July 29-August 4, 2004

music

soundadvice

by A.D. Amorosi, Deesha Dyer, Nicole Pensiero, Patrick Rapa and Andrew Parks

ROCK/POP

The Red Masque

In the Nu-progressive rock underground, few bands are as respected and feared as Philadelphia's The Red Masque. Without irony or kitsch, the whirlwind that is Masque — on the new Feathers for Flesh (Big Balloon) -- stalks the darkness of Hammer Horror ambience and cursedly complex musicianship (think Gong meets Bauhaus) with only feedbacking noise, sound-collage clustering and the howl of vocalist Lynnette Shelley to light its way.
— A.D. Amorosi
Fri., July 30, 9 p.m., $8, with Goldenball, Garden State and Make A Rising, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888.

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HIP-HOP/BLUES

Everlast

He survived the breakup of his hip-hop band House of Pain, a near-fatal heart attack in his 20s and an up-and-down career following his 1998 double platinum solo debut, Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. Now Erik Schrody (aka Everlast) is back with the bluesy hip-hop White Trash Beautiful (Island), his first effort in four years, and a kick-ass band that gleefully plows through everything from "Today (Watch Me Shine)" to "What It's Like."
— Nicole Pensiero
Thu., July 29, midnight, $15, with Buddahead, The TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011.

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RENAISSANCE/FOLK

Burlap Lute

This Philly-based quintet — players of guitar, violin, concertina, pennywhistle, flute, harp, crumhorn, vielle and more — knows how to get medieval on your ass, but that's not all they know. Combining elements of traditional Irish music, modern folk, Renaissance dance and more, Paul Butler and company put their originals right alongside 500-year-old gems. They dress the part, too.
— Patrick Rapa
Sat., July 31, noon-3 p.m., free, with Rays of Hope, outside The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., 215-573-3234.

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JAZZ

The Frank and Joe Show

At Manhattan's Sweet Rhythm, the Frank and Joe Show — percussionist Joe Ascione, Django-like guitarist Frank Vignola and a quartet of rhythmatists — is as much a must-see amongst jazz-cats as The Producers is to tourists. Though the Joel Dorn-produced 33 1/3 (Hyena) is a cheerful keepsake of the rarified hot jazz and Brazi-Cuban twists lent to Tin Pan faves like "Don't Fence Me In," you have to see them live.
— A.D. Amorosi
Fri., July 30, 8 and 10 p.m., $25, Zanzibar Blue, 200 S. Broad St., 215-732-4500.

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ROCK/POP

Black Cross

The fetishistic hardcore punk illuminati should revel in the rare material on Widows Bloody Widows (Initial). The Black Cross collection scours crates of colored vinyl and deleted 7-inches for prime selections of spirited, shout-along anthems. It's a bit of an oxymoron, but this is hardcore at its most cerebral.
— Andrew Parks
Thu., July 29, 7:30 p.m., $8, all ages, with The Minor Times, Retisonic, The Deadly and Lords, First Unitarian Church, 22nd and Chestnut sts., 800-594-8499.

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ROCK/POP

Boz Scaggs

He got his start as a teenage guitarist in buddy Steve Miller's band. But fame didn't come to Boz Scaggs till 1976, when he brought credibility to disco with his five-million-selling, slick-but-never-sappy Silk Degrees. The '80s were nothing special for the singer-guitarist, but when Scaggs returned to his first love, Chicago and Delta R&B, he found an audience still waiting and ready to dig the dirty lowdown.
— Nicole Pensiero
Wed., Aug. 4, 8 p.m., $39-$46, Keswick Theatre, Easton Rd. and Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650.

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HIP-HOP

African Youth Benefit

Hip-hop's cultural influence is everywhere — just ask Philly's African community. International talent, Ambassadoz (Ghana), Chosan (Sierra Leone), Balozi (Tanzania) and Meta (Senegal), along with local MCs, come together to benefit the youth of Africa. Native sounds, sights and rhythms will be present through drumming, poetry and dance. Natty Rebel will also bring their traditional and modern attire to the mix.
— Deesha Dyer
Sat., July 31, 2-7 p.m., free, with Liberation, Luminous Flux, Soldiers for Culture and Formula RH, Clark Park, 45th and Chester sts., 215-726-9942.