Black Oak Arkansas. Circa the classic era.

Giving you the music a day early:

Southern boogie rockers Black Oak Arkansas are the headliners of A Dandy Day in the Park, an all-afternoon and evening of good fun, good food and good music presented at North Little Rock’s Riverfront Park. The gates open at 2 p.m. and the music starts at 4 p.m. It’s the first in what promoter Michael Brown is calling his Blue Collar Concerts so tickets are cheap, only $15 in advance and $20 day of show. Children under 10 get in free. Beyond Black Oak, known for their ’70s hit “Jim Dandy,” the music includes a number of Arkansas and regional acts, including Tyrannosaurus Chicken, Sweet Eagle, Joecephus & the George Jonestown Massacre, Zach Williams & the Reformation, Wes Jeans and Judge Parker. An after party will be held at Midtown Billiards with music from Joecephus & the George Jonestown Massacre.

Two Cow Garage is known for their rough-hewed rock ‘n’ roll that mixes a rowdy, classic rock sound with alt country and punk, and whiskey- and cigarette-soaked vocals. The Columbus, Ohio, quartet, with their adrenalized guitar-bass-drums attack and rich keyboard melodies is touring in support of their newest album, Sweet Saint Me, including a stop at Stickyz. The opening act is Damion Suomi & the Minor Prophets, a Florida indie folk band whose tunes are “a mix of hope and despair,” kicking off the music at 9:30 p.m. with cover $7 for the 21-and-up show.

None other than Kris Kristofferson has called Americana singer/songwriter Paul Thorn “the best kept secret in the music business.” Born and raised in Elvis Presley’s hometown of Tupelo, Miss., by a Pentecostal preacher father, Thorn’s music is a blend of his blues, country, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll background with his gruff yet soulful vocals standing out from the music. The songwriter’s newest is Pimps & Preachers, and he comes to Rev Room for a performance of his Americana music. The opening act is Sean McConnell, a Tennessee-based musician who plays what he calls “lyrics-driven roots rock,” kicking off the music at 9 p.m. with tickets $15 for the all-ages show.

Little Rock singer, and Afterthought and Cajun’s regular Cody Belew is leaving town, moving on for the bright lights and better promise of a music career in Nashville, Tenn. But before departing, Belew will make a final Little Rock appearance with a Never Can Say Goodbye show at Wildwood Park for the Arts as part of the park’s emerging artist series. For the show, Cody Belew and the Mercers will present a musical thank you to their supporters in Little Rock with their energetic collection of Southern rock, R&B, Americana, soul, gospel and country. The show will be held in the Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with jazz trumpeter Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers opening the show. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $50 and include a cocktail party with the band following the show.

The eighth annual Life Line Christian Rap Music Conference is being held at the Statehouse Convention Center, and the event billed as “one of the premiere Christian rap events of the nation” promises a day of music that will help people live life with a mission and a purpose. Hosted by Divine 7 Entertainment, doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets are $10 with group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Twenty Christian rap artists and groups will perform, and the event will also collect donations for Sickle Cell Support Services of Arkansas.

Here’s Black Oak Arkansas with their “Jim Dandy”: