The crunchy, poppy garage rock of The Googins — which combines the power-chord bash of The Who with the sing-a-long stomp of the Ramones and the Sex Pistols — might be one of the best-kept secrets of Eugene’s music scene, but nobody likes secrets, so you can catch The Googins at Old Nick’s 9 pm Friday, March 18, when they play with Fools Rush, Cuntagious and Rum Rebellion; $5-$10 sliding scale.
It’s almost impossible for folks of a certain age — i.e., kinda old — not to be transported to a certain time and place — i.e., the decade of shake weed and shag carpets — when they hear the dreamy, mellifluous guitar of “Baby, I Love Your Way,” one of a slew of indelible hits on Peter Frampton’s gazillion-selling 1976 double album Frampton Comes Alive. If you’re wondering how the 65-year-old guitar impresario with the funky wah-wah is feeling these days, check out his acoustic set 7 pm Sunday, March 21, at The Shedd ($45-$125) for an expensive taste of Carter-era, Dazed & Confused nostalgia.
Texas all-stars: The Shedd also presents that floppy-haired Texas twang bandit Lyle Lovett, joined by fellow Texan singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen, 7:30 pm Wednesday, March 23, at the Hult Center; $28.25-$65.
Over at the scrappy little all-ages venue that could, The Boreal hosts Oakland’s wife-and-husband “avant-garde metal” duo La Fin Absolute Du Monde (the name was inspired by John Carpenter’s “Cigarette Burns” Masters of Horror episode), along with bands Pinnacles, Paleons and Purple Frankie, 7 to 10 pm Sunday, March 20, at 450 W. 3rd Ave.
Local folk singer-songwriter Caitlin Jemma goes solo (sans band The Goodness) for a show headlined by John Craigie, who has been compared to Woody Guthrie, 9 pm Wednesday, March 23, at Sam Bond’s Garage; $7 presale, $10 door. The Portland musician has described himself as the love child of John Prine and Mitch Hedberg — we’re listening.
Mark your calendars for March 30 when booker Mike Meyer welcomes back “longtime Eugene folk-harmony duo” Carleen and Mike McCornack for a 755 River Road concert; contact mmeyer@efn.org for details.
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing: Local swing kings The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, fresh off the band’s 2016 release The Boop-A-Doo, just released a new music video for “That Lindy Hop,” featuring local swing dancers from Track Town Swing Club. Nick Davis, the founder of the swing club, says bandleader Steve Perry reached out after Davis and fellow swing kid Nika Jin were featured on the cover of EW’s annual dance issue The Spin. “I listened to their CDs well before I was even into dancing,” Davis tells EW. “I used to go to their shows regularly, so to get an email from him was quite thrilling.” To read the full story and watch the music video, visit bit.ly/1Rl0bx8.