Blues and twang guitarist Nathan James appears at Tio Leo’s on July 10. Adept at all manner of blues idioms, including a mean slide guitar, he is in dance-band mode at Tio Leo’s, playing swampy up-tempo blues tunes custom built to get audiences hopping. Meanwhile, indie fans of such groups as Southern Culture on the Skids will also find this right up their alley. James hasn’t put out new music in a few years, but his terrific live sets are where you’ll see the real magic in his tunes. • NATHAN JAMES: Thursday, July 10 at TIO LEO’S, 5302 Napa St. at 9 p.m. 21 and up. www.tioleos.com.
— Bart Mendoza