The Music Box: Be sure to catch Mike Doughty at Artscape 2008 | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Artscape always offers an incredible array of live concerts on four outdoor stages and the musical performers this year include Dru Hill, Rusted Root, SOJA reggae, Big Daddy Stallings, Caleb Stine & the Brakemen, The Wailers, Felicia Carter, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Back Door Slam, Mike Doughty and a unique DJ Culture Stage.

My pick of the Artscape 2008 festival is former Soul Coughing band leader Mike Doughty. His new album "Golden Delicious" features the song "Fort Hood."

Catch Mike Doughty at 7 p.m. tonight on the Saturn Stage at Artscape. The festival continues until 10 p.m. tonight and from noon to 8 p.m. tomorrow. Look for the festivities to blanket the Mt. Royal Avenue and Cathedral Street area of midtown Baltimore and nearby Charles Street.

Rams Head On Stage

Shows this week at Rams Head On Stage include urban soul singer Oleta Adams (two shows tonight at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.), smooth jazz icon Jeff Lorber (two shows tomorrow night at 6 and 9 p.m.), and Dave Mason on Monday night with David Jacobs-Strain opening (8 p.m.).

While working as the road manager for the Spencer Davis Group, Mr. Mason originally met Steve Winwood and went on to form the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Traffic. At 19, he wrote the song "Feelin' Alright," a rock 'n' roll anthem that has since been recorded by well over 48 artists. After only two albums, Mr. Mason set out on a solo career highlighted by the album masterpiece "Alone Together" (originally released on rainbow vinyl), the Top 10 single "We Just Disagree" and his definitive live version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" (from the album Certified Live). Dave Mason shows at Rams Head are always spectacular.

On Tuesday night look for Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush at Rams Head On Stage (8 p.m.). Canadian power trio Mahogany Rush, fronted by guitarist Frank Marino, was one of the first bands of the provinces to be embraced by American album-oriented rock radio, blazing a trail for later Canadian stalwarts such as Rush and Triumph.

Inspired by dreams of Jimi Hendrix, overnight Frank Marino turned from playing drums to the guitar.

Mahogany Rush never achieved international recognition, but for a legion of fans they are a direct connection to the colorful music of those psychedelic days.

Wednesday night at Rams Head it's folksinger Ian Tyson (7:30 p.m.). Mr. Tyson, half of sixties duo Ian & Sylvia, is a Canadian rancher these days. He still heads out to play his down-home Canadian style roots music from time to time. Ian Tyson is more nor'easter than a mere four strong winds. This could be the best show of the week for lovers of great songs.

And Thursday night at Rams Head On Stage a great Nashville songwriter and a great singer, Radney Foster, returns to Rams Head On Stage (8 p.m.; rescheduled from May 19 - original tickets still honored for this performance).

Originally from Texas, Mr. Foster celebrates the release of his latest solo album, "This World We Live In," combining a gift for literate songwriting and real world experience to back it up. Not that a songwriter has to "be" the character in his songs. Artistic license allows the great songwriters to develop amazing characters from imagination, and Radney Foster takes full advantage of that opportunity.

Radney Foster's songs have been recorded by country stars such as Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Brooks and Dunn and Sara Evans

Coffee East

Jenny Owen Youngs is an upcoming songwriter from Montclair, NJ. According to Coffee East, "Jenny is a feisty, hyper-sensitive, disease-free singer-songwriter-former Girl Scout who wants to be your friend. She claims influences from Beck to Jesus Christ Superstar to Britney Spears. Her music is an echo of Erin Mckeown hopping into Jeff Buckley's Pontiac, cruising the backwoods of Alabama's red dirt roads and singing along to The Sundays and Nick Drake." Jenny Owen Youngs performs tonight at Coffee East (8 p.m.). Other shows this week at Coffee East include the John Eddie Band tomorrow (8 p.m.) and the bluegrass of The Farewell Drifters on Wednesday (8 p.m.). Singer-songwriters Luke Brindley and Tim Easton form an enticing roots-rock double-bill on Thursday night at Coffee East (8 p.m.).

