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 Jan. 21:
?Lana Del Rey – Jan. 21 at Wells Fargo Center
Lana Del Rey first popped into the collective national consciousness with her 2012 LP Born to Die. Buoyed by the hit single “Video Games,” the singer/songwriter quickly became the artist du jour for hipsters from Brooklyn to her adopted hometown of Los Angeles. Last summer, she released her fifth album, Lust for Life, cementing her status as one of the most enigmatic artists to hit the scene in recent memory. Her passionate and chill mannerisms has her a favorite of critics and fans worldwide.
?Sleeping With Sirens – Jan. 22 at The Foundry and Jan. 27 at Reverb
When it comes to alternative music, the boys in Sleeping With Sirens have quietly pushed the envelope since the release of their 2010 debut, With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear. Along the way, the band’s delicate one-two punch of towering melodies and tight musicality galvanized a diehard fan base dubbed “Strays” as they sold a staggering total of 1.5 million albums worldwide. Last September, the Orlando, Fla. rockers dropped their fifth album, Gossip, to widespread acclaim across the board.
?Becca Stevens – Jan. 21 at World Cafe Live – Upstairs
Becca Stevens expands and blurs the boundaries of folk, jazz, and pop while engaging the listener through keen poetic observation, rich musical language, and captivating singing. She nailed it with her second full length in 2014, Perfect Animal, and last year stepped up once again with Regina, a record which won the multi-instrumentalist praise far and wide.
?Big Head Todd and the Monsters- Jan. 26 at The Theatre of Living Arts
Big Head Todd and the Monsters are not that big on anniversaries, so there won’t be any big hoopla over the fact that the band is officially crossing the three-decade mark this year. Thirty years would seem like something to commemorate, especially with the same core lineup, an achievement few other name-brand bands can boast of. Yet right now they’re less about celebrating stability than volatility, in the form of their eleventh studio album, New World Arisin’, which makes good on its forward-facing title with what might be the brashest rock and roll of their career.
?Broken Arrow – Jan. 26 Ardmore Music Hall
Broken Arrow is a New York based rock band formed in 1976 by childhood friends – brothers Hank and Joey Perez, Mark Phillips and Al Canonico. Soon after, another lifelong friend, Stephen Murphy would join the group rounding out the lineup. Throughout the late 70’s and early 80’s the group became a fixture on the New York City and Long Island music scene known for their edgy, original songs and live performances. The tragic death of lead vocalist Hank Perez in 2002 all but signaled the demise of the band. However, with encouragement from its loyal fan-base, via the phenomenon of social websites, the band has seen a rebirth, which will doubt be on full display at the Ardmore Music Hall.
?The Infamous Stringdusters – Jan. 27 at Union Transfer
Just under a year ago, bluegrass/country/improvisational outfit The Infamous Stringdusters released Ladies & Gentlemen, an album of original songs featuring some of the best female vocalists around. Joss Stone, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Joan Osborne were just some of the names who lent their pipes to the record. Earlier this month, the band got back to the grind with their latest effort, Laws of Gravity. When it comes to bluebrass in general, these cats are untouchable.
?Radio 104.5 Winter Jawn – Jan. 27 Xfinity Live
January isn’t the time of year you’d expect to see an outdoor mini music festival, but that’s exactly what Radio 104.5 will be pulling off. The all-ages show features headliners Dashboard Confessional and The Struts, along with featuring multiple bands across the two stages, the Main Stage and Discovery Stage. Tickets are not available for purchase, but you can win them, download them or get them at a ticket raid. Listen to 104.5 for more information.
