THURSDAY, JULY 23

Blue Dogs The S.C. band is back once again – this time around, they’ll warm up the Alive After Five crowd. As horrendous as the band schedule has been this summer with cover band, after cover band, after cover band, the AAF folks should be given credit for scheduling a damn-fine band this week. Stand-up bass, acoustic guitar, drums and a good bit of Southern twang give the Blue Dogs a broad appeal. Sure, the crowd may not be singing along to every word, but they can get feet moving, asses shaking and the majority of attendees to pay attention to quality original music for a change. Epicentre (Jeff Hahne)

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Typically, you see concert tours schedule a break for the bigger holidays, but there are indeed some live music options if you’re headed to the Carolina coast for the Fourth of July.

Myrtle Beach seems to have the best stuff with the Edwin McCain Band and Sophie B. Hawkins playing tonight at the House of Blues in North Myrtle. Singer/songwriter Corey Smith, who recently opened up the new Fillmore here in town, visits the HOB on Friday evening.

Funk rockers Ten Toes Up has three dates scheduled in the band’s hometown of Murrells Inlet, S.C., including the Hot Fish Club (July 2) and Spud’s (July 3-4). Soul Function plays the Boathouse on Sunday night.

Charleston has a few shows on the calendar as well. If you like the Windjammer in Isle of Palms, check out The Design tonight, The Blue Dogs tomorrow or Playlist on Saturday. The New Mastersounds has back-to-back gigs scheduled at The Pour House (July 3-4), while Kevn Kinney serves up a double dose of gritty folk at Red’s Icehouse in Mount Pleasant (July 2-3).

I’ve never been to Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s Island, but it just sounds awesome. Guilt Ridden Troubador is there tonight, WILX tomorrow and T-Model Ford & Gravel Road on Saturday.

Not much in Wilmington, it appears. The New Mastersounds are at The Soapbox on Sunday, July 5.

If you’re making the longer trip to Hilton Head, you can see Gary Pfaff tonight at Wild Wing Café. Or, if you’re headed to the Havelock, N.C. area, country singer Darryl Worley performs at the Havelock Recreation Center this evening.

Oh and wear sunscreen.

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Blue Dogs have been added to the Alive After Five schedule, giving a space for a non-cover band. Nice!

They’ll be at the Epicentre on July 23.

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The Houstons The laid-back harmonies of brothers Matt and Justin Faircloth (nee Houston) always seem to be comprised of equal parts resignation and rejoicing, and the mid-tempo shuffle of the songs works perfectly whether one’s settling in for the evening or preparing to take the town by storm. Sonically, it’s also dead-on Houston – or anywhere where there’s plenty of room to roam. Ostensibly a mix of steel, hazy pedal-driven guitar and brushed drums, it’s driving music – in either interpretation of the word. With the Trouble Walkers and Bruce Hazel and Some Volunteers. The Milestone (Timothy C. Davis)

Blue Dogs The Blue Dogs isn’t going to blow you away with its musicianship, necessarily, but the band does manage to rollick along rather pleasantly, knowing that mid-tempo doesn’t have to mean Hootie. Bobby Houck and co. do a nice job of consistently evoking the Carolina landscape without resorting to faux country tropes, and the whole thing really swings after a couple cold ones: rhythm and brews, if you will. Sylvia Theater, York (Davis)

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