Yelawolf

The fact that Yelawolf was one of the many “surprise guests” at Lil Wayne’s Toyota Center show earlier this month ought to be evidence enough of the Alabama rapper’s rising star, but the only way to really appreciate why he deserves the hype is to see him live. The tatted-up skater with a trailer-park twang and a love for his Chevy could easily rely on his dirtbag charm and smooth vocals alone to garner attention, but his fame has been built primarily on solid rap ability and a powerful stage show.

Thu., Oct. 13, 8 p.m., 2011