Concerts in Central Athens: Dates, Itinerary & Tickets Price(September Updated)

The Black Dog & the Wandering Boy A Lone Star sheriff hunts quail on horseback and keeps a secret second family. A mechanic lies among the spare parts on the floor of his garage and wonders if he can afford to keep his girlfriend. A troubled man sees hallucinations of a black dog and a wandering boy and hums “Weird Al” songs in his head. These are some of the strange and richly drawn characters who inhabit James McMurtry’s eleventh album, The Black Dog & the Wandering Boy. A supremely insightful and inventive storyteller, he teases vivid worlds out of small details, setting them to arrangements that have the elements of Americana—rolling guitars, barroom harmonies, traces of banjo and harmonica—but sound too sly and smart for such a general category. Funny and sad often in the same breath, the album adds a new chapter to a long career that has enjoyed a resurgence as young songwriters like Sarah Jarosz and Jason Isbell cite him as a formative influence. As varied as they are, these new story-songs find inspiration in scraps from his family’s past: a stray sketch, an old poem by a family friend, the hallucinations experienced by his father, the writer Larry McMurtry. “It’s something I do all the time,” he says, “but usually I draw from my own scraps.” As any good writer will do, McMurtry collects little ideas and hangs on to them for years, sometimes even decades. “South Texas Lawman” grew out of a line from a poem by a friend of the McMurtry clan, T.D. Hobart. Driven by gravelly guitars and a loose rhythm section, it’s a careful study of a man whose feelings of obsolescence motivate him to take drastic action in the final verse. “Dwight’d stay at our house way back in the ‘70s, when we lived in Virginia. During one visit he wrote this poem about his father’s attitude toward South Texas. He wrote it down on cardboard, and I came across it recently. There was a line about hunting quail on horseback, and that was the seed of the song. I’ve lost the poem since then.” The rumbling title track, a kind of squirrelly blues, features two mysterious figures who appear only to those slipping from reality, yet it’s never grim nor especially despairing. Instead, McMurtry namechecks a “Weird Al” deep cut and depicts a tortured soul who doesn’t have to work a nine-to-five. He finds a defiant humor in the situation at odds with the gravity of the source material. “The title of the album and that song comes from my stepmother, Faye. After my dad passed, she asked me if he ever talked to me about his hallucinations. He’d gone into dementia for a while before he died, but hadn’t mentioned to me anything about seeing things. She told me his favorite hallucinations were the black dog and the wandering boy. I took them and applied them to a fictional character.” Soon McMurtry had enough of these songs for a new record. “It happened like all my records happened. It’d been too long since I’d had a record that the press could write about and get people to come out to my shows. It was time.” What was different this time was the presence of his old friend Don Dixon, who produced McMurtry’s third album, Where You’d Hide the Body?, back in 1995. “A couple of years ago I quit producing myself. I felt like I was repeating myself methodologically and stylistically. I needed to go back to producer school, so I brought in CC Adcock for Complicated Game, and then Ross Hogarth did The Horses & the Hounds. It seemed natural to revisit Mr. Dixon’s homeroom. I wanted to learn some of what he’s learned over the last thirty years.” During sessions at Wire Recording in Austin, McMurtry observed firsthand Dixon’s grasp of digital recording technology as well as his instinctual approach to tracking. “What Don’s really good at is being able to sense when it’s happening. He can hear when it’s going down. If I’m producing myself and I don’t have him, I have to do three takes and then go in and listen to them. Listening to those three takes can take about 15 minutes. So Dixon’s ability to know when it’s happening is crucial, because it can cut 15 minutes out of the day. That can really save a session, because you only have so many hours in the day and only so much energy. Working with McMurtry’s trusted backing band—Cornbread on bass, Tim Holt on guitar, Daren Hess on drums, BettySoo on backing vocals—they worked to create something that sounds spontaneous, as though he’s writing the songs as you hear them. They were open to odd experiments, weird whims, and happy accidents, such as the cover of Jon Dee Graham’s “Laredo” that opens the album. It’s an opioid blues: testimony from a part-time junkie losing a weekend to dope. “We were playing a benefit for Jon Dee at the Hole in the Wall there in Austin, and we thought it’d be good if we played one of his songs. We rehearsed the song in the studio, and it sounded good. The drums were ready. We’d already got the sounds up. Might as well record it.” “Laredo” is one of a pair of covers that bookend The Black Dog & the Wandering Boy, the other being Kris Kristofferson’s “Broken Freedom Song.” “I did that one a few weeks after our initial sessions. It was just me and BettySoo, then we added drums and bass later on. Kris had just passed not too long before we recorded it. I guess that’s why I was thinking about him.” Like Hobart’s poem, it’s a bit of inspiration excavated from deep within his own life. “Kris was one of my major influences as a child. He was the first person that I recognized as a songwriter. I hadn’t really thought about where songs came from, but I started listening to Kristofferson as a songwriter and thinking, How do you do this? He was actually the second concert I saw. I was nine. He and the band were having such a good time, and that really solidified for me that this was what I wanted to do with my life.” Once the album was mixed, mastered, and sequenced, McMurtry recalled a rough pencil sketch he had found a few years earlier in his father’s effects. It seemed like it might make a good cover. “I knew it was of me, but I didn’t realize who drew it. I asked my mom and my stepdad, and finally I asked my stepmom, Faye, who said it looked like Ken Kesey’s work back in the ‘60s. She was married to Ken for forty years.” The Merry Prankster’s—Kesey’s roving band of hippie activists and creators—stopped by often to visit Larry McMurtry and his family. “I don’t remember their first visit, the one documented in Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. I was too young, but I do remember a couple of Ken’s visits. I guess he drew it on one of those later stops. I remembered it and thought it would be the perfect art, but I had to go back through the storage locker. It’s a miracle that I found it again.” It's a fitting image for an album that scavenges personal history for inspiration. Even the songwriter himself doesn’t always know what will happen or where the songs will take him. “You follow the words where they lead. If you can get a character, maybe you can get a story. If you can set it to a verse-chorus structure, maybe you can get a song. A song can come from anywhere, but the main inspiration is fear. Specifically, fear of irrelevance. If you don’t have songs, you don’t have a record. If you don’t have a record, you don’t have a tour. You gotta keep putting out work.” Information Source: 40 Watt | eventbrite

