It’s a long, long way to Tipperary,  particularly if you’re in the United States and trying to make a living as an Irish pub singer.

From the other Athens — the one in Ohio — comes the brutalizing, ball–busting Skeletonwitch, one of the most popular indie metal bands now crossing the country with regularity, spreading the headbangers gospel to the faithful, one massive musical melee at a time.

Using a beloved Russian folk tale as his inspiration, Igor Stravinsky composed The Firebird in 1910. Although he would leave his homeland for good shortly after its premiere, thus avoiding the Soviet Revolution, two devastating world wars and the perils of Stalinism, Stravinsky remains the 20th century figure most identified with Russian classical music.

The Carnivores’ music is like a rushing rock ‘n’ roll river, fed by the twin tributaries of sledgehammer punk and sweet, clever pop.

Even though he was an established singer, songwriter and guitar player in Minneapolis, Dare Dukes put his musical muse on a back burner when he moved to New York City to work as a fundraiser for after–school arts programs.

Anitra Warren wants to rock your world on New Year’s Eve. And she knows just how to do it, too.

J. Lyon Layden has a lot of irons in the fire, but so far, he hasn’t been burned. That’s because he’s good at all the things he does.

There hasn’t ever been a whole lot of dashing through the snow in Savannah. And in the 1850s, the winter climate was pretty much the same as it is now — not a one horse open sleigh in sight.

Conductor Peter Shannon shoulders the responsibility for this weekend’s Savannah Philharmonic Chorus holiday concert, Carols in the Cathedral. The musical portion of the recent Nutcracker in Savannah also rested on his shoulders.

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell probably didn’t have bluegrass music in mind when they famously crooned “ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby,” but if they did, they weren’t alone.

With the plethora of electric blues guitarists in the South, it’d be reasonable to assume that Lefty Williams — an ax–wielder of considerable flame — belongs in that hardscrabble category.

The big dust bowl out of Oklahoma City these days is the rock ‘n’ roll band Aranda. Fronted by brothers Gabe (lead vocals) and Dameon (guitar and vocals) Aranda, the band is getting attention because Kelly Clarkson, whose music couldn’t be more different from theirs, covered two Aranda originals on her 2009 All I Ever Wanted album.

A lot of guitar players talk about Django Reinhardt (1910–1953) as a major influence. The Belgian–born Reinhardt was a gypsy musician — he combined fast–moving swing with distinctly European forms of percussive rhythms, quicksilver chordal patterns and, most importantly, a rippling violin as a duet partner for his guitar.

There’s something so retro about Boston–based singer, guitarist and bandleader Miss Tess, who’s making her third Savannah appearance Thursday at Jazz’d Tapas Bar.

Now that her debut CD has been released by giant Blue Note Records, Kristina Train is beginning to realize the dream she had while growing up in Savannah: Singing for lots and lots and lots of people.