Three of central Arkansas’s best bands will perform Thursday, June 28, as part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Arkansas event. 

KUAR FM 89.1, central Arkansas’s NPR station, and its regional program, “Arts & Letters” has announced Black Horse, Monsterboy, and Dazz & Brie as the three groups selected for Tiny Desk Arkansas. KUAR News Director Michael Hibblen will serve as the night’s emcee.

The event will be held from 8-11 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m., at Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 107 River Market Ave., Little Rock. The fundraiser showcases three central Arkansas groups who entered NPR’s national Tiny Desk Concert competition. Proceeds will support local music through KUAR and “Arts & Letters.”

“These groups are fun and very talented and are all performing for a good cause – to help support both KUAR and ‘Arts & Letters,’ an award-winning show that provides opportunities for a celebration of the arts and humanities in our region and beyond,” said J. Bradley Minnick, executive producer and host of “Arts & Letters.”

Black Horse, a progressive surf-punk rock band who performs with an electric energy influenced by the 1960s, will take the stage at 8 p.m., followed by Monsterboy at 9 p.m.

Monsterboy consists of husband-and-wife duo Chris Long and Veronica Wirges of Little Rock, who combine smart, original vocals with powerful sax music. Monsterboy’s reputation was enhanced by their acoustic set at Bonnaroo 2017, where they were featured and interviewed on MTV.com.

Dazz & Brie will finish off the night with a 10 p.m. performance. The group was named Arkansas Times’ 2017 Musicians Showcase winners, the 2018 Kit-Kat Jingle winners, as well as ML Magazine’s Rising Idol.

Reservations can be made online. There will be a recommended donation of $10 at the door. For more information, contact Vanessa McKuin, KUAR development director, at 501-569-8490 or svmckuin@ualr.edu.

In the upper right photo, Chris Long and Veronica Wirges of Monsterboy are shown. Photo by Nelson Chenault.