Jason Ringenberg

9 p.m. Friday, April 17. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue.

Apr 15, 2009 at 4:00 am

In the '80s beanpole-thin Jason Ringenberg and his band the Scorchers turned Nashville on its tail with their brash cowboy-punk. Sounding like the Replacements burning down the Grand Ole Opry, the band had a hit by covering Dylan ("Absolutely Sweet Marie"), opened for R.E.M. and invented the twang-rock template that's now ingrained in every strain of music. In recent years Ringenberg has toned down the raucous riffs and reinvented himself as Farmer Jason, a gentle storytelling giant who entertains kids via quirky songs about (among other things) animals and farming. But because this Off Broadway show is billed for adults — and because the Scorchers recorded its first record in eleven years just a few weeks ago — prepare yourself for some shit-kicking tunes instead of sedate story time.