6 cool things in music this week include Waxahatchee, Peter Frampton and 'The Lion King'

A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:

Bill DeVille, host on 89.3 the Current:

1 LA LOM, Icehouse. The trio, aka Los Angeles League of Musicians, was magnifico! My toes were tapping all night to their blend of surf rock, cumbia sonidera, country twang and Peruvian chicha music. LA LOM's debut album is due later this year.

2 Sierra Ferrell. Seems like the time is right for this West Virginia artist. The gifted singer/songwriter has come a long way from hopping trains and street corner busking to a sold-out First Avenue show on April 26, promoting her album, "Trail of Flowers." Her live performances are always captivating. The band obviously has a great time, and last time I saw her she brought someone along to do whip tricks onstage.

3 March was Women's History Month. It's been really cool to see the abundance of great Americana releases recently from women, including new albums from Beyoncé, Waxahatchee, Adrianne Lenker and Wonder Women of Country (Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh and Melissa Carper). Waxahatchee plays the Palace Theatre on April 19.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:

1 Peter Frampton, State Theatre. What a generous, guitarlicious gig by ⁦the 1970s rock superstar and his band: two hours and 40 minutes of various guitar styles, passionate vocals and easy humor by a hero dealing with degenerative muscle disease. The six standing ovations were well deserved. Highlights: an instrumental "Georgia on My Mind," an epic "All I Wanna Be (Is by Your Side)," a trippy "Black Hole Sun" and when one fan clapped for an early slow-selling Frampton album, the rocker ad-libbed for that concertgoer to sing along. Everyone broke out laughing.

2 "The Lion King," Orpheum Theatre. The masterwork musical is back in the theater where it premiered in 1997 before becoming a Broadway sensation. With marvelous costumes, fabulous puppetry, imaginative staging and top-notch voices, this is a joy to experience once again.

3 "Béla Fleck: Reimagining Rhapsody," DownBeat. Writer Bill Milkowski interviews the virtuoso banjoist about his new recording of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." Not only does Fleck discuss his history with the piece, but he explains his musical vision, research and approach in nontechnical terms. It's a fascinating and enlightening peek inside a musician's mind.

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