Wednesday
For this week’s edition of Local Live at South on Main, Oxford American and Landers Fiat of Benton present Steve Howell & the Mighty Men. Led by Howell, the quartet plays American roots music inspired by Delta blues, Texas country and some sounds of Appalachia. The band’s most recent release, Yes, I Believe I Will, debuted in October 2013. The music starts at 7:30 p.m. and, as always with South on Main’s Local Live series, is free.
Thursday
Rev Room presents Showtime Singers Extravaganza, a night showcasing some of Arkansas’ best singing talents in an ode to music from the 1950s to the 2000s. Just of few of the names to expect: Tricia Read, Jeron Marshall, Ramona Smith, Bijoux, Haywood King, Epiphany, Steve Hester and Osyrus Bolly, plus many more. Opening the night are Nicky Parrish and Andrea Lafaye. Tickets are $20 for VIP, $15 for reserved seating and $10 for general admission. Buy tickets online at arkansaslivemusic.com or call (501) 548-5811 for VIP and reserved seats.
Noel Gourdin — born in Brockton, Massachusetts, but influenced by his summers spent in Pachuta, Mississippi — blends classic soul, new jack swing, and contemporary R&B and hip-hop into his own sound. His 2008 single, “The River,” topped the Billboard U.S. Adult R&B chart at No. 1, and his most recent record, City Heart, Southern Soul, was released in January. Gourdin plays at Juanita’s with a $20 cover. Doors open at 7 p.m., and music starts at 8 p.m. In press materials, Gourdin has said: “Musical integrity is extremely important to me, for when I leave the industry my musical legacy is what I want to be remembered for. Timeless, real and soulful music.”
Rock ’n’ roll band The Hard Pans — you’ll know two of their members, Claude Bernard and Jimmy Smith, from their time in alt-country band The Gourds — make a trip to Little Rock from Austin, Texas, to play White Water Tavern. The music starts at 9 p.m.
Friday
If you know the sounds of the Delta blues, you know the music of Lightnin’ Malcolm. His North Mississippi guitar blues are both primal and contemporary, with each note seeping with feeling. Over the years, Malcolm’s guitar sound has been punctuated by the drums of Kenny Kimbrough, Cedric Burnside, Calvin Jackson and more, but right now, it’s Stud — grandson of bluesman T-Model Ford — manning the drums. Lightnin’ Malcolm plays White Water Tavern beginning at 10 p.m. Cover is $10.
Heavy Glow operates on the belief that all great rock bands come with a deep swath of soul, according to the band’s website bio. The soulful rock trio is made up of Jared Mullins on vocals and guitar, Joe Brooks on bass and St. Judas on drums. The band’s latest release is Pearls & Swine and Everything Fine. See Heavy Glow at Vino’s at 9 p.m. Openers are Conway outfit My Brother, My Friend and Little Rock alt-rock band Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing. Cover is $5.
Saturday
After winning the grand prize in the Alchemy Songwriting Competition in 2011, Adam Hambrick landed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV and left Arkansas for Nashville, Tennessee. What he’s called luck has catapulted him into the pop and country music scene in Nashville, writing music for artists such as Justin Moore, Miranda Lambert and Kris Allen. Hambrick brings his songwriting and tunes to Stickyz for an 18-and-up show at 9 p.m. Openers are to be announced, and cover is $10.
California-based Christian rock band Project 86 comes to Little Rock just four days after the release of their ninth studio album, Knives to the Future. Openers for the Rev Room show are local Christian metal band Living Sacrifice, Oklahoma metal band The Agony Scene and Swedish progressive metal rockers Hollow. Music begins at 8:30 p.m., and cover is $15.
Tuesday
With Elias Soriano on vocals, Robb Rivera on drums, Rasheed Thomas on guitar, Adam Woloszyn on bass and B.C. Kochmit on guitar, Florida quintet Nonpoint plays hard rock with the same intensity they’ve had since 1997. Little Rock’s 100.3 The Edge presents Nonpoint at Juanita’s for an 8 p.m. show. Doors open at 7 p.m., and cover is $10.