Roger McGuinn at Manship

Like many revolutionary ideas of synthesis, the one guitarist Roger McGuinn had in 1964 left a Mercury rocket-sized chorus of why-didn’t-I-think-of-thats in the trail of its bright burning exhaust. But blending the electric energy of the early Beatles with lyrical, socially conscious Dylan folk was merely the first act for McGuinn’s L.A.-based band the Byrds. Once touted as America’s answer to the British Invasion, the Byrds were proto-hippie, proto-classic rock, proto-cosmic cowboy, proto-everything; the progenitors of folk rock, psychedelic jam and alt-country. Catch lead guitarist McGuinn as he performs traditional folk songs as well as hits from his solo career and the Byrds live at the Manship Theatre Saturday at 8 p.m. Visit manshiptheatre.org for tickets and more information. And click here to read a story about McGuinn and his incredible influence on pop music in this month’s 225.