Joe Pug
Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub, $10, 7:30 p.m.
Joe Pug is the good kind of cranky: Highly skeptical of the music-industry status quo (and not afraid to say so), the singer-songwriter has based his career largely on direct interaction with fans and faith in word-of-mouth publicity. In the past, he distributed free CDs to anyone who wanted one (covering postage, even) and attempted to eliminate additional ticket fees by selling directly to attendees. His coarse-grain vocals inevitably draw comparisons to Bob Dylan, and fans of Whiskeytown-era Ryan Adams and local favorite Jackie Greene will also find much to like. 2708 J Street, www.joepugmusic.com.
