MUSIC
With five studio albums under his belt, including last year's "Up on the Ridge," Phoenix-born country music star Dierks Bentley has made his mark on the Nashville scene as a singer-songwriter with feet in both traditional and contemporary camps. Bentley, whose style harkens back to the Outlaw country stylings of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings — with touches of bluegrass, rock and western swing thrown in — racked up hits such as "What Was I Thinkin'?" "Come a Little Closer" and "Settle for a Slowdown." He will be joined at Club Nokia by openers Josh Thompson and Miss Willie Brown. Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., L.A. 8 p.m. Fri. $35-$45. (800) 745-3000. http://www.ticketmaster.com.
