Loudon Wainwright III is an artistic chameleon whose facility with the creative spectrum nods to his folky, yoga-soaked background. A prolific musician who’s often misidentified as a jokester and character actor, Wainwright’s career goes deep into the past three decades with brutally honest songwriting and incisive lyricism. He plays the Colfax Events Center tonight. $27.
Marnie Stern’s guitar histrionics have been likened to Yngwie Malmstein, Sleater-Kinney and nearly everything in between. And though she’s heavy on the flashy finger-tapping and light on the songwriting, it’s nonetheless refreshing to hear such skilled, adventurous art-prog coming from a woman. She plays the Larimer Lounge tonight with Gang Gang Dance, Pictureplane and Slight Harp. $10.
k.d. lang has always been an artist who critics love to dissect and fans love to second-guess. But the Canadian-born Grammy-winner’s effortless movement through country, pop standards and other genres in pursuit of the perfect song defines her more than any set of pithy tags. Catch her Saturday at the Buell Theatre with Dustin O’Halloran. $40.50-$70.50.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
