Oxford, Mississippi: Home of William Faulkner, the literary Oxford American … and Zoogma, the exciting, catchy, up-and-coming band that combines the sonic diversity and precision of a DJ with the energy and spontaneity of a five-piece rock band. The band is catching on at dance parties coast-to-coast, with a kinetic sound, carefully crafted beats, melodic textures and the improvisation of an electronic-rock band. Fusing electronica, rock, jazz, world and hip-hop, Zoogma just released their debut album, Recreational Vehicles. The band’s unforgiving tour schedule supports their CD - and they’ve shared stages with Perpetual Groove, Keller Williams, Ozric Tentacles, Pnuma Trio, Big Gigantic, The New Mastersounds and others. Hip, hot and rising fast … Zoogma.

It’s hard to argue with the legacies of Alice In Chains and Tool. Two towering influences on modern-rock, these bands built an incredible catalog of compelling, unique and often harrowing songs, all delivered with a precision and passion that many of their peers lacked. And as intimidating as those songs can be to listen to, it’s even more of a challenge to reproduce them, especially in front of an audience that knows every note, every word. But Eulogy and Jar Of Flies do those songs, and the term "tribute band,” proud. These musicians have obviously listened to Tool and Alice In Chains over and over again, committing every guitar solo and every vocal wail to memory. More than just a blast from the past, Jar Of Flies and Eulogy bring the songs of Alice In Chains and Tool to life again. Click on the links below to get a flavor of these bands and their extraordinary renditions of the real things.

Few bands capture the emotion that fuels them to create music. Highlonesome brings their Americana all the way from Beer City, USA, the Milwaukee that made foam famous. This band makes roots music real; their new album: "In life we can't be free," is soaked in misery, lost love and death. Lead vocalist Noah Tyson's got a dark and haunting voice, almost ghostly. He's added some punk and hardcore veterans to his band, and his brilliant, complex, believable and original tunes will make you wonder where you've been all their lives. With fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar and a driving string-band rock sensibility, don't be surprised if you catch the next Avett Bros. or Old Crow Medicine Show here. "Noah," says one critic, "writes songs that bring people together and simultaneously make them feel more alone than they’ve ever been." The Bitterman has played The Handlebar numerous times, opening for the likes of Unknown Hinson and Kevn Kinney of Drivin' n' Cryin'.

It’s a long way from Moscow, Idaho, but Josh Ritter has come a long way, too, his songs resonating far beyond his humble upbringing or record sales; he has carved a place in pop culture. His tunes have been on TV’s “Parenthood,” “Men In Trees,” and “True Blood.” He’s appeared on Letterman and Conan. He was profiled in The New York Times, and his discs have been featured in Starbucks. Now, the singer/songwriter, who many have compared with Leonard Cohen, has a new album, "So Runs The World Away.” Of Josh’s latest effort, NPR gushes: “It has a sound, a vision and a sense of poetic determination that puts So Runs the World Away on a level reserved for records such as Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind, Tom Waits' Rain Dogs and Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Yet Josh defies the “folk” label, instead telling the NY Times: “I play rock ‘n’ roll with lots of words.” And to lots of fans, from Radio City Music Hall to D.C.’s 9:30 Club to a massive fanbase in Ireland and the UK.

Upstate indie faves Sequoyah Prep School join Charleston acoustic rockers Crowfield and fresh-scrubbed up-and-coming rock-popster Andy Lehman & The Night Moves in a dramatic bill proving that S.C.'s talent is as hot as its summertime. Calling themselves “Minimalist/Southern rock,” the catchy SPS has garnered 2 million myspace visits, as well as an Atlantic Records deal and opening slots for bands such as Better Than Ezra. Crowfield, who most recently opened for Darius Rucker at House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, is one of those Handle-bands that make us look good -- rich harmonies, jam-packed musicianship and boppy sing-alongs. Andy Lehman and his band start things off. Andy’s recent CD (produced by the team behind Crowfield; the same producer for Jump, Little Children and Shinedown) is carving a special place with his soaring, Jay Clifford-esque vocals and catchy tunes.

