Winter live music guide of 30 Lexington concerts: Country, bluegrass, jazz, classical

Isn’t everything supposed to slow down during the Dead of Winter?

The holiday buzz is over, the nights drag on in extended darkness and a sense of — and perhaps need for — hibernation begins to close in. But cheer instead of chill these next three months. We’ve picked out 30 concert events, all taking place here in Lexington, to heat up the winter.

Led by a plentiful and diverse lineup at the Singletary Center for the Arts (which accounts for one-third of these selections), the winter months have Lexington playing host to jazz, country, chamber and orchestral music, classic rock and myriad mutations of bluegrass.

So have your calendar and ice scraper at hand. You’ve got places to be and sounds to soak in this winter.

Tarta Relena

Jan. 18. at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 405 Rose St. $12 students, $29 public. Co-presentation with GreenRoom Exchange. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

Barcelona-born duo Marta Torrella and Helena Ros explore original and traditional a cappella singing from the Mediterranean colored only by handclaps and minimal electronics.

Lexington Philharmonic – “Twist and Shout: The Music of The Beatles, A Symphonic Experience”

Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall, 405 Rose St. $11 youth/students, $28-$78 public. lexphil.org.

LexPhil goes Pops with a program centered on music fashioned during the early years of The Beatles.

Joshua Redman Quartet

Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Free for UK students, $12 students, $45 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

Vanguard saxophonist, bandleader, collaborator and composer Joshua Redman is one of the leading jazz voices of his generation.

East Nash Grass/Darrin Hacquard

Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. $17. theburlky.com/shows.

New generation bluegrass troupe East Nash Grass was the 2024 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) New Artist of the Year.

Zach Brock and the Lexington Chamber Orchestra

Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short. $15.75 student, $44.75-$81.70 public. ticketmaster.com.

Grammy-winning violinist and Lexington native Zack Brock plays his highest profile concert since relocating back home — the world premiere work of his new composition for violin and orchestra.

Mary Lattimore/Yasmin Williams

Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Free for UK students, $12 students, $28 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

Continuing a packed Singletary Center winter line-up will be the multigenre duo of harpist Mary Lattimore and fingerstyle guitarist Yasmin Williams.

Parker McCollum

Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Rupp Arena, 430 W. Vine. $39.20-$222.45. ticketmaster.com.

Texas country stylist McCollum, known for the hits “Burn It Down” and “What Kinda Man,” returns for his second headlining concert at Rupp. The first was in 2023.

Shenandoah/Alex Miller

Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short. $69.55-$93.85. ticketmaster.com.

Veteran bluegrass/gospel leaning country troupe Shenandoah soldier on with mainstay vocalist Marty Raybon and founding drummer Mike McGuire still on board.

UK Symphony Orchestra – “Violins of Hope”

Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Free for UK students, $10 students, $20 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

Conductor John Nardolillo and the UK Symphony cap a week of events centered around restored Holocaust-era instruments with a program featuring John Williams’ theme from “Schindler’s List” and Mahler’s “Symphony No. 4.”

Amelia Day

Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. $18. theburlky.com/shows.

Folk-rooted but genre-jumping Amelia Day offers a raw, revealing and immensely arresting variation on the traditional singer-songwriter persona.

Lexington Philharmonic – “Jubilee and Joy: Green and Beethoven”

Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. $11 youth/students, $28-$78 public. lexphil.org.

LexPhil serves up a program focusing on two majestic works: Saykaly Garbulinska Composer-in-Residence Brittany J. Green’s “Testify!” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9.”

Treaty Oak Revival/William Clark Green/Gannon Fremin & CCREV

Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Rupp Arena. $56.35-$172.85. ticketmaster.com.

Still a new band to many, the Southern country-rock troupe Treaty Oak Revival has assembled a massive fan base since forming in 2018. Much of Rupp is already full for this one.

Sundy Best

Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. Manchester Music Hall, 899 Manchester St. $37.86-$67.17. manchestermusichall.com/events.

The Prestonsburg country duo of Nicholas Jamerson and Kris Bentley remain an immensely popular concert draw on home state turf.

Turtle Island Quartet: “Shades of Blue”

Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Free for UK students, $12 students, $29 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

Four decades on, the multigenre, Grammy-winning Turtle Island string quartet, still with violinist David Balakrishnan in charge, celebrate the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

Rascal Flatts/Chris Lane/Lauren Alaina

Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. Rupp Arena. $39.45-$424.50. ticketmaster.com.

You can’t keep a popular country group down, or at least off the road. Rascal Flatts called it quits in 2021, but were back three years later and have been roaring ever since.

