Rock Candy

Hot-shot guitarist Anthony Gomes is back in town (in case you're wondering, Gomes rhymes with homes) for a show at Sticky Fingerz. Everybody I know who sees him for the first time comes back raving about the show. Check him out, 9 p.m.

Acoustic Sounds Cafe has its first of two shows this month tonight at the Second Presbyterian Church, a cool and acoustically right venue for some good singer-songwriter stuff. Ray Bonneville, who I saw come through a couple of years ago, is the headliner tonight. Bonneville is a Juno Award winner (Canada's version of the Grammy Awards) who uses intricate chording, plays an uptempo style a lot of the time, and has a gravely voice delivering lyrics that are sure to entertain. Opening is a spoken-word artist, Minton Sparks. I haven't seen her, but Performing Songwriter says of Sparks: “There’s no one quite like Sparks on the contemporary music scene ... no one with her ability to find and describe such haunting rhythms of this world in such precise, unadorned terms.”  Good enough for me. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Get there by 7 for the seats up front, though.

The Rep debuts its season opener tonight. "Moonlight and Magnolias" sounds tempting: It's about David O. Selznick trying to salvage his major project of 1938-39, "Gone With the Wind," bringing in a new screenwriter and director for a week of churning the novel into something that might work on screen. It was an Off-Broadway hit, and the Rep's Bob Hupp is directing. I'm expecting fun things. Tonight's show is at 8 p.m. and there is a post-show reception with the small cast. There may still be a few seats; call 378-0405, or set up something for later. The show runs through Sept. 24. Then The Second City from Chicago is in for two weeks with its riotous improv.