Yes, THAT 2Cents, the quartet that opened here for the packed Five Finger Death Punch show. Now, after having performed with Korn on The Jagermeister Tour in May, 2Cents returns to The Handlebar, armed with a new album, “Dressed to Kill.” Sharing the bill is Seasons After, a five-piece nu-Metal outfit (with old-school roots) that hails from Wichita, Kansas. Seasons After has turned two years of nonstop touring into nationwide success, with two stints on the Vans Warped Tour and a slot on the Taste of Chaos tour, plowing fans with crunchy guitar riffs, thumping bass and dynamic harmonies. 2Cents, meanwhile, has toured with Chevelle, Buckcherry, GWAR, Otep, Rise Against, Static-X, Pennywise, Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall, including, of course, FFDP. At The Handlebar, they share a walloping four-band, hard-rock bill that also features Roadrunner Records' Taking Dawn.

Mother's Finest breaks the law - the Law of Supply & Demand. When the demand for the house-rockin'est, crowd-meltin'est, soul-shakin'est funk machine exceeds supply, well, you gotta expand supply. That's why they're bringin' on the noise AND the funk for not just one night (which sold out last time) but for TWO NIGHTS, which both will sell out. We can't overstate how Mother's Finest brings down the house; not one person has left this show without begging for more and asking when they'll play again. From soul to rock to metal to disco and back again, Mother's Finest packs enough talent, inspiration and pure dynamite for a dozen bands, and they are INCAPABLE of a bad show. Sure, their albums are great (as their three gold-record awards attest), but onstage there is no band finer than Mother's Finest! Get your tickets now!

We're taking bets to see how long it takes for these shows to sell out. From soul to rock to metal to disco and back again, Mother's Finest packs enough talent, inspiration and pure dynamite for a dozen bands, and they are INCAPABLE of a bad show. Tickets will sell ALARMINGLY fast.

Don't like Mondays? Join the crowd. The crowd that's coming to these killer showcases presented by the one and only Bang Salon (across the street from us on Stone Avenue). You'll stay cool, be cool and get cool, with cold beer, hot bands and friends new and old who'll say, "Yeah, we heard 'em there first." That is, if you haven't clicked on the links below and heard 'em on their myspace pages.

They were the wedding-reception band for the Talking Heads’ David Byrne. They’ve won two Grammy Awards. Their music has been featured on TV, during The Simpson’s Octoberfest and on “Ugly Betty”; all over radio; even books. We first saw this frenetic Denton, Texas, band at a Florida festival, and went nuts, so here’s a personal appeal: SEE THIS BAND. Take the Red Elvises, add nearly 30 years of experience, throw in a tight crew of multi-instrumental geniuses, and you’ve got the hottest dance band on the planet. From Japanese pop to klezmer surf rock to rocking cha-cha, Brave Combo creates what the Washington Post calls "mosh pit polka." Where else are you going to do the Hokey-Pokey and the Chicken Dance? Let's not forget, Zydeco, acid rock, Muzak, bubblegum, cumbia, classical and the twist. Mozart as a Mexican salsa? No problem. They even played Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and Lincoln Center. Isn’t it about time Brave Combo lit up Greenville?

The rock 'n' roll fire called Parmalee has got plenty of Gasoline. Greenville, NC's Parmalee stokes the flames, bringing bigger crowds every time to their hook-filled shows of new-fangled old-fashioned, on-your-feet Southern rock. Who can't love a band that makes good rock look so effortless and fun? The band rips through punchy tunes full of flawless harmonies, memorable riffs where the guitars soar in tandem, and huge choruses. Parmalee's moving toward rock stardom the old-fashioned way - one fan at a time. Building at The Handlebar, while also opening for Buckcherry and Shinedown at Clemson's Littlejohn Coliseum and for Staind and Shinedown at the Bi-Lo Center. They're also packing out clubs throughout the Southeast. The foursome has released two albums with famed producer Steve Bruno, including a collaboration with Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx, and work with Grammy-winning producer Noel Golden. Their single, Gasoline, was picked up by ESPN for NASCAR.

Listen to music from 1967 and help animals too! What could be more perfect! Upstate musicians band together -- a total of 10 bands -- to bring back the Summer of Love, performing The Beatles, Hendrix, Cream, Jefferson Airplane and much more. The psychedelic time machine will offer vintage and tie-dyed clothing for sale, go-go dancers, adult drinks, dinner, dancing, laughter, conversation, your favorite bands and friends -- all to benefit The Greenville Humane Society. Support the animals (not just the ones on stage!) and enjoy a great night with all the tunes you know, love and take you back to those days you don't quite remember.

