Andy McKee.
Giving you the music a day early:
Kansas instrumental acoustic guitar artist and YouTube sensation Andy McKee arrives at Juanita’s for a night of his lighting-quick acoustic fingerpicking influenced by artists such as Eric Johnson, King Crimson and Michael Hedges. McKee’s use of percussive hits and tapping on the acoustic guitar earned him a YouTube audience of millions, and turned him into a touring artist playing about 150 dates a year. The “U.K.’s most potent slide player” and a folk guitarist, Johnny Dickinson, is the opening act, kicking off the music at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 advance and $15 day of show for the all-ages gig.
According to their Facebook account, Corona, Calif., band Sacrificial Slaughter likes the music of Pantera, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Slayer and Testament, using those influences for the creation of their self-described “extreme (bleeping) death thrash.” The quartet headline a show at Downtown Music featuring local support from Conway death metal band Fathom Down, six piece Conway progressive metal act Still Reign, Little Rock death metal band Tomorrow Brings The Agony and The Beast. The music starts at 7 p.m. with an $8 cover.
Cody Belew takes time out from his alt-country project Cody Belew & the Locals to return to belting out party anthems, blue-eyed soul and rock ‘n’ roll classics as musical leader of Cody Belew & the Mercers. Catch Belew and his crack backing band at Cajun’s Wharf at 9 p.m.
Conway’s favorite son and American Idol 8 winner Kris Allen is the featured performer at Saline Summer Daze at the Benton Festival Grounds. The open-air concert starts at 4:30 p.m. and includes country rockers Riverbilly on the schedule with Allen headlining the event. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, with a limited number of VIP tickets available for $50 that include stage-front seating. Expect melodic acoustic rock ballads and toe-tapping rock tunes from Allen, and more than likely a cover of Kanye West’s “Heartless” and “Red Guitar,” a ditty Allen wrote for his wife, Katy, before his Idol run.
And, of course, Riverfest is in its second day. Go HERE for a look at the headliners and HERE for a complete schedule.
Here’s Andy McKee with this 30-million viewed YouTube video of “Drifting”:
