IF you know “Uncle John’s Band” isn’t some relative’s act, this sweet-as-a-sugar-magnolia event is for you.
Tomorrow and Sunday, an array of artists will bring two 1970 albums by the Grateful Dead to life at the World Financial Center Winter Garden (220 Vesey St.; worldfinancialcenter.com) as part of a free event, the American Beauty Project.
Musicians will put their own spin to “Workingman’s Dead” tomorrow and “American Beauty,” on Sunday.
Performers include Ollabelle, the Holmes Brothers, the Klezmatics, Jim Lauderdale, Jay Farrar, Toshi Reagan, Mark Eitzel, Dar WilLiams and Dan Zanes.
Besides these shows, American Music Club’s Eitzel performs at Park Slope’s Union Hall (702 Union St., Brooklyn; [718] 638-4400) tonight.
Williams performs at Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette St.; [212] 967-7555) tomorrow, and the gospel-tinged, harmonious Holmes Brothers perform at there on Monday, sharing the bill with Big Easy ambassador Allen Toussaint.
TONIGHT: Luna Lounge, the comic- and band-breaking club formerly on Ludlow Street, opens its doors tonight in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (361 Metropolitan Ave.; lunalounge.com).
It will be open weekends through early February with a full sked kicking in this spring.
The Comas and Falcon christen the venue tonight and Orange Park, the Picture and Motel Creeps play tomorrow.
Also tonight, the second annual JezebelMusic.com Benefit Show for Common Ground, to help New York City’s homeless, will be held at Northsix (66 N. Sixth St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; [718] 599-5103) in one of the club’s final shows before it’s converted to be part of the “Bowery Presents” conglomerate. (It’s a welcome conglomerate.)
The concert features local underground acts such as Lowry, Black Bunny, the Black Spoons, Proton Proton and Sexy Champions.
SUNDAY: The Maker Relief Foundation benefit features one of Brooklyn’s finest – the Crooners, a harmonizing roots-rock act with accents of Brit pop and ’60s sounds, and tuneful guitars.
Other roots-minded acts in this urban hoedown include the Potstickers, Megan Reilly, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and others. It’s at Housing Works Bookstore Café (126 Crosby St.; [212] 334 3324)
MONDAY: Mekon and Waco Brother Jon Langford takes his multi-media show, “Executioner’s Last Songs” to Irving Plaza, (17 Irving Place; [212] 777-6800).
With a band of luminaries, Langford (jonlangford.de) reveals his colorful career path through words, visuals and music.
TUESDAY: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Kimya Dawson and others will sing to raise cash for the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls at the Bowery Ballroom (6 Delancey St.; [212] 533-2111).
The benefit, hosted by Murray Hill, also includes an auction, which will feature, among other things, Beastie Boys action figures signed by the band.
THURSDAY: Favourite Sons has an Echo and the Bunnymen sound about them – but it can be even more anguished at times. Witness the woe-is-I lyrics, “love doesn’t need me or want me around” from “Walking Here,” a tune from the latest disc.
Led by Ken Griffin, ex of ’90s art rockers Rollerskate Skinny, the band performs its songs of love, regret and fear at Joe’s Pub with Brooklyn rockers Shorebirds.