Pokey LaFarge came up in the Midwest, mixing pre-war jazz, western swing, country blues, and a storyteller's wink.

Dusty 78s, Coastal Breeze

In the 2010s he cut sides for Third Man and toured hard, but his 2024 record Rhumba Country tilts toward sunny rhythms and island-tinted grooves while keeping his snap.

Likely Tunes and Who Shows Up

Expect a set that balances early stompers with new sway, with likely picks like Central Time, La La Blues, Something in the Water, and Actin' a Fool. The crowd often includes swing dancers near the aisles, vintage-minded couples, and curious younger fans drawn by tempo and clean melodies. One neat footnote: he issued a 78-style single with Jack White, underscoring his love of old formats and road-tested picking. Another: several records leaned on live-in-the-room takes, so the stage band is drilled to keep breaks short and turnarounds crisp. Consider these setlist picks and staging notes as informed hunches from recent runs, not guarantees for your night.

The Pokey LaFarge Crowd, Up Close

The scene skews friendly and detail-minded, with cuffed denim, bolo ties, brimmed hats, and polka-dot dresses showing up next to simple tees.

Vintage Threads, Modern Ease

You will see folks bring soft-soled dance shoes, but plenty just two-step in sneakers and clap on two and four. A common moment comes when the room sings the la-la refrain on La La Blues and the band stretches the break a bar for grins.

Little Rituals That Repeat

Shouts for Central Time tend to pop up early, and the call lands once the groove turns from bounce to straight stride. Merch leans classic: 45-adapter graphics, postcard posters, and vinyl that people examine for pressing notes while they chat about old clubs. Between songs, jokes land quickly and the bandstand feels like a small radio show, which pulls strangers into brief conversations. It is a scene that values rhythm, manners, and small surprises more than volume or spectacle.

How Pokey LaFarge's Band Makes It Move

On stage, Pokey LaFarge sings with a bright, slightly nasal tone that cuts through the room and sits right on the beat.

Swing in the Wrists, Stories in the Breaks

His guitar carries a crisp rhythm chop while the upright bass locks the low end, and drums use brushes or a light stick touch to keep it buoyant. Horns or a clarinet often color the hooks, with short phrases that answer the vocal lines instead of long solos.

Small Touches, Big Payoff

Tempos tend to ride in the mid-up pocket, but the band likes to drop to half-time for a verse to highlight the lyric and then snap back for the tag. A small, telling habit is pushing a familiar tune a hair faster live than on record so the dancers catch the groove right away. On newer songs, a rhumba or cumbia-leaning pattern may replace a straight shuffle, giving the same melody a different sway without losing twang. Lighting stays warm and amber with occasional teal washes, which serves the wood-and-brass tones rather than trying to outshine them.

If You Like Pokey LaFarge, Try These Too

Fans of JD McPherson will hear the same jump-blues snap, upright-bass thump, and dance-friendly shuffle.

Snap, Twang, and Sway

Nick Waterhouse brings reverb-warmed soul and noir guitar that pair with Pokey LaFarge's new rhumba tilt when you want late-night glide.

Where Scenes Overlap

If you like breakdowns that pop back into swing on a dime, Old Crow Medicine Show offers stringband energy and crowd harmonies that cross over. The crooner side of Pokey LaFarge lines up well with The Cactus Blossoms, whose smooth harmonies and clean guitars fit a slow-dance lane. All of these acts value melody and rhythm you can feel without needing arena volume. They also prize vintage tones but keep the arrangements tight enough for people who prefer songs over solos. If any of these are on your playlists, you will likely find the same easy sway and smart hooks here.