The Spilt Milk team picks our favorites for the week, including a double dose of Ponderosa Stomp, Legends of the Game, a new album from Truth Universal, folk bands, fundraisers and festivals.

The Spilt Milk team picks our favorites for the week, including a double dose of Ponderosa Stomp, Legends of the Game, a new album from Truth Universal, folk bands, fundraisers and festivals. 

[Updated] Friday: Ponderosa Stomp: Night 1, 8 p.m., Rock 'n' Bowl: The 11th Annual Ponderosa Stomp opens with a number of R&B, soul, and zydeco artists, but is headlined by the garage rock kings The Sonics hailing from Tacoma, Washington. (tickets); Also on Friday: Edwin McCain, Maggie Koerner, 8 p.m., House of Blues (tickets); The Soul Rebels, Naughty Professor, 10:30 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets); Eric Lindell, 10 p.m., One Eyed Jacks (tickets) 

Saturday: Ponderosa Stomp: Night 2: 8 p.m., Rock 'n' Bowl: Night 2 schedules an even more diverse set of artists, scaling genres from jazz to gospel to Latin R&B. Classic garage punk acts take the stage last. (tickets); Also on Saturday: 2nd Annual Legends of the Game Concert feat. Rakim, Doug E. Fresh, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Partners-N-Crime, 7 p.m., Xavier University (tickets); fun., 7 p.m., Champions Square (tickets); Jimmy Eat World, Matt Pond, 8 p.m., House of Blues (tickets); Big History, Baby Bee, 9 p.m., Gasa Gasa (tickets); Mardi Gras Indian Orchestra feat. Sweet Crude, Helen Gillet, 10 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets); Bobcat, Caleb Caudle, 10 p.m., The Circle Bar

Sunday: Truth Universal CD-release party feat. Sybil Shanell, WonEye, Slangston Hughes, Skipp Coon, Lyrikill, Nato Caliph, Marcel P. Black, 7 p.m., Ashe Cultural Center: A staple in the New Orleans hip-hop community, Truth Universal has put his own southern spin on neo-soul and conscious hip-hop for over a decade. Sunday, he celebrates the release of his latest CD, Invent the Future. Also on Sunday: Richard Buckner, Julie Odell, 7:30 p.m., U.S. Mint (tickets); A SongVersation with India.Arie, Burnell Taylor, 7 p.m., House of Blues (tickets); Haim, IO Echo, 9 p.m., One Eyed Jacks (tickets); Chrome Sparks, Beautiful Bells, 9 p.m., Hi-Ho Lounge (tickets)

Monday: City and Colour, The Paper Kites, 7 p.m., House of Blues: The Canadian singer-songwriter further displays his talent for writing sentimental folk songs on his new album, The Hurry and the Harm (tickets); Also on Monday: FIDLAR, The Orwells, Yelaphants, 10 p.m., One Eyed Jacks (tickets); Walk the Moon, The Moglis, 9 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets); Black Milk, Nat Turner, Quelle and DJ Sober, 10 p.m. Hi-Ho Lounge (tickets); Alexis and the Samurai, 8 p.m., Chickie Wah Wah

Tuesday: The Mavericks, Seth Walker, 8 p.m., Tipitina's: Since the group formed in the late '90s, The Mavericks have defied genres, eventually finding success with a number of country releases. Their 2013 reunion tour features songs from the latest album, In Time, a bouncy, satifying mix of mariachi, ska and classic country ballads. Their set at Jazz Fest this year was one of the festival's most joyous (tickets); Also on Tuesday: The Dodos, Dustin Wong, 10 p.m., One Eyed Jacks (tickets); Houndmouth, Andrew Combs, 8 p.m., Gasa Gasa (tickets)

Wednesday: Desert Noises feat. Brother JT, Archanimals, 8 p.m., Gasa Gasa: Utah's Desert Noises embrace a haunting, folk-psych sound, as if Fleet Foxes had a Mormon cousin (tickets); Also on Wednesday: The Mavericks, Seth Walker, 8 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets); MS MR, Bear Mountain, 9 p.m., House of Blues' Parish (tickets); Jacuzzi Boys, Bottom Feeders, Chinese Nightmares, 10 p.m., Siberia (tickets)

Other Stuff:

Comedians turned actors, D.L. Hughley and Eddie Griffin have found success across the entertainment spectrum. Friday night, they return to their stand-up roots, performing at the Saenger Theatre (tickets).

Friday through Sunday, the Gretna Music and Heritage Festival takes place in downtown historic Gretna. Highlights for this year's festival include a German beer garden, top Louisiana food vendors, boxing matches and plenty of live music, including Kermit Ruffins, Ben Miller Band, and ZZ Top.

This Saturday, over 30,000 art afficionados will pack Magazine Street and the Warehouse District to check out the best of NOLA's art scene in the annual Art for Art's Sake. Galleries will be open from 6 to 9 p.m., and an afterparty will be held at the Contemporary Arts Center. Stressed deciding what to see? We like these picks.

This year's Bayou Blues Festival hosts a number of soul and R&B legends, including Bobby Womack, Betty Wright, Clarence Carter, and Deniece Williams in the UNO Lakefront Arena, starting at 7 p.m. (tickets).

New Orleans music producer, Michael Paz, hosts an all-star tribute to Joni Mitchell in Pazfest III, Saturday night at the Howlin' Wolf. Featured artists include The Honorable South, Roland Guerin Band, and Mutts of the Planet (tickets).

With a knack for observational humor, comedian Brian Regan analyzes all that's funny and awkward in our daily lives. He performs Thursday night at the Saenger Theatre (tickets).

Authors Chuck Palahniuk, Chelsea Cain and Monica Drake discuss upcoming novels and read their favorite passages in Adult Bedtime Stories with Chuck Palahniuk, Thursday night at Tipitina's (tickets).

Enjoy great live performances from artists including Dr. John, Honey Island Swamp Band, The Dana Abbott Band, Colin Lake and Kristen Diable at the Crescent City Connection: The 2nd Annual Save Shell Beach Fundraiser, Thursday night at the Howlin' Wolf. VIP tickets include a pre-show oyster roast from 6 to 8 p.m. and all proceeds go to the United Commercial Fishermen's Association (tickets).

Updated October 5, 10:44 p.m.

The cancelled Electric Six show was removed, as was the Mudhoney show, which was erroneously listed.