Tons of visitors in town means tons of music options this weekend

The Lil' Slim Blues Band performs at Chelsea's Saturday night.

In addition to the regular number of options, several venues are opening up beer gardens for several nights beginning Wednesday and continuing through Saturday, and most of those beer gardens will also have live music outside, in addition to the regularly scheduled live bands going on inside those venues.

So if you like live music, this weekend is a veritable candy store for your ears. Get out and get some!

The first major highlight of the weekend comes tonight, Wednesday, as Eureka Springs' own Mountain Sprout headlines at Bikes, Blues & Barbeque's main festival stage on Dickson Street in Fayetteville. The group goes on at 8 p.m.

If you are unfamiliar with Mountain Sprout, here's the deal: Mountain Sprout is the most authentic modern Ozark music on the scene today. The guys work seamlessly to create the kind of bass-thumping, banjo-picking, guitar-playing, fiddle-shredding speed-punk bluegrass that makes you get up, stomp your feet and shake your butt. Whether you are a hillbilly, a good 'ol boy, or just a finely crafted music lover, Mountain Sprout is not to be missed. Here's what the Kansas City Star's music critic had to say about them:

"A four-piece self-proclaimed 'redneck hippie' string band, Mountain Spout gives its mashup of hillbilly-blues and bluegrass compositions a potent shot of punk attitude. It shares a kinship with bands such as Split Lip Rayfield and others who turn the tradition sideways and inside out but with enough respect for form that the band gets invited to open for purists such as the Del McCoury Band. Speed and precision aren't the group's only virtues, however. The lyrics typically express a fondness for whiskey, hard living and an intolerance for authority."

For the complete live music and event schedule for Bikes, Blues and BBQ-sponsored concerts and events happening in Fayetteville, visit my blog online at CarrollCoNews.com/blogs/livemusicinnwa/entry/49660/.

Cathouse Lounge / Pied Piper Pub, which will have a beer garden this weekend for Bikes, Blues & BBQ (see our RatPack Bikers Blog for more info on these at CarrollCoNews.com/blogs/ratpackbikers), will host one of my favorite Fayetteville musicians Thursday afternoon in a special early happy hour performance starting at 3 p.m.: Richard Burnett with The Burners. Some might call this Americana / hillbilly-rock / Ozarks-jam music, I just call it good stuff. No cover.

Saturday brings two great acts to town, one at Chelsea's and one at Squid and Whale.

Blues is the order of the evening at Chelsea's as International Blues Challenge semi-finalist The Lil' Slim Blues Band out of Nebraska headlines beginning around 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5.

Shawn "Lil' Slim" Holt is the son of legendary blues master, Magic Slim, a.k.a. Morris Holt. Shawn started playing the blues at age 17, when he went on the road with his father and his Teardrops, where he aquired the name from his late Uncle Nick Holt.

Shortly after that tour with his father Shawn formed his band, "Lil' Slim and The Back Alley Blues Band," with his god-brother, Jeff Boehmer, Joe Manthey and J.J. King. Lil' Slim has been a part of the Blues Messengers based in Lincoln, Neb., and was a member of the True Sons of the Blues in Minneapolis, Minn., as well. In 2009, he hooked up with some of his old bandmates and added some new ones, too. creating The Lil' Slim Blues Band.

Earlier this year, the group competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, going all the way to the semi-finals before being eliminated.

If funk/hip-hop/jam is more your flavor and style, then head down to Squid and Whale Pub for Cadillac Jackson, winner of this year's Waka Winter Classic competition in Fayetteville.

Cadillac Jackson was formed in the summer of 2009 and played one of its first gigs at River Jam Fest in Fort Smith alongside national touring acts Big Gigantic, EOTO, Papa Mali, Papadosio, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, and others.

The band performed at Wakarusa Music Festival this summer and continues to gig throughout the South. Cadillac Jackson would best be described as a funk band that taps into rock, pop, hip-hop, reggae, dance, and even bluegrass genres to create a truly unique stew.

