Randy Weeks, with Tony Gilkyson and Mike Stinson

Too bad, because Randy Weeks and his "Three Men, Three New Records" ensemble will certainly qualify as one of the best $5 shows to ever come to town, no matter what night it is. Weeks, who wrote Lucinda Williams's Grammy-nominated hit "Can't Let Go" (and can do more with a single guitar note than anyone since Jimi Hendrix) refuses to be called the headliner. He's traveling with California underground outlaw cool-cat cohorts Tony Gilkyson (X, Bob Dylan) and Mike Stinson, the half-Gram Parsons/half-Woody Guthrie country music tramp whose songs are covered by Dwight Yoakam and who can draw a crowd anywhere they sell beer in L.A. Gilkyson's new album and Stinson's Last Fool at the Bar have both been drawing some glowing reviews in the national press.

Both of these guys fit Houston like a glove, but the ringer here is Weeks, the understated genius whose Sugarfinger will almost certainly be my No. 1 record of 2006, no matter that only 342 copies are likely to be sold. Sugarfinger is the epitome of thinking man's alt-country. So why doesn't Weeks have a label deal? In the man's own words: "I don't have shit...'cept my good looks."

These guys only come to town every three to four years. And this is that year. You can organize your sock drawer tomorrow night.