What Is Hip?
It's Friday, so it's time for another round of free music.
More than three dozen shows are coming to town this weekend. Lots of tunes to get you ready. Continuing what we started two Fridays ago, Blinq presents its newish and maybe-even regular music-tasting menu:
Friday at the Keswick Theatre, get out your high-heeled sneakers and quiana shirts, it's a trip in the way-back machine with Tower of Power and Average White Band. For starters, how about a blast of TOP playing "Ain't Nothing Stopping Us Now?" AWB's more generous with their music - their home page links a stream of a 2005 in-studio performance and interview for KJZI in Minneapolis. Includes "Work to Do" and "Pick Up the Pieces."
Over at the Electric Factory, please welcome The John Butler Trio. A wealth of live product on the Web, and loads of it authorized - years' worth on Live Music Archive. Try the down-under dudes' version of "Betterman" from a show last March at NYC's Mercury Lounge.
Want something farther outside? How about Art Brut at the First Unitarian Church? Click "releases" on the UK group's site, then "Formed a Band" on their site to hear their strangely declarative form of story-telling. ("It's not rock and roll, we're just talking ... to the kids.") Or a mash by Spoiler Boy, featuring Art Brut, called "My Sherona Formed A Band." Yowza.
Finally for Friday, Paul Oakenfold at Emerald City. You can click a couple of the British DJ's chunky toe-tappers, but I'd recommend you try "Starry Eyed Surprise," and then maybe it will get stuck in your head, not mine.
Saturday? Death Cab and Franz Ferdinand at the Tweeter, but you probably know their ways by now. How about Wolfmother at the North Star? Fresh from Texas, where the Wolfies ravaged the South By Southwest fest, the Australian power trio rocks like the birth of heavy metal. I was listening to the pounding ear-candy called "White Unicorn" on their site.
No slowing for Sunday. Of the picks I'm going for Blackalicious at the TLA. The site where Chief Xcel and Gift of Gab ply their hip-hop trade offers a taste of The Craft, and downloads of "My Pen & Pad" as well as "Powers."
Didn't even talk about Junior Brown or Neko Case or John Mellencamp or Medeski, Martin and Wood. If you check any of these out, write in, let us know about the show. But we will not testify for you if you try to write off the cost of the ticket.
To see the whole list, click "Continue Reading," courtesy of the Weekend staff.
(pictured: Wolfmother)
First Unitarian Church
2125 Chestnut St; 267-765-5210. www.r5productions.com. Unless noted: all ages.
Art Brut With the Robocop Kraus, Gil Mantera's Party Dream. $10. 8 tonight.
Fearless Vampire Killers With Blacklisted, Guns Up! $12. 7:30 p.m. Sun.
House of Blues
At the Showboat, Boardwalk & Delaware Ave, Atlantic City; 1-800-736-1420. www.hob.com. J
Jah Works With Storm, the Burn Down All-Stars. $5. 8 tonight.
"Battle of the Bands" $5. 5 p.m. Sat.
R Kelly Sold out. 9 p.m. Sun.
Kimmel Center
Broad & Spruce Sts; 215-893-1999. www.kimmelcenter.org. J
Medeski, Martin & Wood With Slo-Mo. Verizon Hall. $33-$69. 8:30 tonight.
Sellersville Theater 1894
Main & Temple Sts, Sellersville; 215-257-5808. www.st94.com. J
Junior Brown With Gary Bennett. $29.50. 8 tonight.
Christine Lavin $24.50. 8 p.m. Sat.
A Capella Pops $17.50. 3 p.m. Sun.
Luka Bloom With Sabrina Dinan. $22.50. 7:30 p.m. Sun.
Theatre of Living Arts
334 South St; 215-922-1011. J
Rhett Miller With Nicolai Dunger. $22. 9 tonight.
Steve Howe $29.50. 9 p.m. Sat.
Blackalicious With Lifesavas, Fat Lip, Pigeon John. $25; $20 advance. 8 p.m. Sun.
Trocadero
10th & Arch Sts; 215-922-5483. www.thetroc.com.
luckystar With Jettison Greymatter, Undermind, Pattern of Analysis. $10. 6 tonight (balcony, all ages).
Wabi Sabi With Agent Moosehead, Blue Sky Intervention. $7. 10 tonight (balcony).
Neko Case With Martha Wainwright. $19; $17 advance. 8 p.m. Sat.
The Birthday Massacre With Under Your Bed, Head. $10. 7 p.m. Sun.
World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut St; 215-222-1400. J www.worldcafelive.com. 18 & over.
"What is Jazz?" Concert Series Ropeadope & Blue Note Records present. With Charlie Hunter Trio, Christian McBride Band, DJ Logic, Bobby Previte. $22-$42. 7:30 tonight.
Joshua Heard Park & John Mallinen $5. 9 tonight.
Eric Himan With Levi Kreis. $10. 8 p.m. Sun.