Wolf Trap

Tuesday night (8 p.m.) catch Mark Knopfler with his amazing solo band. As you know, Mark Knopfler is the founder of the band Dire Straits (1977-1995). He's always been an in-demand guitarist with a unique sound and playing style.

Wednesday night (8 p.m.) look for Lalah Hathaway, the oldest daughter of the great soul singer Donny Hathaway. Lalah Hathaway caught the notice of critics and audiences alike with a duo release that also featured former Jazz Crusader Joe Sample.

"Long before Lalah was my friend, I was her fan," declares Mr. Sample. "The current that tore through me, the first time I heard her sing, has revisited every time I've since had the good fortune to hear her."

9:30 Club

At the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., this week its funkmeister George Clinton in Parliament Funkadelic on Friday night. George Clinton is one of the driving forces in the history of funk music. His grandiose stage shows with the unforgettable Parliament and Funkadelic bands revolutionized the funk music scene in the 1970s placing four No. 1 hits on the charts, including "Flashlight," "One Nation Under a Groove," "Aqua Boogie" and "(Not Just) Knee Deep."

English duo Katie White and Jules De Martino emerged from the Manchester art underground playing an ultra cool style of bass, drum and electronic music popular at parties. They named the new dish Ting Ting after a Chinese co-worker friend of Katie's. It's a Mandarin term for "band stand."

"I thought it was lovely," says Katie. "It can also refer to the sound of innovation or an open mind. Like the 'ting' you hear when you get an idea."

They got the iTunes commercial that is so big for a select few lucky bands and the world took note. Their debut album is called "We Started Nothing." The Ting Tings perform on Tuesday night (7 p.m. doors).

Finally this week you can enjoy music from the Haitian band Kassav Thursday night (8 p.m.). The music of Kassav is a worldly island brew of traditional Zouk with other Caribbean flavors such as salsa, kompa and calypso. The band has been exciting dancers around the globe since 1979.

Rams Head Live!

In Baltimore, Rams Head Live! is rockin' this weekend with the Mickey Hart Band featuring Steve Kimock on guitar and Funky Meter George Porter Jr. on bass tomorrow night (7 p.m. doors). Rounding out Mickey's band is Jen Durkin on vocals, Nigerian talking drum master Sikiru Adepoju (Global Drum Project, Ebenezer Obey), plus Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident.

On Monday night Rams Head Live! bubbles over with five bands including Cavalera Conspiracy, Dillinger Escape Plan, Throwdown and Bury Your Dead (6 p.m. doors), and for Wednesday's show it's "The Sound of Madness" with Shinedown with Theory of a Deadman and Black Stone Cherry (6:30 p.m. doors). All of these performances are "all ages welcome shows."

Elsewhere

Other shows this week include Shooter Jennings (Waylon's son) at the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach tomorrow (8 p.m.). Rush performs at Nissan Pavilion tonight (7:30 p.m.).

At the Pier Six Concert Pavilion in Baltimore check out the Volunteer Jam 2008 featuring the Charlie Daniels Band, 38 Special and Shooter Jennings take the Pier Six stage tonight (5:30 p.m.). Charlie's hits include "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," "Uneasy Rider" and "The South's Gonna Do It." (Note: The Cinderella concert scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled due the lead singer's throat ailment. All ticket buyers will be notified and offered a refund).

Coming up

Look for the best seats to see the Indigo Girls at the Pier Six Concert Pavilion on Sept. 17. And the Avalon Theatre in Easton recently announced its fall season. Tickets now available for shows at the Avalon include: Pete Seeger with Guy Davis and Tao Seeger-Rodriguez (Pete's son) on Aug. 9 (3 p.m.); Steve Earle with Allison Moorer (sister of Shelby Lynne) on Sept. 10 (8 p.m.); Sonny Landreth on Sept. 12 (8 p.m.); and the list goes on with performers such as Judy Collins, Tuck & Patti, Maria Muldaur, Derek Trucks and Martin Sexton. Get 'em while their hot!

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Michael Buckley is writer, producer and host of the Sunday Brunch each week from 7-10 a.m. on 103.1 WRNR-FM. You can reach Michael at voicesofthebay@aol.com