Queens of England

Swing by Bennie's Boom Boom Room this Friday, and you'll have a chance to see seven bands in seven hours, starting at, yes, 7 p.m.

The event's called Purpfest III, and the appropriate adjective for it is "funky," with a touch of "brassy" thrown in for good measure.
Credit John Mark Odom, guitarist for the local funk progressive band Purpetrator, for starting Purpfest as an underground music festival back in 2010.
As Odom explains it, the concert was originally intended to be a birthday present to himself (his birthday falls on Friday, Aug. 3), but then he generously decided to expand the lineup to include other acts.
"Why have it all to myself?" he explained.
Why indeed? Friday's lineup features five Hattiesburg bands including Queens of England and Mississippi Shakedown, as well as Chicago's Lakeside Collective, a Phish-like jam band, and Baton Rouge, La.'s funky Captain Green. Purpetrator, of course, will play as well. Charge at the door is $12.
Odom said he is particularly excited about Captain Green, a funk, groove band with a horn section.
But he's also jazzed about bringing some Hattiesburg bands together for one night.
"It's an eclectic underground concert that celebrates the diversity and culture of the Hattiesburg music scene," he said.
Yay to that. Purpfest III has a Facebook page, if you want more information about the bands playing.
And so begins August. It's a month where the universities come back in session. The Thirsty Hippo is scheduled to make its long-awaited return. And, well, the heat will remain hot as ever.
If you want to dodge the heat, go see the photography of Ed Wheeler in the Hattiesburg Arts Council building. It's a nice compilation of photos taken across the U.S., and it's up until Aug. 23. Definitely worth a look.
- Hattiesburg American