THURSDAY 1/31

TAKE 6

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7 p.m., Robinson Center Music Hall. $20-$35.

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Nobody does a cappella like Take 6. For more than two decades, the group has blended elements of doo-wop, gospel, soul and jazz to become one of the most decorated vocal groups of our time — 10 Grammys, 10 Dove Awards and two NAACP Image Awards. Formed at Alabama’s Oakwood College in the early ’80s, the sextet (hence the name) built its reputation on vocal acrobatics and gospel-tilted material. Their style bridges the gap between old-school harmony groups like the Ink Spots and the Hi-Los and the Motownphilly sound of ’90s R&B heavyweights like Boyz II Men: bright, smooth, pop-infused soul. Thursday’s performance finds Take 6 touring behind “Feels Good,” an album the group released after a four-year hiatus on its own Take 6 Records. The concert is presented by Lawrence Hamilton and the One Special Angel project at Philander Smith College. Proceeds benefit the college.

FRIDAY 2/1

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PAT GREEN

8 p.m., the Village. $23-$26.

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Texan Pat Green spent the late ’90s touring relentlessly and self-releasing albums, building up a strong regional fan base and selling more than 200,000 albums without major-label support. With a sound somewhere in between that of home-state heroes like Robert Earl Keen and Jerry Jeff Walker and the arena pop of bands like Hootie and the Blowfish, Green became a juggernaut in the college scene. When he signed to Universal in 2001, he appeared to be on the road to superstardom. Four albums and six years later, he’s still dancing between regional and national success, but in these parts, he’s unquestionably a big deal. KSSN brings him to the Village to make up a gig originally scheduled for last December. Local singer/songwriter and piano player Susan Erwin opens with Conway’s Cyprus Creek, who walk the line between Southern rock and down-home country. As lead singer B.J. Moody sings in “Southern Nights,” they’re “getting crunk — country-style.”

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WINTER JAM

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6 p.m., Alltel. $10 donations.

In my significantly less jaded youth, I went to a concert in the wilds of Kentucky billed as “the Woodstock of Christian music.” The first group onstage, a group of Christian rappers, chanted “Go Jesus! Go Jesus! Go!” Today, the message isn’t any less blatant; it’s just wrapped in better music. Unless you’re listening closely, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish Christian pop from secular. One would guess, however, that the thousands who will pour into Alltel on Friday know the difference. Seven of Christian music’s top acts, including MercyMe, Skillet, Barlowgirl, NewSong, Mandisa, Group 1 Crew and PureNRG (inventive spellings and compound words seem to be a big deal in Christian music) will perform. Tony Nolan will speak and Real Encounter’s Xtreme BMX/skate team will perform (a Power Team for the X Games generation?). Unlike just about all other Alltel concerts, there are no advance tickets. Admission is $10 at the door.

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SATURDAY 2/2

THE WORLD FAMOUS LIPIZZANER STALLIONS

2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Alltel Arena. $21.25-$29.25.

Horse lovers need no selling of this show. Say “lip-izz” and they’re in. For the rest of you, this is a rare chance to see men in epaulet-adorned jackets ride a centuries-old breed of horse in an esoteric riding style called dressage. Not grabbing you? Try this: Dressage, which is all about harmony between horse and rider (horse-whispering, too, probably), embraces moves that recall both ballet and battle. The former you can probably imagine — lots of tail-swishing and head-preening, beauty and grace, etc. The latter is what makes the Lipizzan “world famous.” In four ancient maneuvers called “Airs Above the Ground,” the horses do moves originally intended for war. Each has a name — Mezair, Capriole, Courbette, Levade — that sounds more befitting of dance than battle, but I quibble. One involves a horse “punching” with his forequarters. Another, the most difficult apparently, features the horse hopping on its hindquarters in a move meant to break through infantry lines while protecting the rider. Yet another finds the horse leaping and kicking mid-leap, presumably to ward off pursuers while jumping gulleys. Beautiful, graceful, ass-kicking horses.

MONDAY 2/4

TIGER ARMY

8 p.m., Revolution. $13.

Here’s a measure of success for a band in the wild and woolly aughts: How many fans have your band tattooed on them? Enough to warrant a thriving MySpace page just for its tatted fans, Tiger Army can boast. Having a menacing tiger-bat creature as your band insignia can’t hurt, nor, I suppose can kicking out melodic pyschobilly for more than a decade. Born of the same Bay Area scene that birthed bands like Green Day and Rancid, Tiger Army comes to town supporting its latest release, “Music From Regions Beyond,” an album that finds the group branching beyond their pyschobilly roots. (By the by, for those not down with the new wave of pompadours and tricked-out hot rods, pyschobilly is a kind of punkafied rockabilly.) Expect stand-up bass and fast guitars, but also look out for some New Order-style synths and a touch of black metal here and there. It’s an all-California night: Orange County new wave band the Dear and Departed opens with Long Beach hardcore group Revolution Mother.

TUESDAY 2/5

BRAZILIAN GUITAR FESTIVAL

7:30 p.m., Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA. $10-$35.

Arguably the world’s premier classical guitar duo headlines UCA’s Brazilian Guitar Festival on Tuesday. The Assad Brothers, Brazilian-born siblings Odair and Sergio, lead the way, with accompaniment from their sister Badi, a decorated guitarist in her own right — not to mention an accomplished vocalist. Renowned New York-based jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo also performs, along with folk guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Celso Machado. Before the concert, the Assad Brothers will present a master class for guitarists from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall at UCA. The class is free and open to the public and interested musicians. For information about the class, contact Guy Couch, director of UCA Public Appearances, at 501-450-3286 or at guyc@uca.edu.

PATRICK SWEANY BAND

10 p.m., White Water Tavern. $5.

What the hell’s going on in the Buckeye State? Out in Akron, the Black Keys churn out thick slabs of feedback-laden blues that would sound fine at any North Mississippi juke. Representing Cleveland, the Magpies (formerly Roger Hoover and the Whiskeyhounds) specialize in that grand ol’ bar-shaking Americana. Cincinnati’s Pearlene does mournful Southern rock in the tradition of “Beggars”-era Stones — filtered through a little derangement from the Stooges. Now, White Water’s Matt White, an avid Ohio supporter, introduces us to the Patrick Sweany Band from Massillon, Ohio. Nominally a blues man, Sweany sings with one of those genre-defying, deeply soulful voices that Dan Penn used to turn into gold. On Sweany’s “Every Hour is a Dollar Gone,” the Black Keys’ Dan Aurebach works his magic as co-producer, giving the album a dirty, end-of-the-night-in-a-dive-bar feel. I’m going to need a little more persuading to quit hating on white-boy blues, but pipes like Sweany’s should get a pass any day.

TED LUDWIG TRIO WITH RODNEY BLOCK

8 p.m., the Afterthought. $7.

If you can’t muster up the nerve to call in sick the rest of the week (hey, there’s definitely something going ’round) and truck it down to NOLA, the Afterthought is the closest you’ll come to the Crescent City’s charms (if not its decadence) on Fat Tuesday. The finest players in the city’s jazz scene come together for a special performance. Ted Ludwig, a New Orleans native, leads his trio with brilliant seven-string guitar work. Joe Cripps plays stand-up bass and Brian Brown holds it down on drums. For an added dimension to the Afterthought regulars, renowned trumpeter Rodney Block provides a smooth accompanying kick. Expect short solo sets from the Ted Ludwig Trio and Block, but most of the night belongs to collaboration. Look for beads flying, Abita Beer specials, party favors and more.

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