Gary & the Groove will play "good time rock and roll" oldies Thu., July 31, 6 p.m., at the Dorsey's Search Village Center.

Naked Blue will play indie folk pop Thu., July 31, 6 p.m., at the Hickory Ridge Village Center.

The Virginia-based Linwood Taylor & the Rude Dogs will perform blues Fri., Aug. 1, 11:30 a.m., at the Kings Contrivance Village Center.

Joe Carta will perform country music Fri., Aug. 1, 6 p.m., at the River Hill Village Center.

Project Natale will perform traditional jazz Fri., Aug. 1, 11:30 a.m., at the Wilde Lake Village Center.

For information and directions to any of these free village center concerts, call 443-367-0110.

Americana at Baldwin's

Alastair Moock will perform Thu., July 31, 8 p.m., at Baldwin's Station & Pub (7618 Main St., Sykesville). Moock performs lyrical folk music along the lines of Steve Forbert and will play songs from his new release, "Fortune Street." The up-and-coming Montgomery County folk singer Lea opens. Admission is $16. Call 410-795-1041.

Geckos go to Schooley

The Geckos can be heard Fri., Aug. 1, 7 p.m., at Schooley Mill Park, located at 12975 Hall Shop Road, in Highland. The five-piece "island rock" band plays tropical music and has released three albums. Admission is free. Call 410-313-4665.

Bach at Centennial

The Baltimore-based David Bach Consort will play smooth jazz Wed., Aug. 6, 7 p.m., at Centennial Park South, Route 108 across from Ten Mills Road. Bach is a mainstay of the local music scene and was a winner of the Jazz Discovery Showcase on Black Entertainment Television. Admission is free. Call 410-313-7275.

Roots rock

Dave Chappell & Friends will play roots rock Thu., July 31, 8-10 p.m., at the Lake Kittamaqundi lakefront. Chappell has won the Washington Area Music Awards for Rock Instrumentalist of the Year and Roots Rock Instrumentalist of the year for the past two years. He has performed with such rock legends as Jerry Lee Lewis and Percy Sledge. Admission is free. For more details, go to www.lakefrontfestival.com.

FOOT NOTES

Wolf Trap is for kids

If you are looking for something to get the kids outdoors this summer, nothing tops seeing a show at Wolf Trap's Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods. The Wolf Trap Foundation and the National Park Service jointly produce this much-loved venue, which includes 70 shows this summer, most of them 45 minutes in length. Geared for children from kindergarten to sixth grade, the shows are both paid and free. For parents, it's nice to stroll through the woods, picnic in the meadow and hang out at the nearby Educational Center.

Dance fans of all ages should check out the Maryland Youth Ballet in "Caroline Goes to the Ballet," presented at the Theatre-in-the-Woods each morning at 10 a.m. now through Sat., Aug. 2. Here is a terrific introduction to narrative ballet, danced by well-trained teenage ballerinas, including some Howard County performers. Tickets are $5 for one show, $8 for both shows on the same day. Go to www.wolftrap.org to access pre- and post-show educational activities and to find a complete schedule of children's programs.

Meanwhile, "Face of America: Hawaii" returns to Wolf Trap's Filene Center Tue., Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. The video of the islands' culture is gorgeous, complemented by live hula dancing downstage. This production was one of our favorites when it premiered two years ago. Take the kids and sit on the lawn (you can see the stage from high above -- and it's cheaper!). For directions and tickets, call 1-877-WOLFTRAP. Parking is free.

-- Carolyn Kelemen

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