It’s a big night for touring blues Thursday, Sept. 30, when the Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band takes the stage at the Stir Concert Cove for a 7:30 p.m. show. See 8 Days or stircove.com for more on this show with two of the genre’s leading artists. You can drop by The Lift for the 5:30 p.m. Brave Combo show Sept. 30 and show your Trucks-Tedeschi ticket for half off the $12 admission. Brave Combo’s eclectic blend of world music has been self-described as “nuclear polka.” The band is a two-time Grammy Award winner and has wracked up seven Grammy nominations. Since 1979 the Denton, Texas, band has been winning lifelong converts with what their press kit describes as “a world music mix that includes salsa, meringue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, polka, zydeco, classical, cha cha, the blues and more … a rollicking, rocking, rhythmic global journey.” Cordle Comes Home Brad Cordle is moving home to Omaha from Las Vegas this month. Cordle has been fronting a band in Las Vegas in recent years. Cordle said via email that he’s coming home for a variety of reasons including the Vegas economy that continues to worsen, and more importantly that his father is getting older and he wants to be closer to him. Cordle plans to put together a new band with emphasis on original music and “choice covers running the gamut from a John Hiatt type of thing to a New Orleans funk kind of thing … and of course there will be some blues.” Cordle will debut his new band Thursday, Nov. 18, at The New Lift Lounge. Americana at The Waiting Room Justin Townes Earle, acclaimed Americana musician and son of musician Steve Earle, was scheduled for Slowdown Friday, Oct. 8. But a press release issued Sept. 22 on behalf of the singer announced the Slowdown date and other tour dates have been cancelled so the younger Earle can enter rehab. The press release posted at justintownesearle.com stated “Earle is strongly committed to confronting his ongoing struggle with addiction and thanks his family, friends and fans for their continued support through this difficult time.” The Sunday Roadhouse concert series presents iconic roots musician Chuck Prophet Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. The KC Free Press wrote, “Prophet is a sharp, never pretentious, lyricist. The songs on his new record Let Freedom Ring [Yep Roc] illuminate the current American predicament, wryly capturing the woes of the workaday and the marginalized. Prophet uses his modest baritone effectively, sounding like Tom Petty after too many drinks and too much sun. A first-rate guitar player, he has much in common with Mike Campbell, Keith Richards, even Richard Thompson.” See sundayroadhouse.com for details. Toy Drive The Lash LaRue Toy Drive focuses on bringing Christmas cheer to the children on the impoverished Pine Ridge Reservation. The Seventh Annual Toy Drive kicked off Sept. 19 with a daylong recording session for the third Toy Drive benefit CD. Omaha’s finest roots musicians turned in some amazing performances of original tunes. A CD release event will be among the various concerts taking place in early December. See lashlaruetoydrive.com for more on the CD, a kick-off message from LaRue and updates on scheduled shows. Vago members Danny and Tommy Burns have become deeply involved in the Toy Drive efforts. LaRue takes a break from Toy Drive activities to join his friends in Vago for a nine-state tour that kicks off Oct. 4 at Slowdown. LaRue and Vago will also appear at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, Oct. 6, after 9 p.m. with the Son of 76 trio. Vago is hitting the road in support of its new release Cemetery Hill. LaRue will appear on the tour under his given name of L.L. Dunn. See vagomusic.com. FolkHouse Returns Jerome Brich’s FolkHouse concert series is back in action with Berklee College of Music guitar virtuoso Caleb Hawley appearing Friday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. See folkhouseconcerts.com for more on Hawley and contact information to reserve your space for the concert series, which is held in the Brich family’s home. The next show is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 19, when husband-wife duo Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart perform. Hot Notes Popular, soulful roots band OK Sisters gigs at the Heartland Cafe in old downtown Elkhorn from 6:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2. The Stone River Boys, fronted by Dave Gonzalez and Mike Barfield, return to Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Thursday and Friday, Oct. 7 and 8. Pacific Northwest roots-rockers Too Slim & The Taildraggers bring their popular mix of rock, Americana and blues to the metro for two shows. Catch them at the Zoo Bar Wednesday, Oct. 6, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. The trio also gigs at The New Lift Lounge for a special early Sunday show Saturday, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m.

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