Believe us, we know how hard it is to be uber-cool, so hip that even your friends don't know who you are and how utterly cutting-edge you've been. But all that's changing, thanks to Bang Salon, Manic Mondays and bands like Baltimore's Fishnet Stalkers. (With a name like that, c'mon!) One look at the Stalkers, and you know you've landed in a place as badass as Athens, but as forward-thinking as Greenville, with the history of, well, Baltimore. These guys, through various iterations and members, have gelled and shared stages the Supersuckers, Legendary Shack Shakers, Detroit Cobras, Skulls, Original Sinners and many more of your faves. Rekless Youth hails from Charlotte, which has its own elements of cool, and appears hell-bent on spreading the punk/rock 'n' roll gospel wherever they can be loud, in-your-face and jumping all over the place.

Straight out of Coney Island, the 2010 Coney Island Cockabilly Roadshow features the trashiest, dirtiest rock 'n' roll, the most mind-bending and bizarre sideshow and the most sultry and seductive burlesque that Coney Island has to offer. Promoting their big end-of-summer Labor Day Weekend event, this wrecking crew will be blowing the roof off of clubs and bars across the United States all season long. The tour winds up in a four-day party over Labor Day Weekend on the boardwalk in scenic Coney Island, New York, the home of burlesque, sideshow and a new generation of fiery, hell-bent rock 'n' roll.

Al Anderson and Junior Marvin joined reggae icon/pioneer Bob Marley & The Wailers in the early '70s, lending backing-vocal and guitar talents; it was Junior Marvin who added some rock juice to the roots-reggae sound that Marley already had made world-famous. In 1973, Marvin was a member of Hanson -- no, not THAT Hanson -- and joined Marley in 1977. He also has worked with Toots & The Maytals and Steve Winwood, solidifying his reggae AND rock cred. Al Anderson toured extensively with Marley, and appeared on numerous Wailers records. The pair form the core of The Original Wailers, an offshoot of the band that carried on after Marley's death. THIS iteration also pays tribute to the Jamaican legend, adding rich interpretations and tight renderings of the original material. And The Work kicks the night off? What's left to be said about this amazing bill? Let's get on to the partyin'!

Last time Kelen Heller played The Handlebar played at The Handlebar, their crowd was so impressive, we reported the numbers to the major trade Webzines - always a good sign for up-and-coming bands. Kelen Heller boasts a stout lineup of Upstate music-scene veternas, including former members of Hedsnap, Fluid and Phungusamungus - the makings of a regional supergroup. Their current single, “Redefine,” has received airplayon 93.3 WTPT The Planet. And they’ve shared the stage with such giants as Rob Zombie, hed(pe), Mushroomhead, Saliva, Afroman, Fear Factory, Kittie and Shinedown. Souls Harbor, a Charleston band with more than 800,000 myspace visits, has opened for the likes of Godsmack, Chevelle, Mastadon, Sevendust, Buckcherry, Rev Theory and more. A Vacant Soul is another Handlebar staple, and returns to round out this massive regional hard-rock event.

The Ragged Orchids play an intoxicatingly melodic, heart-stoppingly emotional brand of alt-country and folk-rock, reminiscent of Townes Van Zandt-meets-Emmylou Harris. Organically intertwined harmonies, gently strummed electro-acoustic guitars, with a side of lapsteel/slide, gild plainspoken and poetic lyrics about the tiny victories and losses of everyday life. Their sound brings to mind a dream-come-true combo of the Cowboy Junkies and Dave Alvin, which would probably explain why we had ’em open for Dave when he was here a few months back.

