Choose from a crowded, diverse musical field

Pick a perspective in the crowded field of upcoming happenings for your live music experience. There’s plenty to choose from. What you select depends on what strikes your fancy.

Among the contenders, find: a progressive meets hard rock ‘n’ funk trio of legendary status; an iconic Hall of Fame rock force; or a notorious Southern singer/frontman. What’s your pleasure?

The prog rock of course, is King’s X live Friday at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte. The epic power trio of Dug Pinnick, bass/vocals; Ty Tabor, guitar/vocals and Jerry Gaskill, drums/vocals command a musical legacy merging avant garde into hard rock and soul with dynamic sonic results. Emerging in the late 80s, King’s X’s regal rock brand is sophisticated enough to woo elite musicians and picky critics while still managing a genre-crossing melodic appeal for the regular music-loving fans.

Inscrutable and enigmatic but approachable, King’s X is the perfect storm of heavy sonic rock elegance. King’s X rules Friday along with Kings of Spade, Deep Sky at Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St., Charlotte; Call 794-377-6874 and check amossouthend.com. For more on the music, go to kingsxrocks.com and find them on Facebook.

The iconic Hall of Fame rock band is, of course, Van Halen – live Friday at PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte. Their career of more than 40 years has been as glorious as it has been unpredictable. Van Halen’s status as innovative classic rock legends is indisputable.

Their propensity for high jinks and tumult is just as significant. The current VH lineup features Eddie Van Halen, lead guitar/vocals/ keyboards, David Lee Roth, lead vocals; Alex Van Halen, drums; and Wolfgang Van Halen, bass/backing vocals.

Simply said, they have the technology, experience and wherewithal to truly rock their audience.

Recent reviews indicate a great chance for a phenomenal musical experience, which is good news for all the rockers reliving glory years and taking their kids along for that shared once-in-a-lifetime concert. “Jump” at Van Halen live, plus The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band at PNC Music Pavilion, 707 Pavilion Blvd., Charlotte. Call 704-549-1292 and 704-549-5555 for concert details or go to ticketmaster.com/venue/114764. For more on the music, see van-halen.com.

As for the Southern singer/frontman and his varied incarnations, I’m referring to the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, live Saturday at The Chop Shop in Charlotte.

Originally best known fronting the rock with Southern blues band The Black Crowes, he has over the years recreated himself and his music in assorted new ventures including the current Brotherhood whose lineup consists of Robinson, vocals/guitar; Neal Casal, guitar/vocals; Adam Macdougall, keyboards; Tony Leone, drums; and Mark Dutton, bass.

Musically, the Brotherhood’s creative direction might be best described by the band’s own phrasing with “Psychedelic filling in a folk-blues pie.” OK, sounds tasty enough.

Well, overall, just bet on solid rock run through the bluesy far out and scintillating psyche of Robinson and company. Free your mind and the ROCK will follow from the Chris Robinson Brotherhood live Saturday at The Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. in Charlotte. For concert info call 704-765-2467 or go to chopshopnoda.com. Get the scoop on the music at chrisrobinsonbrotherhood.com.

Elsewhere

Friday: Chubby Knuckles at Luke’s Sports Bar & Grill, Rock Hill; David Williams at The Handlebar, Catawba; Lakeside at USC-Lancaster-Bundy Auditorium, Lancaster 10th Annual Fiddle ‘n’ Pig Shindig BBQ & Bluegrass Festival at Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill; Rockaholics at The Trap, Charlotte; Metal Shop at Rockhouse, Gastonia King’s X, Kings of Spade, Deep Sky at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Charlotte Folk Society Gathering at Great Aunt Stella Center, Charlotte; Shotgun Saints at Smokey Joe’s Café, Charlotte; Cosmic Charlie at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; The Rival Trio at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Hectorina, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Dr. Bill Cummings at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte; ZZ Ward, Mark Scibilia, the Young Wild at The Fillmore, Charlotte; St. Paul & the Broken Bones at NC Music Factory, Charlotte; Tribute to the Music of NYC with Junior Astronomers, Ancient Cities, more at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Dathrowback Band at Pearl Wedding & Event Center, Cornelius; Tantrum-Jody’s BD Bash at Stooges Pub & Grub, Mint Hill; Margo & The Pricetags; Vinyl Williams, Gazoota at Evening Muse, Charlotte; Van Halen, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band at PNC Pavilion, Charlotte;

Saturday: Well Known Strangers at Joker’s Bar, Rock Hill; Chris Cook, Jim Brock, and Ashley Peeples at Sylvia Theater, York; Threshold at Music in the Park-Baxter, Fort Mill; Porte Blue at Comet Grill, Charlotte; 42-Tribute to Coldplay at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; South End Jazz Series at Charlotte Trolley Powerhouse Museum, Charlotte; Matt Perrone & His Real Band, Cameron Floyd at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Clear Plastic Masks, Modern Primitives, Southern Gothic at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Dr. Cirkustien, more at The Rabbit Hole, Charlotte; Phantom Playboys at Unknown Brewing Co., Charlotte; Steve Earle & The Dukes at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte; Plato’s Stepchildren, Lucidea, more at Milestone, Charlotte; Carolina Nation at Bootlegger’s-NC Music Factory, Charlotte; Surry Line at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Chatham County Line, Bombadil at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Jim Lauderdale at Evening Muse, Charlotte; Chris Robinson Brotherhood at Chop Shop, Charlotte; 106.5 The End Weenie Roast with Stone Temple Pilots, Passion Pit, Mutemath, Blues Traveler at PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte.

Sunday: Mimicking Birds, Sinners & Saints, Brian Robert, Slade Baird by Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Michael W. Smith at Knight Theater, Charlotte; Uncle Lucious at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Slum Village, Aswell, Lute, Keyza Soulsay at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Kevin Kinney, Ross Adams at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Monday: Chase Rice, Striking Matches at Coyote Joe’s, Charlotte; Open Mic with Chip McGee at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Tuesday: Swarming Branch, Bo White Y Su Orquesta at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Enanitos Verdes at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Careless Romantic, Grey Revell, Glimpses at Milestone, Charlotte.

Wednesday: Stolen Hearts with Nick Black at Double Door, Charlotte; Yarbs, K9 Unit, Bad Eric, Mall Goth, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Lisa Fischer at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte; Parodi Kings at Diamond Restaurant, Charlotte; Olivia Lane, Locash Cowboys at Coyote Joe’s, Charlotte; Crunk Witch, Sext Message, more at Milestone, Charlotte; Three Days Grace, Pop Evil at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Claude Bourbon at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Thursday: Mike Strauss Trio at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Beavergrass Bluegrass Jam with Jim Garrett at Thirsty Beaver, Charlotte; Queen City Rejects, Pleasures of the Ultraviolent, more at Milestone, Charlotte; Earphunk, Main Squeeze at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte.

“And that was all she wrote.”

This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Choose from a crowded, diverse musical field."