In the U.K. of 1977, Squeeze masterminds Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook adhered to songwriting craft when the fashion called for artless bruising and an overall disdain for proficiency. It’s Oi!-brand punk that sounds dated now, while Squeeze singles such as “Cool for Cats” and “Up the Junction” have lost none of their bounce or bite, especially with Difford’s gruff pack-a-day vocals as worldly counterbalance to Tilbrook’s sweet, clear tenor. On Southeast Side Story (Luna), Difford revisits the Squeeze songbook for warm, countrified acoustic versions of the group’s greatest hits, replacing the band’s often manic arrangements with Dorie Jackson’s dulcet duet vocals and the delicate whine of steel guitar. With Difford showing off his conversational aplomb as a singer, the songs bloom anew: “Another Nail in My Heart” announces itself as a cabaret standard, “Take Me I’m Yours” becomes a dreamy slice of gossamer faux-Arabian exotica, and the glass-hoisting sing-alongs “Slap and Tickle” and “Hourglass” are somehow even catchier shorn of the originals’ boisterous production. In recent years Difford has become a sought-after songwriting instructor: here you’ll find his ample credentials, study material for any Music Row wannabe interested in finding the full-fledged vignette or character portrait lying dormant in a diverting turn of phrase. Difford didn’t show for Squeeze’s last Nashville appearance in the 1990s—the Attractions’ Steve Nieve filled in at the last minute at 328 Performance Hall—but he’s graced us with the first date on his U.S. tour, broadcast live by Radio Lightning. 3rd & Lindsley —JIM RIDLEY

MUSIC

THURSDAY, 22ND

HARLEM SHAKES A compulsive, fast-moving assemblage of parts that shouldn’t mesh but do, Harlem Shakes’ new Burning Birthdays EP operates in a venerable pop tradition. This young New York quintet finds holes in the fabric of their songs, drums kick along in pursuit of the tune, the guitars are unexceptionably rhythmic and they like to use wordless “oohs” and “aahs” in place of lyrics that seem fairly impenetrable. Early reports have compared the band—which has been around for several years under various names—to The Strokes, but a better comparison is with the garrulous, sex-obsessed Eno of “Seven Deadly Finns” and “Baby’s on Fire.” On “Carpetbaggers,” vocalist Lexy Benaim wants to “crash my moped into your fence,” and “Red Right Hands” features an irresistible, unlikely hook. It’s as cheerfully subversive a record as you’re likely to hear this year. (myspace.com/harlemshakes) Mercy Lounge —EDD HURT

FRIDAY, 23RD—TUESDAY, 27TH

DONNA McELROY Though jazz and gospel vocalist Donna McElroy has been on the faculty at Boston’s Berklee College of Music for over a decade now, she has strong ties to Nashville: after graduating from Fisk University, she sang backup on gold and platinum records by artist such as Garth Brooks, Reba McIntyre and Amy Grant, gave an award-winning performance in Circle Players’ 1993 production of Nunsense, and received a Grammy nomination for her pop-gospel album Bigger World. The passionate, big-voiced singer is in town for a residency at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, which includes performances at NJW’s Jazz Cave Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m., as well as a master class for advanced vocalists on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. (Call 242-5299 for information.) On Sunday, as part of NJW’s “Jazz on the Move” series, McElroy will present a free program at the main library downtown titled “Women in Jazz,” featuring a lecture about jazz greats from Bessie Smith to Billie Holiday, as well as live renditions of some of the singers’ classic material. On Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., McElroy, backed by the Lori Mechem Trio, will give a free performance at the Fisk University Chapel. (nashvillejazz.org) —JACK SILVERMAN

FRIDAY, 23RD

LONESOME RIVER BAND Good news for fans of the durable Lonesome River Band: while banjo veteran Sammy Shelor remains at the helm, two recent rounds of personnel changes have resulted in a new lineup, ready and willing to recap the band’s classic ’90s approach with a new millennium twist. Though a relative newcomer to the national scene, Andy Ball (mandolin) had already earned attention for his powerful tenor vocals with the Mark Newton Band, while bassist Mike Anglin has anchored some of the best groups around for more than a decade with easygoing reliability and fierce drive. The capper, though, is the return of Brandon Rickman on guitar and lead vocals. Rickman’s a mournful singer who came into his own during an earlier stint with the band, and he’s the real deal. Ball’s already done a few gigs with the LRB, but Rickman and Anglin have been woodshedding all week for this debut, and to put it bluntly, they’re ready to kick ass. ( lonesomeriverband.com ) The Station Inn —JON WEISBERGER

