Sounds Good: Jon Eric@Barnyard, Weir, Robinson, & Greene@Crossroads, Best Coast@Granada

Some cool shows this weekend…
 
I’ll be taking it a little easy, resting up for the big trip to Mulberry Mountain next weekend for the Wakarusa Festival.  I’m planning on talking with festival mastermind Brett Mosiman sometime soon to get the inside scoop on this year’s festivities, which I will, of course, relate to you loyal KCC readers.
 
And I’ll be reviewing the bands, venue, hula hoopers (or is it hoopists?), etc., live from the mountain top for those of you not brave enough to make the trek yourselves.
 
In the meantime, here’s where to go…
 
Friday, May 25th
 
Jon Eric @ the Barnyard in Lawrence
 
This one is a FREE show, so if you haven’t yet experienced the hoedown throw-down that is the Barnyard, this is your best chance yet.  Jon Eric is a bluegrass maestro by trade, who uses some loops and other cool tricks to create lush sound-scapes that makes you wonder how he is doing that with just a banjo.
 
Don’t believe me?  Check this video out.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za9DUk8KIgg
 
Then come out to the Barnyard and sample some of Heath and Mike’s tasty brews.
 
Saturday, May 26th
 
Weir, Robinson, & Greene Acoustic Trio @ Crossroads KC
 
We all know Bob Weir was in the Grateful Dead, and Chris Robinson is the lead singer of the Black Crowes.  But who is this Greene guy?  Well, apparently he’s a badass guitar player who has played with the likes of BB King,  Phil & Friends, Huey Lewis, and Gov’t Mule.
 
The three are touring a bit this summer, including a headlining spot at Wakarusa next weekend, but they’re swinging through KC first.  The setlist is bound to include some of the three’s originals, plus a bunch of Dead tunes and other stuff the Dead used to cover.    
 
Sunday, May 27th
 
Best Coast @ the Granada in Lawrence
 
This California garage rock band has been getting a fair amount of indie buzz of late.  They just released a new album about a week ago entitled The Only Place that has met with mostly mixed reviews after their 2010 debut, Crazy For You, became an indie hit.  But this time around the duo got rid of the noisy fuzz and opted instead for a cleaner, shinier product, enlisting a producer that has worked with Kanye and Fiona Apple.
 
This show should be pretty well attended, so I’d get your tickets early, especially considering we can all drink our faces off on a Sunday night, which is always fun.