THURS/2.11

[TWO OUT OF THREE AIN'T BAD] HANK WILLIAMS III & ASSJACK

Given the perks of nepotism, Shelton Hank Williams III could easily breeze through a lucrative career, and he may have even entertained the thought when he released his debut, Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts, which spliced three generations of performances from country music's most prominent lineage into a single work of studio wankery. Then he went and started a band called Assjack. If you visit the current Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, you'll find mention of the grandson. You'll even find some Assjack records in the gift shop, but they're hidden under the racks. Before Assjack, Mr. The Third released some records as an outlaw country artist, railing against the Nashville establishment, pop country and the city's most venerable institution — the Grand Ole Opry. These days his live shows come in three acts: one in the traditional country mold, another in self-described "hellbilly" style, and then a set-closing punk/metal performance by Assjack. 7 p.m. at the Muse; also appearing 9 p.m. at the End on Feb. 13 MATT SULLIVAN

[THIS BUD'S FOR YOU] ANTIQUES & GARDEN SHOW OF NASHVILLE

Whether you're looking for a rare antique asparagus fork, an innovative new use for peonies or just a simple glimpse of spring amid the grey slush of winter, the 20th annual fundraiser for the Exchange Club Charities and Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art promises a feast for the senses. The three-day exhibition of all things design-oriented will transform the cavernous convention center into a sublime and beautiful series of gardens by local landscaping luminaries. Billed as the largest show of its kind in the U.S., the A&G draws dealers of antiques, arts and horticulture from across the country to display and sell a vast array of furniture, plants, paintings, jewelry, gardening equipment and more. Speakers include the Duchess of Northumberland, founder of the Alnwick Garden in England; Michael S. Smith, White House interior designer; and Ryan Gainey, garden designer and author. The weekend includes a Young Collectors' soiree on Thursday, Jazz Night on Friday and a free series of "Ask the Expert" conversations every half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $15 per day at the door or $30 for a weekend pass. For a full schedule of lectures, events and prices, visit www.antiquesandgardenshow.com. Feb. 11-13 at Nashville Convention Center CARRINGTON FOX

[CHAMBER-MADE] ALIAS CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

You can always count on the Alias Chamber Ensemble for innovative classical programming; founder and artistic director Zeneba Bowers points out that the group's Thursday concert "features more women composers than men, and more living composers than dead." The group deploys authentic Baroque instruments for two selections: the 1690 motet Cari Musici by Benedictine nun Bianca Maria Meda and Belinda Reynolds' 2006 Envision, scored for Baroque string quartet. California-based composer/performer Deborah Kavasch joins the group to sing her The Fox and the Grapes. String quartets from Anton Arensky and Peter Schickele round out the program. Though Schickele is most widely known for his character P.D.Q. Bach, his 1983 American Dreams is not comedic but lyrical and folk-inspired. Arensky's 1895 quartet uses two cellos instead of two violins, making it an apt choice for Alias' cellist-rich roster. All proceeds benefit the Exchange Club Family Center, a local organization working to prevent child abuse. 8 p.m. at Blair School of Music RUSSELL JOHNSTON

[trimpin ain't easy] TRIMPIN: THE SOUND OF INVENTION

At Seattle's Experience Music Project, a twister-shaped vortex of electric guitars appears to spiral up for stories overhead, each guitar kept in tune automatically by computer. Welcome to the creations of Trimpin, the German-born, Seattle-based musical inventor whose fanciful devices eschew outdated electronic amplification in favor of acoustic elements integrated with computer technology. (Picture a gamelan rigged with photo sensors so that its enormous iron bells remain suspended in mid-air by electromagnets.) Director Peter Esmonde will screen and host this documentary portrait of Trimpin as part of the Southern Arts Federation Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, which makes several appearances this semester at Vanderbilt's "International Lens" series. Free and open to the public. 7 p.m. at Sarratt Cinema, Vanderbilt JIM RIDLEY

[BRAIN FOOD] FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A NIGHT OF MUSIC & CULINARY ARTS

If you hadn't thought of heading down to The End on Elliston Place to savor some coffee-seared beef carpaccio with vanilla-roasted beets ... well, neither had we. But chef Michael King is taking an evening off from the Wild Iris to offer End-goers some inventive hors d'oeuvres alongside music from two innovative local bands. Storm Kings will lay down some progressive jazz-funk grooves — the group brings together four veterans of the screw-getting-famous-we-just-like-to-play circuit. Also on the bill is the improvised "electropsychbeatrock" of Hyrkamonsta, a project led by Peter Hyrka when he's not playing violin with the Gypsy Hombres. King's gourmet goodies are included in the $5 cover. 8 p.m at The End RUSSELL JOHNSTON

