Crib Notes

DANIEL RYUDO For 20 years, Ryudo (aka Daniel Ribble, a GSU alumnus), has lived in Kochi, Japan, performing on the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese end-blown bamboo flute. In this program he performs a type of music known as min’yo, a 20th-century name embracing the traditional uta (”songs”) of rural Japan, and which influenced popular enka. (”entertainment songs”) of today. He also performs honkyoku, meditative solo music from the Zen traditions of the Fuke-shu sect of wandering Buddhist monks. Free. 7:30 p.m. Kopleff Recital Hall. 404-413-5901. www.music.gsu.edu. — Mark Gresham

LANGHORNE SLIM Slim — born Sean Scolnick — got a helping hand from Jason Trachtenburg, who spotted him at a NYC open mic and invited the young singer/songwriter on tour with him. Scolnick emanates an impish recalls Ben Kweller. His self-titled full-length debut is highlighted by the rollicking, organ-driven Americana, “Rebel Side of Heaven,” which offers a hopeful alternative to hell, and bluesy, cabaret-tinged meditation on money and dreams with “Diamonds and Gold.” $10. 9:30 p.m. Georgia Theatre, Athens. 706-549-9918. www.georgiatheatre.com. — Chris Parker

(Photo Credit: Doug Seymour)

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“Welcome to the Variety Playhouse, may I take your order?”

“Uh, yes. I’ll have the pop-star combo No. 3 with the extra-catchy sing-along sauce. For here.”

When Ben Kweller, aka BK, plays a show, which he did twice this week in Atlanta, toes tap, young girls swoon and the whole crowd sings along. Kweller’s got a knack for the kind of pop that made teenyboppers scream at Beatles shows. But he’s not formulaic; he’s for real, writing clever and heartfelt (if sometimes a little sappy) lyrics.

At Tuesday night’s Variety Playhouse performance, Kweller bounced around on stage, curly locks flopping, as infected by his melodic do do dos and ba ba bas as the crowd was. He did a rocking acoustic cover of the inescapable “Ice Ice Baby” (what is it with my generation and that song?) and picked a bit of the Deliverance theme – OK choices, but not as exciting as his “La Bamba”/“Twist & Shout”/“Undone (the Sweater Song)” trio at Sunday’s Unplugged in the Park.

The set list contained ditties from all three full-length albums, including “Commerce, TX” (Sha Sha), “I Need You Back” (On My Way) and “Thirteen” (Ben Kweller).

(Photo by Ray Lego)

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