Two decades since debuting as the masked-and-nicknamed drummer and vocalist of Animal Collective, Noah Lennox has led so many creative lives, navigated so many different styles, and been part of so many beloved recordings, that it can be easy to overlook just how consistent his creative vision has remained. From landmarks solo albums like 2007’s Person Pitch and 2015’s Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, to breakthroughs with Animal Collective like 2004’s Sung Tongs and 2009’s Merriweather Post Pavilion, to his boundary-pushing collaborations with Daft Punk and Solange, Dean Blunt and Paramore, all of his work followed an instantly identifiable emotional throughline while influencing multiple generations and genres of artists. On Sinister Grift, Lennox’s first solo album in five years, he has returned with another statement that feels equally cumulative and unprecedented in his catalog. While his solo records have ranged from starkly intimate expressions of grief to colorful, electronic opuses, his music has never before sounded so warm and immediate. Working in his Lisbon, Portugal home studio with Animal Collective bandmate Josh “Deakin” Dibb, Lennox transforms Panda Bear into something resembling an old-school rock ensemble, playing nearly all the instruments himself and inviting kindred spirits into the process such as Cindy Lee, Spirit of the Beehive’s Rivka Ravede, and—for the first time on a Panda Bear solo album—each of his Animal Collective bandmates. --- Sinister Grift plays like a tender, unflinching gaze into the human psyche. Where Lennox’s graceful, elegant pop melodies have often been filtered through funhouse mirrors of samples, loops, and effects, here they are backed mostly by simple arrangements of electric guitars, bass, keys, and drums. And yet, Lennox can make even these traditional sounds feel newly shimmering and psychedelic, touched by strange beams of light as if we are observing them as submerged in clear water. While Sinister Grift is yet another reinvention in a career filled with them, few albums from Panda Bear have felt so instantly familiar and inviting. These qualities are partially due to Lennox’s chosen collaborators—each member of Animal Collective contributes to the record, and even Lennox’s daughter, Nadja, recites a poem in the lapping, beatific “Anywhere But Here.” Lennox also opens his circle to new collaborators such as Rivka Ravede, the vocalist of the Philadelphia electro-psych group Spirit of the Beehive, who provides uplifting harmonies in “Praise” and “Ends Meet.” Cindy Lee, aka the hypnagogic songwriter and drag performer Patrick Flegel, makes a striking appearance with a climactic, kinetic guitar solo on the closing “Defense.” Somewhere between a fight song and a guided meditation, “Defense” is a vivid encapsulation of Lennox’s current outlook—surging forward with a persistent rhythm, dazzling melodies, and a series of escalating hooks that alternate between pleas of vulnerability (“I’m in deep/I could use you by my side”) and unwavering persistence. Accompanied by Flegel’s silvery guitar playing, it radiates a sense of hard-won optimism. Even with a wider group of collaborators, Sinister Grift remains a stunning showcase for Lennox’s singular musical gifts. After honing his hook-centric pop songwriting on 2022’s Reset, a collaboration with producer and former Spacemen 3 member Sonic Boom, and reaching ecstatic new peaks with Animal Collective on 2022’s Time Skiffs and 2023’s Isn’t It Now?, he now applies a deeper focus to his solo work. Highlights like “Ends Meet” and “Just As Well” represent new ideals for Lennox’s pop songwriting: songs engineered to get you humming along before the first verse is over while still finding ways to thrill and upend your expectations. Elsewhere on the record, Lennox delivers some of his most affecting vocal performances to date—particularly on the heartbreaking ballad “Elegy for Noah Lou”—alongside some of his most intimate and unguarded lyrics. “Engine’s running/I can feel the miles,” he sings in the deceptively sunny “50mg,” a lyric whose wearied perspective—closer to classic country than the imagistic dreamworlds he has more frequently traveled—is hard to imagine arriving at any previous point in his catalog. From the dubby snare that introduces the rousing opener “Praise” to the glammy, triumphant outro of “Defense,” Sinister Grift follows a trajectory that dips from light to darkness, ultimately landing on something resembling hope. In a poem recited by Lennox’s daughter early in the record, she offers some encouragement about being true to ourselves amid the chaos of life: “Act well, love well, treat well, regardless of the return,” she recites in Portuguese. “Because what others do is not up to us.” Sinister Grift feels like a testament to the miles traveled and the miles ahead, never losing sight of the beauty of each passing moment. Information Source: 40 Watt | eventbrite

