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 Oct. 29:
Gwar – Oct. 29 at The Trocadero
Last week saw the release of the latest opus by Gwar, The Blood of Gods. The loose concept of the album chronicles the massive battle between the band and the forces of all that oppose them. Along the way, Gwar challenges the sins of humanity from politics, pollution and organized religion, to fast food and factory farming. Such over the top ideals align perfectly with the stage show of the costumed metal act, which spews blood, guts, and whatever other fluids they can, throughout the course of a concert. Be prepared for a gig like no other…just don’t wear your good clothes.
Dawg Yawp – Oct. 29 at Kung Fu Nectie
Dawg Yawp is a folk-based duo that combines sitar, guitar, synth and drum samples alongside beautiful harmonies. Made up of Tyler Randall and Rob Keenan, the two lifelong friends attended Berklee together and then returned to their native Cincinnati to focus on the project. Their debut EP Two Hearted quickly earned them acclaim and radio play, in addition to several festival and national support slots. Their debut self-titled LP was released one year ago to national praise from NPR to our very own WXPN.
Shout Out Louds – Oct. 30 at Underground Arts
After a few silent years Shout Out Louds are back with their first record and U.S. tour in quite some time. In their 15 years as a band, the Swedish indie pop rockers have toured the world many times over to varying degrees of success. The band played a show in the Brazilian rainforest with a freezer box for a dressing room. They once performed in Yokohama, Japan, for an audience of two Austrians. They played in a Sicilian rainstorm so heavy they had to shake out their instruments afterwards, with the soaked backdrop left hung to dry on a hotel facade. Most importantly thought, they released four albums of brilliant pop music, with their fourth, Ease My Mind, a welcome return.
Goblin – Oct. 31 at Union Transfer
It doesn’t get much better than seeing a band called Goblin on Halloween. The legendary Italian masters of the horror film soundtrack are best known for their collaborations with directors such as George A. Romero and Dario Argento, as well as their seminal 1976 album Roller. Goblin have scored a vast number of genre cult classics including Suspiria, Patrick, Deep Red and the European score for Dawn of the Dead. Their synth-heavy prog rock regularly veers into nightmarish and atmospheric territory, making them a truly original and iconic entity. Perfect for getting your scare on.
Shawn Colvin – Nov. 1 at World Cafe Live – Downstairs
In an era when female singer-songwriters are everywhere, Shawn Colvin stands out as a singular and enduring talent. Her songs are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured and lifetime companions for their listeners. As a storyteller, Colvin is both keen and warm-hearted, leaving even the toughest tales with tenderness, empathy, and a sense of humor. Currently she’s celebrating the 20th anniversary of her breakthrough effort A Few Small Repairs which featured the hit “Sunny Came Home.”
Snow That Product – Nov. 1 at The Fillmore
Snow tha Product, a native of California, but resident of Texas, is an underground phenomenon taking the hip-hop scene by storm in a way that has put male MCs on alert. She considers herself both, “a beauty and a beast – looks and lyrical skills on the microphone, respectively.” Snow stands as tall as any female MC in the game and can wreck a track in fluent Spanish or English with a handful of male MCs trying to match her lyrical level. Not surprisingly, she often wins out.
The Dears – Nov. 4 at Boot & Saddle
The Dears emerged out of the early 00’s Canadian indie rock renaissance, cementing their orchestral-pop-noir sound with celebrated 2000 debut album End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story. Over the next two years they released the EPs Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique and Protest, as well as a collection of unreleased songs, Nor the Dahlias. Gang of Losers, out in 2006, was well received by critics and ended up getting shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. A tumultuous transitory period followed, but this year, The Dears released their seventh studio album this summer, Times Infinity Volume Two, the second installment of a two-album body of work.