Cadillac Jackson cites a plethora of influences including Umphreys McGee, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. Dre, Dave Matthews Band, The Roots and many more for inspiring their sound. Most shows last over three hours, and feature mostly original songs, as well as a heavy dose of improvisation, and familiar mashed-up cover songs.

Expect Cadillac Jackson's show to begin around 9 p.m. and keep the dance floor poppin' until closing time.

Following is the schedule of live music for Eureka Springs venues this weekend:

* Cathouse / Pied Piper, 82 Armstrong St., 479-363-9976: Kris Lager Band, 6 p.m.

* Chelsea's, 10 Mountain St., 479-253-6723: Magic Mule, 9 p.m.

* Cathouse / Pied Piper: Richard Burnett and The Burners, 3 p.m.; Kris Lager Band, 8 p.m.

* Chaser's, 169 E. Van Buren, 479-253-5522: live music with Jessie, XX p.m.

* Jack's Place / Centerstage Live, 37 Spring St., 479-253-2219: Karaoke and DJ Goose, 8 p.m. till midnight.

* The Lumberyard, 104 E. Van Buren: DJ and karaoke, 9 p.m.

* New Delhi Cafe, 2 N. Main St., 479-253-2525: Side Show Tramps, 6 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver Tavern, 417 W. Van Buren, 479-253-8544: Rockin' with DJ Mark

* Squid and Whale, 37 Spring St., 479-253-7147: Open Mic Musical Smackdown with Bloody Buddy & friends, 7 p.m.

* Berean Coffee House, 4032 E. Van Buren, 479-244-7495: Live music, 7 p.m.

* Cathouse / Pied Piper: AJ & The Fall Down Drunks, 2 p.m.; Brandon Santini & His Band AND Brody Buster Band, 8 p.m. (one band inside and band outside)

* Chaser's: Ozark Thunder, 8 p.m.

* Chelsea's: Centerfuze, 9 p.m.

* Eureka Live!, 35 N. Main St., 479-253-7020: Chasing Nadine, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; DJ & Dancing 9 p.m. to close

* Jack's Place / Centerstage Live: The Ronnie Simmons Band, 9 p.m.

* The Lumberyard: Bike Night, 4 to 9 p.m. or later, food and drink specials, DJ on demand and prizes; Ground Rattlers, 9 p.m.

* New Delhi Cafe: Side Show Tramps, 6 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver Den, 45 Spring St., 479-363-6444: Jon Dooley Experience, 7 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver Tavern: Terry and the Executives, 7:30 p.m.

* Squid & Whale: The Band Run (Americana/indie rock), 6 p.m.; Slam Boxx, 9 p.m.

* Cathouse / Pied Piper: AJ & The Fall Down Drunks, noon; Richard Burnett and The Burners, 5 p.m.; Brody Buster Band AND Brandon Santini & His Band, 8 p.m. (one band inside and one outside)

* Chaser's: Ozark Thunder, 3-6 p.m. (inside); Slam Boxx 5:30-8:30 p.m. (beer garden); Too Mothers Left, 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

* Chelsea's: The Lil' Slim Blues Band, 9 p.m.

* Eureka Live!: Chasing Nadine, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; DJ & Dancing 9 p.m. to close

* Jack's Place / Centerstage Live: The Ronnie Simmons Band, 9 p.m.

* The Lumberyard: Thundercrow, 9 p.m.

* New Delhi Cafe: Side Show Tramps, 6 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver Den: Steve Dimmitt, 7 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver Tavern: Terry and the Executives, 7:30 p.m.

* Squid and Whale: Cadillac Jackson, 9 p.m.

* Chaser's: Roger & Jami, 8 p.m.

* Chelsea's: Larry Beamers Benefit

* Eureka Live!: Customer Appreciation Night specials 5 p.m. to close

* New Delhi Cafe: Wilson Family String Band, 4:30-8 p.m.

* Squid and Whale: Slam Boxx, 8 p.m.