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 June 25:
Imelda May – June 25 at Union Transfer
One of the most shocking changes in regards to image is Irish songstress Imelda May. Originally hailed as the new queen of rockabilly, clad in leather jackets, tight fitting polka dot dresses and topped off with a quiff of spiraled black hair and a shocking streak of blond at the front, she burst onto the mainstream with the 2008 album Love Tattoo. Bringing new attention to a left of center genre, May went silent shortly after her 2014 effort Tribal. She returned earlier this year with a new album, look and sound on Life Love Flesh Blood. The hair is down, the outfits are more designer chic, and the songs, well, they’re representative of the reason for the transition: heartbreak – times two. Her marriage fell apart in the summer of 2015, she fell in love and then had her heart broken again. The result in an honest an wrenching singer/songwriter record that has been receiving accolades from fans and critics alike.
Dead & Company – June 25 at BB&T Pavilion
While many Deadheads thought the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995 spelled the end of the Grateful Dead. For a period, it did, but 20 years later, after a friendship sprouted between John Mayer and Dead guitarist Bob Weir, the decision was made to form Dead & Company with Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Weir and Mayer. Fans old and new are now able to hear in concert the hits that launched a thousand acid trips and legions of “Deadicated” followers.
Third Eye Blind with Silversun Pickups – June 13 at Reverb
Few bands get a second act after their initial popularity runs its course. Third Eye Blind were one of those groups who, if people didn’t look beyond the pop sheen of their many radio hits, might fall into the category. Fortunately, their music have proven timeless in a sense, and surprisingly enduring. That they’re slotted alongside current and popular band Silversun Pickups is a further testament to their viability.
Megadeth – June 27 at The Fillmore
Thrash legends Megadeth show no signs of slowing down, still touring in support of their 15th studio album, the Grammy Award winning Dystopia, which came out back in January of 2016. Frontman Dave Mustaine is single-handedly keeping the torch burning, with the 2010 return of founding bassist David Ellefson a shot in the arm that didn’t hurt at all. This most recent run won’t be the end of the tour either; this fall will see the band taking on the rare role of openers for German hard rock titans Scorpions.
Adam Ezra Group – June 29 at Sellersville Theater 1894
Known as a live force to be reckoned with Adam Ezra and his band are activists and community leaders as much as they are musicians and songwriters. Ezra has spent time living out of a van, farming in Canada, volunteering for the relief effort in Kosovo, and practicing environmental geography in South Africa. But the road is where they shine for the fans, as the group’s live performances, sweaty, passionate affairs that have been compared to those of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Their unique take on roots rock is something to behold in concert for certain.
Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie – June 30 at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts
When Christine McVie rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 2014 after retiring from the road in 1998, most people thought it would lead to a new album by the band. Instead, and not disappointingly in the least, the singer linked up with band guitarist Lindsey Buckingham for a new record, a self-titled effort that sounds surprisingly vibrant and full of energy. It may not be the same as a Fleetwood Mac album, but it’s a strong tide over until the much rumored new one – with Stevie Nicks apparently the one holding it up.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – July 1 at the Wells Fargo Center
Earlier this month saw the release of eight Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers albums on vinyl as standalone titles to help celebrate the iconic band’s 40th anniversary. Now they’ve hit the road to do the same, delivering hits from a vast catalog that not only spans four decades, but one which bucks the trends from those years, staying true to the rebel spirit of rock and roll. It also doesn’t hurt that live, they continue to be one of the best around.
