Drive-By Truckers in Concert at Mr. Smalls; Martin Sexton Plays City Winery (Sun., 1/26/25)

1) Drive-By Truckers are pulling the rig off the road for a show at Mr. Smalls Theatre. A stirring combination of guitars, vocals, and drums gives their music a soulful, rocking, country sound, such as on “Surrender Under Protest.” Their latest album is 2022’s Welcome 2 Club XIII. The group is from Athens, Georgia, and singer-songwriter Jason Isbell was a former member. They are  on their Southern Rock Opera Revisited tour. Southern Rock Opera is a double album by Drive-By Truckers which was released in 2001. It chronicled the adventures of a fictional southern rock band named Betamax Guillotine. This album led to early success for the band. 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (C.M. R.H.)

2) What makes a singer-songwriter “authentic”? Well, for openers, you can’t try to be authentic, because that would be inauthentic. You’ve just got to be it. And Martin Sexton—the man with an astounding vocal range, high-hopping rhythms, and all-around top chops—has been hailed as harboring the very essence of authenticity. So far, Sexton has released 10 studio albums. Since 2001, after leaving Atlantic Records, he has been producing on his own label, Kitchen Table. Which is a nice, homey name for a recording enterprise. And nice and homey is how he likes to perform live. You won’t catch Martin Sexton in an arena concert. Instead you will find him playing intimate venues like City Winery, where he visits on his “Abbey Road Show” tour. And in case you wondered: yes indeed, the setlist is drawn from Beatles songs done Sexton style. Doors at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. (M.V.)

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