Once upon a time Philly's Neil Drucker had a record label, Record Cellar. It was the toast of indie-pop and the then-bourgeoning alternative country market. Frank Brown's Flight of Mavis, Tommy Conwell's Buzz Zeemer, Kevin Karg and Rich Kaufmann's Rolling Hayseeds and Jon Houlon's John Train were kings of that dusty wild frontier. Then Drucker closed down the label last month. But he released one more thing, a three-CD compilation Town and Country: 1989-2006 because you can't put your arms around a memory. (Read A.D. Amorosi's online exclusive interview with Drucker.)
Sat., Jan. 27, 7 p.m., $10, with Darren Schlappich, Jon Houlon, Rich Kaufmann and Steve Yutzy-Burkey, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0978, www.tinangel.com.
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Karate kid Geoff Farina (pictured) is solo for these intimate dates and that's good. His frank folk-jazzy sound has always been mercurially moody and small. Even when his epic, Pat Metheny-like guitar runs got spiked by skronky rhythms and yelpy vocals in a band setting, his arrangements huddled tightly around his melodies. His singing seemed withdrawn and tiny. Come's Chris Brokaw also part of Tortoise side projects like The New Year and Pullman goes it alone as well. I don't know how small he'll get.
Thu., Jan. 25, 9 p.m., $10, First Unitarian Church's side chapel, 22nd and Chestnut sts., 866-468-7619, www.r5productions.com.
Bravo to Orchestra 2001 for their superb yearlong celebration of the fantastic music of the late Gyorgy Ligeti. But they are cramming these concerts with lots of other interesting music as well. The latest includes new music by Andrew Rudin and a performance of the glittering concert aria Ch'io Mi Scordi Di Te of Mozart sung by soprano Christine Brandes.
Sat., Jan. 27, 8 p.m., $30, Lang Concert Hall, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore; Sun., Jan. 28, 3 p.m., $30, Trinity Center, 22nd and Spruce sts., 215-922-2190, www.orchestra2001.org.
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The Hot Horse! label on Fletcher Street created a monster in Creeping Weeds. Ever since their four-song EP I found the C-Weeds totally Pavement-esque. With one difference: Creeping Weeds are actually good. They're effervescent. Persnickety. Have an odd panache about them. And their full-length debut, We Are All Part of a Dream You're Having, jumps from hosting contagious songs with lumpy stomped beats and pastel-toned acoustic guitars to muzzy space rockers filled with dream-time singing. I'll even tolerate their didgeridoo on "I Wanted to Live (Die)."
Fri., Jan. 26, 9 p.m., $8, with Walker Lundee, Future Tips and The Jerk, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, www.johnnybrendas.com.
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Yeah, '06 was cool, opening for Bon Jovi and all, but let's go ahead and say 2007 will be an even better year for Ike. John Faye and Joann Schmidt's power pop trip is due to release two albums (a live one in the spring, a proper studio CD in the fall). And they're so psyched about the new material they've set up a second MySpace profile so they could stream more of it.
Sat., Jan. 27, 10:30 p.m., $10, with The Rigbees, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0978, www.tinangel.com.
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