[URBAN SAGE] CARL WEBER

Carl Weber once planned to be an accountant, and he earned a B.S. in that field from Virginia State University plus an MBA in marketing from the University of Virginia. But Weber also loved crafting a good tale, and his books have proven enormously popular. His latest, Big Girls Do Cry, just released this month, continues his chronicle about the activities of the BGBC (Big Girls Book Club), a group of black women who celebrate both their heritage and their bodies (members must be at least size 14 to join). Like Weber's many other successful novels, Big Girls Do Cry covers a wealth of topics, among them class, gender and generational conflict in the black community, the church's changing role and the impact that fraternities and sororities play in deciding issues and agendas. He's also publisher and editorial director of Urban Books, and he's been influential in helping identify aspiring writers and launching their careers. He brings his blend of storytelling and business savvy to Nashville this week. Noon at Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St. RON WYNN

[JOYFUL NOISE] GOD'S TROMBONES

Harlem Renaissance giant James Weldon Johnson's 1927 poetic retelling of biblical stories has no shortage of willing players. Besides a community theater production in 2001 at Hillsboro High School, there was also a short-run 2006 mounting at The Belcourt starring jeff obafemi carr and NFL great Eddie George. To celebrate Black History Month, you couldn't find a more appropriate mix of theater and music, especially if the package is delivered as it should be: in the passionate spirit of the African-American preacher. This newly dramatized version is driven creatively by Ted Swindley's adaptation, with co-direction by local playwright-actor Shawn Whitsell. The cast includes familiar players from Whitsell's Destiny Theatre Experience ensemble, along with featured performers Delores Nicholson, deacon at Christ Church Cathedral, and special guest Barry Scott. Among the Bible stories revisited are "The Creation," "Noah and the Ark," "The Prodigal Son," "The Crucifixion," and "The Judgment Day." Composer Rolin Mains provides original jazz and New Age music while also leading a five-piece instrumental group. Belmont University's Jane Warren directs the gospel singing. Feb. 11 & 12 at Christ Church Cathedral MARTIN BRADY

[MOUNTAIN-MUSIC BENEFIT] MUSIC FROM THE MOUNTAIN FEAT. DEL McCOURY BAND, THE WHITES, THE CARTER FAMILY III & MORE

Subtitled "An Evening Honoring Maybelle Carter," this benefit for the Nashville Rescue Mission puts a nicely balanced emphasis on family — and on the way that Maybelle and the rest of the original Carter Family's influence has paved many of the roads down which country music has gone since their 1927 debut. A current version of the Carter Family tends to hold onto the old-time flavor, as does the charming Heather Berry, while the McCoury clan's presence is a reminder of how much the bluegrass repertoire owes to A.P. Carter's songbook. The Whites and the Gatlins can be counted on to emphasize the legacy of great harmonies, and it's easy to see the sturdy simplicity and depth of the Carter canon's songs in the work of Tom T. and Dixie Hall — and in case you didn't know it, Miss Dixie's about as close to Carter kin as you can get without actual blood ties. 7 p.m. at Lipscomb University's Collins Alumni Auditorium JON WEISBERGER

FRI/2.12

[MONDO DEGENERATORS] MONDO DRAG

Davenport, Iowa's Mondo Drag (formerly known as Holy Smokes) are proof that good bands — and records — can germinate in the most oddball of surroundings. In fact, their material seems to suggest that what's needed to make good music is not a hopping music scene so much as a killer record collection. One might guess that Davenport, then, has a plethora of good thrift stores and yard sales given Mondo Drag's latest release, New Rituals. Filled with five-minute-plus cuts of pure blues/psych/sludge, New Rituals conjures up a stew of influence: early Pink Floyd, Pentagram and, says the band, any of about 20 forever-thought-lost-to-the-ether records the band collectively happens upon in a given week. For a band whose sound can eerily echo some of the better fuzz blooze of days past, there is a consistent growth and newness to each of their releases. (Pink Floyd grew from record to record too, you'll remember.) Let's hope Springwater has had a structural engineer pop by in the last year or two — Mondo err more on the Black Mountain side of psych but don't forget the Black Sabbath either. 9 p.m. at Springwater TIMOTHY C. DAVIS

