Saturday 3/2
Cool John Ferguson
The Blue Note Grill
8 p.m.,$10
Cool John Ferguson was born on St. Helena’s Island, one of the Sea Islands of South Carolina, giving him roots in Gullah tradition. He is a blues guitarist and singer with fast-moving Chuck Berry fingers that jump across the fingerboard with such precision and ease, it’s like second nature. This lefty guitarist has an old school, laid-back vibe influenced by a splendid mix of jazz, R&B, gospel and African music.
Mechanical River
Slim’s
9 p.m.,$5
Charleston, S.C.-based songwriter Joel T. Hamilton plays lo-fi pop with a slight country twang as Mechanical River. The one-man-band is somewhat of a spectacle live, as Hamilton manages to play the kick drum, synthesizer and guitar on stage, often simultaneously. Company, Lantern and Sheer Agony share this jam-packed bill.
Monday 3/4
Eels
Cat’s Cradle
Doors 7 p.m./ Show 8 p.m., $22-$25
Formed in the mid ’90s, Eels is an alternative rock band centered on Mark Oliver Everett, more commonly known as “E.” The band is promoting its newest album, Wonderful, Glorious, which rotates between calm, softly picked guitar melodies to a grungier electric guitar, pop-style keyboard sound that takes listeners inside E’s often excitingly wicked mind. Nicole Atkins and Puddles Pity Party will also be on the bill.
Tuesday 3/5
Flesh Wounds
Nightlight
9 p.m., $5
Flesh Wounds’ gritty garage punk is well-suited for the Nightlight’s small confines. Mixing overdriven power chords with powerful backbeats, the Chapel Hill trio offers an exciting take a classic genre. Nice Guys and The Fagettes are also on the bill.
Wednesday 3/6
The Ruby Suns
Local 506
Doors 8:30 p.m./ Show 9 p.m., $9-$11
The indie-pop band out of New Zealand creates and out-of-this-world effect with catchy club beats, elongated synthetic phrases and layered, airy vocals. The band’s fourth record, Christopher, released in January 2013, focuses more on dance and ghostly electronic rather than the tribal beats and island sounds heard on earlier releases. The show will also include Painted Palms.
Chelsea Light Moving
Kings Barcade
Doors 8:00 p.m./ Show 8:30 p.m., $5
Thurston Moore has been pretty busy since Sonic Youth fell into an indefinite hiatus a couple years ago. His latest project, the noisy Chelsea Light Moving, trudges through fuzzed-out riffs with a haunting precision that only Moore could frame. The delightfully unpredictable Delicate Steve kicks of the night. Talk Normal will also perform.
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