Catch Jimmy O. Yang live on his "Big & Tall Tour" in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on April 12, 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to see the talented comedian in action at 1200 Athens Avenue, CA, 95648. Get ready for a night of laughter and entertainment as Jimmy O. Yang brings his unique brand of humor to the stage. Mark your calendars and secure your tickets for an unforgettable evening filled with laughs.

Experience the ultimate R&B throwback at Summer Jam 2025 featuring performances by Boyz II Men, Next, and All-4-One. The event will take place on June 28, 2025, at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA. Don't miss this opportunity to witness iconic artists come together for a memorable night of soulful music. Join us at 1200 Athens Avenue for an unforgettable evening filled with classic hits and nostalgia.

Experience the magic of reggae music at Sol Horizon: A Tribute To Bob Marley in Lincoln. Taking place at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on July 17, 2025, this event promises to be a memorable celebration of the legendary Bob Marley's music and legacy. Join fellow music enthusiasts at 1200 Athens Avenue, CA, 95648, for a night filled with soulful rhythms and positive vibes. Don't miss this opportunity to pay homage to one of the most iconic figures in music history.

Jewel with Edwin McCain & Gina Miles is a highly anticipated concert taking place at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on September 16, 2023. This captivating event promises to be a night filled with unforgettable melodies and soul-stirring performances. Located at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648, this venue provides the perfect setting for an evening of musical enchantment. Jewel, a renowned singer-songwriter, will grace the stage alongside the talented Edwin McCain and Gina Miles. These artists will deliver a mesmerizing lineup of songs that will resonate deep within the hearts of the audience. From Jewel's soulful ballads to the heartfelt tunes of Edwin McCain and Gina Miles, every note will transport listeners to a realm of pure musical bliss. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to experience the harmonic convergence of these extraordinary talents. Tickets for Jewel with Edwin McCain & Gina Miles will be available for purchase from May 26, 2023, at 17:00 until September 17, 2023, at 00:00. It's an event that no true music lover should let slip through their fingers. Get ready to be captivated by the extraordinary talent of Jewel, Edwin McCain, and Gina Miles.

