THURSDAY 9/13
Keith Sykes has written songs for the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, John Prine, Jimmy Buffett and many others. He plays an intimate acoustic show at Stickyz, 8 p.m., $20. Much-loved Mississippi roots/Americana act Blue Mountain is back at the White Water Tavern, with support from local crew The Goodtime Ramblers, 9 p.m., $7. Down in Hot Springs, it’s rockabilly revival time, with the long-running Reverend Horton Heat, who play at Maxine’s with Ohio country-punkers Two Cow Garage, 8 p.m., $16 adv., $18 door. Laman Library keeps its Live at Laman series going with The Diamond State Chorus, 7 p.m., free. Round 3 of Back Room to the Main Stage features a face-off between Amsterdam, Peckerwolf, Kinfolk Clique and Neon Skin, Vino’s, 7:30 p.m., $5. Sheeeooot, looks like country-rapper Colt Ford is back in town for a show at Shooter’s Sports Bar & Grill, 10 p.m., $20. The Hot Springs Jazz Festival is going on this week, with performances at various venues. Check online for the schedule at HotSpringsJazzfest.org.
FRIDAY 9/14
La Pachanga Night Club hosts comedian Del Shores (author of “Daddy’s Dyin’: Who’s Got the Will?” and “Sordid Lives”), with Brittney Paige and Montana Reed, 7:30 p.m., $35 adv., $40 door. If rough-around-the-edges rock is your jam, look no further than White Water Tavern, which hosts a Thick Syrup Records showcase with Brother Andy and Pecan Sandy, Spero and Ezra Lbs., 10 p.m. Stickyz has sample-tastic electro-duo Archnemesis for an 18-and-older show, 10 p.m., $8 adv., $10 at door. You probably know Stephen Koch as the host of KUAR’s Arkansongs, but now you can get to know him as the frontman for the left-field boogie rock outfit Arkopolis, which plays a free show at Historic Arkansas Museum, 5 p.m. Fran Drescher, the actress, author and cancer survival activist, will discuss her work with the Cancer Schmancer Foundation, Clinton School of Public Service, noon, free. The Main Thing‘s two-act comedy play “Electile Dysfunction” is back at The Joint, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, $20.
SATURDAY 9/15
Little Rock’s Stella Luss blends contemporary rock sounds with classic rock influences. The band plays an album release show for its record “Chasing Dragons.” It’s an 18-and-older show at Stickyz, 9 p.m. Thick Syrup hosts another Summer 2012 comp show, with Bloodless Cooties, Color Club and Ventrikills, Maxine’s, 8 p.m., $5 adv., $7 door.