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. 28:
Joe Lynn Turner – Jan. 28 at Sellersville Theater 1894
Joe Lynn Turner is considered by many to be the epitome of the phrase, “always a bridesmaid, never the bride.” He’s fronted the legendary rock bands Rainbow and Deep Purple, but as a replacement singer for each. That shouldn’t diminish his talents though, not in the least; he’s still one of the best singers in the genre. The Hackensack, N.J. native still has the chops at the age of 66, and his distinctive voice will be on full display, touching on all aspects of his lengthy career at Sellersville Theater 1894
Kuinka – Jan. 28 at World Cafe Live – Upstairs
Brothers Zach and Nathan Hamer, along with Miranda Zickler and Jillian Walker, came together in 2014 to form a unique breed of string band; one proudly defiant of preconceived notions of what fits under the label “Americana.” Their debut that year, The Wild North, propelled the band out of the woods and onto stages across the country. Two years later they followed with their breakout full length, The Heartland, which led to featured performances at dozens of festivals and several successful national headlining tours. Home from being on the road, the band spread to take a breath. All four found themselves in the midst of major life changes both as people and as artists; broadening the total palette from which they draw as musicians. Now, their latest release, Stay Up Late, rings with the vibrancy of exploration and discovery.
The Wood Brothers – Jan. 28 at Union Transfer
Two brothers decide to form a band, adapting the blues, folk and other roots-music sounds they loved as kids into their own evocative sound and twining their voices in the sort of high-lonesome harmony blend for which sibling singers are often renowned. That’s the story of Oliver and Chris Wood, who share vocals and play guitar and bass in The Wood Brothers. Joined by drummer Jano Rix to fully round out their sound, the songs, harmonies and music are a fantastic blend to witness live.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Jan. 30 at The Theatre of Living Arts
For a select few of us, rock and roll is a life sentence. It’s in every muscle in your body, it’s in every thought you have, it’s written all over your face. That’s certainly the case of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the indie rock outfit who have just released their eight LP, Wrong Creatures. Whether the music is drenched in feedback and distortion or sounding like it could be on a front porch in the Delta blues of the Deep South, BRMC have developed a new set of standards for the genre. The trio have not only upped the game, but somehow improved with each release since their 2001 eponymous debut.
Big Wreck – Jan. 31 The Foundry
Back in the late-90s, Big Wreck formed while its members were students at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music. Eventually making their home base out of Toronto, Ontario, the hard rockers released their debut, In Loving Memory Of…, in late 1997. Led by mercurial frontman Ian Thornley, the band didn’t last long, breaking up in 2002. Thornley formed his namesake outfit to some degree of success, but hardcore fans wanted Big Wreck back. They reunited in 2010, and while continuing to look forward, are also happy to acknowledge the past on this tour, where they will revisit their first album to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Greensky Bluegrass – Feb. 1 at The Fillmore
For more than a decade and a half, the members of Greensky Bluegrass have created their own version of bluegrass music, mixing the acoustic stomp of a stringband with the rule-breaking spirit of rock and roll. They redefined that sound once again with their sixth album, Shouted, Written Down & Quoted, which came out in 2016. Playing as many as 175 shows per year, the Michigan outfit have graduated to headlining status at some of the country’s most iconic venues, selling out amphitheaters like Red Rocks and world-class auditoriums like the Ryman. That’s a long way from playing living rooms and open mic nights across the Midwest as they did in the early days.
Anna Meredith – Feb. 2 at The Foundry
Anna Meredith is a composer, producer and performer of both acoustic and electronic music. Her sound is frequently described as “uncategorizable” and “genre-defying” and straddles the different worlds of contemporary classical, art pop, electronica, ambient installations and experimental rock. The British composer first toured the States just under a year ago, and is back again to wow audiences with her unique stylings.