Their last show slammed. Summer brings huge crowds. So it might be a good idea to get your (cheap!) tickets fast. The Movement may have relocated from nearby Columbia to Philly, but their vibe remained: a distinctly Southern alternative-reggae vibe, which happened to catch the attention of the Philly-based producer behind G. Love and Slightly Stoopid. That’s only part of the story behind the duo of Joshua Swain and Jordan Miller, who grew up together in South Carolina ... until they became a quartet opening for Steel Pulse, Blues Traveler, The Wailers, Ludicris, Common, Long Beach Shortbus, Wu Tang Clan, among others. Playing rock-heavy reggae, with punk and hip-hop influences, The Movement has long packed out Columbia and Clemson clubs and adds The Handlebar to their conquests. A vibrating live experience, textured songwriting and thousands of shows. Yeah, that’s movement -- The Movement.

Newfound energy; newfound purpose: That’s what New Found Glory is all about. Not Without A Fight, the first New Found Glory album to bear the legendary Epitaph logo, brims with fresh promise, showcasing a band comfortable in their own skin and eager to get back to basics and present it all to the world. It’s arguably the strongest addition to an impressive catalog with three gold records and some of the most memorable songs of the past decade. Epitaph owner Brett Gurewitz called New Found Glory, "the greatest pop-punk band in history," and Not Without A Fight packs together the best elements of fan favorite albums like Sticks and Stones (2002) and Catalyst (2004) with a reinvigorated drive making for a declaration that's fresh and timely. There's pop, there's punk, there's crunch, and there's irrepressible melodies; what else do you need?

Al & the Black Cats is an American Rock 'n' Roll band, in all capital letters. That’s how they see themselves, and with music splitting off into infinite categories these days, that’s damn refreshing to hear. A combination of the flare and musicianship of '50s rockabilly with the speed and attitude of punk rock, Al & The Black Cats have been blazing high-octane trails through the concert halls of America since 2006.

When Randall Bramblett, guitar ace Geoff Achison and the percussion section for the Derek Trucks Band – Yonrico Scott and Todd Smallie – played Atlanta recently, here’s what one critic said: “Incendiary. That's the word. BURNIN' HOT. This was a genius lineup, a perfect group. … (Their show) was a blues, jazz, rock, kick-the-genres-to-the-curb-and-play-amazing music concert. If you EVER have a chance to see ANY of these musicians, you owe it to yourself to go.” Achison, voted one of the Top 10 Hottest New Guitarists by Guitar Player magazine, hails from Australia, though his Outback mojo includes New Orleans funk, driving blues and jazzy soul. Bramblett, a multitalented songwriter who also plays sax and keys, has worked with Chuck Leavell and is on speed dial of some of rock’s biggest names, including Steve Winwood, Levon Helm and Bonnie Raitt. As for Scott and Smallie, the engine that thumps DTB, those two need no introduction – they’ve been here. But you’ve never done THIS.

Nothing goes together quite like Metal and the Upstate – unless you’re talking about moonshine and peaches or Jager and PBR. That’s why this four-band bill will Light You Up. Spartanburg’s Whiskey Mountain Machine picks up where the great Southern rock legends left off, and twists more metal-rock into the mix. With a growling sound and guitar assault, the quartet, which already has garnered more than 65,000 myspace visitors, has a Synyrd-Tucker-38 Special feel sparked with a Corrosion of Conformity-Pantera urgency. Six and Twenty (formerly Threshold), who just opened for Nonpoint, unleashes driving grooves, vocals that soar and punish, shifting time signatures and speeds, and a progressive atmospheric sense. Insidious Demise, a longtime Handlebar staple, rocks to the stellar vocals of David Meredith, who’s been accompanying some of metal’s greats lately. And Meat Curtain’s a death-metal trio that’s been gettin’ it done from Spartanburg to Columbia and beyond.

It shouldn’t come as any great surprise that we get a startling number of calls from folks who want to bring their teen-aged (and sometimes younger) children to see ZOSO - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. After all, what better way to share one of rock’s most legendary bands -- along with your (likely sanitized!) memories of those halcyon days -- than with a band that critics fall all over themselves calling the gold standard of Led: "The most exacting of the Zeppelin tribute bands in existence” (St. Petersburg Times); "head and shoulders above all other Zeppelin tributes," (Los Angeles Times); and the "closest to the original of any tribute" (Chicago Sun-Times). ZOSO’s concise portrayal of Plant, Page, Bonham and Jones brings sold-out crowds every time, singing word for word some of the most enduring tunes ever recorded.

