Fans of Little Rock's venerable White Water Tavern have worried about the fate of the legendary joint at the corner of Thayer and West Seventh streets since the pandemic shut down many such small businesses a year ago.
Now there seems to be more room for optimism than at any time in the past 12 months.
"I think things are looking positive," says White Water co-owner Matt White. "Later this summer, we're hoping to get open, with big changes."
White declined to provide specifics as to dates and the names of any bands or musicians who may be playing at the club, where the only activity the past year has been a farmers market held Saturdays in the parking lot.
◼️ The Going Jessies will perform from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at River Bottom Winery at BoBrook Farms, 13810 Combee Lane, Roland. (501) 519-5666; bobrookfarms.com. Admission is free.
The Going Jessies, a folk-country-rock-soul trio, consists of Angela Paradis (vocals, bass), Derek Wood (vocals, guitar, keyboards, songwriting) and James Breeding (drums, percussion). The band released an EP, "Let's Go," in 2017 and a full album, "Money, Love & Pain," in 2019.
◼️ Texas Hill, on the trio's "Brothers in Harms" tour, will perform, along with opening act Luke Williams, at 7:30 p.m. today at Stickyz Rock 'n' Roll Chicken Shack in Little Rock, 107 River Market Ave., Little Rock.
Texas Hill consists of Craig Wayne Boyd (winner of the seventh season of TV's "The Voice"), Casey James (third place in season nine of "American Idol") and Adam Wakefield (runner-up on the 10th season of "The Voice.") Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door if any remain.
◼️ Brae Leni & Friends (The Blackout, Juni Melo, Bri Ailene) will perform at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Stickyz.
Tickets are $12.50 in advance and reservations are required. If any tickets remain at showtime, they will be $15. (501) 372-7707; stickyz.com.
◼️ Townsend will perform from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday and Jenna & Tony will perform from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at WXYZ bar at the Aloft Little Rock West, 716 Rahling Road, Little Rock, (501) 791-9999; Marriott.com.
◼️ Jacob Flores will perform at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; DJ Bbox will perform at 10 p.m. Friday at Cannibal & Craft, 307 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. (501) 414-8870; cannibalandcraftlr.com.
Flores is a singer-guitarist based in Hot Springs.
◼️ "Friday Night Live" will be held at 7 p.m. Friday; "Music Madness" will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday at The Library Kitchen + Lounge, 313 President Clinton Ave., Suite 100, Little Rock. (501) 916-9826; thelibrarylr.com.
◼️ Jocko will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and The Chase Riley Band will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at The Hangout, 10840 Maumelle Blvd. in North Little Rock. Cover charge is $5. Call (501) 904-6911.
BENTON
A "Full Moon Ceremony," hosted by The Legend of Greater Things: A Retreat, will be held to mark the Libra full moon at 7 p.m. Saturday at 3600 Kayce Lane, Benton. Tickets, $35, are available at: tinyurl.com/tzz52b5y. The event will feature sounds of nature, crystal bowls and gongs.
CONWAY
DLW will perform at 8 p.m. Friday and Randall Shreve will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at Kings Live Music, 1020 Front St., Conway. Admission is $5. (501) 205-8512; kingslivemusic.com.
◼️ Ginger Biscuit performs at 9 p.m. Friday and Whisky Business will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday at TC's Midtown Grill, 1611 E. Oak St., Suite 19, Conway. (501) 205-0576.
EL DORADO
Texas Hill, along with opening act Josh Walker & Eric Little, will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at the First Financial Music Hall, 101 E. Locust St., El Dorado. Only tables for four remain, for $60. (870) 444-3007; tix.eldomad.com.
FAYETTEVILLE
"The Ultimate Prince Tribute" takes place at 8:30 p.m. Friday at George's Majestic Lounge, 519 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. Tickets are $12 and $15. (479) 527-6618; georgesmajesticlounge.com.
HOT SPRINGS
DJ Hellion will perform at 10 p.m. today at Alibis, 1218 Airport Road, Hot Springs. Admission is free. (501) 760-2404.
◼️ Sensory 2 will perform from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday in the lobby of the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, 239 Central Ave., Hot Springs. Admission is free. (501) 623-7771; arlingtonhotel.com.
