It would mark their third and fourth performance in Greensboro during the last sixth months, with several more dates within a mere stone's throw, but Toubab Krewe still managed to draw hefty crowds over backto-back evenings at the Blind Tiger this past Friday and Saturday.

The oppressive heat inside the Blind Tiger didn't discourage a packed house to show up for a good cause Friday night, as the standing room-only crowd left many potential concert goers waiting outside.

Purists view the game of baseball much in the same way that acclaimed mandolin player Sam Bush approaches bluegrass. It's a game that moves at an unencumbered pace, beholden to no clock, and is prone to moments of pure, unadulterated bliss. Not to mention that, like a healthy dose of fine string music, summertime just wouldn't be the same without it.

Few artists are as indefinable as Elvis Costello and after more than 30 years of near-perpetual reinvention, it should come as no surprise that the man has sought to re-sow some of his own fallowed musical soil.

While the list of dissimilarities between Country Music Television's general audience and the alternatively-minded jam band faithful could go on for miles, barely a handful of acts can claim a dutiful following from both segments.

Theres something special about the Carolinas, at least thats what Little Steven Van Zandt believes. The actor, radio host and longtime guitarist for Bruce Springsteens E Street Band lent more than a little credence to one fans Steensboro proclamation-by-sign from the bands May 2 performance at the Greensboro Coliseum.

If its true that behind every great musician is an even greater story, Will Dawson has enough material to resuscitate the Behind The Music franchise by himself.

It's been more than ten years since Andy Cabic left the Triad for the richer musical scenery of San Francisco, but that doesn't mean that the former frontman and guitarist for the influential Greensboro while bass player Daniel Hindman and keyboardist Sarah Versprille joined the band just a few months ago.

For a group of musicians who got their start playing open mic nights at local bars for kicks under names like Take A Penny, Leave A Penny and Dr. Huxtable the Christmas Sweaters, Watership Down! (www.myspace.com/ watershipdownnc) certainly has not hesitated in taking steps toward validity.

In case you couldnt already gather it from the name of his band the Old Ceremony (www. theoldceremony.com), Django Haskins loves the music of Leonard Cohen. Being a songwriter, he says its hard not to fawn over him. Theres never a syllable that seems forced or out of place and everything just flows like water without ever sacrificing vital elements to make that happen.