[HIGH FLYING, ADORED] BLIND TIGER DAMES: DU VAL DE VIRE, UN CIRQUE DE L'AMOUR

Maybe you don't know Sunny Becks' name, but you've seen her work if you've attended some of Nashville's smash burlesque shows or watched The Dead Weather's video for "I Cut Like a Buffalo." As founder of Hooprama, she's basically the Jimi Hendrix of the Hula-Hoop, and her multi-hoop acrobatics are anything but child's play. But this one-night-only Cirque du Soleil-style extravaganza led by Becks and Laura Matura operates on a higher plane of aspiration, encompassing lavish sets, costumes and acrobatic specialties within the framework of an original story. How ambitious is this piece? Let's just say that the phrase "working without a net" isn't just ad copy here. Collaborators include set designer Angela Messina, chocolatier Olive & Sinclair, and a famed musician whose contribution is being kept under wraps — as is most everything else about the mysterious evening. Portions of the $25 cover will go toward arts scholarships for Nashville youth. 8:15 p.m. at The Belcourt JIM RIDLEY

[WHERE'S THE LOVE? NOT HERE, OBVIOUSLY] DIESELBOY VS. WILL.I.AM

Luddites and gerbil-men, burps and squirrels: Cast your eyes upon the corner of 12th Avenue North and Porter Street and witness the most amazing musical showdown since ... the last time there was some sort of musical showdown on this particular street! In the eastern corner, weighing in with over 15 years' experience as the heavyweight drum 'n' bass champion of North America, the one, the only, Dieselboy! In the western corner, most likely dressed as a B-grade robot, the man behind some of the worst musical atrocities in the last decade, the bane of spell checks everywhere, the man, the myth, the festering boil on Billboard's ass cheek, Will.I.Am! Remember to keep your bwaap-wamp-wamp and your boom-boom-pow above the belt and come out swinging. May the best man win. And by best man, we mean Dieselboy. 10 p.m. at 12th & Porter and Mai SEAN L. MALONEY

[TOUGH ENOUGH] KEN WILL MORTON

In the late-'60s Western True Grit, John Wayne plays a salty old gun-slinging boozer who wears a patch over one eye and just can't be taken down. On True Grit — the new Ken Will Morton album — the landscape may be that of an entirely different genre (threadbare roots rock), but the antihero is not really so different from Wayne's Rooster Cogburn character. During the title track, the Athens, Ga.-based singer and songwriter praises hardy perseverance. "Hard Weathered Life" and "On My Feet Again" find him vowing to do whatever will keep him from getting taken down — if not by outlaws, then by hard road life. It's not difficult to hear Morton's own experience in those songs; the touring life of an independent troubadour can wear on even the most resilient. Morton has the truly gritty voice to prove it. 9 p.m. at The Basement JEWLY HIGHT

[ALL THE REAL GIRLS] VANDERBILT'S V-DAY 2010

Sensible feminism has long argued that simply re-valuing women's distinct strengths would resolve much of the vast inequity between genders. Writer and performance artist Eve Ensler's work — from 1996's body-positive Vagina Monologues to this February's I'm An Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World — falls squarely within this line of steadfast reappraisals of women's uniquely critical role on earth. In between, Ensler has tirelessly drawn attention to the female experience — even in the face of much public fluster over "period parties" and "vulva cookies" — leading a global consciousness-raising movement to end rape and abuse against women one essay at a time. Ensler's piece de resistance is V-Day, her subversion of the romantic holiday where groups nationwide raise awareness about brutality against women through local performances of the Vagina Monologues and now A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer — a recent Ensler-edited collection of essays from Maya Angelou to Dave Eggers. Proceeds of this Vanderbilt production by the Margaret Cunningim's Women's Center benefit the Domestic Violence Hardship Fund. 7 p.m. at Vanderbilt University's Sarratt Cinema TRACY MOORE

