The Top 10 Live is a collaborative effort between Indy.com and Indianapolismusic.net

1. Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet

8:30 p.m. Sept. 17, $25, Music Mill, 3720 E 82nd St., (317) 841-1850

A unique mashup of musical cultures tops the list this week. Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet brings banjo player Washburn together with jazz banjo star Bela Fleck, fiddle player Casey Driessen, and cellist Ben Sollee. The group blends Chinese melodies and lyrics, inspired by Washburn's time in China, with traditional bluegrass-influenced acoustic music. The quartet's self-titled record arrived in stores in April.

2. The Fuglees w/ Harley Poe, Amo Joy, MegaSuperUltra, Lord of the Yum Yum

9 p.m. Sept. 12, $7, Melody Inn, 3826 N Illinois St., (317) 923-4707

Get to the Melody Inn early and stay late for this eclectic lineup of indie music. The Fuglees top the bill, with a sound that mixes high energy power pop and laugh-out-loud lyrics. Harley Poe offers horror-inspired acoustic folk. Amo Joy delivers what can best be described as psychedelic circus music. MegaSuperUltra visits from Chicago to perform soulful mod rock. Lord of the Yum Yum creates one-man symphonies using only his voice and some technology tricks.

3. State CD release show w/ The Cocaine Wolves

9 p.m. Sept. 13, $5, Spin Nightclub, 6308 Guilford Ave., (317) 257-0000

State made its name locally as a high-energy band that seemed to fit best in punk rock clubs or paired with hard rock bands. The group's new record, "You Shouldn't Stare," proves that its musical ambitions stretch beyond heavy music; it's equally comfortable with ballads, pop, and even choral singing. State celebrates the release of the record this Saturday at Spin Nightclub. Hard rockers The Cocaine Wolves open.

4. Bill Kirchen w/Bigger Than Elvis and Mandy Marie & the Cool Hand Lukes

9 p.m. Sept. 12, $10, Radio Radio, 1119 E. Prospect. St., (317) 955-0995

"Twang" will be the rule at Radio Radio on Friday, as three acts known for their honky-tonk sounds share the bill. Bill Kirchen's claim to fame came with his time in Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Kirchen played the guitar riff on the group's 1972 hit "Hot Rod Lincoln." Indy's own masters of Telecaster twang will be on hand as Bigger Than Elvis and Mandy Marie & the Cool Hand Lukes open the show.

5. Indigenous w/ W.T. Feaster

8:30 p.m. Sept. 11, $15, Music Mill, 3720 E. 82nd St., (317) 841-1850

Guitarist Mato Nanji founded Indigenous with his brother, sister and cousin in the late '90s. The quartet of Native American musicians made an immediate impact on the music world with its Stevie Ray Vaughan-influenced electric blues sound. Though the original lineup has since parted ways, Nanji has carried on with the Indigenous name and a new lineup of musicians. The new group's first album, "Broken Lands," arrived in August.

6. Bill Monroe's Birthday/Bluegrass Night with The Henhouse Prowlers & Toby O

9 p.m. Sept. 13, Sam's Saloon, 1640 E. Prospect St.

Though he passed away in 1996, Bill Monroe -- the father of bluegrass music and its best-known performer -- continues to influence a new generation. Sam's Saloon celebrates Monroe's 97th birthday with a night of bluegrass music.

7. Kenny Chesney w/ Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan and Luke Bryan

4 p.m. Sept. 13, $29.50-$99.50, Lucas Oil Stadium, 500 S. Capitol Ave., (317) 239-5151 or www.ticketmaster.com

The new Lucas Oil Stadium hosts its first concert this weekend as country star Kenny Chesney brings his "Poets & Pirates Tour" to the new venue. Chesney, the reigning Entertainer of the Year in country music, releases his latest album, "Lucky Old Sun," in October. Chesney brings an all-star lineup along to help fill the stadium.

8. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Opening Weekend feat. Joshua Bell

8 p.m. Sept. 11 and 12, 6 p.m. Sept. 13, $20-$85, Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle, www.hilbertcircletheatreindy.org

Hoosier-born and Indiana University School of Music-trained violinist Joshua Bell joins the ISO to perform Saint-Saens' Violin Concerto No. 3. ISO Music Director Mario Venzago conducts performances of Strauss's "Also Sprach Zarathustra" and Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." Saturday evening's performance is the annual opening gala for the Symphony.

9. Shady 80s feat. The Rift, The Smileys, 12 O'Clock Flashers and more

9 p.m. Sept. 17, Birdy's, 2131 E. 71st St., (317) 254-8971

Even though the '80s ended nearly 20 years ago, the decade's music and fashions live on. Birdy's annual Shady 80s bash celebrates the era, gathering bands from Indy's original rock and cover band scenes to perform their favorite songs of the era.

10. Rachel Z & the Dept. of Good and Evil

8 and 10 p.m. Sept. 13, $15, The Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave., (317) 253-4900

Jazz pianist Rachel Z looks beyond the confines of jazz for inspiration. Her latest project, a group titled Dept. of Good and Evil, is an effort to reinterpret modern pop songs in jazz arrangements. Songs by the Police, Joy Division, and Bill Withers get a jazz makeover. Z also performed alongside Peter Gabriel on his 2002 and 2006 concert tours.