Steve Earle may be many things, but he is definitely not subtle. As a songwriter and performer, Earle has spent the last quarter-century telling it like it is—and one could argue he had great fun doing exactly that between 2000 and 2008 when a certain fellow Texan was leading our nation. I had to wonder whether or not Earle would remain the disgruntled patriot with Obama in office. But with all the Tea Party goofballs, anti-immigrant racists, and GOP shit-stacks still blocking us from becoming a great nation again, I think it’s safe to safe Earle has plenty to sing about. With Joe Ely. BRIAN BARR

Wed., June 30, 6 p.m., 2010