Mute Math With the Working Title. $14; $12 advance. 7:30 p.m. Sun.
John Butler Trio With Jeff Lang. Electric Factory, 421 N 7th St (between Callowhill & Spring Garden Sts); 215-627-1332. $20. 8:30 tonight.
Old Time Friends String Band The Arts Scene, 530 E Union St, West Chester; 610-644-6555. J $10. 7:30 tonight.
Rene Marie Appel Farm & Music Center, 457 Shirley Rd, Elmer; 800-394-1211. $22. 8 tonight.
Tower of Power & Average White Band Keswick Theatre, Keswick Ave off Easton Rd, Glenside; 215-572-7650. www.keswicktheatre.com. J $36.50. 8 tonight-Sat.
USAF Rhythm in Blue Jazz Ensemble University of Delaware, Loudis Recital Hall, du Pont Music Bldg, Amstel Ave & Orchard Rd, Newark; 302-831-2577. 7:15 tonight.
Yellowcard With Mae. Stockton Performing Arts Center, Jim Leeds Rd, Pomona; 609-652-9000. J $21. 8 tonight.
"A Celebration of the Life & Times of Mike Liddy" With Leavenworth, the Dividing, Cetus, Nutbox, Sharp Teeth, the Emergency Four, No Outlet; silent art auction. University of the Arts, Hamilton Hall, 320 S Broad St; 215-717-6240. $7. 5:30 p.m. Sat.
Arlo Guthrie With Abe Guthrie, Gordon Titcomb. Gershman Y, Broad & Pine Sts; 215-446-3021. J $35-$150. 8:30 p.m. Sat.
Death Cab For Cutie & Franz Ferdinand With the Cribs. Tweeter Center, 1 Harbour Blvd, Camden; 215-336-2000, 856-338-9000 or 302-984-2000. J $29.50 & $33.50. 8 p.m. Sat.
Gospel Explosion With university's Gospel Choir, praise dancers, gospel rappers, more. Immaculata University, Memorial Hall, 1145 King Rd, Immaculata; 610-647-4400 ext 3113. 5 p.m. Sat.
Gospel Jam With Rev Ernest McNear & the True Gospel Tabernacle Coir, Prayz 1, Four 13, Purpose, Voyce, Dezzie, J-Silas; Living Branch Ministries present. Rutgers University, Gordon Theater, 3d St, btwn Cooper St & Ben Franklin Bridge, Camden; 856-225-6161. $5. 6 tonight.
Orrin Evans With Rohm & Haas Settlement Jazz Band, GFS student jazz groups; Germantown Friends School presents. Loeb Performing Arts Center, Greene St & School House Ln; 215-951-2300. $5. 7 p.m. Sat.
R Kelly Tower Theater, 69th & Ludlow Sts, Upper Darby; 215-336-2000. Sold out. 8 p.m. Sat.
Steve Giordano's Spacetet Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St; 215-925-9914. www.paintedbride.org. J $20. 8 p.m. Sat.
Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrill Annenberg Center, Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St; 215-898-3900. J $20-$43; $15 additional hispanic-latino dinner/lecture precedes (5:30 p.m.). 7:30 p.m. Sun.
The Midiri Brothers Benefits Philharmonic of Southern NJ. Moorestown High School, 350 Bridgeboro Rd, Moorestown; 609-654-9654. $25. 4 p.m. Sun.
Clubs and Coffeehouses
Philadelphia
Bistro Romano 120 Lombard St; 215-925-8880. Jazz. Fris-Sats, Craig Satchell.
Dawson Street Pub 100 Dawson St; 215-482-5677. J Variety. Tonight, Mark Furman & Sister Blue.
Fergie's Pub 1214 Sansom St; 215-928-8118. www.fergies.com. Variety. Tonight, John Train, Lonesome Killers. Sat, Irish Music Jam, Man in Black.
Finnigan's Wake 3d & Spring Garden Sts; 215-574-9240. J Irish & top 40. Tonight, Drop Dead Sexy. Sat, Zone, Danny Boys.
The Khyber 56 S 2d St; 215-238-5888. www.thekhyber.com. Variety. Tonight, Necktie, Your Black Star, Balboa, Backstabbers Inc, Disappearer. Sat, Blowfly, Phil Moore Browne, Despot. Sun, Arab Strap, A Whisper in the Noise, Fall of Snow. North By Northwest 7165 Germantown Ave; 215-248-1000. www.nxnwphl.com. Jazz & rock. Sat, Turkey Boullian Mafia, U-Melt. Thu, Alternate Routes, Doria Roberts.
