Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime
Northern Lights, Thursday

Enough time has now elapsed since the death of Sublime frontman Brad Nowell that we can reasonably say that the multi-platinum and heavy-rotation success of his band’s posthumous, eponymous debut was not a fluke. That is to say death did not alone sell Sublime—the songs were actually pretty damn airtight. (Putting the record out during that oh-so-brief window when ska was actually marketable didn’t hurt either.) Providence, RI-based trio Badfish had the good sense to hop on board the good ship homage, and they’ve one of the best-loved Sublime tribute acts in the land. Joining them tonight will be Scotty Don’t, a side-project in which the trio actually plays their own tunes. Now that’s original. (Aug. 6, PM, $13, 1208 Route 146, Clifton Park, 371-0012)

Jesse Winchester, Slaid Cleaves
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Saturday

Jesse Winchester has been quietly building his legacy for close to 40 years. A Louisiana native, he spent much of the late 20th century living in Canada (he was unable to tour the U.S. until 1977) and turning out a series of well-regarded albums in the Americana (for lack of a less ironic term) vein. His songs have been recorded by no less a motley crew than Elvis Costello, Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Garcia, Reba McEntire, and the Everly Brothers. So here’s your chance to catch an artist who’s earned the descriptor “legendary,” along with troubadour Slaid Cleaves, who’s been making great strides toward such a distinction over the last 15 years. (Aug. 11, 8 PM, $45, $25, 14 Castle St., Great Barrington, Mass., 413-528-0100)

Henry Butler

Henry Butler with Leo Nocentelli
Washington Park, Monday

“He is the pride of New Orleans, a visionistical down-home cat and a hellified piano plunker to boot.” That’s what no less an authority than Dr. John, a hellified plunker himself, once had to say about Henry Butler. Butler is often thought to be a spiritual descendent of N’awlins piano legends like Jelly Roll Morton and Professor Longhair, which makes him a natural musical ambassador to the world. Joining him for Monday’s freebie show will be Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli; the two men played together in the post-Katrina supergroup New Orleans Social Club whose 2006 Sing Me Back Home disc is as jubilant and representative of the city it salutes as—you guessed it—a big ol’ pot of gumbo. Raisinhead opens. (Aug. 13, 6 PM, free, Washington Park, Albany, 434-3861)

Job for a Cowboy, A Life Once Lost, Despised Icon
Revolution Hall, Monday

Metal “it” band of the moment Job for a Cowboy might be a little short in the tooth to be headlining a national tour. That is a big “might” that really doesn’t matter thanks to the sheer quality of the other acts featured on the bill. Pennsylvania Meshuggah worshippers A Life Once Lost know how to get a crowd “ripped” with their oppressive grooves. The real highlight of the bill are Canadian death-core merchants Despised Icon whose dance-y breakdowns and guttural pig-squealing will surely inspire a whole pit’s worth of robot-moshing. Get ready to swing your arms like an android while dodging windmill kicks. This one should be devastating. (Aug. 13, 7 PM, $12, 425 River Street, Troy, 274-0553)

Incubus
Saratoga Performing Arts Center , Monday

Incubus is actually a better band than we tend to give them credit for. What? We’re being serious here! We didn’t think they’d survive the early ’00s, but the California-based five-piece has continually shattered expectations by simply existing. And by making some decent songs from time to time, “Are You In?” excluded. Plus, Brandon Boyd has a really good voice. (The ladies seem to dig him too, which never hurts.) And they finally let DJ Chris Kilmore expand to a less-clichéd role on their latest release (he’s credited with playing Marxophone and Theremin, among other oddities), a move which should be applauded. (What self-respecting rock band had a DJ after 1999, anyway?) So there you have it—catch the best alternative-rock act of the post-
alternative-rock era this Monday, when they play the Saratoga PAC with guests the Bravery and Simon Dawes. (Aug. 13, 7:30 PM, $39.50, $20 lawn, Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs, 587-3330)

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