Before Bela Fleck and Steve Martin got their hands on it, the banjo was an African instrument that came to America on slave slips. “Expect one part history lesson,” says the Philadephia Inquirer of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, “and three parts hoedown.” Rising to the ranks of the Avett Brothers, Dave Rawlings Machine and other current and former Handlebar luminaries who have earned Americana Music Award prizes and nominations, the Chocolate Drops are becoming an acoustic/bluegrass/old-time music force that requires recognition; after all, just how many all-black North Carolina musicians can get away with naming their latest album “Genuine Negro Jig.” They’ve opened for Taj Mahal; appeared in a Denzel Washington film, on Prairie Home Companion and at the Grand Ole Opry; and have earned rave reviews. Rolling Stone describes the band’s style as “dirt-floor-dance electricity” -- the kind of genuine, real, raw American music that takes from history . . . and makes it.

Sultry, vulnerable, playful, candid and strong as a country star’s supposed to be, Terri Clark has fold more than 4 million albums and nearly a dozen Top 10 hits, including “I Just Wanna Be Mad,” “You’re Easy on the Eyes,” “When Boy Meets Girl,” “I Wanna Do It All,” “Poor Poor Pitiful Me,” “Girls Lie Too” and her first hit, “Better Things To Do.” Terri’s a traditionalist, one of those rare female artists who hews to the way country music used to be (and should be) and yet still makes her mark in the world of Big Hat Country. She’s toured with Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire and George Strait. A native of Alberta, Canada, she’s also the first Canadian woman inducted into the Grand Ol’ Opry. We don’t put on a lot of country shows (mostly “alt-country”) but the hard-charging, dynamic, take-no-prisoners performer, whom Canadians voted seven times as Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, is just too good to pass up.

A deliberately independent jam band before anyone actually knew what a jam band (or even “indie”) was, Jupiter Coyote has morphed from a frat-rock fave to a Southern-rock institution. Through their 20-year history, the band that got its start in Brevard, N.C., has played more than 4,000 shows, sold nearly a half-million CDs and tends of thousands of downloads, toured everywhere and built a fan base as solid as their shows are wide-ranging and unpredictable. JC has shared stages with The Allman Bros., Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident and The Radiators, to name a few. They’ve performed festivals from coast-to-coast, including: High Sierra Music Fest in California, Charlotte's Center City Fest, Atlanta's Mid-Town, Asheville's Bele Chere and The Magnolia Fest in Live Oak, Fla. Prolific and consistent, Jupiter Coyote excels at their very own genre: “mountain rock,” a steamy, heady blend of Southern Appalachian boogie, bluegrass-infused, funk-rock.

Six-time Grammy Award-winning saxophone innovator David Sanborn returns to The Handlebar, this time with his latest (and 24th) album, Only Everything; a world-class band, including Joey DeFrancesco (keyboards); and enough history to fill a jazz-rock encyclopedia. The Tampa native-turned-Missourian started alongside blues greats Albert Collins and Ray Charles; performed with Paul Butterfield at Woodstock; and has recorded with everyone from David Bowie to James Brown, from Bruce Springsteen to Steely Dan and from Billy Joel to Bryan Ferry. He has appeared regularly on David Letterman, composed film scores (Lethal Weapon) and even has ringtones with Derek Trucks and Eric Clapton. One of the most influential saxophonists of the last 20 years, he returns to his roots on his new Phil Ramone-produced album, where he’s also joined by James Taylor on Joss Stone. We’re honored, thrilled and tickled beyond words that this towering talent returns to our little listening room.

The punk/folk/soul/hardcore pioneer whom Slant magazine calls “one of indie's most prolific and continually passionate treasures” has, along with his longtime band, The Pharmacists, has just delivered his fifth album since 2003’s masterpiece, Hearts of Oak. The new CD, The Brutalist Bricks, which hit No. 2 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, has been hailed as the “finest record from one of the greats” (Pitchfork). Leo, a denizen of New York’s late-’80s hardcore scene, built his reputation on songwriting “as infectious and calculated as that of Brit rock legends the Kinds, yet the rhythms remained fueled by the the anthemic energy reminiscent of bands like the Who and the Clash” (allmusic.com). From Coachella to Bonnaroo and headlining dates everywhere in between – and beyond – Ted Leo and The Pharmacists (often referred to as TL/Rx) has been a longtime hero of the Upstate’s indie set, who’ve been looking forward to a Handlebar show for years.

