THE SHOWDOWN: Vibrant life today

Among this week's show lineup: The Baseball Project @ North Star Bar, Levon Helm @ Keswich Theatre and Bright Eyes @ the Mann Center

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THE SHOWDOWN: Vibrant life today

POSTED: Monday, June 6, 2011, 1:00 PM

Monday: If you like baseball, songs, and songs about baseball, The Baseball Project is you kind of band. Led by Scott McCaughey of The Minus 5 and Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate, the group’s songs take stories from our national pastime’s colorful history and renders them as hyper-catchy power pop numbers. Their new album, High And Inside, explores some of the darker tales of baseball’s’ past, including folks getting hit by errant foul balls, players being let go at their prime and Carl Mays’ infamous ‘pitch that killed.’ Standing in for regular member Peter Buck will be Buck’s R.E.M. bandmate Mike Mills on bass. w/ The Bigger Lovers, 8 p.m., $12-$15, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., 215-787-0488.

Tuesday: Finding a perfect stretch of land between gravely morbid and euphorically joyous, Cults have finally released their self-titled debut album. Though the album was made almost entirely by leaders Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin, the live band features a thoroughly expanded lineup. While the group’s lyrics often feature macabre ruminations on the treachery of living, Cults’ music draws strong inspiration from classic girl-group pop and stylish R&B. Cults have, appropriately enough, amassed a devoted following, so lace up your sneakers and join up. w/ Guards & Writer, 9 p.m., $10, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684.

Wednesday: Best known as the drummer from The Band, Levon Helm has recently reemerged as the leader of his own group of talented musicians. The collaborative aspects of The Band are revived in Helm’s new group, as just about every member takes their turn in the spotlight. Helm’s recent albums, like so many by The Band, feature new takes on songs by familiar songwriters like Jerry Garcia, Randy Newman and Muddy Waters. A late-‘90s battle with throat cancer has forced Helm to give up much of his vocal duties, but he’s still plenty animated when ‘talking’ through his drums. w/ Sunny War, 7:30 p.m., $39.50-$59.50, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., 215-572-7650.

Thursday: When musicians collaborate, it’s usually after years of recognition and acclaim. Though their success has been limited to in-the-know indie circles, Thao Nguyen of Thao with The Get Down Stay Down and celebrated singer-songwriter Mirah Zeitlyn got together this year to record and perform as Thao & Mirah. After touring together for a spell in 2010, the duo wrote a series of songs with Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs, who served as co-producer on the Thao & Mirah album. The new songs bring out the best in both musicians who, though they previously functioned as strong solo artists, are taking to this union quite deftly. w/ Bobby & Led to Sea, 8 p.m., $14-$15, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980.

Friday: Once the infallible starchild of acoustic music for those with a lot of feelings, Conor Oberst has since become a most respected musician. With Bright Eyes, Oberst has explored a variety of sounds from electronica to alt-country. There’s a chance that, with the release of this year’s The People’s Key, Oberst might retire his more-than-decade-old moniker. The album’s mature mix of styles is far more palatable that some of Oberst’s recent solo work, so maybe Bright Eyes isn’t done for just yet. w/ Dawes & M. Ward, 7:30 p.m., $25-$33.50, Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave., 215.878.0400.

Saturday: CANCELLED! Formed by Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Euros Childs (Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci), the psychedelic pop group Jonny brings the sounds of yesterday to vibrant life today. Blake and Childs are masters of evoking the sunny, harmony-laden nuggets of the Summer of Love, channeling the legacies of groups both famous and forgotten. Both musicians are well-versed in crafting gleefully catchy pop music, and combining their powers has led to one of the most satisfying albums of the year. Goodness knows how long the 11-minute “Cave Dance” will stretch out to in concert. w/ Apex Manor, 9 p.m., $21, World Café Live Upstairs, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400. CANCELLED!

Sunday: Philly’s latest local hero done good is Kurt Vile, the shaggy-headed rocker whose most recent album has rightfully earned national acclaim. After touring for a spell with Dinosaur Jr frontman J Mascis, Vile is getting back on the road to headline his own shows with his band, The Violators. Smoke Ring For My Halo is a delicate and ornate offering, but the album’s songs are transformed into noisy, multi-guitar sludgefests in concert. Though Vile performs in town on a pretty regular basis, it’s only a matter of time before he sets off to become a full-fledged superstar. Don’t take any chances and go see him tonight. w/ Pissed Jeans & Meg Baird, 8 p.m., $12, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980.

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