THE SHOWDOWN: Grabbing asses and making them jiggle

POSTED: Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 1:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

City Paper music critic Brian Wilensky rounds up the week's sure-bet live shows.

Tuesday: It’s been a long day of train hoppin’, whiskey swillin’, and singin’ to Western stars. And then the Levee Drivers’ album ends and you realize you haven’t left home yet, you’re sober as a judge and it’s barely one in the afternoon. Good thing these guys can tell a bluesy, country story good enough to make us look to the hazy horizon without having to actually ride the rails. 8 p.m., $5, with Andrew Lipke, Zach Zaitlin & Ron Gallo, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298.

Wednesday: Hollywood’s Afrobeat Orgone are bringing their mothership to every ear in the room. The punchy horns will get every foot on the floor. Then their rhythm section, with swing-creating percussion, will grab every ass around that isn’t already shaking and make it jiggle instantly. Just be ready to dance, they’ll take care of the rest. 9 p.m., $7-$10, with Philadelphia Funk Hustle & Olivia Falcione (with Chuck Treece), The Blockley, 3801 Chestnut St., 215-222-1234.

Thursday: Continuing his first-Thursday of the month residency, Bobby Zankel and the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound groove loosely over melodies that are a bit frenetic at times. Other times Zankel’s post-bop orchestra is lead through its tunes by one or more of its 16 members blowing such far-gone solos it’s like being introduced to the avant-garde all over again. 9 p.m., $10, Tritone, 1508 South St., 215-545-0475.

Friday: Until We Lay Alone by Zach Stock vibes in an “I’m going to record this for myself and it doesn’t matter if no one else hears it” kind of way. It creates a warm living room for the traveled folk. His breathy vocals accompanying his acoustic strumming in front of trembling violins and mandolin make the living room feel like a final resting place. 9:30 p.m., $8-$10, with Joshua Marcus & Willy Green and the Wishful Thinkers, Milkboy Philly, 1100 Chestnut St., 215-925-6455.

Saturday: The soundscapes and minimal weirdo folk by Tara Burke, better known as Fursaxa, feels like the fog that follows a horseback messenger bringing grim news about one’s family to the village. As that fog touches the homes in the village, it’s cleared out by a cold breeze: the next song by Burke. 8 p.m., $6, with Helena Espvall/Marcia Bassett Duo & Zaimph, Highwire Gallery, 2040 Frankford Ave., 215-426-2685.

Sunday: Spraynard sounds like the pop-punk that pop radio couldn’t get enough of about 10 years ago. Change the radio station if you feel so inclined. Or don’t, there’s a niche for everybody and maybe some people still like poop jokes. Yes, they make poop jokes on last year’s debut, Cut and Paste. 6 p.m., $8, with Slingshot Dakota, The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die, Everyone Everywhere & Stable Boys, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298.

(brian.wilensky@citypaper.net)

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