If the '50s had been a more enlightened and progressive period in music history, Wanda Jackson's name would be accorded the same reverence as Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. But because the music industry adhered to the misguided notion that no one would accept a Rockabilly girl playing as hard, loud and fast as the boys, Jackson doesn't enjoy the same vaunted position as her storied male contemporaries.  

There's quite a bit of anticipation about Scottish Indie Rock band Frightened Rabbit's first-ever Cincinnati-area concert Thursday. Since their first U.S. tour in 2007 — and especially since the recent release of their third studio album, 'The Winter of Mixed Drinks' — the five-piece band has been earning lots of mentions as the next U2.  

The Southgate House's "Artist in Residence" series (featuring a local band performing a free show each Wednesday of the month in Juney's Lounge) spotlights ukulele-lovin' Roots/Folk/Pop duo Shiny and the Spoon for the month of May. Amber Nash and Jordan Neff will team with a different artist each Wednesday, starting with Mike Oberst of The Tillers this week.  

Harlem answers the unasked question of what Vampire Weekend would sound like if they'd been obsessed with '60s Brit Garage Pop, Buddy Holly and The Modern Lovers instead of a preppy vision of Pavement. Despite their name, Harlem hails from the music Mecca of Austin, Tex., where their early singles and full-length debut 'Free Drugs' attracted the attention of Matador Records, which has just released the trio's sophomore album, 'Hippies,' to fairly consistent acclaim.  

You have to give emotionally mature props to Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss. The once-married couple has been playing together in some form for the past two decades, divorcing after forming Quasi but going on to release a handful of albums, including the brilliant new 'American Gong.'  

The singer/songwriter's newest album, 'True Devotion,' is a semi-autobiographical Folk-centered collection, one that basically says, "Hi, I'm Rocky, and this is a snapshot of my life during a three-year hiatus." The new record offers a poet wielding an acoustic guitar, his warm storytelling lifted by an innocuous trifecta of drums, keys and strings.  

When Hot Club of Cowtown coalesced as a trio in 1996, fiddler/vocalist Elana James and guitarist/vocalist/avid 78 collector Whit Smith had already worked together in two other big Swing bands doing '20s/'30s Hot Jazz, Western Swing and Tin Pan Alley classics. After breaking up to pursue solo careers, they reformed HCOC in 2006 and continue to display a broad range of tastes.  

We might not have a Bonnaroo or a Lollapalooza, but Cincinnati is pretty rich when it comes to music festivals. Especially if you're a fan of local music. One of these great opportunities for exploration is the Cincypunk Fest, which celebrates its ninth anniversary Friday and Saturday on the many stages of the Southgate House.  

This year's fest again keeps the quality bar high, with nearly 40 bands performing, ranging from established crowd favorites to the latest up-and-comers. Saturday headliners include The Lions Rampant, The Pinstripes, Alone at 3AM, The Guitars, Slow Claw, Loudmouth, Two Inch Winky and De Los Muertos.  

Don't be fooled by the festival's name. Punk plays a part, but the genre boundaries are pretty loose, with bands playing everything from Folk and Ska to Indie Rock and Hip Hop. Friday headliners include The Seedy Seeds, The Harlequins, State Song, Small Time Crooks, Duppy a Jamba, Hazle Weatherfield and This American Life.