Our weekly concert picks: June 4–June 10
What we’re seeing the first week of June!
What we're seeing the first week of June!
Thursday, June 5: Royal Shoals
Philly surf-rockers Royal Shoals have been kicking around the city for nearly 5 years now, playing house shows and having fun, without caring too much what the outside world might think. A trio comprised of veteran musicians Matt Lyons, Greg Pavlovcak, and Jamie Wilson, Royal Shoals originally formed as a "summer band only," and excuse for hanging out, but soon found they couldn't be limited to just 3 months per year. Since then, they've become decidedly more serious, and this Thursday, they'll celebrate the release of their new EP Hotel with a release show at Kung Fu Necktie. The last time we saw them live (at this year's Art Star Craft Bazaar), we were blown away to find pretty much everyone—children, grown-ups, stoic hipsters—dancing, and we have a feeling this Thursday will be similar. Also on the bill: Atlanta pop outfit Gold-Bears, plus local shredders Roof Doctor, and popsters Hurry. Only $5!
7:30 at Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., $5. Tickets available here.
Thursday, June 5: King Khan & The Shrines
King Khan and the Shrines are a nine (and sometimes 10) piece band who combine the grit and fury of garage punk with the funk and fervor of a psychedelic soul band. Led by the wily, passionate King Khan (real name: Arish Ahmad Khan), a Canadian-born, Berlin-bred wild man with a penchant for antics, the band's spent the past 15 years earning a reputation for being one of the most exciting live bands around, regaling crowds with their bizarre costumes and energy. Along the way, they've also put out eight very good records, including 2013's Idle No More, which introduces some bluesy, '60s rock elements into the mix, and generally proves to be excellent summer BBQ music. This Thursday, they bring their massive brass carnival to the TLA, for what promises to be the weirdest, most fun thing you do all week.
8:00 at the TLA, 334 South St., $15. Tickets available here.
Friday, June 6: Disclosure
Our new fave band! London duo Disclosure are a great example of a modern buzz band that actually lives up to the hype—their 2013 record Settle is a perfect collection of dance floor-worthy jams that are also perfect pop songs, from insatiable opener "When a Fire Starts to Burn" to skulking, house-driven "F for You." The brainchild of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, the band started tinkering with electronic sounds after finding inspiration in Burial and Joy Orbison LPs, and released their first single, "Street Light Chronicle," in 2010 (at ages 18 and 15)! Interest grew with their 2012 singles "Tenderly/Flow" and "Latch"…and by the time Settle dropped last summer, they were already international stars. The record debuted at number one on the UK charts and was shortlisted for a Mercury Prize. This Friday, the boys bring it to life at Union Transfer—we expect dancing, raging, and positive vibes.
8:30 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., sold out.
Saturday, June 7: Banks
Jillian Banks—or as she's known professionally—BANKS—crafts dark, lush, R&B-tinged pop concoctions imbued with mystery and a sense of seduction. An artist since age 15 (she's now 25), Banks first started writing to cope with her parents' divorce, and starting posting songs to SoundCloud in 2013. The songs—such as first single "Before I Ever Met You" —were darkly stirring, combining dubstep vibes and chilling beats with impressive vocal chops, and the secrecy surrounding her identity (for months, she hid her real name) only served to help build hype. These days, she's more open about her life details (even if she still refuses to use social media) and her name has appeared everywhere from the pages of Vogue to main page of Spotify, where she's a featured artist for 2014. But her songs remain just as intoxicating, and this Saturday, she'll bring them to life at Underground Arts, for a very bewitching performance.
7:00 at Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., sold out.
Saturday, June 7: Cheerleader
For those who didn't get tix to Banks in time (or just prefer breezy pop nugs to R&B burners), Philly's own Cheerleader might be just the pick-me-up you need. A five-piece formed late last year when guitarists Chris Duran and Joe Haller moved to Philly from Hartford, CT with the goal of forming of a band—Cheerleader quickly bonded over their shared musical goals, and set about creating prefect car stereo jams. Since then, they've re-released their debut EP, and shared "Perfect Vision," a slice of summer pop so refreshing, it's a wonder they don't put it in mojitos. Along the way, they've built up the requisite buzz, earning a spot on the Rachael Ray Feedback party line-up at this year's SXSW, and hitting the road with The Hold Steady last May. They're now back in Philadelphia and will play their first headlining show this Saturday at the Boot. We love these guys for their laidback tunes and positive attitudes, and once their debut LP drops, we have a feeling they'll be huge. Get on board now; claim bragging rights later.
8:30 at Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., $8–10. Tickets available here.