MATTHEW RYAN W/TIM EASTON Two rust-belt rockers from Northern industrial cities, Ryan and Easton both own devoted cult followings drawn to their vivid, real-world imagery and their rolled-sleeve, no-bullshit performing style. Ryan’s new From a Late Night High Rise continues his move away from anthemic guitar rock toward a more ruminative, emphatically modern style first explored on his side project, Strays Don’t Sleep. Using a contemporary electronic soundscape that’s both elegant and emotionally ripe, he explores personal topics—the death of a friend, the imprisonment of his brother—in poetic lines that balance cinematic impressionism with gut-punch truths. In “Baby Bird,” for instance, his hoarse whisper of a voice alternates between “I feel like jazz / I feel like Berlin” with “I’m declaring war on arrogance / It’s always been the worst sin, the fall of man.” Easton similarly looked to modernize his acoustic-rock style on his 2006 album, Ammunition, a John Lennon-style album that alternates between bemusement and anger in songs sparked by personal and world events. Mercy Lounge —MICHAEL McCALL

SATURDAY, 24TH

BYRD’S AUTO PARTS Hard work, solid chops and wry charm have already earned Tele slinger Jon Byrd a sterling reputation on the honky-tonk side of Nashville’s Americana community, but even those familiar with his work to date are likely to find Byrd’s Auto Parts’ debut, self-titled CD an elegant surprise. Four originals, including the wistfully humorous, steady-rollin’ opener, “Jackknife,” show off his sinewy writing skills, while the entire set justifies the relaxed self-confidence of his vocals. The backing, which prominently features producer Milan Miller, along with Alex McCullough (bass), Tim Blankenship (drums) and a handful of steel-playing and vocal guests (Adam and Shannon Wright among them), is spare but not sparse and exceedingly well-crafted. Look for some contributions from The Wrights and Mark Winchester, among others, as well as one smokin’ band and a very happy JB. (myspace.com/byrdsautoparts) 8 p.m. at Radio Café —JON WEISBERGER

SHAWN BYRNE Byrne takes an expansive view on the possibilities of roots music. On his new album, But I Digress, he shifts with self-assured grace from electric roots-rock and blues to acoustic tunes that draw on everything from Celtic airs to Cab Calloway-style vaudevillian swing. A New Englander who’s been in Nashville for a few years, he’s built a rep as a multi-threat talent: his clear low tenor has been used on country demos of songs written by Mary Gauthier, Kristin Hall, Mark Knopfler and Gary Louris, while his guitar has made him a valuable sideman (he recently toured Europe with Kevin Montgomery) and his songwriting earned him the lead-off cut on the last year’s Duhks album, Migrations. On But I Digress, his band includes bassist Tim Marks, drummer Johnny Richardson, organist Michael Webb and fiddlers Casey Driessen and the Greencards’ Eamon McLaughlin. For his 7 p.m. record release show, he’ll add the estimable Kenny Vaughan on guitar. The Basement —MICHAEL McCALL

ROSS WINE-SKY A veteran of the ’60s San Francisco music scene—he helped produce or played on sessions with Taj Mahal, Norton Buffalo and Jon Scholl, and in the ’70s his Bear West studios hosted artists ranging from Herbie Hancock to SF proto-punks Crime—Ross Winetsky came to Nashville in 2001 after years of nonprofit work on the West Coast. Blind since 1999, the eventual result of getting too much oxygen as an infant, he’s been performing the past few years as a singer-songwriter and speaker on issues such as stress reduction and “Disability as Diversity.” His Web site (wine-sky.com) features a handful of bedraggled waltzes and shambling story-songs of outlaw lovers on the run; of late, he’s been playing electric sets at local coffeehouses. Best title: “Stories from the L.A. SWAT Team.” Caffeine, 1516 Demonbreun St. —JIM RIDLEY

CHARLIE LOUVIN At 79, Charlie Louvin sings in a patient, impassive voice. But the native Alabama singer and guitarist, whose work with his late brother Ira helped define modern country, sounds sublimely relaxed on his new self-titled release. Mark Nevers’ production achieves a folkish inevitability, and the many guest vocalists are used sparingly. It’s startling to hear Bobby Bare Sr. and Tom T. Hall on “Blues Stay Away,” and the Louvin Brothers’ “The Christian Life” gains resonance from the contrast between Louvin’s voice and Eef Barzelay’s. It’s a tactful record—Elvis Costello contributes a fine performance to “When I Stop Dreaming,” Marty Stuart chimes in with touches of mandolin and the mostly acoustic backing is tart and relaxed. And Charlie’s “Ira,” about the mandolin-playing half of the Louvins who died in 1965, is as heartfelt a goodbye as could be imagined. (tompkinssquare.com) 5 p.m. at Grimey’s —EDD HURT