SAT/2.13

[DIRECTOR'S CUT] DELETED SCENES

"Deleted Scenes," besides just being a pretty keen little band name, actually serves to describe the aural epiphanies offered up by the Washington, D.C./Brooklyn-based band (scheduling practice for these guys must be hell, it seems). Frontman Dan Scheuerman's got more than a little Billie Joe Armstrong in his stage presence — thankfully, he doesn't invite kids from the audience to come up and play his guitar — and hints of Modest Mouse's rhythmic bubble and squeak also announce themselves. Deleted Scenes, however, are more than just the sum of their influences. They're a growing band whose music is growing along with them — hell, most people, especially in their early- to mid-20s, pattern themselves after their idols — and, as such, there are growing pains along the way (namely, an occasional emo streak). Where the lyricism may occasionally show its age, musically the band is an old soul. There's a lot of wisdom in noisy guitars and tubthump backbeats, after all. 9 p.m. at The Basement TIMOTHY C. DAVIS

[COUNTRY GROOVER] NASHVILLE CATS: EDDIE BAYERS

If there's a theme running through CoMu's excellent Nashville Cats series, it's the way session musicians have brought rhythm-and-blues techniques to bear on mainstream country music. Like many of his contemporaries, drummer Eddie Bayers absorbed the lessons of great soul skinsmen such as Al Jackson Jr. and Clyde Stubblefield. A Maryland native, Bayers spent part of his early years in Nashville before settling here in 1973. Switching from piano to drums, he became a much-honored instrumentalist who would go on to lay down the definitive country-disco groove on Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" and support Charlie Rich on the introspective Once a Drifter. Bayers has played innumerable country and pop sessions and continues to make his mark with the likes of Rodney Crowell, with whom he's working on an upcoming project. Today's program will feature an interview session along with a brief master class by Bayers. 1:30 p.m. at the Country Music Hall of Fame's Ford Theater EDD HURT

[YO NO HABLO ENGLES?] SAN VALENTIN EN FUEGO

Wait a second, who's on fire? While our Spanish skills tap out somewhere around "Cuidado piso mojado," we do know a hot dance party when we see one, and if the Colombian Party Cartel's name is on that flier you better bring a fire extinguisher. Seriously, is there a better way to kick off the sexxxy celebration of the burial of some long-dead, anonymous Italian dude than with an evening of salsa dancing? No, there isn't, and honestly we don't care what we're celebrating or whom we're burying just as long as we get to drink mojitos and listen to DJs Carey James and Leonardo get ill with the salsa on the sound system. 10 p.m. at Lime SEAN L. MALONEY

[PICTURE THIS] PHOTOGRAPHY BENEFIT FOR HAITI

Since the earthquake in Haiti, many efforts to aid in the aftermath have met with confusion, as any number of online charity schemes have turned out to be hoaxes in the worst kind of bad taste. As a practical alternative, many artists have offered to donate the sales of their wares to the cause. If you've been looking for a safe, effective way to be a part of the solution, why not consider making an art purchase at a well-known local venue? Photographer Chad McClarnon will donate 50 percent of the profits from his upcoming reception to the Partners in Health Organization's "Stand With Haiti" campaign. McClarnon's pics range from candid portraits to composition-conscious studies of abandoned spaces with an eye for the wry. Enjoy a fun reception, buy a cool photograph and lend a helping hand. 6-9 p.m. at Fido. Through Feb. 26 JOE NOLAN

[Eh?] LOVE IS DEAF

An instant Nashville tradition on arrival last year, this irresistible night of atonal amour is a couples-only affair onstage, as more than two dozen Nashville musicians and their musician-or-not significant others team up to sing duets — which last year meant anything from Laurie George & Dan Baird doing "You Don't Miss Your Water" to hosts Anna & Michael Webb proving the world hasn't had enough of "Silly Love Songs." This year's songs are still hush-hush — although we understand Helen Stevens & Bill DeMain plan to leave us in XTC — but couples so far include Andrea Barrett & Jason White, Kristi Rose & Fats Kaplin, Jill & Billy Block, Charlotte & Peter Cooper, and Sabine Schlunk & JJ Jones. Best of all, there's no cover — proof that somebody up there loves ya. 8 p.m. at Douglas Corner JIM RIDLEY

SUN/2.14

[Heart Full of Soul] VALENTINE'S DAY BATTLE OF THE BLUES BANDS

If Marion James, Nashville's Queen of the Blues, isn't literally cooking something up for the city's blues musicians — the woman is renowned for her catfish and other soul-food staples — she's doing it figuratively through her Musician's Aid Society with one of her regular benefits. This one offers a first-place trophy and studio time to the blues band that comes out on top after cutting heads with some of Music City's hungriest acts; second prize includes cash. A $12 donation will be taken at the door, and a $6 buffet dinner will be available. A small registration fee is required for bands; call 327-0165 for more information. 5-10:30 p.m. at Elks Lodge, 2614 Jefferson St. JIM RIDLEY

