Welcome to “Seven in Seven,” where each Friday we take a look at shows coming to the region over the next week. Whether your musical tastes are rock and roll, jazz, heavy metal, singer-songwriter or indie, there’ll always be something to check out in the coming days.
Here are seven of the best for the week beginning May 21:
Chastity Brown – May 21 at World Cafe Live – Upstairs
Currently based in Minnesota but with roots in the Deep South, Chastity Brown has a powerful soul voice that features a large helping of Americana, giving her the ability to warm, comfort and challenge. Growing up near Memphis, she became transfixed by roots music from an early age. When she first began writing music, she struggled with this influence, as she was not exposed to many soul musicians writing “folk” music. “Growing up in a full gospel church was where Brown found her voice and passion,” according to a press release, “but after being kicked out of seminary college for having a same-sex relationship – she was studying to be a worship leader – she found her voice as a songwriter and has truly come into her own.”
Dreamcar – May 21 at The Theatre of Living Arts
There’s been a lot of talk about “fake news” in recent months, and one accurate case of it was when headlines across the internet screamed that AFI frontman Davey Havok had replaced Gwen Stefani as the singer in No Doubt. It took some clarification, but while he was fronting the No Doubt core of No Doubt’s Tony Kanal (bass), Tom Dumont (guitar), and Adrian Young (drums), it was a completely separate project. Steeped in the sounds o ’80s new wave, the union has brought upon an interesting sound that conjures up images of the past but manages to be refreshing at the same time. This past March, Dreamcar’s self-titled debut came out.
Pixies – May 23 at The Electric Factory
The influence of the Pixies stretches far and wide, most notably on Nirvana, who were never shy about crediting the Boston-based outfit and their “loud-quiet-loud” sound for inspiring them to do the same on many songs. Having broken up in the early 90s, the group made a triumphant return in 2004, and has been back on the scene pretty much ever since. Last year saw the release of their sixth album, Head Carrier, and fans who only heard about them through secondary sources are now getting another chance to catch them not only live, but with new material to play.
Cryptopsy – May 24 at ReverbWhen a band dubs their tour, “Devastation on the Nation,” it’s usually an indication they are not messing around. Montreal extreme metal outfit Cryptopsy have done just so, which is no small boast as they’ve wreaked havoc throughout the metal genre by releasing seven studio albums for the past two and a half decades. This tour has them performing their career highpoint, the 1996 effort None So Vile. Providing support on this date will be Rivers of Nihil, Decrepit Birth, The Zenith Passage, The Kennedy Veil and Gloom.
Vancouver Sleep Clinic – May 25 at Boot & Saddle
Tim Bettinson, the force behind Vancouver Sleep Clinic, created his major label debut LP Revival over a two-year period with producer Al Shux (Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey). It’s an ambient slice of alternative pop, carrying with it a moody set of pieces that will pull at the heartstrings. Hailing from Australia, Bettinson has previously released an EP, 2014’s Winter, as well as a series of singles including a cover of the Drake song “Hold On, We’re Going Home.”
Mumford & Sons – May 25 at BB&T Pavilion
Mumford & Sons have pretty much cornered the folk rock genre over the past few years, getting bigger and bigger with each album they release and tour they undertake. They’ve performed with Bob Dylan, headlined the Glastonbury Festival in their home country of England and last year put out an EP recorded in Johannesburg, South Africa with Senegalese singer Baaba Maal. It’s those variations and milestones which have separated them from the rest of the pack, along with an unwavering set of energy in their live shows. This spring and summer has them playing a few select headlining shows, like this one in Camden, as well as performing at festivals like Boston Calling and Lollapalooza Berlin.
HoagieNation Festival – May 27 at Festival Pier
The “Celebration of Everything Philly” organizers were wise to top the bill with Daryl Hall & John Oates and include fellow homegrown favorites G. Love & Special Sauce, Vivian Green, Marah and Schoolly D. As a further draw, English pop rock act Tears for Fears will be performing, making this more than just a regional event. It will no doubt be an excellent time, and hopefully it becomes a regular nod to all the great music, cuisine and everything else that has come out of Philadelphia.