Kelsey Waldon/Taylor Hunnicutt

Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. $18. theburlky.com/shows.

Hailing from Monkey’s Eyebrow in Ballard County, Kelsey Waldon has become one of Western Kentucky’s most acclaimed indie-country exports of recent decades and a very popular Burl draw.

The Bad Plus, Chris Potter and Craig Taborn: “Tribute to Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet”

March 3 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Free for UK students, $22 students, $45 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

The ever-evolving Bad Plus enlist saxophonist Chris Potter and pianist Craig Taborn to honor the music of Keith Jarrett’s explosive mid ’70s American Quartet (which included saxophonist Dewey Redman — father of Joshua Redman, who plays the Singletary Center on Jan. 25.)

J. Roddy Walston

March 5 at 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. $20. theburlky.com/shows.

Richmond, Va., native and piano renegade J. Roddy Walston has been a favorite of Lexington audiences ever since he was introduced though shows at the long-demised Dame over two decades ago.

Hawthorne Heights

March 5 at 7 p.m. Manchester Music Hall. $37.86. manchestermusichall.com/events.

Sitting between emo pop and post metal-esque rock, Hawthorne Heights are touring this winter to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its sophomore album “If Only You Were Lonely.”

Aly & AJ

March 6 at 8 p.m. Manchester Music Hall. $37.32-$232.97. manchestermusichall.com/events.

California sisters Aly and AJ Michalka have been forging their indie-rooted pop sounds for over two decades with time off for a curious mid-career name change to 78violet .

EGGY

March 8 at 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. $26. theburlky.com/shows.

EGGY is a Connecticut-bred jam band quartet incorporating blues, funk and generous improvisation. A catalogue rich with indie-released concert recordings reflects their popularity as a live act.

Candlebox

March 10 at 8 p.m. Manchester Music Hall. $41.25-$243.99 manchestermusichall.com/events.

Grunge-era rockers Candlebox, now with original guitarist Peter Klett back after a decade-long absence, have been touring steadily behind what was reportedly their final album, “The Long Goodbye.” The record was released three years ago.

Immanuel Wilkins Blues Blood

March 12 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Free for UK students, $18 students, $34 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

Immensely recommended. Alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins uses his Blues Blood band, fortified by a team of female vocalists, for an exhilarating, reflective journey of artistic heritage.

Christopher Cross

March 17 at 7:30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short. $48.35-$211.80. ticketmaster.com.

Amazingly, over 45 years have passed since Christopher Cross’s self-titled debut album and its pair of lasting soft-rock hits, “Ride Like the Wind” and “Sailing,” were radio mainstays.

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives

March 19 at 7:30 p.m. Kentucky Theatre, 214 E. Main. $65.60-$245.50. kentuckytheatre.org/troubadour.

A regular performance visitor to the region, country music scholar Marty Stuart’s new “Space Junk” album is a wild retro ride though twang, surf and psychedelic soundscapes.

Yonder Mountain String Band

March 19 at 8 p.m. Manchester Music Hall. $32.41-$67.17. manchestermusichall.com/events.

Colorado’s Yonder Mountain String Band was at the forefront of a late ’90s explosion of bluegrass-leaning groups that connected with devout jam band fan bases.

Railroad Earth

March 21 at 8 p.m. Manchester Music Hall. $44.34. manchestermusichall.com/events.

A slightly more electric version of one-time touring mate Yonder Mountain String Band, progressive bluegrass-ers Railroad Earth have collaborated with heavyweights Warren Haynes and Larry Keel.

Chuck Johnson/Clarice Jensen

March 21 at 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Free for UK students, $9 students, $18 public. finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center/events.

The ninth installment of the Singletary Center’s ongoing Expansive Sounds Series brings together pedal steel guitarist Chuck Johnson and cellist Clarice Jensen, both of whom color their music with subtle electronics.

Journey

March 22 at 7:30 p.m. Rupp Arena. $50.50-$651.95. ticketmaster.com.

The journey of Journey comes to an end with its Final Frontier tour and one last stop at Rupp Arena. Despite contrary rumors, keyboardist Jonathan Cain will be taking part along with founding guitarist Neil Schon.

Pat Metheny Side-Eye III+

March 25 at 8 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short. $62-$307.70. ticketmaster.com.

Unlike his wild 2024 solo concert at the Opera House, 20-time Grammy winning guitarist Pat Metheny’s return performance has him leading his latest Side Eye band of young, emerging instrumentalists.