◼️ Amie & Adam will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday and Rick McKean will perform a brunch show from noon to 3 pm. Sunday, at The Trough Bar & Grill, 833 Central Ave., Hot Springs. (501) 701-4390.
◼️ The Lil' Skinny Band will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at Fat Jacks, 101 Central Ave., Hot Springs. (501) 623-5225.
◼️ Kenny Mann & The Danger Zone will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday at Crosswalk Bar & Grill, 2714 Central Ave., Hot Springs. (501) 624-9192.
◼️ "The World Famous Platters" will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Legendary Vapors, 315 Park Ave., Hot Springs. Tickets are $45, available through Eventbrite.com/e/141536721143. (501) 463-4463.
◼️ Scenic 7 will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at The Wagon Wheel, 816 Albert Pike Road, Hot Springs. Admission is free; club memberships are required. (501) 651-0827.
◼️ "The Final Four Country Showdown" on Sunday will feature John David Salons at 6 p.m., Mountain Mistress at 7 p.m. and Nichols & Dimes at 8 p.m. at the Blitzed Pig Bar & Grill, 4332 Central Ave., Suite A, in the Temperance Hill Square shopping center in Hot Springs. Admission is free. (501) 525-1616.
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE
Shannon Hushaw will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and Liquid Kitty will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at The Beehive, 220 Minorca Road, Hot Springs Village. There is a $3 cover charge. (501) 777-8176; beehivehsv.com.
MALVERN
Los Huracanes Del Norte will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Whiskey Rodeo Arena, 25938 Arkansas 84 in the Social Hill area, just off Interstate 30. Admission is free. (501) 612-7259.
STAY TUNED
Singer-songwriter A.J. Croce will perform a retrospective performance of his 30-year career as a streaming concert at 7:30 p.m. today. Tickets are $15, available at boxoffice.mandolin.com.
◼️ Jon Langford, founder of legendary British punk band The Mekons, as well as Chicago band The Waco Brothers, will perform a livestream show at 5 p.m. Saturday from The Hideout Inn in Chicago. He will be accompanied by 3 Blokes. After the show, available for $10 on noonchorus.com/hideout/, there will be a Q&A session.
Langford, a native of Wales and a visual artist as well as a singer-songwriter, is known for his forays into not just punk, but also country, rock and folk.
◼️ Singer-songwriter Malcolm Holcombe will perform the 15th in his "Backyard Shed Series" at 1 p.m. Sunday, with an acoustic performance of his 1999 album, "A Hundred Lies," which can be seen at youtube.com/user/malcolmholcombe or facebook.com/malcolmholcombe. Tips are appreciated, but not required, Holcombe notes. They can be left at paypal.me/GypsyEyesMusic or venmo.com/GypsyEyesMusic. The show is the final one in the series.
◼️ Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile will perform "Live at the Ryman," a livestream show with a full band at 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets, $25, are available at brandicarlile.veeps.com. (For $48, a ticket and a copy of Carlile's book, "Broken Horses," can be bought.)
◼️ Dwight Yoakam will perform his album, "Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room," the third episode in his livestream series, "One Stream Live," at 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets, $20, are available at boxoffice.mandolin.com.
◼️ The Atlantic City Boys will perform at 7 p.m. Monday at The Event Center at Fairview Park, 2740 Mt. Holly Road, Camden. Tickets are $20. (870) 807-6915; explorecamden.com.
LISTEN HERE
Little Rock-born jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders has collaborated with electronic musician and composer Floating Points on an album, "Promises," to be released Friday on Luaka Bop Records, a label owned by David Byrne of Talking Heads. The album also features the London Symphony Orchestra.
When Benny Turner, who played bass in Little Rock band Jubilee Dive in the early 1980s, heard some of the music on "Promises," he said: "I'm prompted to say that this may be the wildest collaboration in music I've seen since the Bing Crosby-David Bowie duet of 'Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy' on Bing's Christmas show special in the late '70s."
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Paste Magazine has a couple of articles of interest: "The Bottle Rockets, Lucero & Other Red-State Rockers Fight the Good Fight" and "The 10 Best Retro Rock T-Shirts." See pastemagazine.com.