Leapin’ Lizards

After all the New Year’s Eve celebrating you did, it would probably take something really special to drag you away from the I’m-staying-on-my-sofa-all-weekend-watching-HGTV marathon you were planning. Perhaps an evening of satirical bluegrass music brought to you by the Austin Lounge Lizards would do the trick? The Boston Globe calls the Austin, Texas, funnymen “America’s pre-eminent country weirdos” for their mix of folk, rock and country elements combined with intelligent, witty lyrics. The quintet’s musical style features four- and five-part vocal harmonies and musical instruments ranging from electric guitars to tubas. The band has released nine albums in their 23-year history, including their latest one, Strange Noises in the Dark, featuring the a cappella oompah waltz, “Why Couldn’t We Blow Up Saddam?” which has been played on radio programs such as NPR’s Morning Edition and BBC News. Other wacky songs include “Jesse + Phil,” an ode to retired Senators Jesse Helms and Phil Gramm, and a duet with Kelly Williams called “We Always Fight When We Drink Gin.” The Austin Lounge Lizards perform 8 p.m. Jan. 3 at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Celebrity Showroom, 1100 Nugget Ave., in Sparks. Tickets are $15. Call 356-3300.—Kelley Lang