In the former Soviet Union, rock ‘n’ roll was illegal. That’s one reason Igor Yuzov left for America with his folk band, Limpopo, the “crazy Russian folk ‘n’ roll” band that Ronald Reagan personally greeted to their new country. They then won Ed McMahon’s Star Search. While Reagan, McMahon AND the Soviet Union are all dead, Igor and his Red Elvises live on, a costumed carnival of subversive Siberian surf rock, a rock-ous romp of red rebellion and blue lyrics. The Red Elvises formed in 1995 after Elvis Presley appeared to Igor in a dream and told him to start playing that “rokenrol” (only with a Tupelo accent). They haven’t stopped touring since, invading such distant and exotic spots as Moscow and Bozeman, Montana. The band and their work have appeared on Penn & Teller, the films Armageddon and Mail Order Bride, and 2005’s Live 8 Benefit Concert. Between such hits as “I Want To Be Your Rocket Man” and “Belly Dancer,” the Elvises are a not-to-be-missed surefire (non-Communist) party.

Among the joys of The Handlebar is discovering artists who are in it for the long run, for the art, those who play for the love, not the money and perform because they HAVE to. Those are the artists who bring the passion that generates sweat, fans and a solid career. Meet Will Hoge. The first time we saw Will, we thought we had entered a Tent Revival Séance, where a younger version of Bruce Springsteen was picking up where the Boss left off, singing new-fashioned rock ‘n’ rollickers about bad luck, bad politics, bad whiskey, bad women. Will’s come into his own lately, with more soul, a little more funk, more maturity and conviction -- and that same passion. The formula’s working. Will joined an all-star lineup at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for a televised flood-relief benefit that featured CeCe Winans, Kellie Pickler, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Martina McBride and Keb’ Mo’. Will tore it up, with his earnest and meteoric voice, driving guitar and heartfelt tunes.

The three actual Felice brothers and their dice-throwing pal, Christmas, spent their formative years as a band channelling Dylan and The Band, through the prism of their Catskill Mountains earthiness and that underdog earnestness you earn from growing up in the Hudson River Valley. Then something happened. By the time their fifth album, Yonder Is The Clock (a nod to Mark Twain), the band grew up, moved to New York City, played subways, and sharpened their rustic Americana with urban grit. Now, says the BBC, "happily unlike anything to come out of the States in recent years, the five-piece outfit ... boast a distinctively muscular, rough-hewn, dirt-under-the-fingernails sound.” With accordion, guitar, nicotine-ravaged vocals and honing their stagecraft at Bonnaroo, Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble and the Newport Folk Festival, among tons of other gigs, the Felice Brothers have a diamond in their ramshackle, rough and tumble roots rock.

One of the “Big Three” of the South Carolina music scene of the '90s (along with Hootie & The Blowfish & Edwin McCain), Cravin’ Melon never quite reached the national superstardom of their peers. But their melodic, heartfelt acoustic rock has never gone out of style. Now, Doug Jones, Jimbo Chapman & Co. return the day after Thanksgiving to burn off all that tryptophan, playing the Handlebar stage and the songs that made them one of the Southeast’s favorite acts for more than a decade. It’s like a tall refreshing glass of “Sweet Tea” for your ears!

Three-time Grammy Award-winning legend Delbert McClinton returns with his “breathtaking, hardcore roadhouse rhythm & blues” (Rolling Stone) … and one of the most anticipated artists to appear at - and return to - The Handlebar. The Texas harp phenom, whose first recording, the 1960 cover of Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Wake Up Baby,” has laid down a long career that has included two No. 1 blues albums and songs recorded by industry icons, including Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Doug Sahm and more. Plus, his “B Movie Boxcar Blues” was used in the film, The Blues Brothers. A mesmerizing, charismatic and powerful performer, Delbert and his band deliver “smoking, jumping big-band blues and Gospel-rooted ‘60s soul honed to a razor-sharp edge in the Texas juke joints. Jalapeno hot!” (L.A. Times). His fans are rabid and legion. This show will sell out. And it’s the best Christmas present around.