Concert Previews

Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley threatened to retire after 68 years of performing and a farewell tour this year, but later the 87-year-old reconsidered, which is good news for all of us. He can still surprise - witness his covers of Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart songs for Nick Cave's soundtrack to Lawless in 2012 - and his piercing tenor will forever be linked to classics such as "Man of Constant Sorrow" and "O Death." Stanley has been a regular at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival over its 43 years, and he and his Clinch Mountain Boys return Friday night amidst a very strong weekend lineup that includes several of bluegrass' best female singers (Suzy Bogguss, Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch) and some exciting up-and-comers (Balsam Range, Detour, and Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen). - Steve Klinge

Two chances to catch a terrific double bill. Headliners Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will team with rugged, chest-thumping senior citizen soul man Charles Bradley on back-to-back nights at the Borgata and the TLA. Both of these guys are skilled crowd pleasers: New Orleans trombonist (and trumpet player) Troy Andrews, 28, has been marked to lead the next generation of New Orleans party music maker since he started playing with a local brass band in his native Treme neighborhood in the early '90s, when he wasn't yet as tall as his signature instrument. (Hence the name.)

Though writing original songs is not yet his strong suit, Andrews has lived up to his legacy in every other way, honing his band Orleans Avenue into a genre-blending unit skilled enough to close out the main stage at the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival the last two years. In May, I caught highly effective Jazzfest sets from both Shorty and the 65-year-old Bradley, whose rugged, raspy-voiced approach to old-school soul splits the difference between Otis Redding and James Brown, to whom Bradley used to pay homage under the nom de funk Black Velvet. Bradley is a famously giving and tactile performer, so don't stand too close to the stage if you're not ready for a sweaty hug from a heart-on-his-sleeve guy who loves to show his fans how much he loves them back.

- Dan DeLuca

There is nothing good about Revel Casino and Hotel's having to shut its doors. Revel's closing was moved from Sept. 10 to Sept. 1 in order to stem its losses. Into the sad scenario come the Hooters, who play pretty much the last big gig at Revel's the Social room. Philly's finest have been on their own winning streak of late, with drummer David Uosikkinen's solo In the Pocket project drawing bandmates Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian. And if anyone could put a happy face on a bad day, it's the Hoots - as long as they don't play slow songs of loss and luck like "Time After Time."

- A.D. Amorosi