HUNTINGTON -- West Virginia's in-state version of the Hatfields and McCoys -- Marshall University and West Virginia University -- rumble on the football field Friday night and will kick off a huge party weekend in Huntington.

And it's not just the blue and the gold and the green and the white bringing that A-game swagger.

Whether you're into national-act country, jam-bands, Broadway's best or even some Marshall-fueled hip hop, some killer music is going down this weekend in the clubs, down on the river and out on the square.

Here's a look at some of this weekend's shows.

HerdFesting Little Texas style

Three years ago about 12,000 people showed up in downtown when Lonestar played a free show to kick off the MU/WVU madness.

Expect another super-sized crowd on today, Sept. 9, as the national act country group, Little Texas, which drew a huge crowd to Summer Motion in Ashland earlier this year, comes back for a show that's opened by West Virginia's own, Davisson Brothers, grass-brushed country rockers who travel nationally.

HerdFest begins with a street fair at 5 p.m. on 3rd Avenue in front of Pullman Square. Marshall University and the MU Alumni Association are presenting HerdFest 2010 with a host of sponsors. The concert/pep rally runs 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. and will feature MU coaches, MU cheerleaders, Marco and other performers who will not be performing "Country Roads."

Walk across the avenue as the new Whiskey River, 809 Third Ave., is hosting the Little Texas after party at 11 p.m. Bull-riding on Mo is optional, but recommended. Call 304 69-PARTY.

Marshall-bred homegrown country soul

Without a doubt one of the coolest country soul singers in Nashville, is the Louisiana-born, Huntington-raised Herd man, Rick Huckaby.

Huck, who has had songs cut by everyone from Trace Adkins ("Muddy Water") to Tracy Lawrence (with whom he played guitar and wrote 10 songs for), has a long list of top shelf soul-slathered originals such as "She Gets Me High," and "Mash the Gas."

Huck will be throwing down live at the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington, on Thursday. Cover is $5 at the door.

It's a great HerdFest after party and good way to keep those Herd vibes flowing since Huckaby's dad was former Marshall University's men's basketball coach, Rick Huckabay, Sr. Yes, he changed the spelling of his name in Music City, because nobody could say his name right.

Hear tunes off his latest CD online at www.rickhuckaby.com.

Ekoostik Hookah at the Fuzzy Duck in Ironton

OK, probably the last two words anyone in Huntington wants to hear right now is "Columbus, Ohio," after Ohio State put a big brother beat-down on the Thundering Herd last week.

Don't be haters Tri-State because one of the coolest rock-juiced jam bands in our region, Ekoostik Hookah was founded up at OSU, and the nationally-traveling rock unit is making a rare appearance in the region as it plays a live show Friday night at The Fuzzy Duck, at the Ironton Riverfront.

Some primitive camping is available, and tickets will be available only at the door. Tickets are $20.

A musical toss to the Doss

Who can forget former stand-out Marshall wide receiver Demetrius Doss, a favorite receiver of Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich?

Doss, the Virginia-based rapper now known as El Prezidino, is bringing his rock band, M:O.R. (Music Over Recognition) to the V Club on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Ol' No. 88 is back here to pump up the Herd faithful as he's just released a Thundering Herd anthem "Chorus of Victoria (Marshall Version)" that's rocked up and packed full of clever rhymes about Marshall and West Virginia.

Come out and see Doss' first appearances in Huntington with his band, which is traveling to Chicago next weekend to open for Big Boi and Travie McCoy w/Bruno Mars. Cover is $5.

J bringing that glow all the way from L.A.

J. Winans, nephew of the Grammy Award-winning soul gospel performers, Bebe and Cece Winans, has moved out to Los Angeles after attending Marshall University.

Winans, the silky smooth, R&B-fueled hip hop artist (think Chris Brown without the baggage), is back in Huntington performing at The Varsity, 1505 4th Ave., at 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11.

Cover is $5 for ladies and MU students and $10 for non-Marshall guys.

Doors open at 9 p.m., and show is set to start 10 sharp with more than 1,000 glow-in-the-dark items.

The show is being promoted by e2ntertainment, and Eric Easley, a 2005 Marshall University graduate who has been putting on a diverse range of urban entertainment since 1999 from hip hop contests and streetballer tournaments to DJ-fueled dance parties.

Go online at www.youtube.com/jwinansmusic to see J's latest video.

Get that cornmeal churning

Speaking of Chicago, one of the hottest bands on the jam-band circuit blending up bluegrass and progressive rock into a dance fever-inducing music mash is Cornmeal, which was founded a dozen years ago in the Windy City.

Fresh off its first live release, "Live in Chicago, IL Vol. I," the five-piece band that has played nearly all of this country's giant festivals from High Sierra and Bonnaroo to a smokin' set at All Good this summer, is here live at the V Club on Sunday, Sept. 12.

Local jam-band Fletcher's Grove (a groove house divided with two WVU students and two Marshall students) opens the show, no matter who wins the game Friday. Tickets are $8 advance or $10 day of the show.

Go online at www.cornmealinthekitchen.com to hear Cornmeal.

Guitarmageddon arrives in downtown

Together since 2001, Huntington's own Black Knots has gotten plenty of love and even vinyl pressings from the West Coast to Europe with its guitar blasts from such recordings as "Hellbent To Kick It Out" in 2007 and "Guitarmageddon" last year.

The three-piece punk rockers, who have recorded but not yet released a third record, "None More Fresh," play a rare show in town and have great brothers-in-arms, with Eastern Panhandle-based rock 'n' road warriors The Demon Beat on the bill as well.

They fire it up at 9 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 11, at Shamrock's Irish Pub, 2050 3rd Ave., Huntington. Cover is $5. Call 304-523-5825 or go online at www.myspace.com/blackknots and www.myspace.com/thedemonbeat.

Read a full interview with the Knot's Jerry Lee Queen in Friday's Life section of The Herald-Dispatch.

Lights, camera, Liza

She's got a Grammy, an Emmy, an Oscar and a Tony.

In the world of stage performers it doesn't get much bigger or more diverse than Liza Minnelli. The daughter of Judy Garland, Minnelli is one of the few people on the planet whose shelf has the most prestigious awards including an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Oscar.

Now entering her fifth decade as a performer, the classy Diva of film and stage comes crooning into the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, to share songs from "Confessions," the new Decca Records CD that will be out Sept. 28.

Kicking off the 74th season of the Marshall Artists Series, the show is priced at $45, $65 and $85.25. Tickets may be purchased at the Marshall Artists Series Box Office, located on the right side of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, or by calling 304-696-6656.

The Associated Press

Liza Minelli is pictured on the runway during the Heart Truth Red Dress Fall 2008 Collection presentation, in this Feb. 1, 2008, file photo. Minelli performs at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12, as part of the Marshall Artists Series.