.

Blues lady Shannon Boshears brings down the house at Markham Street Grill and Pub, 10 p.m.

Over at Revolution, it’s an End of the Year Music Dump, featuring Amsterdam, Grand Façade, Chasing Pictures, The Revolutioners and The Supporting Cast, $5 21 and older, $10 younger than 21.

• 607 plays with other past Musicians Showcase winners at Stickyz Thursday.

MUSICIANS SHOWCASE PAST WINNERS
9 p.m. Stickyz.

So the 2012 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase is coming up, and it’s the 20th anniversary of the event. That’s a lot of bands over the years, and the crew here at Times HQ decided it’d be kinda cool to put together a show with some of the previous years’ winners.

The Big Cats (1997 champs) probably need no introduction, but just in case, the band’s been playing hook-filled rock ’n’ roll for nearly as long as the showcase has been around and just released “The Ancient Art of Leaving: High & Low,” the first of a two-part album.

Adrian Tillman — a.k.a. 607 (2008 winner) — is the tireless renaissance man of the Central Arkansas hip hop scene, whose latest album, “Yik3s!” came out this fall.

Brother Andy & His Big Damn Mouth took the prize in 2010 with their burly, awesomely vulgar power-pop gems.

It’s an 18-and-older show, so you can bring along your little cousin, sibling, niece or nephew who’s home from college over the winter break. The 2012 showcase starts Jan. 26. The entries have been rolling in, and we’ll let you know early next month which acts made the semi-finals.

• Brian Chilson
• Ginsu Wives play the Ugly Sweater Party at Revolution Wednesday night.

UGLY SWEATER PARTY
8 p.m. Revolution. $6.

Remember all those hideous Christmas sweaters you always got from Aunt Matilda (even though you specifically asked her for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Gameboy)?

Well, let’s hope you hung on to at least one of those awful things, because here’s where that crummy gift can finally come in handy. Wear your most dreadful holiday abomination and bring at least two nonperishable food items to this all-ages show, a benefit for Arkansas Food Bank.

You can also catch some tunes from Booyah! Dad, The Ginsu Wives, Ezra Lbs., Many Persian Z's and The Alpha Ray.

• Tyrannosaurus Chicken is but one of many bands playing Nightflying's 31st Anniversary Party.

NIGHTFLYING 31ST ANNIVERSARY PARTY
7 p.m. Stickyz. $10.

Good old Nightflying magazine is celebrating its 31st anniversary with — what else? — a gigantic rock show. The publication has had a few other birthday blowouts in recent weeks, in Hot Springs and Fort Smith, and now, in Little Rock.

The lineup for the capital city show includes Grateful Dead tribute artists The Schwag, long-running folk duo Trout Fishing in America, psych-blues cosmonauts Tyrannosaurus Chicken, party band par excellence Tragikly White, the blues stalwarts in The Joe Pitts Band, R&B and blues from Salt & Pepper and, of course, the man himself, publisher Peter Read. The Point 94.1’s Jeff Allen will serve as master of ceremonies.

• Pamela Smith hosts the Christmas with Pamela benefit at Porter's Jazz Cafe Friday.

CHRISTMAS WITH PAMELA
7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Porter's Jazz Cafe. $10.

Normally, you see Pamela Smith in the early a.m., on KATV's Good Morning Arkansas program. But here's a chance to see Smith in a nightclub setting, singing popular Christmas favorites such as "This Christmas," "Santa Baby" and "Joyful Joyful."

The show is a benefit for Women and Children First, a nonprofit support group for victims of domestic violence. In addition to the cover, Smith is encouraging everyone to bring donations for WCF, including toiletries, such as hand soap, tissue, diapers, wipes and paper towels, as well as batteries, pillows and bedding, blankets and family-friendly DVDs for the shelter.

Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

• The Big Cats play White Water Tavern Friday.

You know, it just wouldn't quite feel like a Little Rock holiday season without some Big Cats shows. The band, whose members are spread out on both coasts and in Arkansas, has been getting back together around Christmas for so long that it feels like a tradition. This year, the Cats are back, but with some new recorded tunes, to boot.

"The Ancient Art of Leaving: High & Low" dropped last week on CD and digital formats, but it's only the first of two albums the band recorded this year. The other album will be out in March, and in May, Max Recordings — lead Cat Burt Taggart's record label — will release a 3-LP set with all 25 songs.

Opening up for the first show are lo-fi pop-punk newcomers Crooked Roots, while the second features a set from local singer-songwriter fave Mandy McBryde.

• The Evelyns play Pizza D'Action Thursday night.

A few months back, a buddy recommended we go see The Evelyns at The Afterthought. He was hyped on this song they'd just put up on their Bandcamp and upon listening to it, it was an understandable reaction. "What to Say" is 2 minutes and 11 seconds of woozy pop, a perfect little gem that lends itself to playing over and over and over.

Anyways, the show was really great, but there was this total chief in the audience, and apparently his delicate widdle eardwums were being inconvenienced by the rock 'n' roll. He thought he'd be clever and slip the band a note that said something like, "You'd be twice as good at half the volume."

This didn't go over well with the band, understandably, but Mr. Designer Jeans and Faux-hawk was nowhere to be found after their set, and thus they were unable to offer a rejoinder to his unsolicited and wrong advice. So go see The Evelyns, but for the love of Jeebus, don't tell them to turn it down.

The opening band is Color Club, a synth-heavy haze-wave trio formerly of Fayetteville, presently of Little Rock.

• Cory Branan plays White Water Tavern Thursday.

THURSDAY 12/22

Stickyz hosts an 18-and-older show with local folk-rock luminaries Free Micah, with Whale Fire and James Lepine & The Chasers, 9 p.m., $6.

Down in the Spa City, Maxine's hosts a showcase for Thick Syrup Records. The indestructible rock juggernaut that is Smoke Up Johnny headlines, with the garage-rock demolitionists in Bloodless Cooties and The Good Kids, which is the new version of The Walking Lawsuits, 8 p.m., $5 adv., $7 door.

Over at Browning's Mexican Grill, you can be serenaded by sausage enthusiasts The Swinging Franks, 8 p.m.

Jazz guitar virtuoso Ted Ludwig is at Capital Bar and Grill, 5 p.m.

At Cajun's wharf, check out Covershot, with happy hour tunes courtesy of Mayday by Midnight, 5 p.m., $5 after 8:30 p.m.

Much-loved Memphis song-man Cory Branan plays what's sure to be a packed house at White Water Tavern with David Hause, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY 12/23

Triniti Nightclub has performances from Dominique, Gi Gi Galore and Whitney Paige, 9 p.m., $5 for 21 and older, $10 18-20.

The Toneadoes tear it up at Fox and Hound, 10 p.m., $5-$10.

Over at Shooter's Sports Bar & Grill, The Larry Lee Cheshier Band brings the rock 'n' ruckus, 9 p.m., $5.

Gold Diggin' Mothers pay tribute to indie Southern rockers Kings of Leon, at an 18-and-older show, Stickyz, 9:30 p.m., $6.

Come on, you know you want to legalize it, so go to "Legalize It," a concert to promote medical marijuana, featuring performances from Tim Anthony, Changus B, GrOOvMeant, Darril Harp Edwards and Charlotte Taylor, Cornerstone Pub & Grill, 8 p.m.