LIONS If ever a band looked exactly like it sounded, it’s Austin garage rockers Lions. All glowering eyes and long scraggly hair, they seem as though they’d like nothing more than to beat the crap out of you and run off with your girlfriend. Their sound, meanwhile, is a ferocious blend of fuzz, sweat and riffs, with a slinky Southern groove holding it all together. The lead track of 2006 EP Volume 1, a pounding, wicked slice of greasy stoner-rock called “Metal Heavy Lady,” exemplifies the band’s take-no-prisoners attack. While they do slow down periodically, as on the dreamy, psych-tinged “Systems Down,” the tempos are mostly charged up into amphetamine overdrive, over which frontman Matt Drenik hoarsely wails his lyrical obsessions—mostly sex, drugs and firearms. If the live clip on the band’s MySpace page is any indication, be prepared to go home half-deaf and disoriented. The jam-packed bill also includes local troublemakers Alcohol Stuntband, indie-pop-punkers Ocelots and Grand Palace faves Turncoats. (myspace.com/lionstheband) Springwater —JASON BENNETT

BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES After a monthlong Southeastern tour, the Heavies return to Nashville to celebrate the release of their new disc, Every Damn Time, out on Alive Records. John Wesley Meyers’ pounding keys and thick, raspy vocals sound like Tom Waits after sucking down a Molotov cocktail, and the tunes are an irreverent mash of gospel, blues and punk rock that creep into your belly. Holding it all together is Van Campbell’s sonorous, almost melodic, drumming. Close your eyes while listening to the new record, and you’re right there on the road with this constantly touring band, where each day culminates in a whiskey-sweating, soul-damning, arms-in-the-air carnival. (blackdiamondheavies.com) The Basement —ERIC WILLIAMS

TUESDAY, 27TH

GARY ALLAN Over the course of six albums, Gary Allan, a California native with a pliable tenor, has established himself as the thinking man’s country music star. His 2005 CD Tough All Over was that thing that’s rarely, if ever, seen on Music Row—a dark concept record. Allan recorded the album as a reaction to the suicide of his wife and the resulting work didn’t wallow in pain, even as it bared its soul. The wrenching ballad “Best I Ever Had,” an improbable remake of the hit by frat-rockers Vertical Horizon, was a hit, and “Nickajack Cave (Johnny Cash’s Redemption),” about Cash’s attempted suicide, is one of the most powerful, original country songs of the last five years. Allan will release his first Greatest Hits record in March. If there’s any justice in the world, he’ll have many more volumes of hits in the years to come. (garyallan.com) City Hall —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

THEATER

THE KING AND I Circle Players reemerge Feb. 23 with this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, which features plenty of Asian ambience and a time-honored score filled with familiar ditties (“I Whistle a Happy Tune”) and at least one great song, “I Have Dreamed.” The cast features Michael Tajalle and local TV personality Rachael Bernard in the leads, with solid support from the gifted Catherine Birdsong and Tyson Laemmel. Douglas C. Shaffer directs. Performances are at the Looby Theater through March 10. For information, call 332-7529 or visit circleplayers.net. —MARTIN BRADY

THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD In the constellation of great Irish writers, John Millington Synge’s star deserves amplification. He died young, but this 1907 masterwork competes successfully with those of other great Irish writers. Playboy caused a riot when first presented at the Abbey Theatre, with its pointed yet comical take on the Irish rural poor. Now 100 years old, it’s settled into history as a splendid piece of stagecraft. The Vanderbilt University Theatre production, under the direction of Terryl Hallquist, continues through Feb. 24 on campus at Neely Auditorium. For information, call 322-2404. —MARTIN BRADY

THE WIGGLES RACING TO THE RAINBOW LIVE! Preschoolers need theater, too, and this concert item, featuring interactive fun and educational messages, is delivered by a band that appears twice daily on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney, has sold millions of videos internationally, and performs about 200 shows annually across four continents. There’s plenty of music and kid-friendly animal characters, and the audience-participation quotient is high. (Children are even encouraged to wiggle in the aisles, so parents needn’t worry about appropriate theater etiquette.) There are two shows, 2 & 6:30 p.m., on Feb. 22 at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall. For information, visit ticketmaster.com. —MARTIN BRADY

PERSPECTIVES FROM A FIVE-YEAR JOURNEY Dream 7 Theatre has become a major player in Nashville’s African American community theater movement. This production offers a “greatest hits” compilation of scenes from the ensemble’s recent history, with focus on the poetic, urban-centric writing of playwright Michael L. Walker. Excerpts are drawn from the works Cultural Millennium, Advisin’ Uncles, Gospel and Pulpits. Grammy Award winner Shannon Sanders provides the music. The large cast includes Kenneth Dozier and Mary McCallum. Presented Feb. 23-24 at the Darkhorse Theater. For tickets, call 474-0191. —MARTIN BRADY

