If there's one thing I dislike about late July, it's that it's a bit of a hot, sweaty blank spot on the calendar.
The Fourth of July is behind us, summer has lost some of its novelty and is becoming a hot, humid drag. Pretty much the only holiday to look forward to, Labor Day, is still six weeks out.
So, if you're sharing my sense of listlessness, let me fill you in on some recent announcements and recommend a few shows in the coming weeks to help stave off summertime ennui.
• On Sunday, July 21, The Honest Pint will host the third annual Pints for Autism benefit. If the good feeling from supporting the Chattanooga Autism Center isn't enough incentive to pry $5 from your pocket, maybe you'll be won over by the prospect of hearing eight bands, including Ashley & The Xs and a songwriters-in-the-round featuring Amber Fults, Ryan Oyer and Jordan Hallquist. The charitable fun starts at 7 p.m.
• On Saturday, July 27, Rhythm & Brews will put on a slightly premature birthday celebration of Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia, who would have been 71 on Aug. 1 had he not passed away in 1995. To honor Garcia, Rhythm & Brews will feature a performance by Cosmic Charlie, a Grateful Dead tribute act whose website promises they'll remain on point and capture the Dead's moments of synchronicity, during which the actual band was at its best, rather than the off-point meandering that so often plagues jam bands. A ticket to ride on that space truck will cost $10.
• Looking ahead to Tuesday, Sept. 3, Irish tenor banjo guru Enda Scahill, formerly of the stellar Brock McGuire Band, will return to Barking Legs at the head of We Banjo 3. He'll be joined by brother Fergal Scahill, a killer fiddler, and fellow banjo players (and brothers) Martin Howley and David Howley. The band is a relatively new configuration that presents top-notch Appalachian and bluegrass music through the prism of Irish interpretation. Tickets are $17 now or $20 at the door.
• Even further down the road, Track 29 announced last week that it would once again host Nashville's linen-wrapped masters of funk Here Come the Mummies on Sept. 6. Tickets are available now for $20. Considering that the band's New Year's Eve show was a sellout -- on a Monday, no less -- and that this next gig is on a Friday, you would be well advised to break with Chattanooga tradition and purchase these suckers in advance.
Now isn't it nice to have something to look forward to again?
Contact staff writer Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205. Follow him on Twitter at @PhillipsCTFP.