While mourning the loss of Doc Watson — the pioneer who made old-timey pickin’ current and made contemporary Appalachia old-timey — these young musicians are some of the best new acoustic/string-band ensembles to celebrate the grass that’s blue and the old blues that rock. The trifecta includes Seven Handle Circus, The Deadfields and Bent Strings, all alumni of Albino Skunk Bluegrass Festival, where fans often get their first taste of the region’s best new pickers. The six-piece Seven Handle Circus distills traditional bluegrass and folk into a modern sound that would make Doc proud, while injecting their live shows with nuclear-powered energy. The Deadfields stomp and sing a blend of bluegrass, Americana, country and rock in deeply Southern tent-revival shows that have brought near-sellout crowds. And the Bent Strings is akin to the lamentably late Belleville Outfit, a too-young, too-talented band that puts a spirited spin on influences ranging from Nickel Creek to the Strokes. Just what Doc ordered.”

Tickets($11 Advance): http://handlebar.musictoday.com/HandlebarAListeningRoom/moreInfo.aspx?event=150761&outlet=329