DANCE

BIRTHDAY BASH For 10 years, the Global Education Center on Charlotte Avenue has provided multicultural arts education for this increasingly diverse city. The center offers classes and camps to study dance and drumming from around the world. It also trains teachers in multicultural arts education and presents performances for public audiences and schools. Ensembles at the center, moreover, are frequent contributors to public festivals. To celebrate its anniversary, the center is putting on a sampler concert with performances from 14 or so of their ensembles. Acts include Kala Nivedanam (South Indian classical dance), the Dynamic Movements Hip-Hop Ensemble, Hispano Americas (Latin American folk dance), the Djembefole Percussion Ensemble and the Deep Grooves Steel Drum Band, among others. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Father Ryan High School Center for the Performing Arts. —DAVID MADDOX

ART

“18 REASONS” The Art House on 12th Avenue South is a cozy place that will get more so when it packs in works by 18 artists for a group show opening Saturday. There will be works from many familiar artists—Franne Lee, Harry, Julie Sola and Caryn Cast from Plowhaus, Bryce McCloud from Isle of Printing and Art House co-owner Whitney Ferre and gallery director Becca Durnin. The show also has traces of cross-pollination with the Arcade galleries, where Durnin, Todd Greene and John Hung Ha have recently had shows. There will be a reception for the artists on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. —DAVID MADDOX

FILM

50 YEARS OF JANUS FILMS: GRAND FINALE Is the tide finally turning for the Belcourt after a decade of struggle? Thanks to films such as A Prairie Home Companion, The Notorious Bettie Page and current blockbuster Pan’s Labyrinth, the city’s last historic movie palace has posted record attendance over the past 12 months. But it’s the success of the Belcourt’s two-month, 30-film salute to arthouse distributor Janus Films—the most ambitious piece of film programming in the theater’s history—that may signal a lasting shift in its fortunes. Attended by more than 3,000 people and counting, it proved that the Belcourt can successfully promote the kind of touring movie retrospectives that routinely bypass Nashville. It also brought in a lot of first-time visitors and a crowd ranging in age from retirees to 12-year-old Jasmine Gilmore and her 8-year-old sister Grace, who’ve seen approximately half the films in the series with their artist mom Beth. (Their favorite, as of a few weeks ago: Victor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive.) The event has gone over so well that a sequel of sorts may run later this spring, and there’s been talk of similar festivals devoted to genres such as noir or Westerns. For now, though, the Janus series ends on a high with two hugely entertaining films:

• Jules and Jim (Feb. 26 and 28) François Truffaut’s dizzying, lyrical 1962 masterpiece about the end of Jazz Age frivolity and the doomed friendship of an Austrian (Oskar Werner) and a Frenchman (Henri Serre) who adore the same madly impulsive woman (Jeanne Moreau). Nashville musician-filmmaker Steve Taylor will introduce the 7:30 p.m. screening Feb. 26; afterward, he’ll show his video for Sixpence None the Richer’s chart-topping “Kiss Me,” a shot-for-shot homage to Jules and Jim filmed in Paris.

• Children of Paradise (Feb. 26 and 28) Often called “the French Gone with the Wind” and shot during the Nazi occupation of Paris, Marcel Carne’s glorious 1945 epic remains as famous for its perilous making as for the film itself. (As Roger Ebert writes, the cast included French Resistance fighters working undetected amongst Vichy collaborators, and production designer Alexander Trauner worked in hiding from the Nazis; according to Pauline Kael, starving extras pounced on the food intended for banquet scenes.) Critic Jason Shawhan hosts the closing-night screening 7 p.m. Feb. 28. For more information, call 846-3150. —JIM RIDLEY

OSCAR NIGHT AMERICA 2007 Black tie plus red carpet equals the Belcourt’s annual blue-ribbon Oscar party this Sunday night, the theater’s biggest yearly fundraiser. It may be the most good the Academy does for the movies all year, especially if they plan to hand out the gold to stuff like Babel and Dreamgirls. It’s also a blast—a high-glamour crowd dressed to the nines, feasting on catered goodies and finding that the presenters’ “topical” groaners sound a lot funnier after a Yazoo Dos Perros or three. Also check out the auction, which includes signed guitars, NFL tickets and a chance to view next year’s festivities at a party hosted by Elton John. Tickets range from $50 to $1,000. For more information, call 846-3150 or visit belcourt.org. —JIM RIDLEY