An evening with songwriter, acoustic guitar master, and superlative raconteur Willy Porter means a chance to enjoy great music in a rare communion between artist and audience. While he weaves a powerful spell on albums like his recent Available Light, Willy is even better in concert, where he is relentlessly entertaining, drawing listeners in with his nimble-witted stage patter and his mesmerizing musical balance between muscle and intimacy.

Dubbed a "genre-defying maverick" by Frets magazine, the Milwaukee native blends a wide variety of styles in his innovative and expressive guitar playing, from blues-based open-tuned funk to the 12-string guitar playing that has placed him at the forefront of the new acoustic frontier. Having honed his guitar talents over nearly two decades spent touring the U.S. and Europe, including opening runs for Tori Amos and Paul Simon, Willy has recently been bringing his quietly emotional songs into the spotlight, with their lovely melodies and profoundly simple lyrics that counterpoint his fleet-fingered guitar playing.

Raining Jane, an eclectic rock-folk band based in Los Angeles, opens tonights show.