THE FRONTIER CIRCUS
SUNDAY 8/4. White Water Tavern. 5 p.m. $10.
It gets dimmer with each passing year, but rock ’n’ roll used to be dangerous. Go look at tapes of young punks The Who going ape, tearing crap up. Hell, country music used to be a perilous proposition when sweat-drenched, liquored-up honky tonks needed only a George Jones no-show to erupt. Whether you wish to lament or decry those bygone days, it was a sign that the music and music-makers meant something. There isn’t a band that recalls those antiquated visceral jolts more than Central Arkansas outfit The Frontier Circus. Led by the towering, slightly unhinged and indefatigable Frontier Dan (Danny Grace), The Frontier Circus is an essential experience, playing an encyclopedic collection of rock/country/punk mash-ups with unmatched energy and comic flair underlined by oversized sombreros and Nudie suits. The occasion for the White Water show is the release of their new album, “Back in Town,” produced by Jason Weinheimer and filled with cover songs you never knew you needed. And what’s this? The return of Grace’s former band The Rockin’ Guys as well, who haven’t performed live in 15 years? We’ve declared national holidays for less. The Frontier Circus plays first. Get tickets here.