Welcome to ‘Seven in Seven,’ where each week 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 17:
Harry Connick Jr. – June 17 at Sands Bethlehem Event Center
Multi-talented singer and composer wraps up his two regional dates with a show at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center the night after he performed at the Mann Center for Performing Arts. A rarity in the realm of entertainment, Connick is an artist whose meteoric rise in the world of music was only a prelude to a multi-faceted career that’s included acting on the big screen, Broadway, hosting his own talk show and major performances including playing at Pope Benedict XVI’s Yankee Stadium mass and the NBA All-Star Game held in his native New Orleans.
Street Dogs – June 17 at The Fillmore
Virtually everyone in the punk rock world knows who the Street Dogs are, based on what they stand for; but there are still millions of people out there who have yet to find out that the band is out there fighting for them. “Not without a purpose, not without a fight!” is their real-life battle-cry from a group of real-life champions of the common man and woman. Since putting together their first lineup way back in 2002, Street Dogs continue to grow, impressing new people all over the world by sacrificing their ideals, politics or music because of pressures by a corporate world pulling the strings.
Ufomammut – June 18 at Johnny Brenda’s
The Italian doom metal trio Ufomammut formed in Italy in 1999 and developed a foundation with a sound characterized by lengthy songs centered on repeated heavy riffs coupled with droning vocals and the use of sound effects and synths. Their live show is live show is supported by the internationally acclaimed video and graphic art of Malleus, a rock artists’ collective of which bandmembers Poia (guitar/synthesizers) and Urlo (bass) form a part, adding a unique visual impact to the music.
Roger Daltrey – June 19 at The Mann Center for Performing Arts
The Who frontman Roger Daltrey released his 10th solo album, As Long As I Have You, at the beginning of this month to outstanding reviews. Despite it technically being a 26-year break between solo efforts, back in 2014 he released the Going Back Home collaboration LP with Dr. Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson. The main focus on this tour though, a relatively short one by comparison to his primary outfit’s lengthy treks, he’ll be performing The Who’s groundbreaking rock opera Tommy with a symphony. The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia will be backing him on this date.
Insomnium – June 19 at Voltage Lounge
Formed in 1997 in the town of Joensuu, in Eastern Finland, the melodic death metal band Insomnium released two demos that quickly led to a deal with UK label Candlelight Records. A true product of their environment, the band’s music is as epic as it is melodic, as melancholic as it is majestic and as brutal as it is beautiful. They are still touring on their late 2016 release, Winter’s Gate, their seventh LP, a concept piece about Vikings seeking out the land of Ireland despite the brutal weather that faces them on their journey. And if that’s not the most metal thing you’ve heard all week, there’s no hope.
Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz – June 21 at Keswick Theatre
Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees are on the road for their first-ever national tour as a duo. Billed as “The Monkees Present: The Mike & Micky Show,” the Keswick show is just one of 16 performances that feature songs spanning The Monkees’ entire career – from their 1966 eponymous debut to 2016’s Good Times. Many of Nesmith’s compositions, including some that have never been performed live will be highlighted. Expect two full electric sets of music as well as a short acoustic interlude.
Whitesnake + Foreigner – June 23 at The BB&T Pavilion
Two of the more storied bands in rock history have linked up for a tour this summer in Whitesnake and Foreigner. The former got their start as a bluesy band from England but went full on hard rock as the 80s wore on. Bolstered by hits like “Still of the Night,” “Is This Love” and the perennial karaoke favorite “Here I Go Again,” the David Coverdale led act were MTV darlings. Foreigner, on the other hand, went primarily down the straight-ahead rock and roll route with the songs “Cold as Ice,” “Head Games” and “Jukebox Hero.” As an added bonus, the opening act is Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, where the son of legendary drummer John Bonham pays tribute to one of the biggest bands in music history.
Soundcheck
Listen to these tunes:
Harry Connick Jr. – “A Wink and a Smile”
Street Dogs – “Punk Rock and Roll”
Ufomammut – “Stigma”The Who – “See Me, Feel Me”
Insomnium – “Winter’s Gate, Pt. 1”
The Monkees – “Daydream Believer”
Whitesnkae – “Still of the Night”
Foreigner – “Jukebox Hero”Led Zeppelin – “Kashmir”
