Mommy and Daddy

Mommy and Daddy

Vivian Sarratt and Edmond Hallas (aka Mommy and Daddy) craft songs that are as raw and loud as the grimiest punk and as fun and fresh as the poppiest beat-driven rock. The married duo – who first met each other in a college philosophy class – has played with the likes of Hot Hot Heat, TV on the Radio, Erase Errata and Bloc Party, and recently released its first full-length, “Duel at Dawn.” Mommy and Daddy join Chicago’s Bang Bang at 10 p.m. today at The Jackpot Saloon, 943 Mass.

Slick Rhodes

He dresses in red and white. He has a full beard. He only shows up around Christmas time. And his very existence is shrouded in mystery. No, he’s not Santa, he’s Slick Rhodes, the enigmatic singer/pianist who may or may not be Arthur Dodge. His annual “Holiday Parade of Hits” promises Christmas favorites on request, with live piano accompaniment. Slick Rhodes performs at 10 p.m. Monday at Eighth Street Tap Room, 801 N.H.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

After first gaining mainstream popularity with a breakthrough performance in “Swingers,” Big Bad Voodoo Daddy now carries on the tradition of legendary big bands and orchestras by touring non-stop each year around the world. The group is not only known for its horn-driven music, but its commitment to the swing-era lifestyle – a combination of zoot suit and fedora styling, rat packin’ lingo and gentlemanly demeanor. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performs at 8 p.m. today at The Voodoo Lounge, Harrah’s North Kansas City, One Riverboat Drive, Kansas City, Mo.

Wetlands words and images

Wetlands words and images

Author and naturalist Terry Tempest Williams visited Lawrence in the spring of 2003 and spent some time at the Haskell-Baker Wetlands. While reveling in the diverse flora and fauna, she suggested to the Committee on Imagination & Place that it create a book of writing and images, illuminating the wetlands. This month, the committee realizes that dream with the publication of “The Wakarusa Wetlands in Word and Image” ($22). The volume includes essays, poems, photographs, paintings and prints by 29 national and local writers and 13 artists. A book release and signing party begins at 7 p.m. today at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

Holiday Renaissance Recital

Soprano Dee Hansen and lutenist Eric Hansen will take listeners back to the court of Elizabeth I of England with a Renaissance Recital featuring songs with lute accompaniment from the early 17th century. Included will be early versions of Christmas music still performed today. Dee Hansen has sung with the Kansas City Choral Arts Ensemble and is associate professor of music education at Baker University. Eric Hansen, who was a professional bassist and lutenist for more than 15 years, is a member of the Lute Society of America. The free recital begins at 7 p.m. today at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt.

'The Kansas Landscape'

‘The Kansas Landscape’

Although there’s no weekend event associated with this book, it’s worth mentioning as a possible last-minute gift idea for those seeking a locally produced item. “The Kansas Landscape” collects images snapped by area photographers Edward C. Robison III and Mark Feiden. Retailing for less than $10, the book includes 42 images representing the diverse Kansas landscape. The Konza Press publication is available at bookstores and gift shops throughout the state, including The Raven Bookstore, 6 E. Seventh St., in Lawrence.