THE SHOWDOWN: Like supercharged epileptics

POSTED: Monday, December 14, 2009, 8:12 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

A concert a day keeps the doctor away.

Monday: If it's fuzz you want, then Christmas has just come early for you, my friend. The Chickens make warbly electro lo-fi, charged with a moodiness all too fitting for a Monday night. They're brooding at times, but by the next track they've flipped to something neurotic that could make the youth start dancing like supercharged epileptics. With the always fun Ultrathin, Tonstartssbandht and U.S. Girls, 8 p.m., $7, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919.

Tuesday: Remove yourself completely from Tuesday, and maybe the planet. With sweet, airy synths and delicate female vocals, I'm half expecting to spot a unicorn at the Sunny Day in Glasgow show. Or at least a couple of fairies. Their music is filled with rainbows and sunshine, but never becomes sickeningly cutesy. A.D. Amorosi even wrote about them in this week's issue. With Reading Rainbow and Ape School, 9 p.m., $10, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684.

Wednesday: The Sleepwells live up to their name. Not to say that their gentle tunes will bore you to sleep, but they may lull you to a less-focused state. There's a type of music that sounds like it was made for roadtrips, full of fun adventures and self-searching. The Sleepwells are the nighttime version of that. Just don't fall asleep at the wheel. With Fishstick, Vice Royals, and Handsome Devils, 7 p.m., $8, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., 215-684-0808.

Thursday: The gloomy boys from Thursday are back. Well, kind of. They're in Allentown. Normally I wouldn't suggest a screamo band but, damn it, it's Thursday. Yes, they border on cheesy, but sonically they are somewhere entirely different. While they are playing a ways away from the city tonight, it's worth the trek if you missed them a few months ago. With Dillinger Escape Plan, Fake Problems and Endless Hallway, 6:30 p.m., $15-$17, The Crocodile Rock Cafe, 520 W. Hamilton St., Allentown, 610-434-4600.

Friday: I promise this will be the only show you go to this week where you will receive a free vibrator. The Khyber's Third Annual Vagina Jam will be the site to find some of the most vulgar and offensive music in Philadelphia. Dirty Diamond will perform pop hits from Neil Diamond and others, only he's going to replace the words that make you blush. With Bong Hits for Jesus and Action Park, 8 p.m., $10, The Khyber, 56 S. 2nd St., 215-238-5888.

Saturday: Sassy, foot-tappin' lady folker Suzie Brown may be a local, but you wouldn't know it. She's got a twangy acoustic style paired with a voice that's all country. Her voice teeters on passionate and she sounds like she's prepared to let everything go. With Liz Longley, 7:30 p.m., $10, Tin Angel, 20 S. 2nd St., 215-928-0770.

Sunday: Generally, people love ska or they can't stand it, and I understand that. If you're someone who loves it, or one of those few people on the fence about porkpie hats and 12-piece horn sections, then the Slackers are the ones to see tonight. These guys are the cool, relaxed ska folk, not to be mistaken with that strung out, uptight pop punk ska that was so popular in its day. No, this is ska the way it was meant to be: slow-burning and layered. With Bullbuckers and DJ100dbs, 8 p.m., $15-$18, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011.

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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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