THURSDAY 10/23
One of Mexico’s strongest string quartets, La Catrina Quartet, performs at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20. Popular singer/songwriter Ian Moore returns to Sticky Fingerz, 9 p.m., $8 adv., $10 d.o.s. Nashville prog-rockers the Sound and the Shape come to White Water with the See, 9 p.m., $5. At Cajun’s Wharf, rock cover band Thanks for Nothing headlines, 8:30 p.m., $5. As always jazz phenom Ted Ludwig, who’s soon to release a sophomore album, starts his night with bassist Joe Cripps at the Capital Bar and Grill at 5 p.m., free, before join-ing up with drummer Brian Brown at the Afterthought, 8:30 p.m., $5.
FRIDAY 10/24
Formerly known as Inksplosion, Little Rock Culture Shock brings together tattoo artists, custom bike makers and all sorts of freaks at the Clear Channel Metroplex for three days, beginning at 6 p.m. tonight, $10-$25. The regular dance party Cool Shoes returns to Downtown Music with DJs Shawn Lee (electro disco), Ettiem (originals and edits) and Deeter (hip-hop, dancehall and dub), live art by Jason Harrington and special musical guest Bware, who’s promoting his debut album, 10 p.m., $5. The Ted Ludwig Jazz Trio plays the Capital Bar and Grill, 8 p.m., free. At Ca-jun’s, local rock cover band BushDog headlines, 9 p.m., $5. The same people who brought us the “Wet Party” at Juanita’s return with a Lingerie and Pajama Jam, 10 p.m., $10-$12.
SATURDAY 10/25
Fayetteville-based singer/songwriter Cory Branan, who’s got a fairly rabid following here, performs at White Water with Sean Spellman, 9 p.m., $5. In anticipation of AC/DC’s show at Alltel in January, the tribute act Hell’s Bells is at Revolution, 8 p.m. Most of the members of the Munks moonlight in the country-rock band Good Time Ramblers, who play West End Smokehouse, 9 p.m., $5. At the Afterthought, party band Tragikly White plays the hits, 9 p.m., $7. In a fund-raiser for Invisible Children, the non-profit that raises funds for the children of war ravaged Northern Uganda, a host of young, local pop and punk acts play Juanita’s, including Alert All Arms, the Running Back, Britton Wesson and Maywood Park, 9:30 p.m., $15. At Cajun’s Wharf, Thread does pop hits from the ’50s to today, 8:30 p.m., $5. In the club at Discovery, Platinumb and Justin Sane spin, while Balance holds it down in the lobby, midnight, $10.