[WATCH HIM WITH THOSE EYES] RICK SPRINGFIELD

If you're looking for a lonely MILF to woo on Valentine's Day — or if you simply want to further romance the one you've got — then consider '80s heartthrob Rick Springfield's upcoming two-night stand at the Wildhorse Saloon your destination on this Hallmark holiday. What better way to show the cougar in your life you care than by bringing out the 14-year-old and shelling out $125 a head for VIP tickets and a meet-and-greet with the "Jessie's Girl" singer and former General Hospital hunk. Springfield's legacy may be as a teen idol, but don't let that fool you into thinking that he didn't churn out some damn fine power-pop gems in his day. Songs like "Love Somebody," the Sammy Hagar penned "I've Done Everything For You" and the to-this-day radio staple "Jessie's Girl" are pop-rock gold. Still making records and touring, he continues to inspire pandemonium and hot flashes among his fans, who still shower the consummate performer with roses and trample each other just to touch him. Feb. 13 & 14 at Wildhorse Saloon ADAM GOLD

[Heart-Shaped Bob] BOB LE FLAMBEUR

This Valentine's Day, we know a guy you need to meet. Call him Bob. He's suave with the ladies and excellent company, but should you run into trouble with the gendarmes, or have a sensitive matter come up — say, a casino caper with 800 million francs in the balance — Bob's your uncle. Make a date with Bob (Roger Duchesne) at Jean-Pierre Melville's knockout 1955 heist thriller, part of The Belcourt's top-notch Noir Fest 2 saluting French and British crime dramas. See the related story on p. 49. Feb. 11 & 13-14 at The Belcourt JIM RIDLEY

[ELLA EXAMINED] JAZZ ON THE MOVE

She wasn't as harmonically edgy as Sarah Vaughan and didn't play piano like Carmen McRae, but Ella Fitzgerald's precise delivery, exquisite timing and gorgeous sound made her a premier interpreter of the American songbook. Whether it was Cole Porter or Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen or Hoagy Carmichael, Fitzgerald could take the original and transform it into something glorious without doing the type of experimenting that often made the likes of Irving Berlin complain about jazz treatments of his material. Nashville's Sandra Dudley certainly understands the Fitzgerald approach, and she's a perfect choice as headliner for the first event in the latest "Jazz on the Move" performance/lecture series at the Frist. Dudley will both explain the qualities that made Fitzgerald so special and demonstrate them, showing why she's among Music City's top stylists in her own right. Here's the opportunity to hear standards being done by someone able to both appreciate and present them in a classic yet contemporary vein. 3 p.m. at the Frist RON WYNN

MON/2.15

[KOSHER COMFORT] TRACY RAPP AND DENA WRUBLE

Despite deep roots in the American South, Jewish culture is at best ignored by the good-ole-goy mainstream. Among other things, that's made dining difficult for Southerners trying to keep kosher. In Simply Southern: With a Dash of Kosher Soul, co-editors Tracy Rapp and Dena Wruble try to reconcile these two gastrocentric traditions. Along with fellow home cooks from the Margolin Hebrew Academy, the heart of Memphis's Jewish community, Rapp and Wruble put a kosher spin on meat 'n' three classics such as macaroni and cheese and fried chicken. Using ingredients like soy and "pareve buttermilk," Simply Southern avoids kosher no-nos like the serving of meat and milk together. The dishes, which are collected from the Margolin school's newsletter, are mouthwatering, time-tested family heirlooms that provide needed insight into the vibrant history of Jews in the South. Tracy Rapp and Dena Wruble will discuss their book. 7 p.m. at Davis-Kidd PAUL V. GRIFFITH

