GBH
The street punk stalwart approaches the 40 year mark with the long
running lineup of founders Colin Abrahall and Jock Blyth, drummer Scott Preece,
and bassist Ross Lomas, who published a frank and refreshing look the band’s
history with his 2013 autobiography. With California hardcore political street
punks Total Chaos.
Force MDs
The R&B vocal group’s 1985 ballad “Tender Love” - an early
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-written hit from the “Krush Groove” soundtrack - was
a Top 10 smash that perfectly captures the essence of `80s R&B. Like peers
New Edition, the group, which is now a trio having lost three members in the
`90s, bridges doo-wop and hip-hop.
Sun Bones
Friday
10 p.m., Crown Station, 1423 Elizabeth Ave., Free, www.crownstationpub.com and Sunday 6 p.m., Tin
Roof, 210 E. Trade St., Suite 286, Free, www.sunbones.com
This indie-rock four-piece from Tuscon, Ariz. emits the warmth of
the desert with rich, layered vocal harmonies and sunbaked soul that bathes in
psychedelia and quirky pop. It recalls the wacky invention of Talking Heads or
Arcade Fire led by Roy Orbison and mines the unpredictability of Violent Femmes
and Vampire Weekend.
Lana Del Rey
The controversial, somewhat polarizing singer-songwriter and
modern day lounge throwback treats fans to unreleased favorites, a couple of
covers, and torchy tracks from her two smash albums and moves past the `60s
glamour and uneven early performances on her headlining Endless Summer Tour.
She’s joined by Grimes.
Summerland Tour
Saturday 7:30 p.m., Uptown Amphitheatre, 1000 NC Music
Factory Blvd., $27.50-$42, www.livenation.com
Everclear’s Art Alexakis continues to celebrate `90s rock with
this annual nostalgic summer tour that features hit-heavy sets from Everclear,
Fuel, Toadies and American Hi-Fi - all of who continue to make new music and
release new records that trade in the same post-grunge guitar rock that made
them radio staples.
Flogging Molly/Gogol Bordello/Mariachi El Bronx
Consider it a mini world music festival with the Irish-American folk-rock-meets-pub-punk
of Flogging Molly, the Eastern European gypsy rock of NYC’s Gogol Bordello, and
the Americanized Mariachi alter-ego of L.A. punk band the Bronx. All three are
known as live powerhouses who don’t steer too closely to tradition.
Charlie Wilson
The voice of the Gap Band ( “You Dropped the Bomb On Me”)
overcame drug addiction and homelessness in 1995 and more recently prostate
cancer to enjoy a big comeback for his work with Snoop Dogg and Kanye West
(Wilson is all over “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”), with big solo hits
and BET’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Americana needs creative contrary women like Hurray for the Riff
Raff’s frontwoman Alynda Lee Segarra, who brings knowing intelligence and a
feminist wink to songs that hold a mirror to current American culture while
embracing its traditions. The band returns with Clear Plastic Masks following
this weekend’s Bonnaroo performance.
Anthony D’Amato
The New Jersey-bred singer-songwriter is a burst of literary cool
having studied with a poet professor at Princeton and worked as an NYC
publicist. His musically uplifting, if somewhat lyrically dark songs, are what
grab listeners attention and suggest he may be the most refreshing young
songwriter since Josh Ritter.
The War on Drugs/the Everymen
With its third album, “Lost in a Dream” embraced as one of 2014’s
biggest indie-rock releases and a fixture on Sirius/XM, the Philadelphia
folk-psych-rock sextet demonstrated what Fleetwood Mac or Springsteen might
sound like as a young indie band now. Live force the Everymen brings theatrical
big band presence as an opening act.
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