Fri. June 22

The Strawbs, led by singer-guitarist-songwriter Dave Cousins, were one of the early prog-rock bands from the UK, and they distinguished themselves, like Jethro Tull, by drawing as much from folk traditions as rock. I remember, as a college dj in the mid-'70s, putting them into the Fairport Convention, Tull, Genesis, Yes set. (Rick Wakeman, future keyboardist for Yes, was once a Strawb.) In all honesty, the Strawbs sort of faded from our view as the music world spun out in all sorts of other directions. But the Strawbs still exist - they went through various lineup changes - and the current version is the same as the 1974 version, which featured guitarist Dave Lambert, bassist Chas Cronk, drummer Rob Coombes and keyboardist John Hawken. That group produced the albums, "Hero & Heroine" and "Ghosts." The latest disc is 2005's "Painted Sky." So, it shouldn't just be living in the past at the Regent Theatre in Arlington Friday June 22 when the Strawbs take the stage. And, for locals, the bonus treat is Orpheus Reborn, meaning the new incarnation of the one-time hitmaking soft-rock Boston band Orpheus. (Hit: "Can't Find the Time.") They open at 8 p.m. Tickts: $22.50.

7 Medford St., Arlington, 781-646-4849 regenttheatre.com