MANIA: The ABBA Tribute, a sensational concert honoring the timeless music of the legendary Swedish group ABBA, is set to take place on February 13, 2024, at the esteemed Classic Center Theatre in Athens, GA. Mark your calendars for this once-in-a-lifetime event that will transport you back to the golden era of disco and pop. With a mesmerizing lineup of ABBA's greatest hits, the evening promises to be an unforgettable journey through chart-topping classics like "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia," and "Waterloo." The Classic Center Theatre, located at 300 N Thomas St, will serve as the captivating backdrop for this sensational tribute, ensuring an immersive and enchanting experience for all attendees. From the moment the first note resonates through the air, MANIA: The ABBA Tribute will captivate your senses and transport you to a world where nostalgia meets musical brilliance. Don't miss your chance to witness this remarkable celebration of ABBA's enduring legacy. Tickets for MANIA: The ABBA Tribute will be available for purchase starting May 19, 2023, at 2:00 PM and will be on sale until February 14, 2024, at 12:30 AM. Secure your seat today and join music enthusiasts from far and wide as they come together to pay homage to one of the greatest musical phenomena of all time.

Experience an unforgettable tribute to Led Zeppelin with Zeppelin USA at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Taking place on September 19, 2024, this event promises to showcase the American spirit intertwined with the iconic music of Led Zeppelin. Join us for a night filled with classic rock hits and electrifying performances that pay homage to one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the timeless music of Led Zeppelin, brought to life by Zeppelin USA.

Catch the legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld live in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on September 27, 2024. Known for his iconic sitcom "Seinfeld" and stand-up comedy, Jerry Seinfeld promises a night of laughter and entertainment. The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, located at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648, will host this highly anticipated event. Don't miss the chance to experience the wit and humor of Jerry Seinfeld in person.

Get ready to experience the sensational performance of Khalid in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on October 5, 2024. Known for his soulful voice and captivating stage presence, Khalid is set to deliver an unforgettable evening of music at this iconic venue located at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Don't miss this opportunity to witness one of the most talented artists of our time in person. Purchase your tickets now and secure your spot at this must-see event.

Experience the ultimate Latin music extravaganza featuring Enigma Norteno, Los Rieleros Del Norte, and Roberto Tapia at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln. The event is scheduled for October 18, 2024. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to witness these iconic artists perform live at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Get ready for a night filled with unforgettable melodies and energetic performances that will surely leave you wanting more.

Experience an unforgettable evening with the To & So AWsome Live concert featuring renowned artists Alex To and William So. The event will take place on October 19, 2024, at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to witness these talented musicians live on stage at 1200 Athens Avenue. Get ready for a night filled with exceptional performances and musical delight.

Introducing the newest sensation sweeping across stages in North America - The Canadian Cowboys! Join Cowboy Mark, Cowboy Kris, and Cowboy Dan as they bring their high-energy show to Athens, Ontario at the Joshua Bates Centre for their debut show, promising laughter, sing-alongs, and dancing in the aisles. From classic country tunes to hits from the 50s and 60s, gospel songs, and beloved Canadian tracks, this show is a must-see! Get ready for a night filled with toe-tapping music and side-splitting comedy with your new pals, The Canadian Cowboys. YEEHAWW! EVENT INFORMATION: Where: Joshua Bates Centre, 1 Main Street, Athens, Ontario. Time: Doors open at 6:30pm.Show time is 7pm - 9pm. Pricing: Early Bird Special Pricing available until Wednesday, November 13th: $25. November 14th until Show Time: $30. Show Type:A toe-tapping, hand-clapping, sing-along, sit down theatre styled show. Two, 45 minute sets with a 30-minute break in the middle to meet The Canadian Cowboys at their merchandise table. Get your tickets NOW! Information Source: The Canadian Cowboys | eventbrite

Get ready to laugh the night away at "An Evening of Comedy with Ray Romano & Kumail Nanjiani" in Lincoln. This hilarious event is scheduled to take place at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on December 7, 2024. Addressed at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648, this comedy show promises to be a memorable evening filled with fun and laughter. Don't miss the chance to see these two talented comedians live on stage as they entertain the audience with their wit and humor. Mark your calendars and secure your tickets for an unforgettable night of entertainment.

Experience the magic of the holiday season with The Midtown Men - Holiday Hits in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on December 8, 2024. This talented group, formed by four stars from the original cast of Broadway's Jersey Boys, will be performing festive favorites and classic hits from the 1960s. Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and celebration at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Get into the holiday spirit with The Midtown Men and create lasting memories with friends and family at this special event.

