Thursday, December 4, 2014

This week's hot concerts

The Balsa Gliders
Friday  8:30 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $10, www.visulite.com  
Few acts are as nostalgic for the `90s sound that almost made Chapel Hill the next Seattle as this tri-city sextet (its members hail from DC, Charlotte, and the Triangle). On its new album “Courteous Americans” it tackles the jangly lo-fi guitar anthems of the era of Archers of Loaf and Velocity Girl with added nods to the Smiths and the Replacements.


Brian Setzer Orchestra
Saturday  4 p.m., Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd., $62.48-$73.88, www.ticketmaster.com
Since “Boogie Woogie Christmas” in 2002, the former Stray Cat has embarked on a decade of holiday tours and released two more Christmas albums (one live). But fans don’t just get the modern rockabilly legend’s take on “Jingle Bell Rock” and “The Nutcracker Suite,” they get solo and Cats’ hits and more spirited big band-aided covers.

Antiseen
Saturday  9 p.m., Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave., $12, www.tremontmusichall.com
This marks the Charlotte band’s first hometown show since losing founding guitarist Joe Young to a heart attack in May, which means it is also guitarist Mad Brother Russ Ward’s local debut with the band. It’ll be interesting to see if Ward gives notorious frontman Jeff Clayton competition in bloodshed. He’s been known to play so hard his hands bleed, so he’ll fit right in.


Crushed Out
Saturday  10 p.m., Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St., $5, www.snugrock.com
Although a roots rock duo at its core, the married New Hampshire couple draws from lesser tapped pools of Americana - surf guitar and `60s rock and country, and - on its latest album “Teeth” - high lonesome spaghetti Westerns. Its influences blend so seamlessly they remain secondary to the strength of the songs.


A Johnnyswim Christmas
Monday  8 p.m., Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 35th St., $22-$32, www.neighborhoodtheatre.com  
The much buzzed-about married duo of Nashville songwriter Abner Ramirez and Donna Summer’s youngest daughter Amanda Sudano - who are expecting their first child in February - lend their unique union of polished soul and roots attitude (plenty of charging, rhythm and harmony heavy sing-alongs) to the holidays with a new Christmas EP and tour.

Jessie J/Nick Jonas
Tuesday  7 p.m., The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd., $38.73, www.livenation.com
Even in its earliest years, there was something about the versatile youngest Jonas Brother that suggested he had the chops and brains to break out as the Timberlake of the crew. Now he’s a solo artist starring in Direct TV’s “Kingdom” and co-headlining the annual Kissmas Concert with British pop sensation Jessie J and Bebe Rexha.


Trampled By Turtles/Nikki Lane
Tuesday  8 p.m., Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 35th St., $22, www.neighborhoodtheatre.com
On its latest album the Minnesota quintet mixes the high lonesome feel and fast picking of a bluegrass band with the psychedelic folk-rock scope of bands like Phosphorescent or My Morning Jacket. It’s paired with rising Greenville, SC-raised/Nashville-based country singer Lane, whose caused quite a stir a an atmospheric throwback to Patsy and Loretta.


Jessica Lea & David Mayfield
Wednesday  8 p.m., Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 35th St., $15-$18, www.neighborhoodtheatre.com  The acclaimed siblings - both solo artists that grew up playing in their folks’ bluegrass band - wowed audiences two Decembers ago with its Sibling Rivalry Tour, which they revisit reaching back to their childhood repertoire and doing unique renditions of their own material. The music is stunning, but their chemistry is gold as well.

Steel Panther
Wednesday  7:30 p.m., The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd., $33.58, www.livenation.com  
From Sunset Strip satirists to playing for 100,000 fans at the Download Festival, the hair metal parody has made a full-fledged career out of fun and Aquanet opening for the acts it sends up - Guns n’ Roses, Judas Priest, and the Crue and headlining clubs. This marks the over the top comedic rock group’s first time headlining Charlotte.


David Broza
Thursday  7:30 p.m., Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St., $36-$54, www.blumenthalarts.org  
With his mix of flamenco, fingerpicking, folk-rock and reggae, this Israeli singer-songwriter and guitarist is considered Israel’s answer to Springsteen but by advocating and campaigning for peace between Israel and Palestine on albums like 2014’s “East Jerusalem West Jerusalem,” he’s more like Bono-meets-Neil Young.