North Star Bar 27th & Poplar Sts; 215-787-0488. www.northstarbar.com. Variety. Tonight, Sinch, Autopilot, Willpowerless, Point of Autumn. Sat, Wolfmother, Die! Die! Die!, Unfaithful Servants. Sun, Owen, William Elliot Whitmore, the Snake the Cross the Crown, Envy on the Coast. The Omni Hotel at Independence Park 4th & Chestnut Sts; 215-925-0000. J Jazz. Fris-Suns, Rich Santucci's Algorhythms Jazz Trio.
Tin Angel 20 S 2d St; 215-928-0978. www.tinangel.com. Variety. Tonight, Susan Werner, Jon Regan, Ben Arnold, Kalai King. Sat, Luka Bloom, Sabrina Dinan, Patrick's Head, Philly Blue Grass Band. Sun, Phil Roy.
Zanzibar Blue The Bellevue, lower level, S Broad & Walnut Sts; 215-732-4500. www.zanzibarblue.com. Jazz. Tonight-Sat, Ronny Jordan.
Pennsylvania suburbs
Agora Cafe The Church on the Mall, Plymouth Meeting Mall, Germantown Pike just N of Rtes 76 & 476, Plymouth Meeting; 610-825-3388. Variety. Sat, VIH Blues Band, Selah Via, Andrew Cornelius.
Baxter's Great Valley 20 Liberty Blvd, Great Valley; 610-722-5920. J Variety. Tonight, Mark Teague. Sat, Grace.
Berwyn Tavern Rte 30 at Berwyn Train Station, Berwyn; 610-889-9352. J Variety. Tonight, Inity. Sat, Slicked Up 9's.
The Blarney Stone 1227 West Chester Pike, West Chester; 610-436-5222. Top 40s. Tonight, Saved By Zero. Sat, Jealous Type.
The Boulevard Bar & Grille 33 Brookline Blvd, Havertown; 610-713-7020. Acoustic. Tonight, Jeff Domenick & the Fraction.
D'Ignazio's Towne House 117 Veteran's Sq, Media; 610-566-6141. J Acoustic jazz with vocals. Fris-Sats, Frank Tucci.
Fingers 700 Bethlehem Pike, Erdenheim; 215-233-9955. Variety. Fris, Frank Deodato. Sats, Kristin Coryell. Suns, Andy Prescott.
Il Sol Tuscan Grill 255 N Sycamore St, Newtown; 215-968-5880. www.ilsoltuscangrill.com. J Jazz & Caribbean. Tonight, Inn the Pocket. Sat, Barbara Trent.
King George II Inn on the Delaware, 102 Radcliffe St, Bristol; 215-788-5536. Variety. Fris-Sats, John Stenger.
Maddie's 330 E Lancaster Ave, Frazier; 610-644-2722. www.maddies.com. J Variety. Tonight, FM. Sat, Monkey Bus. Maggiano's Little Italy 205 Mall Blvd, King of Prussia; 610-992-3333. Jazz. Fris-Sats, Panama Jack.
The Nail 2580 Haverford Rd, Ardmore; 610-649-6245. www.thenail1.com. J Rock. Tonight, New Union Rules, Avantgarde, Back to Blonde, Matt Roach. Sat, Wishbone, L2K, Tabloid Society.
Ristorante La Collina 37-41 Ashland Ave (off Belmont Ave), Belmont Hills; 610-668-1780. International pop. Fris, Miss Justine & Tom Lawton.
Sats, Pasquale & Tony Reese.
The Shanachie Irish Pub & Restaurant 111 E Butler Ave, Ambler; 215-283-4887. J Irish. Tonight-Sat, Blarney.
Solid Rock Cafe Chalfont Square Shopping Center, Rte 202 btwn Rte 152 & Bristol Rd, Chalfont; 215-822-1833. J Folk & jazz. Sat, Jason Tucker.
Steel City Coffeehouse 203 Bridge St, Phoenixville; 610-933-4043. www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com. J Variety. Tonight, John Eddie. Sat, Boris Garcia.
Vincent's Restaurant 10 E Gay St, West Chester; 610-696-4262. Blues. Sats, pianist Al "Stumpy" Russell.
William Penn Inn Rte 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd; 215-699-9272. J Piano. Fris-Sats, "Father John" D'Amico. Sats, Mary Tooke.
New Jersey
Brenner's Brew 21 East Commerce St, Bridgeton; 856-451-5885. www.brennersbrew.com. J Variety. Tonight, Adelante.
Dadz Bar & Grill 744 Main St, Mt Holly; 609-267-4344. Rock. Tonight, Billy Hector.
Giumarello's 329 Haddon Ave, Westmont; 856-858-9400. Pop & jazz. Fris-Sats, the Chris Giraldi Quartet.
Lambertville Station 11 Bridge St, Lambertville; 609-397-8300. J Blues & jazz. Tonight, Lifters. Sat, Carol Heffler.
Red, Hot & Blue Holiday Inn, Rte 70 & Sayer Ave, Cherry Hill; 856-665-7427. J Blues. Tonight, the Old Boy Band. Sat, Two Feet Pete.