LITTLE ROCK — Sharing a love of the 1980s hair-band glory days, several Little Rock musicians got together in the summer of 2006 and pooled their talents. The resulting band, Big Stack, has come up with what the members consider to be the best songs of that era, and Big Stack will show off its dance-floor-oriented set list at 9:30 p.m. today at Cajun's Wharf, 2400 Cantrell Road, Little Rock.
Admission is $5. Call (501) 375-5351.
Steve Waltens (drums) and Brian McDonald (guitar), who are software salesmen by day, had the idea that turned into Big Stack. They then recruited guitarist Rob Smith, keyboardist Brandon Waltens, bassist Rudy Burns and singers Melinda Bonner and Angi Roberts.
Six Strings Down, a central Arkansas band with a blend of rock, funk and blues tunes, will perform at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Cajun's Wharf. Admission is $5.
Influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Crowes, The Dave Matthews Band and Pearl Jam, the members of Six StringsDown are Darren Barry on guitar and vocals, John Buzzard on bass and Shannon Holman on drums.
The group has opened shows for The Charlie Daniels Band and Edwin McCain.
The Whigs, an Athens, Ga., rock trio that wowed local club owner Chris King a year ago, will return to one of King's clubs for a show Saturday night at Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack, 107 Commerce St., Little Rock.
Big Boots and Venice is Sinking will open the show at 9 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $7. Call (501) 372-7707.
When King was asked to name the three shows in 2007 that had impressed him most, he recalled that The Whigs had played his club, the Revolution Room, in the spring of 2007, and noted that "A handful of us got to check out the Weezer-sharp pop riffs of a Georgia three-piece signed to Dave Matthews' ATO Records label."
The Whigs will perform songs from the band's second album, Mission Control, to be released Tuesday. The album follows the band's self-released CD, Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip. On Jan. 28, TheWhigs are to perform their single, "Right Hand on My Heart," on The Late Show With David Letterman.
Zoso, a Los Angeles-based band that does a tribute show to Led Zeppelin, will be back in central Arkansas at 9 p.m. today at Sticky Fingerz for its first show since 2006. Admission is $8.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Martin Scorsese film, The Last Waltz, about the final show by The Band, The Last Waltz Ensemble was formed to perform the songs of The Band and is on the road, headed to central Arkansas for a show at 9 p.m. Saturday at The Revolution Room, 300 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. Admission is $7. Call (501) 823-0090.
Based in Atlanta, The Last Waltz Ensemble consists of Kris "Jellyroll" Gloer on guitar and vocals, Mark Kramer on vocals and guitar, Eric Reed on bass and vocals, Kevin "Little Budda" Rutschman on drums, Brad Thomas on saxophone, Dan Seifert on Hammond B-3 organ, Jason Fuller on keyboards and Benji Shanks on lead and slide guitars.
Weekend, Pages 63 on 01/18/2008