Concert Previews
The Lindsey Buckingham Appreciation Society Tusk is the aficionado's favorite Fleetwood Mac album. A brilliant, eccentric 1979 follow-up to the mega-selling Rumours, it was a double album of Christine McVie sweetness ("Over & Over"), Stevie Nick
The Lindsey Buckingham Appreciation Society
Tusk
is the aficionado's favorite Fleetwood Mac album. A brilliant, eccentric 1979 follow-up to the mega-selling
Rumours
, it was a double album of Christine McVie sweetness ("Over & Over"), Stevie Nicks witchiness ("Storms"), and, especially, Lindsey Buckingham madcap weirdness ("Not That Funny"). The Lindsey Buckingham Appreciation Society features six mostly local musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Charlie Hall (the War on Drugs), singer-songwriter Birdie Busch, drummer Pat Berkery (the Bigger Lovers), and guitarist Tony Goddess (Papas Fritas). On Monday night, they will perform
Tusk
, start to finish. It's an ambitious pet project. Instead of a faithful re-creation, expect an enthusiastic exploration. Don't expect a marching band to show up for the title song - but neither should you rule out some imaginative work-around. It's an early show at Johnny Brenda's, with the sharp, plainspoken singer-songwriter Jennifer O'Connor opening.
- Steve Klinge
CD release parties: Fractals and Toy Soldiers
Two decidedly different Philly bands - the hard-rockin' Fractals and the rootsy Toy Soldiers - celebrate the release of their respective debut albums with weekend performances. The Fractals, known for revved-up shows featuring crowd-pleasers like "Priscilla the Killa" (about a sadistic dental hygienist), will showcase tracks from their first full-length CD,
Heavy Rotation
, tonight at Johnny Brenda's. The not-so-easily-categorized Toy Soldiers headline the TLA Saturday, following several opening acts.
Fractals front man/guitarist Kevin Hanson, who has worked with everyone from Usher to Jay-Z to the Roots, provides sonic backbone for his band, which includes fellow Huffamoose alums Jim Stager and Erik Johnson, along with a more recent addition, keyboardist (and longtime Jim Boggia sideman) Mike Frank.
The Toy Soldiers started out as a folksy duo led by singer-songwriter Ron Gallo, then quickly morphed into a nine-member band, complete with a horn section and two female backing singers. The group, which melds blues, rock, funk, and folk, is championing Whisper Down the Lane, which comes out Tuesday on Drexel's student-run label, MAD Dragon.
- Nicole Pensiero
Pat Metheny
On Tuesday at the Keswick Theatre, Pat Metheny will play with one of his greatest collaborators: himself.
The guitarist, who blazes his own path between jazz and fusion, persuaded some inventors to make him an orchestrion, a modern kind of player piano that Metheny loved as a child. At his command, it can play everything from bottles and bass drums to xylophones, vibraphones, pianos, bass, and guitar.
This robotic wall of instruments could raise Metheny's self-expression to new heights. Or not.
Jazz has long been a collective form, featuring exchanges of distinct personalities who drive one another higher.
Metheny is acutely aware that his mechanical "group" may not swing. If he succeeds or doesn't, it'll all be on him.
- Karl Stark