Thursday, July 18, 2013

This week's hot concerts

Toad the Wet Sprocket
8 p.m. Friday, July 19, Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. $30-$35. www.neighborhoodtheatre.com
Reunited on the road for the last six years, the sunny California alternative pop band is back with its first album since 1997 (set for September 17). If the title track is any indication, the aptly titled “New Constellation” updates Toad’s sound without sacrificing its harmony-driven pop formula.

The Catch Fire/Onward Soldiers/Mark Crozer & the Rels
8 p.m. Friday, July 19, Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $8-$10. www.visulite.com
Mike Mitschele’s (Jolene, Alternative Champs) band with former members of Laburnum and Bellglide team with new member and fellow NC music vet John Morris while co-founder Jon Lindsay has left to pursue his solo career. They team with Wilmington’s bopping theatrical pop outfit Onward Soldiers and local Brit Mark Crozer who returns home after touring Europe with Jesus & Mary Chain.

Scowl Browl
10 p.m. Friday, July 19, Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. $5. www.snugrock.com
The local trio delivers on early buzz with a new full-length album. With his gravelly voice Robby Hale delivers honest storytelling that’s rich in detail and working class realism against gritty guitar and chugging rhythms that recall Dinosaur Jr., an indie-rock Avail or a gnarlier Gaslight Anthem.

Dwele/Chrisette Michele/K. Michelle
8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd. $68.50-$113.15. www.ticketmaster.com
This trio straddles romance and sex with a modern take on R&B and soul traditions. There’s soft, romance and lovelorn belting, but there’s also blatant sexual lyrics especially from the newest act on the block - K. Michelle (the star of VH1’s “Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta”) whose new single “I Just Wanna” begs for the description "hardcore ballad."

ASG
8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. $10. www.chopshopnoda.com
The Wilmington outfit etches out its own brand of psychedelic stoner metal with big, heavy anthems that conjure up images of purple skies and mountain peaks on Mars. It’s new album “Blood Drive” continues to balance Jason Shi’s soaring vocals with sludgy riffs and stomping tempos. The show features two stages with DSR, Gruppe 36, Mercia, Dr. Cirkustien, and Cop Graves.

Vienna Teng
8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, McGlohon Theatre, 345 N. College St. $15. www.blumenthalarts.org
The piano pop singer-songwriter took a break from music to study sustainability at grad school. Before delving into a second profession next February she’s releasing a new album, “Aims,” in September and hitting the road on what may be her last tour for a while. Recent tracks indicate the new material is heady and beautiful.

Black Crowes/Tedeschi Trucks Band
6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21, Uptown Amphitheatre, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. $47.35-$101.70. www.livenation.com
The again reunited Crowes and husband and wife Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks join forces to riff on blues, jazz, rock n’ roll and other bits of Americana. TTB’s set will likely rely heavily on its upcoming album (out August 20), while the Crows should dig into its rich catalog.

Girls & Guitars Benefit
7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. $12.69-$52.50. www.livenation.com
Albemarle’s own recent “Dancing with the Stars” champ Kellie Pickler headlines this benefit for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, which works to enhance quality of life for seriously ill and injured children. Katie Armiger, “The Voice’s” Cassadee Pope, Rachel Farley, and Maggie Rose also perform.

Leopold & His Fiction
8 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave. $10. www.tremontmuischall.com
Although frontman Daniel James looks like Freddie Mercury as a silent film star, this combo is rooted in classic folk and `50s guitar rock (not `70s arena rock) and features James’ interesting songwriting that can come across as simple, literate folk music or as churning, Jack White-style howling garage rock.

The Aristocrats
8 p.m. Thursday, July 25, Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave. $20-$23. www.tremontmusichall.com
The members of this international instrumental trio are revered experimental players with impressive resumes that include stints with Asia, GPS, Steve Vai, and Dethklok (to name a few). Its adventurous fusion of flowery jazz, hard rock backbone, bluesy skills, and technical, but fluid licks spells mind warp for guitar geeks.

Field Report
10 p.m. Thursday, July 25, Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. $10-$12. www.eveningmuse.com
Justin Vernon from Bon Iver’s former band mate Chris Porterfield is an impressive songwriter in his own right as he proves as band leader for the folky Field Report, who stop by the Muse on the way to play Floyd Fest in Virginia this weekend. With Ancient Cities.