JESSE’S PICKS

Veronica North

8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 208 W. Holly St.

It’s always great to see locals headlining a bill at the Wild Buffalo. On Thursday, Jan. 16 singer-songwriter Veronica North takes her second crack at the big stage. Her music goes between electronic pop beats and acoustic folk, with a melancholy feeling that connects the different styles. Openers include indie folk-rockers Bellflower, probably my new favorite local act of the last year. 

The Rumba Kings

7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St.

The Rumba Kings are a large ensemble from Seattle who blend a bunch of different pan-Mediterranean musical styles with elements of pop, jazz and classical into a massive musical spectacle featuring blazing nylon-string guitars, dancers, a string section and a rotating cast of singers. To some ears, it’s going to sound completely over-the-top, but they back up the slick presentation with some serious instrumental virtuosity. If you ever rocked out to Yanni Live at the Acropolis during a PBS pledge drive, this might be the show for you. That’s at the Mount Baker Theater on Friday, Jan. 17.

Petunia and the Vipers 

8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce St., Conway

Canada’s Petunia and the Vipers have a pretty substantial cult following around here for their high-energy mix of rockabilly, country and swing. Expect lots of twang and even some yodeling. They’ll be heating up the stage at the Conway Muse on Saturday, Jan. 18. 

Message Received

8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, Odd Fellows Temple Room, 311 E. Holly St.

I’m always a fan of the idea of the drummer as the bandleader in a jazz group. One of the all-time greatest examples of that was Art Blakey’s long-running ensemble, the Jazz Messengers. One of our best local drummers, Julian MacDonough, plays tribute to those hard-bop masters with his group Message Received. They’re at the Odd Fellows Temple Room at the Orion on Saturday, Jan. 18. If you’re a jazz fan and haven’t been in yet to check out the Saturday night shows in that beautiful space, now’s the time. 

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LIVE CALENDAR LISTINGS

Friday, Jan. 10

• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m.,  Mike Frazier
• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., Dakota Black
• The Blue Room: 7 p.m., Aurora Ave, Dollarbird, No Mars (rock)
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Lost at Last, Shady Groove (folk/rock)
• Corner Taphouse: 7 p.m., JP Valentine (acoustic covers)
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m.,  Guitars and Gratitude
• Guemes Island General Store: 5:30 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle solo (jazz)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., David Donohue, Sarah Goodin (singer-songwriters)
• Make.Shift: 8 p.m., The Hobby, Kids on Fire, Duos, Bone Sygaldry (punk)
• Odd Fellows at the Orion: 8 p.m., The Unknowns, Ranger and the Re-arrangers (jazz)
• Old Edison: 7 p.m., Charlie Partin (country)
• Ramble Tamble: 8 p.m., Garden Street Boys, Cowboy Guts
• Sedro-Woolley Rec Center: 6 p.m., Dank Zavala, Jonathan Blaze, Jairo G, Echos (hip-hop/R&B/rock)
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., The Problem (jazz/funk/pop)
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Joshua Red Uttech

Saturday, Jan. 11

• Bar Two Eleven: 9 p.m., Energy Pyramid, Lipstitch, Throw No Stereo (rock)
• Beach at Birch Bay: 4 p.m., Anti-Shock (acoustic alt-rock covers)
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., PaperHeart, Human Clay (alt rock covers)
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Lindsay Street (Celtic)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Steeplechase (Celtic)
• Larrabee Lager Co.: 5 p.m., Silent Cowboy
• Lincoln Theatre: 6 p.m., Fanny Alger, The Dimes, Friends for the Ghost, Pops & The Boys, Charlie Partin
• Make.Shift: 6 p.m. Open Mic
• Odd Fellows at the Orion: 8 p.m., Mark Hunter, Blake Angelos, D’vonne Lewis, more (jazz)
• Old Edison: 8 p.m., The Fat Fridays
• Ramble Tamble: 8 p.m., Chad Henry & The Setbacks, AERIE, Hannah Wyatt
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Wayne Hayton
• The Shakedown: 8:30 p.m., The Preacher and the Freight Train, North Country Highway, Jay Irwin & The GP Sunsets, Kyle’s Cosmic Country Band (country/Americana)
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., JP Falcon Grady
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Gruv
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Duo Sueno
• Wild Buffalo: 8:30 p.m., Bear Grillz, Pacific Rem, Wooki Goldberg, Bear Bass (electronic)
• Zeek’s: 7 p.m., Motown Cruisers

