Music critics' picks

Indie pop is sort of like emo's cooler big brother. Both are heavy on style and hooks, but indie pop turns down the drama for more subtle pleasures. Seattle's Tullycraft is the genre's star. The band hit the scene in 1994 with "Pop Songs Your Boyfriend's Too Stupid to Know About." Their latest is "Every Scene Has a Center," a collection of catchy songs about goth waitresses, UFO watchers and lovelorn punks. Tullycraft's rare Philly appearance marks the last show for local indie pop faves Scary Monster, whose founder, Neal Ramirez, will depart for Los Angeles. New Jersey's Surefire Broadcast rounds out the bill.

The Barbary, Frankford Avenue and Columbus Boulevard, 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, $10, all ages, 267-765-5210, www.r5productions.com.

- Sara Sherr

It was dandy seeing Phil Roy cited in another newspaper of note (the New York Times) last weekend. Too bad it was for the Philadelphia-based artist's increasingly famous dinner-and-a-show house concerts rather than a review of his latest batch of music.

I'm a fan of Roy's cooking, too (the man makes a mean Moroccan stew), but the haunting comfort music served up on his major label (Decca) debut, "The Great Longing," is just so rich and savory, so from the heart, pure and emotionally satisfying that it, too, leaves you feeling full - in heart, if not in belly. Come on out and hear for yourself as Roy celebrates the album debut at the historic, newly renovated Ambler Theater. Flying Fish Brewery is supplying complimentary beverages to toast the occasion. Sarah Pedinotti opens.

Ambler Theater, 108 E. Butler Ave., Ambler, 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, $20, 215-345-7855, www.amblertheater.org.

- Jonathan Takiff

It's a rare treat when two of reggae's rootsmen Capleton and Richie Spice link up for a show. Capleton is known for his hard-charging, uncompromising roots style, in the tradition of Peter Tosh but with an updated feel. He blends Rastafarian ideology and a wailing delivery with some of the hottest reggae riddims in the genre. Spice could be seen as a new-generation Capleton, with his inspired tracks about Afro-Caribbean unity and the plight of the poor. His latest album, "Gideon Boot," continues Spice's roots climb.

Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 9 p.m. Thursday, $40, 18+, 215-922-LIVE, www.thetroc.com.

- Damon C. Williams

It's somewhat surprising that the Dupont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival has yet to outgrow its home in Wilmington, Del.'s, Rodney Square. On the strength of its 20th anniversary lineup, the East Coast's largest free jazz festival would easily pack more than a one-block-square area if it were located in a larger city.

The week kicks off with an evening of female artists, including pianist Helen Sung and the astounding Maria Schneider Orchestra. Tuesday features what now seems to be an annual evening of New Orleans music, with Bonerama and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Wednesday includes Trio 3, the supergroup of Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille, and the Mingus Big Band. Saturday's more casually accessible - but packed - lineup includes former John Coltrane drummer Rashied Ali, pyrotechnical Japanese pianist Hiromi, and pop-jazz superstar David Sanborn.

Rodney Square, 11th and Market streets, Wilmington, Del., Sunday through June 22, free, 302-576-3095, www.cliffordbrownjazzfest.com.

- Shaun Brady

Last year's launch of the Harp Music Festival of Philadelphia showcased the instrument's range of expression. This year's schedule expands to include master classes, lectures, and four concerts. Festival artistic director Saul Davis Zlatkovsky leads off solo at 8 tonight. Joan Holland takes over at 8 p.m. tomorrow. A collaboration of the festival's artists is set for 12:30 p.m. Sunday, and the finale at 7 p.m. Sunday brings together Helen Gerhold, Jude Mollenhauer, Adan Vazquez, Holland and the duo Harps Afire for solo pieces with strings.

Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut St., $15-$20 or $60 for all events, 215-563-4848, www.harpmusicfest.com.

- Tom Di Nardo