The Weeknd Round-Up

Salutations and a happy Friday to ya, Creamsters. Most of the time, we build our Weekend round-up theme around some sort of news peg, but house photo-auteur D. Ricky Rodriguez is just nuts about Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd. Is it the way he splits the difference between hardcore gangsta rap and mellifluous, Michael Jackson-esque R&B? Is it his endorsement of a new weed vaporizer? Is it the hair? At any rate, we'll take this opportunity to salute you, The Weeknd; even if the Dowager Countess of Grantham has no idea who you are, we got your back.

Let's talk shows! Tonight, you've got a slew of release shows, including an All Them Witches in-store at Grimey's (the first of their three shows this weekend), Linear Downfall at Queen Ave., Boom Forest at The Basement, Alan Bibey and Grasstowne at The Station Inn and Spoken Nerd at The End; plus Justin and the Cosmics at Exit/In, the Nashville Symphony premiering a new Michael Daughtery piece and more.

Saturday, you've got the first of All Them Witches' two-night stand at 3rd & Lindsley, with New Madrid opening; Son Little at The High Watt; Churchyard's album release at Drkmttr; Lettuce at War Memorial; a benefit for Phil "The Road Mangler" Kaufman at Douglas Corner; a Workers' Dignity Radio benefit with solo sets from local rock frontmen at Soft Junk (in the old Boheme Collectif space at 919 Gallatin Ave.); the Nashville Jazz Workshop's Billy Strayhorn 100th birthday celebration at Parnassus Books and more.

For my gear folks out there, don't miss Joe Ely's flamenco wizard compadre Teye at The Family Wash on Friday, and a dazzling collection of his guitars at Rymer Gallery starting on Saturday and hanging around through December. Also look out for Shamir at to Exit/In on Monday and Kinky Friedman at The Bluebird on Tuesday.

Have a look at the rest after the jump, let us know what we missed in the comments, and have yourselves one helluva weeknd. Er, weekend.

Friday:

* All Them Witches (6 p.m.) at Grimey's

* Linear Downfall Album/Film Release feat. Organ Stills, Penicillin Baby & Body of Light 

* Sam West Trio w/Kevin Post (7 p.m.), Boom Forest Album Release feat. Gardening Not Architecture & Photo Ops (9 p.m.) at The Basement

* Alan Bibey and Grasstowne Album Release at The Station Inn

* Justin and the Cosmics w/Jessica Lea Mayfield, SHEL & James Apollo at Exit/In

* Spoken Nerd EP Release feat. Quiet Entertainer, Muir & Lil Iffy at The End

* The Nashville Symphony plays Bruckner and premieres Daughtery at the Schermerhorn

* Plastic Bags w/Sharrkz, Dead Duck, Shadraq & Cat Flaps at Drkmttr (1116 Third Ave. S.)

* Toadies w/In the Whale at City Winery

* Sync and Drink  (7 p.m.), Josh Farrow w/Erin Rae & Friends of Lola  (9 p.m.) at The Basement East

* Magnolia Sons w/Whiskey Shivers & Luthi at Acme Feed & Seed

* Jon Langford w/Teye & Jon Byrd at The Family Wash

* July Talk w/Little Hurricane & Adam Fawcett at The High Watt

* House 'n' Techno: Kevin Buster EP Release feat. Black Shield and Yabè at The Stone Fox

* Backup Planet w/Little Raine Band at Mercy Lounge

* Coin w/Myzica & Youth at 3rd & Lindsley

* Benefit for Music for a Cure feat. Kent Blazy, Halfway to Hazard, Bridget Tatum, Shawna Crooks & more (6 p.m.) at Douglas Corner

* Strictly '80s Dance Party at The 5 Spot

* Tommy Talton at Soulshine Pizza

* Uberphonics w/Charge the Atlantic at Springwater

* Days Brigade w/Zach Wolf and the Coyotes & Harvey Cameron at FooBar

* Opry at the Ryman feat. Lauren Alaina & more 

Saturday:

* All Them Witches w/New Madrid at 3rd & Lindsley

* Son Little w/Adia Victoria at The High Watt

* Churchyard Album Release feat. Mom and Dad & Roman Polanski's Baby at Drkmttr (1116 Third Ave. S.)

* Encore Bruckner and Daughtery program by the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn

* Workers' Dignity Radio benefit feat. Ben Trimble, Graham Fitzpenn, Andy Ferro & Billy Bennett at Soft Junk (919 Gallatin Ave. No. 14)

* Lettuce w/The New Mastersounds at War Memorial Auditorium

* The Four Freshmen at The Franklin Theatre

* Roger Jaeger w/Alyssa Jacey & Emmy Rival (6 p.m.), Kid Freud w/The Cold Stares, Oil Boom & Oliver Ocean (9 p.m.) at The Basement

* Give Thanks Fest feat. Roots of a Rebellion, Treehouse!, Floralorix, Mokie Dub & Ras Adam at Exit/In

* Layla the Wolf w/Creature Comfort & Southerniers at The Stone Fox

* Benefit for Phil 'The Road Mangler' Kaufman feat. Jon Byrd and Thomm Jutz, Peter Cooper, Tim Carroll, Walter Egan & more (6 p.m.) at Douglas Corner

* CMA Country Christmas Live Taping (way sold out) at Grand Ole Opry House

* Human Radio (6 p.m.), Funky Good Time Dance Party  (9 p.m.) at The 5 Spot

* The Steepwater Band w/DNK, Luke Amelang & Benyaro at Acme Feed & Seed

* Tut and the House Band w/Brown & Loc at The End

* Bronzi Blonde w/Kat Milk Blu & These Slippery People: Talking Heads Tribute at The Basement East

* Lisa Oliver Gray and Friends w/Scot Sax and Susie Brown at The Family Wash

* Jazz By the Book: Billy Strayhorn 100th Birthday Celebration feat. Nashville Jazz Workshop (4 p.m.) at Parnassus Books

* Bluegrass and Beyond (11 a.m.) at the Country Music Hall of Fame

* Local Ladies feat. Aubryn, Molly Rocket, Shannon Callihan, Gina Venier, Laurel Taylor & Luchadora at The East Room

* Cimorelli at Rocketown

* The Southern Demon Herd Creative Endeavor at Halcyon Bike Shop

* Leroy Powell at The Sutler

* Fat Box at Soulshine Pizza

* Cullen Wade and the Waters at Bobby's Idle Hour

* Uncle Sam Shot My Pony w/Hwy Lions & Leer Jet at Springwater

* Amos Moses and the Legend w/IIIrd Class, Mode Fresh & ERD at FooBar

* Special Consensus at The Station Inn

* Opry at the Ryman feat. Lindi Ortega & more

And the rest