From 90s R&B to banjo-picking comic, these live acts are coming to Midlands this weekend

Saturday is going to be gangbusters for live music in Columbia.

A 90s throwback R&B festival at Colonial Life Arena is set to feature some major hit makers including Keith Sweat, Bobby Brown and Brian McKnight as well as others. The same day, comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short will be at the Township Auditorium. Steve Martin is sure to pull out his banjo and play with The Steep Canyon Rangers who will also be at the show.

If you want something more low key on Saturday, The Joint on Columbia’s Main Street will have jazz trumpeter Mark Rapp and company playing the music of South Carolina’s most famous jazz player and Bebop pioneer, Dizzy Gillespie. At Foxfield Bar & Grille in Rosewood, Bentz Kirby and a host of musicians will celebrate the release of Kirby’s new album. The State chatted with Kirby about the album of songs based on the life of his father, who died this year.

Saturday isn’t the only day to get out to see live music in Columbia, Lexington and the Midlands. Some fall celebrations with performers take place and plenty of other rock, Americana and country hit stages throughout the week.

See the list below for live music shows and concerts, and check with venues for time and cost details.

A chat with Bentz Kirby about is new album and its connection to his father

Bentz Kirby and others play Foxfield Bar & Grille Oct. 23.

You’ve been playing around Columbia for a while now. What’s the biggest change in the music scene?

I started playing in church around 2000. Around 2004, I began playing at the Red Tub and the original Cafe Strudel on State Street. The first album, Alien Carnival’s “Name Checkin’” was released in 2008. The biggest change I see is that folks coming up now are not obsessed with music like we were in the 60’s and 70’s. The hay day of live music may have passed but there is some great music and musicians here in the Columbia scene. While I miss a lot of the old venues and a lot of musicians have “moved on” with their lives, a lot of us are hanging in there and creating new music. Probably because we have no choice but to write songs. A lot of the venues who host live music have changed but the new venues keep the fire going. We could really use a music venue like the old Five Points Pub these days.

Your new album is a tribute to your father who died this year. What song are you proudest of?

Almost all the songs are based on stories my father told our family over the years. They are about him growing up in the mountains in North and South Carolina. These songs trace my father’s family from Rainbow Springs, NC to River Falls, SC and on to Slater. My idea was to create a mythology around his stories as a tribute to him and his legacy. He was the last of his generation to pass so I wanted to preserve the memory of how hard and difficult his life was. I did not appreciate his journey when I was younger. Exploring his stories and past brought me much closer to him. It created a deeper bond which I cherish. My favorite song on the album is “Mama Did” as it captures how my Grandmother held their family together through some hard times. (Also, talking the fire out a burn and stopping bleeding with the blood verse are absolutely true). The second is “He’ll Never Forget” as it came to me fully formed in a dream and I just wrote it down.

How do you think your father would feel about this album?

When he heard the album, he was suffering from dementia so he did not recognize most of his own stories. So, I can only guess, but I think he would have been proud of his legacy and of his son. Also, he would have said it all is a little bit too close for comfort.

Thursday, Oct. 21

Henry Luther & The Blackouts, Radio Banter - Country folk then melodic punk. At Uncle Festers - 522 Devine St., Columbia

Turnover, Widowspeak, Temple of Angels - Genre: Indie alternative rock. At New Brookland Tavern - 122 State St., West Columbia

Vista After Five series w/ Sister Hazel - Genre: 90s pop rock. At The Tin Roof - 1022 Senate St., Columbia

Filmore - Genre: Nashville pop. At The Main Stage - 1624 Main St., Columbia

Slim Pickens - Genre: Americana. At Steel Hands Brewery - 2350 Foreman St., Cayce

Clay Johnson and the Hard Promises - Genre: Roots rock. At Market on Main - 1320 Main St. #150, Columbia

Rod Foster & Company - Genre: Jazz. At Chayz Lounge - 607 Meeting St., West Columbia

Jake Hoot - Genre: Country. At Newberry Opera House - 1201 McKibben St., Newberry

Mitch Butler concert & jam session - Genre: Jazz. At The Aristocrat - 1001 Washington St., Columbia

David Rodriguez & La Caravana - Genre: Salsa, Latin jazz, merengue, more. At The Joint - 1710 Main St., Columbia

Friday, Oct. 22

Suicide awareness benefit w/ Pressure Falls, Dead Spring, Hold Fire, After Tragedy - Genre: Heavy rock. At New Brookland Tavern - 122 State St., West Columbia

Rod McCoy presents the songs of Babyface - Genre: Jazz tribute. At Chayz Lounge - 607 Meeting St., West Columbia