[NORTHERN VOICE(S)] MADISON VIOLET

Nobody would ever confuse trip-hop with folk-pop, but apparently it's not that hard to skip from one to the other. When the Canadian trip-hop band Zoebliss called it quits several years ago, the female acoustic duo Madison Violet sprang up in its wake. At first Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac (they're from Scottish towns in Canada, hence the Scottish-sounding names) went by MadViolet and worked a sleek, plugged-in alt-pop sound. By their second album, Caravan, they'd partially stripped it down. Last year's No Fool For Tryin' completed that process. The Indigo Girls might seem like the obvious point of comparison for a female folk-pop duo, but with Madison Violet, it only works to a point. Along with their sympathetic harmonies, they tend to favor a vintage aesthetic and simpler lyrics. "Small of My Heart," for instance, centers on three chords and a repetitive hook of few words, but the effect is fairly bewitching. 8:30 p.m. at 12th & Porter; also appearing 8 p.m. at The Basement on Feb. 16 JEWLY HIGHT

[FAST FOODIE] ERIC SCHLOSSER

Fans of muckraking journalism and White Castle-bashing await Eric Schlosser's presentations at these two Belmont Boulevard sites. Best known for penning Fast Food Nation and co-producing the accompanying movie version, the Manhattan native contends that the industry comprising KFC and Mickey D's, among other notables, now churns out product comparable to "Hollywood movies, blue jeans, and pop music" as U.S. cultural exports. Schlosser's book-film exposed the chain fry-pit sector for its nasty working conditions and menu offerings of food so fat-laden that a "diner" would almost be better served ingesting a small can of lard. After a presentation that should rival in fascination what a Wendy's Frosty offers in calories, the sharp-witted Schlosser will field audience questions concerning the nutritional value, security and sustainability of our food supply. Of note, Schlosser's next book will focus on the U.S. prison system. Brutality — both exposed within the cells and delivered via the author's distinctive style — is anticipated. 10 a.m. at Belmont University's Curb Event Center; 7 p.m. at Belmont Heights Baptist Church Sanctuary. Schlosser's Belmont University appearance is open to students, while the church appearance is open to the public. — WILLIAM WILLIAMS

TUES/2.16

[Haitian Hayride] WEBB WILDER'S HILLBILLIES FOR HAITI

OK, so "jerk chicken" means something entirely different on the Cumberland Plateau than it does in the Caribbean. One thing that translates in any language is an offer of fellowship, extended here from some of Nashville's finest musicians to the disaster-stricken people of Haiti. Equal parts Jack Webb and Paul Bunyan, the mighty Webb Wilder and his Beatnecks host this Haitian hootenanny, flanked by Steve Forbert, Bill Lloyd, Stacie Collins, Peter Cooper, Mike Henderson, Gary Nicholson, Colin Linden, Anne McCue and more. The suggested $10 donation goes to CARE, which these folks most certainly do. 7 p.m. (sharp) at Mercy Lounge JIM RIDLEY

[SISTER EDGE] BRANDI CARLILE W/AMY RAY

It may seem in direct defiance of the laws of nature for a female singer and songwriter to give her deft pop-rock a pronounced rootsy hue, even as she idolizes the antithesis of all things country and folk that is Elton John. But Brandi Carlile seems perfectly comfortable embodying that contradiction. She managed to make room for both impulses on her latest Rick Rubin-produced album, Give Up the Ghost: Elton John is her duet partner during "Caroline," and "Dying Day" feels just right powered by a train beat. Another idol of Carlile's — Indigo Girl Amy Ray — harmonizes on the jumbo-sized hook of "Looking Out," and is currently opening her shows. (On tours when both halves of the Indigo Girls are present, Carlile has opened for them.) It's a good match: Carlile gives her belting an aggressive edge (quite a voice she has), while Ray emphasizes her more punkish solo side. 7:30 p.m. at TPAC's Polk Theater JEWLY HIGHT

[COMBINATION WIZARD] ANDY STATMAN

Andy Statman made immediate inroads in bluegrass, folk and acoustic circles as a dynamite mandolin player. His contributions to the bands Country Cookin' and Breakfast Special helped make them premier ensembles, and even some jazz fans noticed his flashy runs and sterling technique. Eventually he decided to devote fulltime attention to the traditional Jewish music he'd heard growing up, particularly Klezmer. No less an authority than famed clarinetist Dave Tarras took Statman under his wing, and the duo developed such a rich friendship that Statman would eventually produce some of Tarras' finest late-period works and even play his trademarked instruments. He's now headed his own trio for decades, playing an inspired mix of Klezmer, jazz, bluegrass, rock and whatever else he decides to explore. He recently made discs on both mandolin (East Flatbush Blues) and clarinet (New Shabbos Waltz with David Grisman), and in 2008 a collaboration between Statman and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on a holiday album won a Pop Instrumental Grammy, showing that there's no musical area where he doesn't excel. 7:30 p.m. at Vanderbilt University School of Divinity, Room 124 RON WYNN

