JULIE & SHELLEY BENEFIT

Liberty Lunch, Saturday 17

Hurtbox drummer and Chronicle editor Julie Weaver sits across from my desk here at the paper and tells me to fuck off all the time. Shelley Lucksinger, Hurtbox guitarist and Weaver's fiancé, has been my teammate/opponent on our volleyball court for many moons. They were both seriously injured in a car wreck on New Year's Eve, and now neither can fulfill their duties as I see them. For this reason -- and because Austin's music community is the same sort of family we are here at the Chronicle -- the cream of Austin's alternative scene, Ed Hall, Sincola, Swine King, Jesus Christ Superfly, and Tallboy cram Liberty Lunch on a Saturday night. Thank you, Austin.

POSSUM DIXON

Electric Lounge, Friday 16

To call Possum Dixon an alternative act is to miss the point altogether. Their second album, Star Maps, is first and foremost a great pop album that's embroidered with zig-zaggedly caffeinated riffs that evoke Sixties garage rock, as well as a harder New Wave punk. Infusing it all with some lounge latitude, and perhaps some stand-up bass, this foursome is alternative mainy because they're a unique musical commodity fast on the rise, and one that should put on a great show. Lifter and Cling open.

ROADHOUSE REVIVAL

Continental Club, Friday 16

If you dropped a bomb on the Continental tonight (Thursday 15) or Friday, you'd not only wipe out Dave Alvin, Dale Watson, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, Buddy Miller, and the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, you'd also obliterate almost the entire roster of Hightone Records, which kicks off its "Roadhouse Revival" tour with these two shows. That means three-hours-plus both nights with the cream of what Gavin calls "Americana" music.

BILL WATROUS

Elephant Room, Friday 16

As a jazz instrument, the trombone is under-utilized and underrated. Few artists take advantage of its singular ability to swoop and slip and splash around in the golden undertones of the musical scales, and few fans appreciate just how boozy and ripe a sound it supplies. That'll change this week as L.A.'s Bill Watrous hits town with a couple of decades experience. Friday, he'll teach everybody: The slide rules! -- Robert Faires

SNOOKY PRYOR, LAZY LESTER

Antone's, Friday 16 & Saturday 17

It's really gonna blow at Antone's for this show, as harmonica masters Snooky Pryor and Lazy Lester double-bill for an evening of incendiary blues. Pryor's Chicago edge gets honed by Lester's Louisiana muscle for the ultimate harp-and-soul combination. -- Margaret Moser

TOO SLIM & THE HIGHTAILORS/SUBLIME

White Rabbit, Saturday 17/Sunday 18

Two different enchiladas on consecutive nights at the same club. Saturday, Spokane's answer to the Tailgators slop up the White Rabbit with their dirty, swampy, rockabilly blues, while Sunday finds SoCal's Sublime doing Beck one better, scratching their funky rocking hip-hop with dub and ska -- a weird, loopy amalgamation that's just gotten the trio signed to MCA.

LOS PINKYS

Jovitas, Sunday 18

Bradley Jaye Williams is looking forward to getting out on the road soon, and he's especially licking his chops over his Los Pinkys' invite to play San Antonio's Conjunto Fest in May. All this thanks to the band's second Rounder release, the festively, conjunto-challenged Esta Pasion, which has three separate release fiestas this weekend: the throw-down begins Friday 16 at Jovita's, resumes the next afternoon at the band's MusicMania in-store, and tops off with a late-day return to Jovita's on Sunday.

NASHVILLE NIGHT

Hole in the Wall, Monday 19

First, the Rock & Roll Free-for-All, and now this; "Unplug This" Mondays. The folks at the Hole must want it quiet after Paul Minor wrecks the place on Sundays. Acoustics are the name of the game for this weekly series, whose theme this week is Nashville, and features a trio of well-versed songwriting acts with Kevin Caroll, Beaver Nelson, and Troy & Scrappy.

AC/DC VS. MINNEAPOLIS HOOT NIGHT

Electric Lounge, Tuesday 20

Minneapolis we already know about -- the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, Prince, etc., etc. AC/DC though, there's the secret. More musicians from more walks of music attended AC/DC at the Erwin Center than I could list here, though we will mention a certain frontman for Buick MacKane who was there, and will be here with his band, along with Gomez, Fastball, Orange Mothers, Javelin Boot, and Superego.

KINKY'S NIGHT OUT

Steamboat, Thursday 22

Who better to be Master of Ceremonies than the renaissance man himself (author, songwriter, stogie-sucker) Kinky Friedman, who serves up a trio of acts. Billy White Trio opens with an acoustic set, Killer Bees follow with ragga riddems, and Chris Duarte tops the bill. Kinky should guest with all.

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD

Hang 'em High, Thursday 22

Wanted: Country outlaws to play Hang 'em High's Thursday night series. Found: Redneck mother Ray Wylie Hubbard. Rewards: All yours. ALSO PLAYING

Friday: Anders Osborne, White Rabbit

Saturday: Delbert McClinton, Lumberyard

Sunday: Hip-Hop Night, Voodoo Lounge

Monday: Headhunters, Emo's

Tuesday: Forrest Jourdan Band, Headliners

Wednesday: Rubber Bullet, Flamingo Cantina

Thursday: Dale Watson, Broken Spoke