Sunday, Jan. 12

• Boundary Bay Brewery: 6 p.m., Jazz Jam ft. Scot Ranney and Friends
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m. Randy Weeks & The Silent Treatment
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Open Mic

Monday, Jan. 13

• Bella Ciao: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• Corner Taphouse: 6 p.m., Open Mic
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., TBA (Grateful Dead tribute)

Tuesday, Jan. 14

• The Admiralty Lounge: 7 p.m., Geof Morgan (singer-songwriter)
• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., Jazz Night
• Menace: 7 p.m.,  Invitational Blues Jam
• ‘Ono Kitchen and Bar: 7 p.m., Open Mic ft. Char Seawell
• Zeeks Pizza: 6 p.m., The Other Thing (jazz)

Wednesday, Jan. 15

• The Blue Room: 7 p.m. Savanna Woods, Francesca Brown, Cascade Cody (singer-songwriters)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Open Mic
• Rockfish: 6 p.m., The Don Bird Experiment
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Meinhardt Merry (folk/jazz/acoustic rock)

Thursday, Jan. 16

• The Blue Room: 6 p.m., Benny Sidelinger, Mary Haugland (folk)
• Brown Lantern: 8:30 p.m., Open Mic
• Honey Moon: 8:30 p.m., Shadies Not Shadies (folk)
• Shakedown: 8 p.m., Cat Positive, Salt Pine, Sceneric (rock)
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Saltwater Cowboys
• Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• That’s What I Like! Island Grill: 6 p.m., JP Falcon and Friends (folk/rock)
• Wild Buffalo: 8 p.m., Veronica North, Corey Silversmith, Bellflower (folk/rock)
• Zeeks Pizza: 7 p.m., Badd Dogg Blues

Friday, Jan. 17

• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., Low Lonesome Sound
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Jammin After Noon
• Guemes Island General Store: 5:30 p.m., Chad Henry & The Setbacks duo 
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Lucy London, Buddy Mac
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., TBA
• Make.Shift: 8 p.m., The Floral Shirts, Malaise, Bastard Tag (rock)
• Mount Baker Theatre: 7:30 p.m., The Rumba Kings (Mediterranean instrumental pop/jazz)
• Odd Fellows at the Orion: 8 p.m., Pine and Shake
• Skagit Casino: 8 p.m., Danny Seraphine and the Chicago Experience (Chicago tribute)
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Neighborhood Songwriters Showcase ft. TBA
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., BJ Block Duo
• The Vault: 7 p.m., TBA

Saturday, Jan. 18

• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Petunia & The Vipers
• Farmstrong Brewing Co.: 6 p.m., Songwriters Showcase ft. Savanna Woods, Benny Sidelinger, Sommer Carter, Stewart Woods, Dr. Sweets, Nick Clack
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Steeplechase (Celtic)
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., TBA
• Make.Shift: 8 p.m., Mom Sport, Sere, Slowfall
• Odd Fellows at the Orion: 8 p.m., Julian MacDonough’s Message Received (jazz tribute to Art Blakey)
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., John Stephan Band
• Skagit Casino: 8 p.m., Danny Seraphine and the Chicago Experience (Chicago tribute)
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., The Penny Stinkers
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Racyne Parker
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Wild Applause

Sunday, Jan. 19

• Boundary Bay Brewery: 6 p.m., Jazz Jam ft. Scot Ranney and Friends
• Conway Muse: 3 p.m., Duffy Bishop Band
• Kulshan: 5 p.m., TBA
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., The Bow Diddlers
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Orator, Progenitor, With Abandon (death metal)

Jesse Stanton's music column, The Beat Goes On, appears weekly. Reach him at jsbhammusic@gmail.com; @JSBhamMusic. Check with individual venues to make sure events are still taking place as scheduled. Live music events in Whatcom County: http://www.cascadiadaily.com/category/living/arts-and-entertainment/music/music-calendar