The weekend is fast approaching! Kick things off early with one of these tempting options:

Band of Annuals joins their Southern California buddies Leslie and the Badgers for another installment of Cowboy Ramble, a twice-monthly evening at the Woodshed featuring a rotating cast of musicians performing classic country favorites (and a few non-traditional tunes turned country with a little help from the pedal steel). BOA and the Badgers will follow up tonight's covers marathon with a performance of original tunes tomorrow night at Urban Lounge.

Touring band Dark Star Orchestra takes up residency at The Depot tonight to perform one of their spot-on song-for-song tributes to the Grateful Dead. Bring your jam-dancing shoes.

Maybe you just want to get the ever-loving wind knocked out of you, in which case Pelican, Wolves in the Throne Room and Eagle Twin should do the trick. It all goes down at Club Vegas. Roar!