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Hold my beer.

I was afraid I had wished a little too hard for acoustic rock when I stepped into Chelsea’s on Thursday night and saw a guy sitting on the stage with an acoustic guitar throwing out cover tunes. Decent, mind you, but chestnuts - ones he seemed to put out with heart to a crowd aggressively trying to talk over him. Turns out Trey Williams, the aforementioned troubadour was just the opening act for the pride of Monroe: Alan West Brockman, who knocked out one of the best sets of hi-octane country rock since Steve Earle’s pre-rehab years.

Brockman y Los Tres Gringos, as his band is dubbed, mix up moonshine rock with garage psychedelic sensibility, guitar lines and harmonicas swirled and darted, but all working toward the goal of honky-tonk transcendence. Songs like “Hookie from my Love” mixed corny country she-done-left-me sentiment with a lilting heartfelt delivery. They even include a cliché like a “this number has been disconnected” recording at the beginning and an infusion of synth strings and horns on the record, but it works. I love that about country music when it’s done right. It's one of the few art forms that still does maudlin right.

Adding to the sonic onslaught was a backdrop projection of The Last American Roadhouse – A Flora-Bama Documentary, which Brockman made about the fabled Perdido Key destination where hard drinking and skydiving meet in glorious abandon. Their songs about dogs, beer, trucks and highways littered with broken hearts tossed together with skydiving antics works perfectly, capturing the beautiful, deep abandon of the Southern spirit. I’ve lived outside of the south, where these exact redneck stereotypes are used against us, but under that veneer of propriety lays a festering jealousy. We are known for whiskey and tractor pulls and they are known for hard work and stern resolve.

The best bets for this week are the eclectic Tomatoes with Zydepunks and Dimestore Troubadours, each bringing their own fractured view of the world to the Spanish Moon and the Eames Era’s CD release party the following night. Also, I attended Teddy’s birthday party at his juke joint in Zachary last year, and it's the perfect opportunity to go discover this hidden treasure. Begin calling in favors to get a ticket for the sold-out Guy Clark/John Hiatt/Lyle Lovett/Joe Ely show at the Manship Theatre on the Feb. 15.

Take us down, little Suzy. Take us down.

Tuesday, Feb. 6: The Axes of Evil are at the Red Star. CDC, xRespresentx and Wake Into the Nightmare are at the Darkroom.

Wednesday, Feb. 7: The Tomatoes, Zydepunks and Dimestore Troubadours are at the Spanish Moon. The Michael Foster Project is at Chelsea’s Café. 6 Pack Deep, Mike Got Spiked and No Fuego are at the North Gate Tavern.

Thursday, Feb. 8: Ellipsis and Barisal Guns are at the Caterie, Lotus is at Chelsea’s Café and Starscream’s Revenge is at North Gate Tavern.

Friday, Feb. 9: The Eames Era CD Release Party with Harlan is at the Spanish Moon. Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue are at the Red Star. Spoonfed Tribe is at Chelsea’s. Another Big Machine is at The Caterie. Stranger than Angels is at North Gate Tavern as part of a cancer benefit. Gregg Wright is at Phil Brady’s. Sender Receiver, Secretary, Cattle Drive!, Fireman, Burn My Child and A Thing About Machines are all at the Darkroom.

Saturday, Feb. 10: The Bingo! Show returns to Spanish Moon. Hungry Hungry and Slobot are at Chelsea’s Café. Common Curtis is doing an 18-plus, all-ages show at The Caterie. Horseshoes and Handgrenades is at North Gate Tavern. Lil Hub and the Wheels are at Phil Brady’s. By His Blood, This Was Once a Beautiful City, the Chasten, Despite the Fall, Benison, The Quartering and Vertigo Sun are all at The Darkroom.

Tuesday, Feb. 13: Teddy’s Birthday Party with Lil Ray Neal at Teddy’s Juke Joint in Zachary.