Experience the thrill of a lifetime as you witness Aaron Kwok's Iconic World Tour 2024 live in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on December 14, 2024. Get ready to be mesmerized by the legendary performer as he takes the stage at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the greatest entertainers of our time in action. Don't miss out on this unforgettable event that is sure to leave you in awe.

Experience a night of hip-hop magic as Snoop Dogg takes the stage with DJ Quik at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln. This highly anticipated event is set to happen on December 27, 2024. Located at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648, this concert promises to be a memorable evening filled with top-tier performances in a stunning venue. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to witness two legendary artists in action.

Witness the iconic rock band, Journey, live in concert at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln. The event is scheduled for December 28, 2024. Don't miss this opportunity to experience timeless classics and new hits from this legendary group. Get ready for a night filled with electrifying performances and unforgettable music. Secure your tickets now for an evening you won't want to miss.

Bill Engvall will be performing at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln on January 11, 2025. The address for the venue is 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Don't miss this opportunity to see the renowned comedian showcase his hilarious stand-up routine at this exclusive event. Mark your calendars and get ready for a night filled with laughter and entertainment.

Don't miss Victor Trevino Jr. - The Ultimate Elvis Experience in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on January 16, 2025. Get ready to be transported back in time with this incredible tribute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Victor Trevino Jr. embodies the spirit and sound of Elvis Presley like no one else, delivering an unforgettable performance that will have you dancing in the aisles. Make sure to mark your calendar for this must-see event at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648.

Experience an unforgettable evening with the legendary David Foster and the talented Katharine McPhee at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln. The event is set to take place on January 17, 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to witness two musical icons come together for a truly intimate performance. Join us for a night filled with beautiful music and memorable moments at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648.

Experience the ultimate soul and funk extravaganza with Tower of Power & WAR alongside The Family Stone in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. Get ready for a night filled with iconic hits and electrifying performances on February 1, 2025. Don't miss this unforgettable event at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648.

Experience the magic of live music at Valentine's Super Jam '25 Live In Concert in Lincoln. This exciting event will take place at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on February 8, 2025. Come and enjoy a night filled with unforgettable performances at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Get ready to be swept off your feet by talented musicians and create lasting memories at this spectacular concert.

Experience the magic of "When Doves Cry - The Prince Tribute Show" in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. Immerse yourself in the iconic music of Prince on February 20, 2025, at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Join us for a night filled with unforgettable performances honoring the legendary artist. Don't miss this opportunity to pay homage to one of the greatest musicians of our time.

Experience the magical performance of Harry Connick, Jr. at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln on February 21, 2025. Known for his smooth vocals and timeless jazz tunes, Harry Connick, Jr. promises a night of unforgettable music in the beautiful city of Lincoln. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a legendary artist in action at 1200 Athens Avenue.

Experience a thrilling night filled with music at the Sarah Geronimo & Bamboo event in Lincoln. The show will take place at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on February 28, 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to witness two of the most talented Filipino artists perform live on stage. The venue is located at 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA, 95648. Get ready to be mesmerized by their powerful vocals and captivating performances. It's a night you won't want to miss!

Experience the ultimate tribute to The Cars with Heartbeat City: The Premier Tribute To The Cars in Lincoln at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. Join fans on March 20, 2025, at 1200 Athens Avenue, CA, 95648, for a nostalgic journey through the iconic music of The Cars. Don't miss this unforgettable event celebrating the timeless classics of one of the greatest bands in music history.

Reba McEntire will be performing at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California, on March 21, 2025. This event promises to be a memorable experience for fans of the iconic country music artist. Located at 1200 Athens Avenue, CA, 95648, the venue offers a perfect setting for an evening filled with Reba McEntire's greatest hits and powerful vocals. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a legendary performer in action at this highly anticipated concert.

Maria Bamford will be performing at the Classic Center Theatre in Athens on March 22, 2025. The venue is located at 300 N Thomas St, Athens, GA, 30601. Known for her unique comedic style and quirky humor, Maria Bamford's live performances are not to be missed. Get ready for an evening filled with laughter and entertainment as she takes the stage in Athens. Mark your calendars and secure your tickets to witness this talented comedian in action.

Experience an epic night of rock music at Danzig with Special Guest Down & More in Lincoln. The event will take place on March 22, 2025, at The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, located at 1200 Athens Avenue, CA, 95648. Get ready to rock out to iconic bands and enjoy a night filled with unforgettable performances. Don't miss this opportunity to witness these legendary acts live on stage.