WEDNESDAY | 2/24

TARRUS RILEY

A traditionalist unafraid to drape his throwback reggae in modern garb, Tarrus Riley embodies the diversity of his birthplace of the Bronx. A devout Rastafarian who is comfortable performing secular tracks such as John Legend's "Stay With You," Riley is able to hold a number of contradictions within himself and his work without it ringing false. Riley is on a roots-reggae revival trip, with just enough post-Millennial gloss thrown on to stay relevant. It's worth noting that Riley is the son of Jimmy Riley of the Uniques and the Techniques, but Tarrus is undoubtedly his own man, a confident performer with a singular voice. Catalyst; $20 adv/$24 door; 8pm. (Paul M. Davis)

SCOUT NIBLETT

Scout Niblett is the pseudonym of British singer/songwriter Emma Louise Niblett, a moniker inspired by the character of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Niblett specializes in stripped-down guitar-only and drum-only arrangements. As a result, there's a bracing starkness to her music: it's blunt, confessional and unsentimental. Her latest, The Calcination of Scout Niblett, takes the minimalism to new extremes, with spare production reminiscent of another Steve Albini recording, P.J. Harvey's Rid of Me. But unlike Harvey's work, Niblett avoids release in her music, opting instead for an unresolved tension that is challenging yet undeniably compelling. Crepe Place; $10; 9pm. (PMD)

THURSDAY | 2/25

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD

Ray Wylie Hubbard has long been the choice of discerning country fans who prefer their outlaws somewhat cracked.It's perhaps not the most lucrative career path—Hubbard's best-known song is the classic contrarian country anthem, "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother," which was popularized by Jerry Jeff Walker. Still, there's much to be said for a confirmed outlaw keeping it real in a music genre desperate to iron out the rough edges and go pop. What Hubbard lacks in name recognition he's more than made up for in credibility, recording albums in recent years such as 2003's Growl that hold up as well as anything he has ever recorded. Don Quixote's; $15; 7:30pm. (PMD)

FRIDAY | 2/26

BILL KREUTZMANN TRIO

When your music teacher tells you that you can't keep a beat, you have two choices: you can give up playing music forever or you can find a better teacher. For Bill Kreutzmann, his sixth-grade drum teacher's claim ignited a determination that led to a 30-year career as the heartbeat of the legendary Grateful Dead. Sharing drum duties with Mickey Hart, Kreutzmann became part of a duo famous for the wild frenzy their extended drum duets would create, a frenzy that has continued with several post-Jerry incarnations of the band. Kreutzmann's latest project, BK3, features a dozen new songs co-written with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, so put on your dancing shoes because the show is coming to town. Moe's Alley; $30 adv/ $35 door; 9pm. (Cat Johnson)

SATURDAY | 2/27

ANTSY MCCLAIN & TRAILER PARK TROUBADOURS

The musical universe of Antsy McClain is one in which cowboy jazz, Tex-Mex, rock and country collide to paint an upbeat and vivid picture of life among the trailers. A self-proclaimed humorist bearing tales of tragicomic heroes and outspoken silver-haired ladies, McClain has recently been revealing his serious side with an expanded repertoire that includes heartfelt ballads, songs of lost love and ruminations on the painful side of life. His serious tone, however, has not skewed his positive approach. "Our shows get you interested in living," he says. "Life is too short to dwell on the negative." McClain will be accompanied by his band, a "revolving cadre of top-notch pickers" known as the Trailer Park Troubadours. Kuumbwa; $24.50; 8pm. (Cat Johnson)

SUNDAY | 2/28

WORLD FUSION MINIFEST

There's no telling what will go down when four bands, schlepping roughly 30 unpronounceable instruments, pack the stage at Don Quixote's and unleash world music mayhem. The far corners of the globe look to be well represented at the show with Celtic, Indian, South American, Asian and African styles all waving their respective flags. San Francisco's Four Shillings Short covers the neo-Celtic bases with atmospheric and energetic ballads. Matthew Montfort is a celebrated guitar virtuoso with a penchant for jazzy interpretations of Eastern jams. And string whiz Walter Strauss joins Mamadou Sidibe on the mbira for perhaps the most interesting combo of the night. Don Quixote's; $10; 2pm. (Curtis Cartier)

MONDAY | 3/01

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS

The sparks that fly when Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos take the stage could start a wildfire. The dual vocalists, bona fide commune hippies and real life lovers, make up only one-fifth of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, but when the lights come on, their "aw, shucks" folksy flirt routine is the center of attention. Even without the cutesy stage show, however, the band's craft is sound, and, aided by Ebert's soulful creak of a voice, the group achieves a brassy and clap-happy style that's both alarmingly catchy and rich and complex—a rarity in the crowded genre of indie folk. Rio Theatre; $18 adv/$22; door; 8pm. (CC)

TUESDAY | 3/02

GALACTIC

With Katrina mostly a bad memory, a climactic Mardi Gras just being washed from the streets and a Super Bowl champion football team hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy, it's a good time to call New Orleans home. Funk, soul and jazz crew Galactic have hung their hats in Crescent City for nearly 20 years. Constantly evolving, the group incorporates influences from electronica to hip-hop to world music and has a rotating door for big-name special guest collaborators. In Santa Cruz, legendary percussionist Cyril Neville of the city's royal house of soul joins the group for a proper Big Easy tribute. Moe's Alley; $27 adv/$30 door; 8:30pm. (CC)

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