[STRICTLY STROLL] BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE

The thing about genre names is that they usually aren't made up by the people playing the music. They're almost always invented by music journalists satisfying their compulsive need to label and organize, usually by slapping "post" or "core" on a word and calling it a day. With Fluent in Stroll, Big D and the Kids Table coined "stroll" as their own genre, which is perhaps less gauche than giving yourself a nickname, but not by much. "Stroll" combines soul, ska, reggae and dub and represents a new direction for the band previously known for tremendously energetic ska-punk. When people say that ska-punk is dead — as they have for 20 years — Big D & Co.'s mellowing out may be what they're talking about. Although they now fancy themselves a "stroll" band, they'll always be the band that released a jokey gangsta rap record and recorded a split with Melt-Banana. You can't shake that. 9 p.m. at Exit/In with State Radio LANCE CONZETT

WED/2.17

[DINOSAUR THE THIRD] SCREAMING FEMALES

The moment we witnessed the explosive riffs issuing forth from the tiny fingers of Screaming Females' diminutive frontwoman Marissa Paternoster at The End last May, we forced our way to the merch table and bought the Females' then-brand-new LP Power Move without hesitation. The Jersey-based psychedelic noise-rock trio swiftly became one of our favorites, and Power Move tided us over until just last week, when Screaming Females released a collection of fiercely catchy indie-rock singles — previously only available on 7-inches and splits — called, fittingly enough, Singles. The EP leans heavily on Paternoster's caustic shredding and throaty vocal bravado, from the Aztec-sympathizing "Cortez the Killer" to the sticky, Dinosaur Jr.-influenced epic "Arm Over Arm." Speaking of Dino Jr., frontman J Mascis remarked in a recent video interview that the Females are among his favorite new bands — a comment that the youngsters responded to with great jubilation on their blog (screamingfemales.blogspot.com). Do we have a Dinosaur Jr. Jr. on our hands? Find us a more deserving post-millennial candidate and we'll concede. 9 p.m. at The End with JEFF the Brotherhood and Daniel Pujol D. PATRICK RODGERS

[BAADASSSSS SONGS] SWEETBACK SISTERS

There's a hell of a fine line between country cool and kitschy/camp sometimes — one that only a few bands (BR5-49, for instance) are ever able to erase completely. Western shirts and ribbon ties are easy finds around Nashville, and any hairdresser worth their molding gel can do you up all Hawkshaw Hawkins or Patsy Cline provided you have 60 clams. The Sweetback Sisters, then, seem to be already behind the magic eight ball, at least in time-lapse terms. What to do? Close your eyes. Zara Bode and Emily Miller might outfit themselves in matching dresses, but there's nothing ordinary about the gals' corset-tight harmonies. Ross Bellenoit's sparks-a-flyin' Tele runs are the equal of anyone on Lower Broadway, and fiddler Jesse Milnes knows just when to slice his way into the mix. Several members of the band have had jazz training, which might sound odd on the outset. That is, until you consider twang titans like Willie Nelson and Bob Wills. Is there a strong element of theater here? Sure. But the play here — the playing, moreover — is the thing. 7 p.m. at Loveless Barn as part of Music City Roots TIMOTHY C. DAVIS

[DOPE. FLY. FRESH.] CHANCELLOR WARHOL CD RELEASE PARTY

We totally fucking called it! Back in December, we highlighted N.O.B.O.T.S.' MC Chancellor Warhol and his hypothetical-at-the-time solo album Japanese Lunchbox as one of the albums to watch for in 2010, and damn if it ain't as awesome we thought it would be. Still mining the vein of electro-rap that brought N.O.B.O.T.S. to our attention, Chancellor Warhol has smoothed out the edges, tightened up the hooks and delivered a record that's setting a new high-water mark for Nashville's dance and hip-hop scenes. Featuring guest appearances from some of our favoritest locals — including R&B crooner Rio, outre-pop singer Mikky Ekko and the sci-fly guy himself, Future — Japanese Lunchbox is the product of a scene that's reaching maturity and finding its own sound on its own terms. The Chancellor is joined by Drupy, Robin Raynelle, Future, Rio and more. 9 p.m. at Mercy Lounge SEAN L. MALONEY