THE SHOWDOWN: Huge in ______

POSTED: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 2:00 PM

Tuesday: When bands’ members switch instruments between songs, it’s usually because they’re each proficient at various instruments and wish to show off their versatility. The members of Philadelphia’s Lightninging, a band that hardly does anything ‘usual,’ switch instruments just to see what happens. While (actual trained) drummer Greg Foran remains planted behind his kit, his bandmates try on different roles for size, resulting in noisy but joyous rock sounds. By this point, each member can fare pretty well no matter what they’re playing, but the self-imposed unpredictability still makes for quite a sight. w/ Streaks of Light, Hello Creature & Kid Savant, 7 p.m., $8, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919.

Wednesday: Trace the roots of the current British indie-folk movement that spawned Mumford And Sons, Laura Marling and more, and you’ll inevitably land at the feet of musician/actor Johnny Flynn. Just a few years before the scene exploded on an international scale, Flynn released his debut album, A Larum, which fused traditional folk elements with modern subjects and references. With another album under his belt, Flynn returns to the States to hopefully win over as many hearts as his Londoner contemporaries. w/ James Mathe & Caitlin Rose, 8 p.m., $19-$26, World Café Live, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400.

Thursday: You should probably be skeptical when you’re told that a band that has had limited recognition in America is “huge in _______.” The fact of the matter, though, is that Bell X1 are huge in their home country of Ireland. Not quite U2 huge, but pretty darn close for a young indie band. The group’s new record, Bloodless Coup, is a gently catchy and cinematic as anything they’ve done before, and they never fail to put on an engaging and delightful live show. Just ask Mark Zuckerberg: he saw them perform at Facebook’s Irish headquarters just last week. w/ Jarrod Gorbel, 8:30 p.m., $18, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980.

Friday: Sometimes being called ‘wordy’ is a bad thing, but when it comes to Austin’s Okkervil River, the more verbose the better. Leader Will Sheff’s lyrics play out like intensely emotional poetry, often setting scenes over the course of an entire album. The group’s newest, I Am Very Far, doesn’t feature a pronounced story arc, but the songs are based around hallmarks of 1950s and ‘60s pop production. Walls and walls of sound, allusions to girl group and those great motorcycle wreck songs; I Am Very Far twists the past to best serve Sheff’s present and future. The results are pretty far out. w/ Titus Andronicus & Future Islands, 9 p.m., $17.50-$19, Trocadero, 10th & Arch Sts., 215-922-6888.

Bonus Friday: In the crowded singer-songwriter scene of the early 1970s, Leon Redbone was an enigma. Dressing in outdated clothes and performing renditions of forgotten pre-jazz tunes. Redbone’s albums play like documented field recordings or time capsules. His guttural voice and convoluted biography are just as integral to Redbone’s acclaim as his music, with conflicting stories painting the singer as over 300 years old and being the author of songs that date to decades before his birth. Come for the legend and, well, stay for the legend. 8 p.m., $30-$35, PSALM Salon, 5841Overbrook Ave., 215-477-7578.

Saturday: Every year, The Roots gather some of their best friends and favorite newcomers for The Roots Picnic, possibly the hippest way to beat the heat. This year, in addition to a performance from The Roots themselves, you’ll be able to catch sets from Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, The Dismemberment Plan, Man Man, Little Dragon and more. You really shouldn’t need too much more encouragement than that. Really, you shouldn’t. w/ Esperanza Spalding, Nicos Gun, T. Mills, Yelawolf, Mac Miller, Donn T, Hank and Cupcakes, OCD/Reda, Railbird and Young Vipers & Black Thought and DJ J. Period, Noon, $65-$79.95¸ Festival Pier, Columbus Blvd. & Spring Garden St., 1-800-745-3000.

Sunday: The second of two shows at the Merriam, Paul Simon will showcase his beloved material and selections from his latest, So Beautiful Or So What. A semi-return to the worldly styles of Graceland and Rhythm Of The Saints, So Beautiful is one of Simon’s best work in years. Of course, being the American icon that he is, Simon has an obligation to dig into his catalogue for hits and deep cuts. No matter what songs he pulls from his repertoire, you can be sure that an evening in the presence of Paul Simon will be nothing short of riveting. 8 p.m., $58-$128, Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St., 215-893-1999.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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