Shotgun Party puts on a truly American music show. They swing early jazz right on into dance hall country, with rapturous results.

  The majority of their songs are original, with melodies and lyrics that share stories -- urban, bucolic, lively, and lonesome.

  Christopher Crepps (formerly of the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, and Thelonious Monk disciple) keeps it real, hot and low on the upright bass; Katy Rose Cox (formerly of Uncle F*cker, Brooklyn Brown Grass, & the Maybelles) roars delightful on the fiddle; and Jenny Parrott sings and plays guitar as one who grew up seaside -- from all three coasts (New England, California and Texas), This trio scours through and plays with all the rhythms, modes and melodies this land has to offer, with a twinge of bizarreness that accommodates any wide-open journey.

  Shotgun Party will be appearing at the Pied Piper Cathouse Lounge on Monday, Feb. 25.

-- Don Lee

Damn!

* It was such a good story -- ruined by reality. We glibly giggled after Public Works painted potholes with white paint that disappeared with the first rain. "Yuk! Yuk!"

  Public Works knew exactly what it was doing. Of course it was "traffic paint" that disappears. Who wants to look at tax-funded graffiti forever?

  What didn't vanish was Interim Public Works Director Steve Gordon's attention to the details of the job at hand.

  He returned after the rain, calculated the cubic-yardage of required fill and plotted each pothole and crack.

  As he wrote me, "Spend a little less time looking out the window and a little more time getting your facts straight."

  Good advice for any trigger-happy critic of Public Works. If Mr. Gordon can level root-wad distended, tectonic distortions in Eureka's streets with the same smooth grace he responds to undeserved calumny -- he can make life a lot smoother for those who live, and visit, Eureka Springs.

-- Vernon

Thursday, Feb. 21 H

* Jack's Place: Karaoke

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Free Pool & 9-Ball

* Michael's Center St. Pub & Grill: Ladies Night and Dart Throwers Gathering, 7 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver: Ladies Night hosted by Mary Bo

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Ladies Night

Friday, Feb. 22 H

* Chelsea's: Mountain Sprout

* Grand Central Hotel Grand Taverne: Arkansas Red, (Jazz Guitar) 6-9 p.m.

* Henri's: Karaoke

* Jack's Place: Karaoke

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Boot Scootin' Country Music

* New Delhi Cafe: Zack Bramhall & Rachel Fields, 6:30 p.m.

* Pied Piper Cathouse Lounge: John de la Hoya, (Eclectic Guitar), 8 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver: Jerry Runnersmith, 7 p.m.

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Karaoke with The Big Dawg

Saturday, Feb. 23 H

* Chelsea's: Unexpected Excitement

* Henri's: Karaoke

* Jack's Place: Karaoke

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Anything Can Happen

* New Delhi Cafe: Zack Bramhall & Rachel Fields, 6:30 p.m.

* Pied Piper Cathouse Lounge: John de la Hoya, (Eclectic Guitar), 8 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver: Pope County Bootleggers, 7 p.m.

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Karaoke with The Big Dawg

Sunday, Feb. 24 H

* Chelsea's: Johny Drama Project, 6 p.m.

* Crescent Hotel Crystal Dining Room: Brunch with Catherine Reed, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 25 H

* Chelsea's: Ladies Night

* Crescent Hotel Crystal Dining Room: Locals' Night with the Crescent Trio, Swing & Jazz Dance Music), 5:30 p.m.

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Men's Night

* Pied Piper Cathouse Lounge: Shotgun Party, (Pickin' & Grimacing -- 1930's Wacked-Out Jazz Country Music)

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Free Pool Night, 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 26 H

* Chelsea's: Open Mic

* HI Elks Lodge: Charitable Bingo, 6:30 p.m.

* Shawbee's Big Dawg Saloon: Guys Night Out

Wednesday, Feb. 27 H

* Lumberyard Bar & Grill: Game Night with Guitar Hero

* New Delhi Cafe: Open Jam, 6:30 p.m.

* Rowdy Beaver: Service Employees' Night