Thursday, July 25, 2013

This week's hot concerts

Lil Wayne/T.I./2 Chainz
7 p.m. Friday, July 26, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 707 Pavilion Blvd. $38.75-$158.75. www.livenation.com
Just months after being hospitalized, reportedly surviving a coma, and still recurring death rumors, the controversial Lil Wayne is alive, still ruffling "Amerika's" feathers, and headlining the America’s Most Wanted Festival (both its headliners have served jail time) with fellow Southern hip-hop icons T.I. and 2 Chainz as well as Oakland’s G-Eazy.

Drivin’ n’ Cryin’
8 p.m. Friday, July 26, Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. $15. www.chopshopnoda.com
The Southern alt-rock vets took a different approach with its latest release - instead of an album its four EPs that focus on different aspects of its psychedelic, punky, garage, folk-rock history. The final chapter is set for October and a documentary, “Scarred But Smarter: the life and times of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’,” is premiering around the country. With Porcelain Mary and Darlings of the Underground.

Beyonce`
8 p.m. Saturday, July 27, Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St. $59.90-$276.20. www.ticketmaster.com
For those of us that have seen previous tours, some aspects of The Mrs. Carter World Tour like her all female band and her biggest hits will be familiar, but reviews indicate daring new production and a few deeper cuts. Of course it’s doubtful with the actual singing, choreography, and costumes that Bey could put on a bad show.

Davey Suicide
8 p.m. Sunday, July 28, Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave. $10-$13. www.ticketfly.com
The Hollywood industrial dance metal quintet mixes Marilyn Manson, Ministry and Motley Crue tackling social and political issues and compelling teen angst with sexed-up glam guitar throwbacks. Frontman Davey Suicide was named Number 41 on “Kerrang” magazine’s list of “50 Greatest Rock Stars Today.” With the Bear the Bunny, Defiled, and the Beautiful Chaos.

Mona
8 p.m. Monday, July 29, Milestone, 3400 Tuckaseegee Rd. $7-$9. www.themilestoneclub.com
One of the highlights of this year’s Coachella festival, this Nashville rock quartet released its sophomore album, “Torches and Pitchforks,” last week. Imagine early Kings of Leon’s Southern garage soul filtered through a steady diet of U2, the Clash, and Queen.

Psychedelic Furs/Space Hog
8 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, Chop Shop, 399. E. 35th St. $25-$28. www.chopshopnoda.com
The legendary new wave band has luckily graced Charlotte annually for the past few years. This time it plays its string of dreamy, alternative pop classics (“Heaven,” “Love My Way,” “The Ghost in You”) at a new venue. Fellow Brits Spacehog, who scored a hit with “In the Meantime” in the `90s and reunited in 2008, are along for the ride. With Cement Stars.

Paper Bird
Thursday, August 1, US National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway. Free. www.usnwc.org
This harmony-driven septet may follow in the bootprints of fellow Denver folk-pop group the Lumineers, but its bluesy and bluegrassy strings, psychedelic production, and multiple vocalists give it a rootsy originality as if Crosby Stills and Nash were jamming with the ghost of `50s girl groups like the Paris Sisters.

Molotov
8 p.m. Thursday, August 1, Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. $40. www.livenation.com
For almost two decades the Latin Grammy winning quartet has been seamlessly mixing classic rock, hip-hop, punk, blues, and funk into its amped up Spanish language rock like Mexico’s answer to Beastie Boys, the Black Keys, Cypress Hill, and Rancid all rolled into one.