Mackenzie Blake - Genre: Covers. At The Tin Roof - 1022 Senate St., Columbia

Cody Clark - Genre: Covers. At The Tin Roof - 1022 Senate St., Columbia

Tokyo Joe - Genre: rock, covers. At The Main Stage - 1624 Main St., Columbia

Fallapalooza w/ Hey Johnny Park, Glide, Jeremy’s Ten - Genre: Rock tributes to Foo Fights, The Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam. At Icehouse Ampitheater - 107 W Main St., Lexington

Michael Pace - Genre: Covers and country rock. At Carolina Western Pub - 920 Lady St., Columbia

Live Blues After 5 series - Genre: Blues. At The Joint - 1710 Main St., Columbia

Amos Hoffman & friends - Genre: Gypsy jazz, more At The Joint - 1710 Main St., Columbia

Radio Cult - Genre: Covers. At Social Grill - 1002 A J Amick Rd., Irmo

Whiskey Tango Revue - Genre: Country Americana. At Steel Hands Brewery - 2350 Foreman St., Cayce

Whiskey Run - Genre: Country. At LJ’s Par & Grill - 381 Pilgrim Church Rd., Lexington

Tracielynn - Genre: Country. At Market on Main - 1320 Main St. #150, Columbia

Saturday, Oct. 23

Bentz Kirby with Todd Mathis, Rhodes Bailey, Marv Ward and Mike Cameron, Lesser Crimes, Red Shack Pickers and more - Genre: Americana. At Foxfield Bar and Grille. 406 Howard St., Columbia

Yes Ma’am, Say Brother, Jody Jackson, Lindsay Emmons - Genre: Roots rock. At New Brookland Tavern - 122 State St., West Columbia

Adam Hawley - Genre: Smooth jazz. At Chayz Lounge - 607 Meeting St., West Columbia

Sam Rife - Genre: Covers. At The Tin Roof - 1022 Senate St., Columbia

Columbia R&B Fest w/ Keith Sweat, Bobby Brown, Brian McKnight, El DeBarge, Dru Hill and Tevin Campbell - Genre: Throwback R&B. At Colonial Life Arena - 801 Lincoln St., Columbia

Steve Martin and Martin Short with Jeff Babko and The Steep Canyon Rangers - Genre: Comedy with modern bluegrass/new grass. At The Township Auditorium - 1703 Taylor St., Columbia

Mark Rapp Group present the music of Dizzy - Genre: Jazz tribute to Dizzy Gillespie. At The Joint - 1710 Main St., Columbia

Mel Washington, Mark Webb Jr, Chris Canterbury, Josh Brannon Band - Genre: Americana, rock. At Steel Hands Brewery - 2350 Foreman St., Cayce

Rut Spence Band - Genre: Country. At LJ’s Par & Grill - 381 Pilgrim Church Rd., Lexington

Tom Mackel - Genre: Acoustic Americana. At Market on Main - 1320 Main St. #150, Columbia

July Turner Band - Genre: County, southern rock, covers. At Market on Main - 1320 Main St. #150, Columbia

Tim Daisy, Ben Eidson - Genre: Improvisation music. At if Art Gallery - 1223 Lincoln St., Columbia

Sunday, Oct. 24

The Devil’s Playground, The Palace of Tears, Solemn Shapes, Mina Et Eva - Genre: Industrial, Dark wave. At New Brookland Tavern - 122 State St., West Columbia

Dorinda Riley Presents The Rising Stars Concert Series with Saniya The Violinist - Genre: Jazz, classics. At Chayz Lounge - 607 Meeting St., West Columbia

The Lincoln Trio - Genre: Strings trio. At Newberry Opera House - 1201 McKibben St., Newberry

Four Star Edition - Genre: Covers by U.S. Fleet forces band. At Icehouse Ampitheater - 107 W Main St., Lexington

Mitchel Evan Duo - Genre: Americana. At Steel Hands Brewery - 2350 Foreman St., Cayce

Trent Jeffcoat - Genre: Country. At LJ’s Par & Grill - 381 Pilgrim Church Rd., Lexington

Monday, Oct. 25

Portrayal of Guilt, WVRM, Glass, To Forget - Genre: Metal. At New Brookland Tavern - 122 State St., West Columbia

Stranger Company with Mary English - Genre: Rock. At The Main Stage - 1624 Main St., Columbia

Synergy Twins - Genre: Covers on violin. At Market on Main - 1320 Main St. #150, Columbia

Big Band Dance w/ The Charlie Gatch Big Band, The Swing Set Dance Band. Genre: Big band, swing. At Wesley Hall at Lexington United Methodist Church - 309 E Main St, Lexington

Wednesday, Oct. 27

Cherub, Chaz Cardigan - Genre: Chill, electronic.

Anthony Sightler - Genre: Country rock. At The Tin Roof - 1022 Senate St., Columbia

Unbound dance presents “One” w/ Ricci Milan, The Hands Down Tap Project, Terrance Henderson, Mark Rapp - Genre: Dance and mixture of live music. At 701 Center for Contemporary Art - 701 Whaley St., Columbia