THE SHOWDOWN: The sound of Charles Manson's nightmares

POSTED: Monday, February 8, 2010, 8:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

A concert a day keeps the doctor away.

Monday: Alberta Cross is a beardy sort of band, sure. And, yeah, they have a few shows set over seas with Dave Matthews Band. Forget that part entirely (I only mentioned it to be fai)r. It feels like the group wants to have a throwback '70s rock feel. But it's the rootsier tracks, like "Low Man," that work for them, not the larger, We-Wanna-Be-U2 sound. In their better moments singer Petter Ericson Stakee's voice is shakey and passionate, which makes for a lovely little pairing when done right. With Hacienda and The John Olmstead Band, $10 - $12, 8 p.m., Khyber, 56 S. 2nd. St., 215-238-5888.

Tuesday: While Tape won't rock your face off, this Swedish band will provide some haunting electronica. Like many electronic tunes, their songs tend to build up within themselves. Some of the tracks, though, just string you along, giving hints here and there of ripples, but they're really just fractured tangents. Think of them as a subdued version of The Books. With Mountains, $12, 8 p.m., Chapel at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980.

Wednesday: Get a little soul in your life with the inspirational Angie Stone. The woman's got some gospel background, made clear when she stretches her larger than life pipes. But the same way a speaking softly will draw a person closer, her softer tracks are equally as impressive. She's got a sexy, raspy voice that demands just as much attention as when she'sbeltin' it out. With Leela James. $39.50 - $49.50, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., 215-572-7650.

Thursday: Velvet Davenport gives you throwback sounds with a touch of contemporary weirdness. They combine '60s tambourine with more recent chamber pop loops. But then there are moments, like their song "Kennedy Funk Jam," where it sounds like they've added in the sound of Charles Manson's nightmares. With Nymph, Florida, Spooks, and iDeath, $5 - $10 donations, 8 p.m., Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave.

Friday: Jemina Pearl is the dirty little punker (formerly of Be Your Own Pet) who is way smarter than the boys she teases. Her songs bounce around between '60s pop and '80s dance and her lyrics are so simple it's almost insulting. But there's something about the subject matter (like the song "I Hate People") or the delivery of the lines that makes it feel like she sees straight through every situation. With the Successful Failures and the Edison Proposal, $10, 9 p.m., Manhattan Room, 15 W.Girard Ave., 215-739-5577.

Saturday: Ohmygod, super sweet sythny indie pop alert! Phantogram is the dancey duo you want to carry around in your pocket because they're just so freaking adorable. They hint at a darker side with a touch of fuzz and droning, and spookier riffs, but it just comes off as cute all over again. Are they strikingly different from otherelectro dance groups? No. They have carved a little corner out for themselves with a sound that looks backwards to Portishead and Tricky rather than putting their blinders on to every other band and "progressing" forward in a scene that is dominating music currently. That means they don't sound like MGMT or Phoenix. With The Silent League, TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb, and Junk Culture, 8 p.m., $8, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919.

Sunday: If you're not one of those hopeless romantics going to see Kid Rock at the Borgota this V-Day, check out El Perro Del Mar. She'll be doling out the delicate, wispy lo-fi dream-tunes. Another Swede! That's two in one Showdown, that has to be a record or something. This should make for a relaxing end to the week. With Taken By Trees, $15 - $18, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400.

Posted by Julia West @ 8:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Comments (0)

What we're trying to do this weekend
CONCERT REVIEW: The Postal Service @ The Mann 6/17
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Sunny, Tony and the return of Do No Harm
Behind the scenes of local film A Man Full of Trouble
NOW SEE THIS: Salinger film trailer
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
REVIEW: Archer Live! @ the TLA 1/11
CITY PAPER WRITING CONTEST 2013: Send stories! Send poetry!
CONCERT PHOTOS: The National/Dirty Projectors @ The Mann Center 6/7
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Pink. Diner en Blanc 2. Breaking Glass and Milkboy at the movies. And so on.

About this blog

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.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

June
May
April

March
February
January

Past Archives: